Those almshouses form a better relic of Margaret Woffington than the poor stage-jewels which her dresser, Mrs. Barrington, a respectable actress, hoped to inherit. These were claimed by, and surrendered to, the Hon. Mrs. Cholmondeley, and were carried to Ireland by that lady's daughter, on her marriage with Sir William Bellingham. Such is the story of one, of whom an anonymous contemporary has written,--"Mrs. Woffington is a downright cheat, a triumphant plagiary. She first steals your heart, and then laughs at you as secure of your applause. There is such a prepossession arises from her form; such a witchcraft in her beauty, and to those who are personally acquainted with her, such an absolute command, from the sweetness of her disposition, that it is almost impossible to criticise upon her." With this criticism, I leave Margaret Woffington to the tender judgment of all gentle readers. But while Margaret Woffington is slowly dying, here is a funeral passing through Berkeley Square. "Mr. Colley Cibber" is the name often pronounced in the crowd. It is one of which we have, for some time, lost sight; let us return to it, before we pass on to that of other conspicuous men. [Illustration: Mr. Powell as Lovewell.] FOOTNOTES: [69] She was probably born some years earlier. Wilkinson says she was about forty-four when she gave up the stage--that is, in 1757. [70] This is a popular error. Miss Betty Barnes (afterwards Mrs. Workman) was the Macheath; Woffington played Polly. [71] She made her first appearance in a speaking part on 12th February 1737, but she had been engaged as a dancer for some years previously. [72] The correct form of the story is that Garrick grumbled at the strength of the tea, remarking that it was as red as blood. [73] These verses were really written by Sir Charles Hanbury Williams. [74] This is very fanciful. Mrs. Bellamy does not hint that Mrs. Woffington had anything to do with her faint. In fact she sneers at her playing of Jocasta. [75] This incident occurred in January 1751, about fifteen years before Mrs. Cibber left the stage. [76] Murphy's statement is not made seriously; it is simply a joke. [Illustration: THEOPHILUS CIBBER. (Hogarth.)] CHAPTER XIII. COLLEY CIBBER.