Ellen Terry and Her SistersPemberton, T. Edgar (Thomas Edgar)
History
Ellen Terry and Her Sisters
Pemberton, T. Edgar (Thomas Edgar)
Actresses -- Great Britain -- Biography; Terry, Ellen, Dame, 1847-1928
"It was at a rehearsal of 'The Family Legend of Joanna Baillie' that
Scott was first introduced to another theatrical performer, who ere long
acquired a large share of his regard and confidence--Mr. Daniel Terry.
He had received a good education, and been regularly trained as an
architect; but abandoned that profession at an early period of life, and
was now beginning to attract attention as a valuable actor in Henry
Siddons's company. Already he and the Ballantynes were constant
companions, and through his familiarity with them Scott had abundant
opportunities of appreciating his many excellent and agreeable
qualities. He had the manners and feelings of a gentleman. Like John
Kemble, he was deeply skilled in the old literature of the drama, and he
rivalled Scott's own enthusiasm for the antiquities of _vertu_. Their
epistolary correspondence in after days was frequent, and none so well
illustrates many of the poet's minor tastes and habits. As their letters
lie before me they appear as if they had all been penned by the same
hand. Terry's idolatry of his new friend induced him to imitate his
writing so zealously that Scott used to say, if he were called upon to
swear to any document, the utmost he could venture to attest would be,
that it was either in his own hand or Terry's. The actor, perhaps
unconsciously, mimicked him in other matters with hardly inferior
pertinacity. His small lively features had acquired, before I knew him,
a truly ludicrous cast of Scott's graver expression; he had taught his
tiny eyebrow the very trick of the poet's meditative frown; and, to
crown all, he so habitually affected his tone and accent that, though a
native of Bath, a stranger could hardly have doubted he must be a
Scotchman. These things afforded all their acquaintance much diversion;
but perhaps no Stoic could have helped being secretly gratified by
seeing a clever and sensible man convert himself into a living type and
symbol of admiration."
In the pages of his fascinating Diary (or "Journal") Scott records--
"_October 20, 1826_ (London).--At breakfast, Crofton Croker, author
of the 'Irish Fairy Tales.' Something like Tom Moore. There were
also Terry, Allan Cunningham, Newton, and others."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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