MEMOIRS OF MISS FARREN. (With an elegant Portrait.). THIS lady's father was a furgeon in Cork. An early fondnefs for the drama, induced him to quit that city, and commence an actor in an itine rant company in England; and during a campaign at Tewkefbury, he married Mrs. Farren, at whofe house he lodged, and who then kept a fhop for the fale of haberdashery. Mrs. Farren was born at Liverpool. After their union, it was natural to fuppofe, they both went on the ftage; but Mrs. Farren was more remarkable for her prolification, than for any difplay of dramatic talents. She produced her husband three daughters and a fon, when he died in circumftances of extreme indigence. Left without friends, and even without abilities, to procure a comfortable fubfiftence for a numerous family, Mrs. Farren ftruggled with great fortitude; and though the experienced the moft poignant poverty, yet the fulfilled the duties of a mother, with the utmost tendernefs. As her fituation in the corps to which fhe belonged, was very inferior, fo were her profits; and whenever her children were capable, the put them on the ftage, that their exertions might contribute a small pittance to the general flock. Edward the Fifth, in Richard the Third, and fimilar parts: at the fame time the difcovered an agreeable voice; but their indigence was ftill exceedingly depreffing. From this ftate of mifery Mrs. Farren endeavoured to emancipate herself and children, by applying to Mr. Whitely, a celebrated manager then at Chefter. This gentleman's company was full; but he readily recommended them to Mr. Younger of Liverpool; and from the report which had reached him of Kitty Farren's merit, he engaged the family, Mifs Betfey Farren, at the age of fifteen, made her debut at Liverpool in Rofetta, in Love in a Village; but fuch was the poverty of her wardrobe, that the ladies in the company, it is remembered, were obliged to fubscribe each a proportion of apparel, before the could be properly equipped. So much may great merit and fuperior talents be depreffed by poverty! She next performed Lady Townley, and pleafed Mr. Younger fo well, that he procured credit with his tradefmen, for what cloaths any of the family might stand in need of. Mr. Younger, not content with this, befides advancing her falary, took every step to promote the intereft of our heroine. Her eldest daughter Kitty, firft cheered her hopes, by difplaying great viva city and fprightlinefs in the parts of Mifs Farren continued a great favou Girls and Chambermaids: while Betfey rite with the people in Liverpool, and the fubject of thefe memoirs) was the manager had her intereft so much much careffed, in perfonating king at heart, that he obtained an engage Hib. Mag. July, 1794. very fir ment for her with Mr. Colman; and ed about town at this time, diffuadin she made her firft appearance at the her from an attachment to lord Derby Hay-market theatre in the fummer of as too early in life to play "DARB 1777, the fame feafon with the late and JoAN." Elevated to the Mr. Henderfon. Here fhe relinquifhed circles, fhe now became anxious to ri all claim to falary, from the confidera- val those of the highest rank and for tion of having her choice of parts, and tune in every female and polite accom acquired the reputation the now fo plishment; fhe applied, with fuch in juftly retains, of a first-rate actress. defatigable pains to improvement, tha fhe is now juftly confidered as a finifhed pattern of female elegance and fashion A few years ago his grace of Rich mond, defirous of having private play performed at his houfe in Privy Gar dens, in which lord Derby, lord Henry Fitzgerald, and the hon. Mrs. Damer were to take the principal charac ters, Mifs Farren was appointed to prefide over the ftage bufinefs, an em ployment of which he was fond, a introducing her to most of the nobility in the kingdom, and thereby giving he an importance unknown to any thea trical cotemporary. Mifs Farren ftil is honoured with the patronage of th great. After fucceeding fo well at the Haymarket, fhe was engaged at Covent garden theatre, where the performed tragedy with the late Mr. Digges, and in a fhort time afterwards became a member of Old Drury, through the intereft of her friend Younger, who was at the time ftage-manager at that theatre. Here the held the rank of firft tragic actress, and reprefented Juliet, the Fair Penitent, &c. with great and merited applaufe. In comedy, the ftood next to Mrs. Abington; and when that lady went to Covent-garden theatre, Mifs Farren was confidered an excellent, if not an equal fubftitute. It is probable, however, that her own merit, though heightened by a nice and critical obfervance of Mrs. Abington's manners, would never have raised her to the eminence she now holds; or, at leaft, would never have attracted fo much public attention, had fhe not kindled a flame in the breaft of the Rt. Hon. C. J. Fox. About this time the British Demofthenes