Whilst we are speaking of the costume of the Stage at this period, it may be necessary to remark, that Booth in the Ghost wore a plume of feathers in his helmet; and that Mills and Quin both wore white hats in the character of Pierre, in Venice Preserved.

Having now concluded our remarks on some of the principal characters of Booth, as gleaned from a variety of theatrical writers, as well as tradition, it may not be reckoned incurious to look back to the circumstance which first induced him to think of the Stage.

We are told by all his biographers, that his father intended him for the Church; and he was early sent to Westminster School, in order to fit him for the University; but having a natural turn for Latin poetry, and for reciting it with great propriety and modulation of voice, he was early taken notice of by his master, Dr. Busby; and at the accustomed time of performing Latin plays, young Booth was assigned a considerable part. The discerning eye of Busby (who, when young, performed a part in a play of Cartwright's with considerable applause) soon found out the real talent of his pupil; as on that representation he so distinguished himself by the elegance of his deportment, the harmony of his voice, and the justness of his enunciation, that the applauses he

received

received fired his young mind, and irresistibly led him to that profession which nature originally designed him.

Booth was twice married: in the year 1704, to Miss Barkham, daughter to Sir William Barkham, of Norfolk, Bart. who lived with him six years; but dying without issue, he married, some time after he became Manager, Miss Santlowe, a rising Actress, who gained great reputation in the character of The Fair Quaker of Deal, With this Lady he got a very considerable fortune; as it appears by his will, "that though he left all his fortune to his wife, it did not amount to more than two thirds of what he had received with her on the day of marriage." Now as Booth must have at least died worth between five and six thousand pounds, Miss Santlowe's fortune on the day of marriage, by this computation, must have been between eight and nine thousand pounds; a sum impossible for her to have acquired by her acting, both from her youth and theatrical reputation. The question then arises, How could she obtain it?

The answer consists in an anecdote little known to the world, and which we give on the credit of a Literary Gentleman many years dead, who heard it from Tom Chapman the Player, which is this: Miss Santlowe being one of the most elegant and captivating women on the Stage at that

time,

time, attracted the notice of John Duke of Marlborough, who, after some solicitation, persuaded her to go the campaign of 1706 with him to Flanders. Here she continued near two years; and during this time it is highly probable that, she had amassed, or at least laid the foundation of, that fortune which gained her so respectable an husband.

*

Whether Booth knew this circumstance or not, it is impossible, perhaps, now to say; but we have the clearest proofs of their living together very harmoniously, and by his will, mentioning her in terms of the highest respect and affection. She likewise gave proofs of reciprocal attachment, as she continued a widow to the end of her life, in privacy and retirement; though she outlived her husband for nearly the space of forty years. †

Next to Booth, in the Dramatis Persona of Macklin's first entrée on the London Stage, was the Elder Mills, the intimate friend of Wilks, and an actor of considerable merit, particularly in the grave and weighty characters of Tragedy.

The

See Dennis's Character and Conduct of Sir John Edgar, Vol II. of the Theatre, p. 365. EDITOR.

Booth is said to have been concerned in the building Barton and Cowley Streets, Westminster; to the former of which he gave his own Christian name, Barton; and to the latter, that of his favourite Poct.

The parts that Mills generally played in, were Volpone in "The Fox" of Ben Jonson, Ventidius in "All for Love," Leon in "Rule a Wife and Have a Wife," Falstaff, the old Emperor in Aurengzebe," Chamont, Pierre, King Henry the Fourth, &c.

The first of these plays, Volpone, is well known to be written by Ben Jonson; the plot of which is founded to expose avarice and luxury. In the year 1731 it was revived, and Mills acted Volpone with a considerable degree of reputation. About three years afterwards, by way of giving still greater novelty to this piece, Quin played Volpone, and Mills took the part of Corvino, which was originally played by Colley Cibber. Cibber seemed to jest with the character too much; but Mills was in earnest, and had a stronger voice to express passionate and jealous rage than the other.

It was a curiosity to the amateurs of the old School, to see the venerable Bowman, at that time verging to his eightieth year, playing the part of the first Avocatori, or Superior Judge. This Actor was the last of the Bettertonian School; and even by the remains of this man, the spectators might guess at the perfection to which the old masters had arrived; as, when Bowman pronounced the sentence upon the several delinquents

in the Comedy, he did it with such a becoming gravity, grace, and dignity, as commanded the attention and applause of the audience.

Mr. Garrick had long wished to revive Volpone, and to act the principal character himself; and the parts were transcribed and delivered to the Actors for that purpose; but the play was superseded by some means not known.

In the play of "All for Love," Mills played Ventidius to Booth's Antony; and he is said to have acted it with a true spirit of the rough and generous soldier. Indeed, the whole of this dramatic chef d'œuvre of Dryden's was so admirably represented, that, after the death of these actors, it gradually sunk into forgetfulness, till Barry shewed the public, in Marc Antony, all the grace and dignity of the Roman, and all the pathos of the lover.

We have no particular eulogium on Mills's Leon; though the play had a good run at the time of its revival at Drury Lane, when Wilks played Perez, Mrs. Horton Margaretta, and Estifania by Mrs. Oldfield. Booth, it is thought, would have been an admirable Leon, for he had enough of comic humour for the assumed folly of the part, and abundance of manly, fine, and noble action to display, when he broke through the cloud of his disguise, and proved himself