Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/184

 180 FRANCIS GENTLEMAN, A dramatic and poetical author of some celebrity, was born in York-street, Dublin, on the 23rd of October, 1728, and received his education in that city, where he was school-fellow with the celebrated Mossop the trage dian. At the age of fifteen, he obtained a lieutenant's commission in the same regiment wherein his father was major ; but making an exchange into a new raised com pany, he was dismissed the service on his regiment being reduced at the conclusion of the war in 1748. In conse quence of this occurrence, he cultivated his inclination for the stage, and appeared at Smock-alley Theatre, Dub lin, in the character of Aboan, in the tragedy of Oroonoko. Notwithstanding a figure by no means prepossessing, and uncommon timidity, he says he succeeded beyond his most sanguine expectations; but having some property, and receiving intelligence that a legacy had been left him by a relation, he determined on a visit to London, where he quickly dissipated what little fortune he possessed. He then entered into an engagement at the Bath theatre, where he remained a short time, and from thence went to Edinburgh, and afterwards belonged to several Thespian companies at Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, and other places; but at length, growing tired of a public life, he settled at Malton, a market town, about twenty miles from York, where he married, and had some expectation of being provided for by the Marquis of Granby, to whom he was recommended by a gentleman who had known his father. With this hope he removed to London, but un fortunately soon found a l l his prospects obscured for ever, b y the sudden death o f his patron. I n 1775, he per formed a t the Haymarket, under the management o f Mr. Foote, and continued with him three seasons, during which period, and afterwards, h e wrote some o f his dra matic pieces and poems: h e was a t length discharged, “at a time o f peculiar embarrassment t o the manager;” h e then returned t o his native country, about the year 1777,