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Covent-garden Company, in Daran, and performed with no less spirit than address. He was of course welcomed in the manner due to his great merits. Mrs. Dickons sung in capital style, and was enthusiastically applauded and encored. The following is a slight sketch of the plot.

Count Ulrick, a Nobleman of distinction, after acquiring great reputation in the Russian army, is nevertheless banished to Siberia, through the base influence of Prince Lowenstern over the Empress Catharine. He is followed by Sedona, his wife, and his daughter Alexina Romanoff, the nephew of the Governor of Tobolskow, frequently visiting the wretched family at their retreat in the neighbourhood, a mutual attachment takes place between him and Alexina; but his uncle suspecting it, in order to prevent his future visits, and to compel him to marry the niece of Prince Lowenstern, banishes him beyond the frontiers, and endeavours to force Alexina into a marriage with Welzein.

Romanoff assumes the name of Daran, goes to St. Petersburgh, and, in the disguise of an Indian, gets into the service of Baron Alltradorff, a nephew of Prince Lowensteru, a pert vain coxcomb, and in that capacity accompanies him to Tobolskow, to which place the Baron is going to claim the hand of Catharine, the Governor's niece, whose affections he in vain attempts to win by his skill in music and dancing, her heart being already devoted to Count Calmar, by whom she is beloved with equal ardour.

Romanoff, aware of the ruin preparing for Count Ulrick, to conceal his benevolent designs assumes a ferocious aspect, and expresses a deadly hate to the Exile and his family, by which means he completely blinds the Governor as to his intentions, and, jointly with Welzien, (the enraged and rejected suitor of Alexina,) is entrusted with the execution of the Empress's orders; in pursuance of which, Ulrick is dragged from his retreat, and imprisoned in Tobolskow, and they are sent in pursuit of Alexina, who has set out, accompanied by Yermack, a faithful domestic, on the desperate undertaking of travelling to St. Petersburgh, to solicit her father's pardon.

In this undertaking he completely frustrates the vindictive designs of Welzein, and Alexina reaches the neighbourhood of Moscow in safety. The rejoicings of the inhabitants of that city aunounce the grateful tidings of the accession of Elizabeth to the throne of Russia, and of her approaching coronation. Alexina hastens thither, rushes into the presence of her new Sovereign, and, notwithstanding the influence of the Patriarch (a near relation of Prince Lowenstern), she procures, through the meaus of the dis-. guised Romanoff, the pardon she solicited, and immediately departs for Siberia, without waiting for the deed of pardon to be completed; by which means she is again subjected to all the bitterness of sorrow; and, in order to save herself and family from immediate destruction, is compelled to marry the supposed Daran.

The Governor at length receives the royal mandate from his Court for the liberation of Count Ulrick, and by it he becomes acquainted with the villany and disgrace of Prince Lowenstern, which reconciles him to the union of his daughter with Count Calmar, to whose protection she had fled, after escaping from her uncle's house, by the ingenuity of Servitz. Romanoff, not Daran,

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MRS. WOFFINGTON.

THE origin of Miss Woffington, as is well known, was very humble. Her mother, on the death of her father, kept a small grocer's shop (commonly called in Ireland a huckster's shop). upon Ormond-quay; and under this inauspicious circumstance did a woman, who afterwards delighted nations, and attracted the highest private regards, begin her career in life. What first gave rise to the accomplishment of so great a change, the following circumstance will explain.

There was a Frenchwoman, of the name of Madame Violante, who took up an occasional residence in Dublin about the year 1728. This woman was celebrated for exhibiting great feats of grace and agility on the tight rope, &c. &c.; and, as she supported a good private, character, her exhibitions were much resorted to at that time by people of the best fashion. Violante varied her amusements to the floating caprices of taste; and, as "The Beggar's Opera" was then the rage all over the three kingdoms, she undertook to get up a representation of this celebrated piece with a company of children, or, as they were called in the bills of that day, "Lilliputian Actors." Woffington, who was then only in the tenth year of her age, she fixed upon as her Macheath; and such was the power of her infant talents, not a little perhaps aided by the partialities in favour of the opera, that the Lilliputian Theatre was crowded every night, and the spirit and address of the little hero the theme of every theatrical conversation.

Here was not only an early and accidental decision of her genius for the stage, but for her future excellence in breeches parts; as, had not the character of Macheath been assigned her, it is more than probable, she would have gone on in the usual line of acting, without ever being celebrated as the best male rake of her day.

A commencement so favourable got her an engagement a few years afterwards at Smock-alley Theatre, Dublin, where she soon fulfilled every expectation that was formed of her and so little did her humble birth, and early education, bow down her mind to her situation, that her talents were found evidently to lie in the representation of females of high rank and dignified deportment. Her person was suitable to such an exhibition, being of size above the middle stature, elegantly formed, and, though not an absolute beauty, had a face full of ex

pression and vivacity. She was, beside, highly accom plished for the stage, being a perfect mistress of dancing, and of the French language; both of which she acquired under the tuition of Madame Violante.

Her reputation on the Irish stage drew an offer from Mr. Rich, the manager of Covent-garden Theatre, for an engagement at a very handsome salary, which Miss Woffington accepted, and in the the winter of 1740, (when our heroine was exactly twenty-two years of age,) she made her first appearance on the London stage in the character of Sylvia, in "The Recruiting Officer;" and in the same month she performed Sir Harry Wildair. The publication of this part to be undertaken by a woman excited the curiosity of the public, and more particularly as the character had for the most part lain dormant since the death of Wilks, (seven years before that time,) who was universally esteemed the first Sir Harry on the stage. However this curiosity was fully satisfied in favour of Miss Woffington, it was admitted by the best critics that she represented this gay, goodhumoured, dissipated, rake of fashion, with an ease, elegance, and deportment, which seemed almost out of the reach of female accomplishments; and her fame flew about the town with such rapidity, that the comedy had a run, and proved a considerable addition to the treasury for many seasons afterwards.

Miss Woffington, however great her reputation in this part, did not rest it wholly in Sir Harry. In characters of easy high-bred deportment, such as Millimant, Lady Townly, Lady Betty Modish, &c. she possessed a first-rate merit. She likewise excelled in many of the humourous parts of comedy; such as Lady Pliant, in Congreve's Double Dealer;" Mrs. Day, in "The Committee;" and others; not in the least scrupling, on these occasions, to convert the natural beauty of her face to the wrinkles of old age, and put on the tawdry habiliments and vulgar manners of the old hypocritical city vixen.

In 1751, Mrs. Woffington quitted the London Theatres for a very profitable engagement under Mr. Thomas Sheridan, who was at that time Manager of Smock-alley House. It was at this æra that Woffington might have been said to have reached the acme of her fame: she was then in the bloom of her person, accomplishments, and profession; highly distinguished for her wit and vivacity; with a charm of conversation that at once

ADVERTISEMENT.

With this Number, which concludes the fourth Volume, the PROPRIETOR and CONDUCTOR takes leave of the Subscribers to the Cabinet; other avocations putting it out of his power to devote any further attention to it. He mentions this circumstance merely in explanation of the contents of the present Number, which, as the new Proprietors and Editor do not intend to continue the Plays, is so arranged as to include many of the Portraits intended for that department, and will thus afford the purchaser an opportunity of binding up all the Embellishments.

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