DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.53268#0068
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verfatility of her talents, that the comic charader of Mrs. Frail was fuf-
tained by “ Madam Barry,” as old Downes on that occafion Riles her.
Another contemporary writer fays, “ Nature made her for the delight of
mankind and “ Who knows not the effed of Betterton’s fine.adion ?
Who is not charm’d with Mrs. Barry? What beauty do they not give
every thing they reprefent ?”
This charming adrefs’s performance of Caffandra, in Dryden’s Cleome-
nes, about the year 1692, as it procured for her a panegyric in thofe writings
which will ever live, may be faid to have crowned her with a never-dying
fame 1 for, notwithftanding that thofe two very eminent performers, Mrs.
Betterton and Mrs. Bracegirdle, played in the fame piece, the author, in his
preface to that tragedy, fays, “A great part of my good fortune, Im u ft confefs,
s< is owing to the juftice which was done me in the performance : I can
“ fcarcely refrain from giving every one of the adors their particular com-
“ mendations; but none of them will be offended, if I fay what the town
“ has generally granted, that Mrs. Barry, always excellent, has, in this tra-
“ gedy, excelled herfelf, and gained a reputation beyond any woman whom I
“ have ever feen on the theatre ”
Colley Cibber, writing, as we learn from the dedication of his Apology,
in 1739, fays, “ I very perfectly remember her ading that part; and, how-
“ ever unneceffary it may feem, to give my judgment after Dryden’s, I can-
<< not help faying, I do not only dole with his opinion, but will venture to
l( add, that (though b-^enhas been dead thefe thirty-eight years) the fame
<< compliment to this ho'&r may be due to her excellence.” The laureat adds,
(! Mrs. Barry, in charaders of greatnefs, had a prefence of elevated dig-
“ nity ; her mien and motion fuperb, and gracefully majeftick : her voice
“ full, clear, and ftrong; fo that no violence of paffion could be too much
(e for her: and when diftrefs or tendernefs poffeffed her, lhe fubfided into
*< the moft affeding melody and foftnefs. In the art of exciting pity, lhe
<< had a power beyond all the adreffes I have yet feen, or what your ima-
“ p-ination can conceive. In fcenes of anger, defiance, or refentment, while
<< lhe was impetuous and terrible, lhe poured out the fentiment with an en-
chanting harmony.”
By another ftage-hiftorian, the late Mr. Thomas Davies, it is faid, “ that
Mrs. Barry was miftrefs of all the paffions of the mind : love, joy, grief,
verfatility of her talents, that the comic charader of Mrs. Frail was fuf-
tained by “ Madam Barry,” as old Downes on that occafion Riles her.
Another contemporary writer fays, “ Nature made her for the delight of
mankind and “ Who knows not the effed of Betterton’s fine.adion ?
Who is not charm’d with Mrs. Barry? What beauty do they not give
every thing they reprefent ?”
This charming adrefs’s performance of Caffandra, in Dryden’s Cleome-
nes, about the year 1692, as it procured for her a panegyric in thofe writings
which will ever live, may be faid to have crowned her with a never-dying
fame 1 for, notwithftanding that thofe two very eminent performers, Mrs.
Betterton and Mrs. Bracegirdle, played in the fame piece, the author, in his
preface to that tragedy, fays, “A great part of my good fortune, Im u ft confefs,
s< is owing to the juftice which was done me in the performance : I can
“ fcarcely refrain from giving every one of the adors their particular com-
“ mendations; but none of them will be offended, if I fay what the town
“ has generally granted, that Mrs. Barry, always excellent, has, in this tra-
“ gedy, excelled herfelf, and gained a reputation beyond any woman whom I
“ have ever feen on the theatre ”
Colley Cibber, writing, as we learn from the dedication of his Apology,
in 1739, fays, “ I very perfectly remember her ading that part; and, how-
“ ever unneceffary it may feem, to give my judgment after Dryden’s, I can-
<< not help faying, I do not only dole with his opinion, but will venture to
l( add, that (though b-^enhas been dead thefe thirty-eight years) the fame
<< compliment to this ho'&r may be due to her excellence.” The laureat adds,
(! Mrs. Barry, in charaders of greatnefs, had a prefence of elevated dig-
“ nity ; her mien and motion fuperb, and gracefully majeftick : her voice
“ full, clear, and ftrong; fo that no violence of paffion could be too much
(e for her: and when diftrefs or tendernefs poffeffed her, lhe fubfided into
*< the moft affeding melody and foftnefs. In the art of exciting pity, lhe
<< had a power beyond all the adreffes I have yet feen, or what your ima-
“ p-ination can conceive. In fcenes of anger, defiance, or refentment, while
<< lhe was impetuous and terrible, lhe poured out the fentiment with an en-
chanting harmony.”
By another ftage-hiftorian, the late Mr. Thomas Davies, it is faid, “ that
Mrs. Barry was miftrefs of all the paffions of the mind : love, joy, grief,