Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 41.djvu/337

 months after his arrival he died (in January 1691-2) at St. Jago de la Vega. He was buried there, in the parish church.

He married, first, Lady Margaret Boyle, third daughter of, first earl of Orrery [q.v.], by his wife, Lady Margaret Howard, third daughter of Theophilus, second earl of Suffolk, and had by her three sons—William (his successor); Henry, who died an infant; and James, who died unmarried on his return from Jamaica; a daughter Margaret also died unmarried. His second wife was Elizabeth, youngest daughter and coheiress of George Brydges, lord Chandos, and relict of Edward, third lord Herbert of Cherbury [see under ]; but by her—who married, thirdly, Charles, lord Howard of Escrick, and died in February 1717—he had no issue.



O'BRIEN, WILLIAM (d. 1815), actor and dramatist, the son of a fencing master, was distantly connected with the O'Briens, viscounts Clare, and appears, though this is not certain, in early life to have shared the ostracism of his family, who were warm adherents of the Stuarts [see ; ]. After losing Woodward, Garrick, who had, it must be supposed, seen O'Brien act in Ireland, engaged him for Drury Lane, where he appeared on 3 Oct. 1758 as Brazen in the 'Recruiting Officer.' Lucio in `Measure for Measure,' Polydore in the `Orphan,' Jack Meggot, the Fine Gentleman, in `Lethe,' Brisk in the `Double Dealer,' Witwoud Tom in `Conscious Lovers,' Laertes, Lord Foppington in the 'Careless Husband,' were among the parts he took in his first season, in which also he was the original Felix in the `Rout,' and Young Clackit in Garrick's `Guardian.' On 31 Oct. 1759 he was the first Lovel in `High Life below Stairs.' Subsequently he played an original part in `Marriage a la Mode,' and added to his repertory Witling in the `Refusal,' Campley in the `Funeral,' Fribble in `Miss in her Teens,' Slender in the `Merry Wives of Windsor,' Numps in the `Tender Husband,' and Lord George Brilliant in the `Lady's Last Stake.' On 31 Jan. 1761 he was the original Edgar in `Edgar and Emmeline,' in which he was excellent. Later he played Lord Trinket in the `Jealous Wife,' and Archer in the 'Beaux' Stratagem.' Beverley in `All in the Wrong,' Wilding in the `Citizen,' Clerimont in the `Old Maid,' Marplot in the `Busybody,' Guiderius in 'Oymbeline,' Sir Harry Wildair in the `Constant Couple,' Clodio in `Love makes a Man,' and Felix in the `Wonder,' followed in the succeeding season, in which, on 10 Feb. 1762, he was the original Belmour in Whitehead's `School for Lovers.' In 1762-3 he was Valentine in `Two Gentlemen of Verona,' the first Sir Harry Flutter in Mrs. Sheridan's `Discovery,' Lothario in the `Fair Penitent,' and Master Johnny in the 'Schoolboy.' In 1763-4 he played Tattle in `Love for Love,' Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Colonel Tamper, an original part in Colman's `Deuce is in him,' Prince of Wales in `King Henry IV,' pt. i., Ranger in the `Suspicious Husband,' Benedick, Maiden in 'Tunridge Walks,' Lovemore in the `Way to keep him,' and Squire Richard in the `Provoked Husband.' This, 3 April 1764, is the last part to which his name appears. Like Woodward, O'Brien was harlequin. After his marriage, in 1764, at which time he had a cottage at Dunstable, he retired from the stage. In the `Dialogue in the Shades' Mrs. Cibber says to Mrs. Woffington: `The only performers of any eminence that have made their appearance since your departure are O'Brien and Powell. The first was a very promising comedian in Woodward's walk, and was much caressed by the nobility; but this apparent good fortune was his ruin, for having married a young lady of family without her relations' knowledge, he was obliged to transport himself to America, where he is now doing penance for his redemption' (, v. 49-50). The `Dramatic Censor' speaks of him as the best Mercutio after Woodward. He probably played the part during an engagement he fulfilled at the Crow Street Theatre, Dublin, in the summer of 1763.

After he ceased to be an actor he wrote for Covent Garden `Cross Purposes,' 8vo, 1772, an adaptation in two acts of Lafont's `Trois Frères Rivaux,' and `The Duel,' 8vo, 1773, an adaptation of `Le Philosophe sans le savoir' of Sedaine. The latter piece had less success than it merited; the former was more than once repeated, having been given in Bath so late as 1821.

Meanwhile O'Brien had settled for a while in America, where he appears to have held an appointment under Sir Henry Moore, governor of the province of New York. On Sir Henry's death in 1769 he went to Quebec. In May 1768 he was gazetted secretary and provost-master-general of the islands of Bermuda. By the interest of Lord Ilchester, O'Brien was subsequently appointed receiver-general of Dorset. He died at Stinsford House on 2 Sept. 1815, and was buried in Stinsford