Old times : $b A picture of social life at the end of the eighteenth centuryAshton, John
History
Old times : $b A picture of social life at the end of the eighteenth century
Ashton, John
Great Britain -- Social life and customs
_Anne, Selina Storacé_, was born in England, and was sister of the
celebrated Composer. She was an excellent actress, a beautiful singer,
and was universally popular. She died in 1814.
Of _Mrs. Crouch_, née Phillips, I have already written, slightly, as
an Actress. She was born in 1763, and went early on the stage, making
her début, at Drury Lane, in the play of "The Lord of the Manor," in
1780, so that she was but 17. In 1784, she went to Ireland, where her
admirers were numerous, and some most passionate. One young man, whose
affection she did not return, declared he would shoot both her, and
himself--and went to the theatre, ostensibly to carry out his threat,
but he was ejected from the building, and, ultimately, left the
country.
But there was, about this time, a very romantic episode in her life.
She was loved by a young man, heir to a title, and fortune, and she
returned his love. Naturally, under the circumstances, his family had
higher matrimonial aims for him, so the young people had no other
course open to them, than a clandestine Marriage. They were even
before the Altar, of a Roman Catholic Chapel, but the priest refused
to marry them, on hearing the name of the bridegroom, unless he had
his father's consent. No priest could be found to marry them, for the
lover was under age, so the love lorn couple eloped, hoping, at some
seaside port to find a ship for Scotland. They were followed by both
irate fathers, Mr. Phillips having informed the other. The lovers were
separated, but history is silent as to whether they ever met again.
After she got over this disappointment, which took some time, she
married Lieutenant Crouch of the Navy,--good looking, but dissipated,
and spendthrift.--Of course the marriage was not a happy one, and they
parted:
Her voice was exquisitely sweet, and she was a most graceful actress.
She kept her hold on the public, and was on the stage until a short
time before her death, in 1805.
The names of Incledon, and Braham, have only to be mentioned, to
recall their vocal triumphs.
_Benjamin Charles Incledon_, was the son of a surgeon--and was born at
St. Keveran, in Cornwall, in 1764. He made his first appearance, in
London, in 1790--when he played in "The poor Soldier." He, at once,
became a public favourite, and so continued until his retirement from
the stage, which was some time before his death, in 1826. His acting
was clumsy, and ungraceful, but his sweet voice rendered him
unequalled in ballad singing, which was his especial forte.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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