In 1785, he had much business on his hands: for he produced "The Carmelite," allowed to be the best tragedy he has written; and also a comedy, called the "Natural Sont." In the courfe of the fame year, he published a character of his deceased friend, Lord Viscount Sackville, and the first edition of the Obferver. Next year a second edition appeared; and the fubfequent editions have now fwelled the work to five volumes. These effays abound with pleafing and inftructive information, and discover extenfive reading.

In 1787, Mr. Cumberland prefented the world with "An accurate defcriptive Catalogue of the Paintings in the King of Spain's Palace at Madrid ;" foon after this the comedy of the "Impoftors," and a novel in two volumes, called "Arundel, made their appearance. In the latter he is accufed, but on very flight foundation, as feeming to palliate adultery and duelling.

After this, his talents feem to have lain fallow for fome years, as he did not produce any thing until 1792, when he published his poem called "Calvary, or the Death of Chrift." Next season he wrote the songs and choruses in the comic opera of the "Armourer." In 1794, be produced the "Box-lobby Challenge," a comedy; and also his deservedly efteemed comedy of the "Jew," a play written with the laudable intention of removing the ftigma which accompanies that unhappy and much-perfecute people. His attempt of the next year confifted of the "Wheel of Fortune;" he alfo presented the town with another comedy, called " First Love," and another novel, in four volumes, called "Henry."

His

Mifs PLUMPTRE has lately prefented to the public another "Natural Son," being a faithful and elegant tranflation of KOTZEBUE's famous play of that title, and which has been fo much admired on the British ftage, under the altered title of Lovers' Vows.

His mufe, which must be allowed to be a fpirited one, feems to know no repofe; for in 1796 he produced "Days of Yore," a drama in three acts; and the next year "The Laft of the Family." His laft piece is the comedy of "Falfe Impreffions."

When we confider the number, the merit, and the exquifitenefs of his writings, Mr. Cumberland must be allowed to rank high as a dramatic writer.

SIR ARCHIBALD MACDONALD.

SIR ARCHIBALD MACDONALD is the third fon* of Macdonald of Slate, in the ifles; his mother was of the houfe of Eglinton.

Mr. Macdonald was bred to the Englifh bar, but had never any great practice. His bfiunefs confifted chiefly in Scotch appeals. Yet if not highly fuccefsful in his profesfional career, he was at leaft deferving of fuccefs; and his good fortune having at length introduced him to the acquaintance of the daughter of a noble Marquis, who confented to their marriage, Mr. Macdonald in confequence of this connexion beheld the higheft honours of the law lie open to his view.

By the intereft of his noble father-in-law, he was accordingly appointed, in 1780, a king's counfel and a Welch judge; he had been before brought into parliament for Hendon, and at the general election which occurred during

He was a pofthumous child.

during the year he put on his filk gown, he was returned for Newcastle-under line, a borough under the influence of Marquis, then Lord, Stafford.

1

In parliament, he of course followed the line of politics pursued by the family into which he was adopted, that is, he fupported Lord North, until he began to totter. As a parliamentary fpeaker, Mr. Macdonald was easy, fluent, intelligible, and concise.

Lord Stafford, on joining Mr. Pitt, procured for his fonin-law the place of Solicitor-general (1784), and in 1788, on the promotion of Sir Pepper Arden to be Mafter of the Rolls, he was knighted, and appointed Attorney-general in his room. It is no lefs remarkable than true, that the posfeffion of these two high offices in the law did not bring Sir Archibald any confiderable addition of practice as a counsel. The number of his profecutions were thought to have greatly affected the liberty of the prefs.

However, after a few years longer stay at the bar, he was promoted to be Chief Baron of the Exchequer, having previously been called to the degree of Sergeant at Law. In confequence of his marriage with Lady Louifa Gower he has feveral children.

P.

MRS. SIDDONS.

WHEN woman paffes through that thorny path of pleafure the ftage, without being drawn aftray by the temptati ons which perpetually affail the traveller, our esteem and veneration ought ever to await her. In this age, degenerate as it is, we have had the pleasure of seeing many fe males fupporting unfullied characters in theatrical life, and among them this lady certainly caims pre-eminence from her fplendid powers, joined to an unspotted fame.

