diately married Miss Fenton; and, though raised to this high honour, she never once forgot what she owed to her benefactor and to Fortune. She enjoyed this dignity nine years, dying in the year 1760, at the age of fifty-two.

She was buried at Greenwich with all appropriate honours; and her grand-daughter by the Duke before marriage, is now a Baroness of this kingdom.

The Duke of Bolton is said to have often declared, that he was first captivated by the plaintive and bewitching manner in which Polly sung the following address to her father:

"Oh! ponder well-be not severe;

So save a wretched wife!

For on the rope that hangs my dear,
Depends poor Polly's life."

We shall close the account of this celebrated character with the following eulogium given of her by a very late respectable authority, Dr. Joseph Warton, who, in a note subjoined to one of Swift's letters to Gay, thus speaks of her.

She was (says he) a very accomplished and most agreeable companion; had much wit, good strong sense, and a just taste in polite literature. Her person was agreeable and well made; though

I think

I think she could never be called a beauty. I have had the pleasure of being at table with her, when her conversation was much admired by the first characters of the age, particularly old Lord Bathurst and Lord Granville."

Macklin said, her dress in Polly was very like the simplicity of a modern Quaker; and the few prints we have seen of her confirm this assertion!

LUCY LOCKIT.

The original of this character was a Mrs. Egleton, the wife of an Actor of that name, commonly called "Baron Egleton," for taking upon him that title in France, where he soon squandered a small patrimony. "His person (says Chetwood) was perfectly genteel, and he was reckoned a very pleasing Actor; but, through a wild road of life, he finished his journey in the twenty-ninth year of his age.

"His wife, previously to her performance of Lucy, was a Comic Actress, much admired by the best judges, and therefore came strongly recommended to this part, in which she succeeded so well as to share the palm of acting with Polly, though not, perhaps, the general admiration of the town. Jolin, Duke of Argyle, who was, through life,

one

one of the best judges and patrons of the Stage, took a particular pleasure in seeing Mrs. Egleton, and always spoke of her in the handsomest terms. "With a great share of merit, (says Davies,) she was extremely diffident, and never attempted a new character, but with the utmost apprehension of her failing to please the audience."

She wanted prudence, however, to regulate those talents, and to secure the continuance of public approbation; for whether from herself, or from the example of her husband, like a second Ariadne, she died enamoured of Bacchus, about the year 1734.

NAT. CLARKE

was the original Filch in this Opera, who lived above fifty years after its first representation: his cast was generally in the under parts of Tragedy and Comedy, and in both he had reputation. His Filch was, perhaps, the best since his time; being much assisted by a meagre countenance, a shambling gait, and a thorough knowledge of the slang language.

His chief employment, after the run of the Beg gar's Opera, was as an under Harlequin to Rich, whom he much resembled in size and figure, and which gave rise to the following whimsical acci-:

dent. One of the Actors having had some words with Clarke, during the representation of a Pantomime, waited till he should find an opportunity of shewing his resentment. Unluckily, Rich being in the way of this angry person, as he came off the stage, he, thinking it was Clarke, struck him such a blow on the breast, as for a time deprived him of the power of breathing. The man instantly made every apology for his mistake.

4

But pray, Muster," says Rich, “what provocation could Clarke possibly give you to strike so hard?"

Some years before his death, Clarke retired to Hammersmith, where he lived at ease, and often treated his visitors with good ale, and much theatrical anecdote.

MRS. MARTEN

was the original Mrs. Peachum, as well as the original Diana Trapes; both of which characters she filled with great reputation till her death. Mrs. Macklin, we believe, succeeded her in Mrs. Peachum, as she was long in the possession of the part, and we hear of no intermediate successor. "The Dramatic Censor," a work published about thirty years ago, speaks of her and Macklin in the following manner: "That for strong knowledge of the world, and a just cynical turn of humour, Macklin

Macklin and his wife, in the parts of Peachum and Mrs. Peachum, stood unrivalled."

JEREMIAH CLARKE.

Though Clarke was not one of the dramatis persona of the Beggar's Opera, he was the origi nal composer of the air,

""Tis woman that seduces all mankind ;"

and on this account, as well as the singularity of his fate, deserves some notice here.

Jeremiah Clarke was originally bred to music, and had his education in the Chapel Royal under the celebrated Dr. Blow, who seems to have had a paternal affection for him. Early in life, Clarke was so unfortunate as to conceive a violent and hopeless passion for a very beautiful and accomplished lady, of a rank far superior to his own; and his sufferings on this account became so intolerable to him, that he resolved to put an end to his existence. He was at the house of a friend in the country when he took up this fatal resolution, and suddenly set off for London. His friend observing his dejection, without knowing the cause, furnished him with a horse, and a servant to attend him.

In his way to town, a fit of despair suddenly seizing him, he alighted, and, giving his horse