paid her particular attention, and frequently dangled whole evenings behind the scenes, for the fake of her company; but after one feafon's purfuit he gave up the chace, and was lucceeded by lord Derby, who, it is said, very much approved his refignation. This nobleman immediately avowed the moft fincere attachment, and took every means of promoting her intereft. He not only spoke to the managers in her favour, but induced lady Dorothy Thompson, and lady Cecilia Johnston, to become her patrons. This raised her importance in the theatre; and Mr. From this period fhe has been careff ed by a long lift of fashionable ladies a circumftance which feems to be he greatest ambition. She has a house in the vicinity of Grosvenor-fquare, keep her carriage, and mixes familiarly with the firft characters of the beau monde. It is certain that he has returned the favours of those who knew and re lieved her early wants; but, it is faid with no inconfiderable fhare of hateur. Mifs Farren has played with grea eclat in Ireland, where fhe was alfo much noticed by the nobility, both a her firft coming, and at prefent. The love fyftem of lord Derby and Mifs Farren is fuppofed to be perfectly Platonic; and fhould one event tak place, it is not impoflible but the ma move in a much more elevated fphere. The Modern Drama of Different Coun T tries. The Italian Stage. HE modern King, who about this time was apwith the fame fun, and walk ove and advance a lady fo much noticed by the fashionable world. n elegant copy of verses was hand the fame ground that was poffeffed b the ancient Romans; but they are ftran gers to their virtues, the traces of whic are only to be found in hiftory; there- Guarini, the writings of Metaftafio, &c.) wherein there is fpirit, humour and fentiment; and I am of opinion, that the pieces of Terence and Plautus were chaunted forth in the fame manner, as well as the whole ancient e comedy. The Spanish and French Comedy. n n ท f t fore they have fcarcely any tragedy; for they do not want to be excited to noble or arduous tasks: their inclination leads them to voluptuoufness and pleafure; and the plays they have now among them are calculated to no other t end but that of indulging this enervate tendency: they are a ftrange mixture of fpeaking and mummery, without any THE Spaniards will have it, that 1 inftruction, and with very little mean- they draw the fources of their comic wit ing, of which fome may recollect an from life; but they are mistaken, they evidence in the burlettas made many fee things only at a fhort diftance, and years fince by the Giardino family, in imagine that the little gallantries and the Hay-market: the admirable action intrigues of Madrid and Seville are indeed of La Spiletta must have made thofe of the world-This is the life from a lafting impreffion, while no one that which they copy, and it is a life every understood Italian could have chofen to body elfe muft own peculiar to themas retain a fyllable of the writing: The felves. They are indeed fruitful in whole family had merit confidered as invention, and have a variety of incibuffoons; and the Italian comedians dents which are very pleafing. The are for the moft part little better. I reafon is plain: a woman in Spain, is queftion whether the ancient mimes ex- kept as clofe as a mifer keeps guineas, hecelled them in attitudes, poftures, agi- fo that the poet is forced to form a lity and grimace: they have a furprif- thousand contrivances before he can fing power of diftorting the counte- bring her to the arms of her gallant; esmance, and perhaps nothing was ever and if he copies from what he knows emore entertaining than the various fa- to be daily practifed among his counines made by Spiletta and her father, try people, he contrives that fome difprying, in one of those pieces. A fcene appointment divides them, even at the of this fort muft move the rifible facul- critical minute, until the catastrophe, ties of a ftoic; and their acting muft which is generally wound up by the loeplease, while the sentiment must have a vers being made happy. ontrary effect. They cannot be pro- The Spanish comedy is neither over perly called comedies, because they regular, nor entirely probable; because have no regular plot: the fcenes are un- the people retain a relish of the African connected, and they are void of charac- gallantry; of the extraordinary manliter or compofition, Nay, it often hap- ners of the Moors, from whom they apens at Paris, that it is not much more moftly deduce their original. Both han the impertinencies of a parcel of fexes in Spain, would think that paffiherry Andrews, who put their own on cool and indifferent, which was not honfenfe into the mouth of the charac- accompanied by fome of the extravaer they affume; even where the author gances to be found in their old books peaks, it is fo much bombaft, so much of chivalry; for it is but of late years, n the ftile of