Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-08-04
(Frem Bells Weekly Messenger.)
MRS SIDDONS

cmnent for the splendor of her men ,al endow-
mcnts, than for the towering majesty other person
and dcmeanor, paid the great debt of nature on
Wednesday morning ut nine O'Clock, at her late
residence III Upper Baker street, Portman square,
We hear that her life was wholly despaircd of by
her medical attendants on Saturday last since
which, however, she rallied little, and slight
hopes were entertained by some of her friends that
she might for n time longer be spared them, The |
disorder for very little while manifested sings of
abatement, but returned with accumulated force, |
and she sank under its effects the day and hour
above stated
Mrs. Siddons the eldest daughter of Roger
kembc, and was born on July 18th, 1755, at a
public house, called the Shoulder of Mut1on at |
Brecknock, in Wales Her father the mana
ger of strolling company of comedians; her moth
er was the daughter of Mr.. John Wood, in his line
an actor ofrepute, and also the manager of com
pany OF comedians. Her father u catholic, |
but Mrs. Siddons was, believe, bred up in the
faith of her mother. Mrs. Siddons' carly life was
passed under her fathers roof till her 18th year.
She had at that time excited in her future husband,
MIR. Siddons, attachment of which her parents |
did not approve. Mr.. Sddons was an actor of her
fathers company; and though he respectable,
both as performer and as man, her parents en-
deavored to break off the attachment. When the
attachment discovered, thoseffect of absence
was tried, and Miss Kemble placed rs a COM
panion or servant with Mrs. Greathead near
Warwick. While she was here, this lady informed
Mr.. Garrick who she was and solicited his Judgment
of her Abilities and his pfotection Garrick (says
Mr. Boaden) seemed highly pleased with her utter
ancc, and her deportment; wondered how she had
got rid of the old song, the Ti-tum-t told her how
his engagements stood with the established hero
ines, Yates and Young-admitted her merits-re
GREETED that he could do nothing for her-and wish
cd her good morning. During her residence at
Mrs. Greathcad's she kept up a correspondence
with Mr. S:ddons, and at len 9Th made up her point
to become actress, and complete her union
with Mr. Siddons by trip 10 Scotland. The lat
ter was probably averted by the of her pa
rents and before she had completed her 18th year
her father gave her hand to Mr.. Siddons.
MIR. and Mrs. Siddons joined a company then
performing at Chcltenham, and both of them were
immediately taken notice of by Lord Bruce, after
wards OF Alesbury, and his accomplished family
a recommendation to Glrrick took place; the Rev
H. Bate, afterwards Sir Bate Dudley, was reuues-
ted to examine and report concerning her perfor-
mances. lie saw and admired her, recommended
her to Garrick, and on December 29th IT'S, when
she was twenty years of age, Mrs. Siddons made
her first appearance in London, at Drury Lane in
the character of Portia, and received with
great applause. She had no articles of agreement
and no salary: and her bographer speaks as If Car
rick was even then insensibe to her merits At
the close of his career, May 23d, 1176 he revi-
wed the Suspicious Husband, and gave her the part
OF Mrs. Strickland to play to his own Ranger She
added by it to her growing reputation Her first
appearance in tragedy made in the part of Lady
Anne, when Garrick revived Richard the Third
he there met Roscious i'll all his terrors, and hung
back from timdityi his glance corrected the
lallure and the reproach was, with extreme sensi
billy, long remembered. On June the 5th she
| played before their Majesties Lady Anne but
she seems then TO have made impression on Gar
rick. He after left the stage; she was dismis
sed, and retired from that presented little
but modification. She however immediately
engaged by MIR. Richard Yates, the manager of the
bennington company, and Henderson seeing her
there had the sagacIy to predict her great success
and pronounce that she would never be surpassed
She was soon afterwards engaged at Bath, and
there restored, by her great powers, the Tragic
Muse to her honors, and established for herself the
fame that carried her in a few years in triumph
back TO the metropolis She played in the interval
CHIEFLY at Bath, but she also played at York and
Manchester, and at the latter place performed Ham
let with great applause 1t was in 1923, seven
years alter her first appearance Drury Lane that
she was re-engagod at that theatre and came ont
IN the character of Isabella, the 10Th of October
She was, however, much attached to Bath and
retained so lively recollection of her failure at
London that she could hardly be induced to come
The manager would not raise her salary and her
increasing family compelled her TO demand an ad
| ditional income. On that not b ing granted-and
| a small increase would have been sufficient-sbe
summoned her friends to the theatre and there
surrounded by her children, explained in verse of
her own composition the reasons for quitting them
| Displaying her children she said
These The moles that heave me from your side
| where was rooted-where could have died"
Her success at London was now as decisive and
her triumph as great as her former reception had
been Notifying. Her next character was Euphra
STA, in the Grecian Daughter and till then the s.,
power and extent of her voice were imperfectlv
appreciated.
Mrs Sidons next most deeply interested the pub
Tic by her Jane Shore. So affecting was she in
this mistress of prince that the end of the close
OF the play, where Shore secs her husband and
oreatheS out the few dying words "Forgive me- but
forgive me-" the sobs and shreks of the women
were distinctly audible and even the other sex,
VINO tried to suppress their tears were obliped tn
weep Several persons tainted; and the artificial
greet OF the actress gave rise to much alarm in the
audience. |
Her salary at this time 10l. a week but she |
was allowed two benefits. For her benefit she |
chose the character of Belvdera, in Venice Preser
we'd, and was eminently successful From this |
maJeses honored her by seeing her in all her char
acters Drury-lane closed on June the 5th with !
Isabella, which Mrs. Siddons had played twenty |
two times. The returning winter saw two of her
brothers, Mr.. stephen and Mr.. John Kemble en- |
gagged IN London; the former performed Othello. |
ana falled the latter was splendidly successful in
Hamlet The number of Mr.. Siddons's characters |
was this year, 1884, increased by Isabella in
Shakespeares play of Measure for Measure. bv |
Mrs. Beverly, IN The Gamester; by Constance IN
King John, and BY Lady Randolph, in Douglas. In /
this year Mrs Siddons also played Sipismnnda. in /
Ihomson's play of Tancred and Sipismunda snd
1t 10 supposed that her appearance in that obsTao
ter led Sir Joshua Reynolds to paint his nobI.
picture OF her in the character of the Tragic Muso
as That picture was painted in this year. Her Sc
cond season closed, which was one of vast exor
tlon, with great applause, and durino the summer
she visited Edlnburg, Dublin, and Corkc She was
reported 10 have refused to play for DiCees though
thdt was work OF charity, unless he paid her SOL
and that she would not play for Brereton thougb
q hnIh hoo NnG, n