Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 17.djvu/144

Edwin Before, at the age of fifteen, he left school to fill a post at the pension office of the exchequer, he had acted with some amateur associates in a stable. He joined in 1764 a 'spouting club' meeting at the French Horn tavern in Wood Street, Cheapside, and made the acquaintance of Wilbam Woodfall, whose representation of Old Mask in Colman's 'Musical Lady' induced him to become an actor. His first essay was made at an amateur performance at the Falcon tavern in Fetter Lane. He became known to Shuter, who predicted his future success, and to Lee of Drury Lane Theatre, who engaged him at a salary of a guinea a week for a summer season in Manchester. Before leaving London Edwin played at the Haymarket at a benefit performance Quidnunc in Murphy's farce 'The Upholsterer.' A distant relative named John Edwin of George Street, Hanover Square, died, leaving to charities a fortune of near 60,000l. 'Mr. Way, a sub-governor of the South Sea House, and one of twelve executors to the will, appointed Edwin secretary to the trust, with a salary of 30l. This post Edwin held a year. Way appears also to have given him 500l. for the purpose of his entry as accountant into the South Sea House. In 1765, on starting for Manchester, Edwin made over this sum to his father. In Manchester he played characters belonging to Shuter, whom he was accustomed to mimic. In the autumn Edwin went to Dublin, appearing for the first time at the Smock Alley Theatre as Sir Philip Modelove in Mrs. Centlivre's 'A Bold Stroke for a Wife.' His other parts included Lord Trinket in the 'Jealous Wife.' When as Lord Trinket he had to speak the words, 'I cut a mighty ridiculous figure here,' a reply was received from the audience, 'You do indeed.' Things theatrical in Dublin were at the lowest ebb. Edwin's salary was rarely paid in full, and after a vagabond life in Ireland he ran away from his engagement and returned to England. After various adventures in country towns he appeared at the Bath theatre on 7 Oct. 1768 as Periwinkle in Mrs. Centlivre's 'Bold Stroke for a Wife.' Here he formed a connection with Mrs. Walmsley, a milliner in Horse Street, the subsequent abandonment of which, after twenty years' continuance, caused him to be occasionally hissed from the stage. To this connection was due the birth of his son, [q. v.] The connection with the Bath theatre, at which he became a favourite, was maintained during many years. Among the characters in which he was seen were Dogberry, First Gravedigger, Launcelot Gobbo, Sir Hugh Evans, Mawworm in 'The Hypocrite,' and Sir Anthony Absolute. His first appearance at the Haymarket took place on 19 June 1776 as Flaw in Foote's comedy 'The Cozeners.' His first reception was but moderately favourable, and though as Billy Button in Foote's 'Maid of Bath' he established his reputation, Foote gave him comparatively few opportunities. Edwin did not appear in London until his great model, Shuter, had disappeared from the stage. George Colman, on whom the management of the Haymarket devolved in 1777, allowed Edwin to play characters such as Hardcastle in 'She stoops to conquer,' Launcelot Gobbo, Justice Woodcock, and he 'created' the part of Lazarillo (Figaro) in the 'Spanish Barber.' From this period Edwin was a main- stay of the Haymarket, which was only allowed to be open during the summer. In the seasons of 1776-7, 1777-8, and 1778-9 he reappeared in Bath. On 24 Sept. 1779, as Touchstone in 'As you like it,' and as Midas in the piece of that name, he made his first appearance at Covent Garden. His success at Bath as Punch in 'Pleasures of the Town,' a piece extracted from Fielding's 'Author's Farce,' was the cause of his engagement at Covent Garden, where, in 'The Mirror, or Harlequin Everywhere,' assigned to Dibdin, he 'created' the same character (Punch). Still appearing during the summer season at the Haymarket, Edwin played at Covent Garden from this date until his death in 1790. The list of his characters at one or other of these houses is inexhaustible. He 'created ' very many parts in pieces now all but forgotten of Miles Peter Andrews, Mrs. Cowley, Pilon, Holcroft, &c., and played Cloten. Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Speed in 'Two Gentlemen of Verona,' Dromio of Syracuse, Ben in 'Love for Love,' and man v other characters in works of established reputation. His association with O'Keeffe was eminently beneficial to both actor and dramatist. In a supplement to his 'Recollections' O'Keeffe supplies, in some doggerel verses, a list of two-and-twenty characters in pieces of his own in which Edwin had appeared. The comic songs, in the delivery of which Edwin obtained perhaps his highest popularity, and which were reprinted with the name of Edwin, were mostly written by O'Keeffe. In his 'Recollections' O'Keeffe bears frequent testimony to the merits of Edwin. A joke current at the time was that 'when Edwin died O'Keeffe would be damned.' Edwin's last appearance was at the Haymarket on 6 Aug. 1790 as Gregory Gubbins in the 'Battle of Hexham.' He died on 31 Oct. in the same year, and was buried on Sunday, 7 Nov., at 8, on the north side of St. Paul's, Covent Garden,