Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 1.djvu/473

 462 CHERRY ANDREW CHERRY, AN ingenious dramatist, and amusing actor, was the eldest son of John Cherry, a respectable printer and bookseller as Limerick, and was born in that city on the 11th of January, 1762. He received a respectable education at a grammar school there, and was intendeded by his father to be qualified for holy orders by matriculation in a uni- versity, but arising from various disappointments and unforeseen eireumstances, his parent was obliged to abandon his intention, and at eleven years of age, the subject of the present memoir was placed under the pro- tection of a Mr. J. Potts, a printer and bookseller, in Dame street, Dublin, and was by him initiated in his art and mystery. From an ancient friendship which bad sub- sisted between Mr. Potts and Mr. Cherry, Andrew was particularly favoured by his master, and made his constant companion in all his recreations. Among other rational amusements, Mr. Potts felt a peculiar attachment to the- atrical exhibitions, and perceiving that a similar attach- ment (doubtless arising from sympathy) dwelt in the breast of his pupil, he rarely visited the temple of Thespis with- out being accompanied by the youthful Cherry. Thas encouraged, he imbibed an early predilection (or rather infatuation) for the histrionie art, and at the early age of fourteen, made his first appearance in the character of Lucius, in Addison's Cato, in a large room, at the Blacka- moor's head, Towers' street, Dublin. This passion for the stage he sedulously cultivated, and when he had attained his seventeenth year, viewing hats, feathers, and Thalia's mask, floating before his disordered imagination, he indignantly spurned ty pography, and fearlessly entered the dramatic list, making his début as a professional actor, at a little town called Naas, situated about fourteen miles from Dublin. Here he was sur- rounded by a small group of miserable strollers, principally composed of runaway boys and girls (all highly-gifted no