Hurlothumbo, that you that they have been cured of their romuft be difgufted; and, with Boccalini's mantic notions, infpired by knight erLacedæmonian, I would prefer the rantry, and fo happily ridiculed, though gallies rather than being confined (not not eradicated, by Cervantes; nay, in with him to Guicciardini, but) to a con- the country parts of Spain, they are far, tant attendance on the Italian comedy. even at this day from being exploded. eLet it be obferved here, that, though The French comedy is more regular deliver my fentiments freely upon the and more probable-In France, that Italian comedy, and condemn it on the ftrain of gallantry that reigns in their whole; yet I allow there are fome fine comedy, runs through their manners exceptions to my general tenet, (befides Intrigue is a fcience, and a man the Amyntor of Taffo, the Paflor fido of proaches a woman ftep by step: an gains ground by inches, like a general authors excel them as much in gen befieging a town. It is a refpect which as our foldiers do in courage. the women infift upon, becaufe their commerce with mankind, the freedom wherein their country's cuftom indulges them, permits them to pick and chufe; and, in that cafe, they are only to be won by deference and affiduity. This is a vein to be found in all Moliere's comedies, intermixed with characters of humour fo ftrongly painted, fuch excellent copies from the great book of life, that every body must be ftruck with the refemblance and applaud. His humourous characters are neither French, Spanith, nor English-they are citizens of the world, and their exactnefs must be acknowledged by all nations. There is this common defect in the French comedy, and I am afraid it extends to their tragedy, that, exclufive of their characters of humour, all the perfonages are French, be the fcene laid where it will. They fail in manners as well as defign, but not in fentiment and fancy: they are as civil upon the ftage as off it but that civility tires an Engliman, who wants fomething to roufe his inactive fluggish difpofition, and to keep him awake. This tedioufnefs is owing to their defect of genius-they have not the fire, requifite to animate, and it is right they fhould be civil, though infipid; for if they cannot entirely pleafe, it is but juft they fhould not offend. 2 Shi fpeare and Johnfon, are as far beyc Corneille and Moliere; as Marll rough was beyond Tallard; Chath. fuperior to Louvois. Account of the Evacuation of Ofter (With an elegant Engraving of that Event.) THE enemy having by the furrende of Ypres, and the retreat of ge neral Clairfait, from Thielt toward Ghent, entirely cut off all hope of fuc cour to fave Oftend The town and port were entirely evacuated on th 20th of June laft, a letter from tha neighbourhood has thefe words, gone Never was feen fuch a break-up a that of yefterday at Oftend!-Ever body that could find the means wer quitting the place. The magiftrate and people of property are all General Stewart yefterday gave leave to all the inhabitants to depart. All the fhips in the harbour were ordered into the road; and all the baggage belong ing to the ftaff of the 85th regiment of foot, and the 8th dragoons, was embarked. The departure of Prince Erneft was the fignal of alarm and flight.", Oftend is a strong fea-port town of Flanders, with a good harbour, which takes its name from its eaftern fituation; it is furrounded by a great number The French comic authors, fearful of of forts, ten baftions, and has four gates. ftretching their talents too far, do not Cobert de Steenlande, having taken the incline to raise your laughter to too habit in the Abbey of Bertin, at St. great a pitch: but politely jog on in an Omer's, in 814, gave Ottend to that eafy pace that lulls you to fleep. Their monaftery, then only a small village, characters are few-they have feldom with thirty-eight others. It became a an underplot, and they content them- town in 1072, when Robert de Frife felves with carrying on only one defign; built a church dedicated to St. Peter. they copy the ancients too clofely in ad- In the year 1372, the fishermen and hering to rule and regularity, while we other inhabitants, built round it a plain keep thofe noble originals too much at fimple palifade. In 1445, Philip the diftance: this is owing rather to a Good furrounded it with walls, erected want of tafte in our audiences, which, gates, enlarged the town, and made the could we fupply, we fhould outdo the harbour more commodious. In the French in their own province; but we year 1583, it was regularly fortified by muft have various incidents, epifodes the prince of Orange, after he had ta interwoven, more bufinefs carried on ken Ghent and Bruges. The prince of than they can bear, and a variety of Parma came to attack it in the fame performers. However, it must be year, but was compelled to retire with ated, that, with all their tafte, our out effecting his purpofe. In the year, a |