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Article " HISTORY OF THE THEATRES OF LONDON, ← Page 3 of 6 →
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" History Of The Theatres Of London,
To her husband , an experienced actor , she was no doubt indebted for her theatrical improvements ; but she was some time before she displayed her brilliancy ; the indisposition of Mrs . Gibber gave her at last an opportunity of acquiring some reputation , and she established her fame by her performance of Mandane , intended for Mrs . Gibber , in Mr . Murphy ' s tragedy of the Orphan of China , which Mr . Garrick brought out , greatly against his inclination . She now became a favourite with the public , and mended the chief of her defects , which were marked by the satirist Churchill with severitybut not without truthOn the
, . death of Mrs . Gibber ( 1766 ) she became the unrivalled actress of the dav , and was paid the following compliments by Kelly in his Thespis : " Yates , with such wond ' rous requisites to charm , Such powers of face , and majesty of form , Such genuine grandeur with such sweetness found , So clear a voice and accurate a sound , In fame's first seat must certainly be lacM
p , While Britain boasts of judgment and of taste . Say in what walk of greatness or of grace , This matchless woman justly shall we place , In whichshe still possesses not an art To melt , to fire , to agonize the heart ? If in Cordelia to our minds we raise The more than magic softness she displays . Will not gush of instant
a pity spring , To mourn the father , and lament the king ? Or , when the hapless Belvidera's tale ° Of brutal Renault turns her husband pale , Does not the force with which she then exclaims , Light every eye-ball into instant flames ? Rage with a fire too big to be exprest , Aud spread one Etna thro' the bursting breast ?
But tho' unequall'd in those tragic parts Which fall with weights , and hang about our hearts ; 'Tis not on those she wholly rests her name , Or builds a title to dramatic fame . — ' Mark , in the gayer , polish'd scenes of life , The sprightly mistress , or the high-bred wife , What wond ' rous grace and dignity unite To fill us slill with exquisite delight "
: Mark , how that nameless elegance and ease Can teach e'en •. ' s ribaldry to please ; With actual life his cold Belinda warm , And tell that whining Lovemore how to charm . — Peace to thy shade , and may the laurel bloom With deathless green , O Gibber , on thy tomb 1 Peacewond ' rous Oldfieldever wait thy shrine
, , , Thou once-chos ' n priestess of the sacred nine ! For while this Yates the utmost reach can show Of comic grace , or soul-distracting woe , We find no reason for the sorrowing tear , Which else would fall incessant on your ' bier , Curse on that bard ' s malignity of breast , How bold soe ' ef , or exquisitely drest , Who
. once through Yates's requisites could trace , . Yet find no dawn of meaning in her face . — Oft Churchill , often when Bellario's fears , His faith , his wrongs , have plunged us into tears— . Has the sweet anguish in this Yates's sighs ' •Forc'd that stern bosom instantly to rise . Oft , as a fine ductility of breast , Some new-born passion on her visage prest , S 2
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
" History Of The Theatres Of London,
To her husband , an experienced actor , she was no doubt indebted for her theatrical improvements ; but she was some time before she displayed her brilliancy ; the indisposition of Mrs . Gibber gave her at last an opportunity of acquiring some reputation , and she established her fame by her performance of Mandane , intended for Mrs . Gibber , in Mr . Murphy ' s tragedy of the Orphan of China , which Mr . Garrick brought out , greatly against his inclination . She now became a favourite with the public , and mended the chief of her defects , which were marked by the satirist Churchill with severitybut not without truthOn the
, . death of Mrs . Gibber ( 1766 ) she became the unrivalled actress of the dav , and was paid the following compliments by Kelly in his Thespis : " Yates , with such wond ' rous requisites to charm , Such powers of face , and majesty of form , Such genuine grandeur with such sweetness found , So clear a voice and accurate a sound , In fame's first seat must certainly be lacM
p , While Britain boasts of judgment and of taste . Say in what walk of greatness or of grace , This matchless woman justly shall we place , In whichshe still possesses not an art To melt , to fire , to agonize the heart ? If in Cordelia to our minds we raise The more than magic softness she displays . Will not gush of instant
a pity spring , To mourn the father , and lament the king ? Or , when the hapless Belvidera's tale ° Of brutal Renault turns her husband pale , Does not the force with which she then exclaims , Light every eye-ball into instant flames ? Rage with a fire too big to be exprest , Aud spread one Etna thro' the bursting breast ?
But tho' unequall'd in those tragic parts Which fall with weights , and hang about our hearts ; 'Tis not on those she wholly rests her name , Or builds a title to dramatic fame . — ' Mark , in the gayer , polish'd scenes of life , The sprightly mistress , or the high-bred wife , What wond ' rous grace and dignity unite To fill us slill with exquisite delight "
: Mark , how that nameless elegance and ease Can teach e'en •. ' s ribaldry to please ; With actual life his cold Belinda warm , And tell that whining Lovemore how to charm . — Peace to thy shade , and may the laurel bloom With deathless green , O Gibber , on thy tomb 1 Peacewond ' rous Oldfieldever wait thy shrine
, , , Thou once-chos ' n priestess of the sacred nine ! For while this Yates the utmost reach can show Of comic grace , or soul-distracting woe , We find no reason for the sorrowing tear , Which else would fall incessant on your ' bier , Curse on that bard ' s malignity of breast , How bold soe ' ef , or exquisitely drest , Who
. once through Yates's requisites could trace , . Yet find no dawn of meaning in her face . — Oft Churchill , often when Bellario's fears , His faith , his wrongs , have plunged us into tears— . Has the sweet anguish in this Yates's sighs ' •Forc'd that stern bosom instantly to rise . Oft , as a fine ductility of breast , Some new-born passion on her visage prest , S 2