Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 04.djvu/444

 he says, 'was an actor as Shakespeare was an author, but without competitors.'

The writer of 'A Lick at the Laureate,' 1730, says: 'I have lately been told by a gentleman who has frequently seen Betterton perform Hamlet, that he observed his countenance, which was naturally ruddy and sanguine, in the scene of the third act, when his father's ghost appears, through the violent and sudden emotion of amazement and horror, turn instantly, on the sight of his father's spirit, as pale as his neckcloth, when his whole body seemed to be affected with a tremor inexpressible ; so that had his father's ghost actually risen before him, he could not nave been seized with more real agonies. And this was felt so strongly by the audience, that the blood seemed to shudder in their veins likewise, and they, in some measure, 'partook of the astonishment and horror with which they saw this excellent actor affected.' Stories are told of the effect produced by Betterton upon those with whom he played. There is, as a rule, little point in the anecdotes concerning Betterton which still survive. One, however, relating to Colley Gibber presents Betterton in a very agreeable light. For some breach of discipline Colley Gibber was condemned by Betterton to be fined. Against this order it was advanced that the youth had no salary. 'Put him down ten shillings,' said Betterton, 'and forfeit him five.' Tony Aston, who in a tract of singular rarity, 'A Brief Supplement to Colley Gibber, Esq., the Lives of the late famous Actors and Actresses, by Anthony, vulgo Tony, Aston,' undertakes to supply the omissions of his predecessor, expresses a wish that Betterton in his later years would 'have resigned the part of Hamlet to some young actor who might have personated though not have acted it better,' pp. 4-5. He owns, however, that no one else could have pleased the town. Of the appearance of Betterton he does not give a very flattering picture. His words are: 'Mr. Betterton, although a superlative good actor, labour'd under ill figure, being clumsily made, having a great head, a short thick neck, stoop'd in the shoulders, and had fat short arms, which he rarely lifted higher than his stomach — his left hand frequently lodg'd in his breast, between his coat and waistcoat while with his right he prepar'd his speech ; his actions were few, but just. He had little eyes and a broad face, a little pock-fretten, a corpulent body, and thick legs, with large feet. He was better to meet than to follow, for his aspect was serious, venerable, and majestic, in his later time a little paralytic. His voice was low and grumbling, yet he could tune it by an artful climax which enforc'd universal attention even from the fops and orange girls. He was incapable of dancing even in a country dance,' pp. 3-4. Dibdin, in his 'History of the Stage,' iv. 232, gives the opinion of Steed, for many years prompter at Covent Garden, with whom, when a boy, he had been glad to converse on the relative merits of Betterton and Garrick. Steed, who lived to be eighty, said that while he admitted the various merits of Betterton, he was not, 'taking everything into consideration,' the equal of Garrick. A contrary opinion, however, generally obtains. Betterton's dramas are adaptations. The list assigned him is as follows: 1. 'The Roman virgin, or the Unjust Judge,' a tragedy, 4to, 1679, performed at Lincoln's Inn Fields. 1670, an alteration of Webster's 'Appius and Virginia.' 2. 'The Prophetess, or the History of Diocletian,' 4to, 1690, acted at the Theatre Royal 1690 according to Genest, at the Queen's Theatre according to Langbaine and the 'Biographia Dramatica;' this is an opera founded on the 'Prophetess' of Beaumont and Fletcher, and supplied with music by Purcell. It was acted so late as 1784. Langbaine assigns it to Dryden. 8. 'King Henry IV,. with the Humours of Sir John Falstaff,' a tragi-comedy, 4to, 1700; acted at Lincoln's Inn Fields 1700, with Betterton as Falstaff, in which character he had a great success. It is a mere alteration of Shakespeare, more judicious than such ordinarily were at the epoch, as no interpolation is attempted, and the departure from text consists only in omission. 4. 'The Amorous Widow, or the Wanton Wife,' comedy, 4to, 1706, played at Lincoln's Inn Fields, circa 1070. This is a not very delicate adaptation of Georges Dandin. It is printed at the close of the biography or Betterton, assigned to Gildon. 5. 'Sequel of Henry IV, with the Humours of Sir John Falstaffe and Justice Shallow,' 8vo, no date (? 1719), an alteration from Shakespeare,, acted at Drury Lane. 6. 'The Bondman, or Love and Liberty,' a tragi-comedy, 8vo, 1719, altered from Massinger and act'd at Drury Lane 1719. From a paragraph in the 'Roscius Anglicanus' it may be assumed that the piece was played by Betterton twenty to thirty years earlier, probably at Lincoln's Inn Fields. 7. 'The Woman made a Justice,' a comedy never printed, but acted at Lincoln's Inn Fields. In addition to these works the 'Biographia Dramatica' and after it Mr. Halliwell-Phillips assign to Betterton 'The Revenge, or a Match in Newgate,' a comedy, 4to, 1680, acted at Dorset Garden (Mr. Halliwell-Phillips calls it the Duke's Theatre) 1680. This is an alteration of Marston's 'The Malcontent,' assigned by Langbaine to Mrs. Behn.