Mifs Kemble (for this was her maiden name) was the eldest daughter of the manager of an itinerant company of comedians

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comedians, and made her first essay as a finger, but foom abandoned that line and attempted tragedy. Early in life fhe conceived a paffion for Mr. Siddons, in which not being indulged by her parents, the quitted the stage, and hired herfelf as lady's maid in the family of Mrs. Greathead, of Guy's-cliff, near Warwick, where the remained about a year; and then refolving to unite herfelf with the man of her affections, he was married to Mr. Siddons, and foon after joined a strolling company of no great reputation.-Both the and her hufband bad, however, the good fortune. so be engaged by Mr. Younger to perform at Liverpool, Birmingham, &c. with him the remained a few years, and acquired both profit and reputation, which latter procured her an engagement at Drury-lane house, where she performed fach parts as Mrs. Strickland, Mrs. Epicene and the Queen in Richard the Third. She was, however, confidered merely as a fecond-rate actress; and being unfortunately placed in an after-piece written by the editor of a newfpaper, which had the ill luck to be damned, the fourrilous author left no opportunity of injuring her reputation, and the quitted the London boards for a time, to return to them afterwards with increafed luftre.

At Bath, whither fhe repaired, fhe was obferved to improve rapidly, and is faid to have been ufefully affifted by the leffons of Mr. Pratt, then a bookfeller in that city.There fhe attracted the notice of the audience, and had the good fortune to be patronised by the Duchefs of Devon hire, who procured her another engagement at Drury, lane. Before the quitted Bath, the fpoke a farewell address, which the herfelf had written, and which the delivered with her ufual excellence.

She made her fecond appearance at Drury-lane, on the 10th October 1792, in the character of "Ifabella," and aftonished the house with fuch a difplay of powers, as they had seldom witneffed before. Her fame was foon spread abroad, and the theatre overflowed every night; the tafte for tragedy returned; and the manager, whofe "Critic"

feems

feems to have been exprefsly written to drive Melpomene from the ftage, received "golden favours" from her votaries. Far from proving ungrateful, he generoufly gave Mrs. Siddons an extra-benefit, and increased her falary. Her good fuccefs was the means of introducing her fister, Mifs F. Kemble, on the fame ftage; and the performed Jane Shore," while her near relative played Alicia," on her first appearance. The latter, however, not altogether fulfiling the expectations of the public, honourably .withdrew, in confequence of a marriage with Mr, Twifs, a literary gentleman, and a well-known traveller.

Mrs. Siddons's extra-benefit was given her before Christmas; he then appeared in "Belvidera," and gained fresh laurels, and an enormous receipt. The two counfellors Pigot and Fielding were fo highly delighted, that they collected a fubfcription among the gentlemen of the bar, of one hundred guineas, and prefented them to her, accompanied with a polite letter, as a token of their efteem. This was an honour which, we believe, has not been conferred on any actor or actress fince the time when Booth gave fuch general fatisfaction in the character of " "Cato."

In the fummer, this great and amiable actrefs went to Dublin, the inhabitants of which were equally aftonished at her powers. On her return for the winter (1783-4), The performed, for the first time, "by command of their Majefties." During the fucceeding fummer, he took a fecond trip to Ireland, and alfo vifited Edinburgh, in both of which places, fhe not only received great falaries, but very confiderable prefents from unknown hands, particularly a filver urn which was fent after her to London, on which were engrayed thefe words, " A reward to merit.”

Envy and malice, as ufual, pursued merit; and to these alone we can attribute the attack made on her in a news•paper, refpecting her treatment of an unhappy fifter, &c. These reports had, however, fuch an effect on the town, that on her first appearance on the stage in 1784, he was faluted with the cry of "off! off!" Her friends at length obtained her a hearing; and her husband and brother, by means of uncommon exertions, fucceeded in refuting the calumnies to which the had been expofed. She was accordingly restored to public favour. Although the had conducted herself during this conteft with great compofure, yet it made fuch an impreffion on her mind, that the determined to retire to Wales with the few thoufands The had then faved; but the perfuafions of her friends,