Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 41.djvu/42

Nicol first old-women parts. She played Dame Ellesmere in ‘Peveril of the Peak,’ 12 April 1823; Mrs. Flockhart in the ‘Pirate,’ 29 March 1824; Tibbie Howieson in ‘Cramond Brig,’ 27 Feb. 1826; Mrs. McTavish in ‘Gilderoy,’ 25 June 1827; and Audrey in ‘As you like it,’ on the occasion of a special reproduction, with costumes designed by Planché, 27 Dec. 1828. During the summer season of 1833 she did not appear at the Adelphi, her parts being taken by Mrs. Macnamara. At the commencement of the season 1833–4 her name was included in the official list of the company, but she only appeared occasionally. At her farewell benefit, on 10 April 1834, she played three parts—Mrs. Malaprop, Miss Durable, and Mrs. Deborah Doublelock—in Francis Reynolds's one-act operetta ‘No.’ She was a sound and capable actress in the line of parts played in London at the same date by Mrs. Davenport, upon whose acting she seems to have formed her style. She especially excelled in comic parts. The ‘Theatrical Inquisitor’ said she was of great use in ‘stiff, aged matrons, and old maids full of wrinkles’ (iv. 163). There is a good portrait of her as Mrs. Oldbuck in the acting edition (Edinburgh, 1823) of the ‘Antiquary.’ Mrs. Nicol died soon after her retirement in 1834.

She had a large family; her daughter Emma is noticed separately. Other of her daughters went on the stage. Miss M. Nicol seems to have had merit, as she was accorded a benefit exclusively for herself in 1823; but perhaps this was on account of her dancing, which must have been excellent. Miss C. Nicol also danced. Miss Julia Nicol was a member of the Theatre Royal and Caledonian Theatre companies, Edinburgh, for some years, and, afterwards attaining a good position in other provincial centres, she married John Harris, manager of the Theatre Royal, Dublin, and died 11 May 1894, in her ninetieth year. Mother and daughters were all respected on account of their quiet and industrious lives.

[Materials supplied by Joseph Knight, esq., and J. C. Dibdin, esq.; Dibdin's Annals of the Edinburgh Stage; Theatrical Inquisitor; ‘Genuine Gossip by an Old Actress,’ Era 1853.] 

NICOL, ALEXANDER (fl. 1739–1766), Scottish poet, was, according to his own statement, the son of a packman, and was left fatherless at the age of six. Although only one year at school, he succeeded in so far educating himself that, after for some time following the occupation of packman, he became teacher of English at Abernyte, Perthshire. Afterwards he settled at Collace, Perthshire. He published ‘Nature without Art: or Nature's Progress in Poetry, being a Collection of Miscellaneous Poems,’ 1739; and ‘Nature's Progress in Poetry, being a Collection of Serious Poems,’ 1739. These volumes were reprinted in one volume in 1766, under the title ‘Poems on Several Subjects, both comical and serious.’

[Poetical account of himself in Nature without Art.] 

NICOL, EMMA (1801–1877), actress, eldest daughter of Mrs. Nicol [q. v.], appeared at Edinburgh, when seven years of age, on the occasion of her mother's benefit (2 May 1808), and danced ‘a new pas seul.’ On 13 June 1808 she played Gossamer in the ‘operatical’ romance ‘Forty Thieves,’ and from that date played for many years at Edinburgh, either in the Royal or in the Minor Theatre, which was known at different times as ‘Corri's Rooms,’ the ‘Pantheon,’ and the ‘Caledonian.’ On 14 July 1817 she played the maid in the ‘Rivals,’ and filled the small part of Martha in ‘Rob Roy’ on its production on 15 Feb. 1819. When the king visited the Theatre Royal in 1822 she played Mattie. In the same year she was Madge Wildfire in the ‘Heart of Midlothian,’ Maria in ‘Twelfth Night,’ Miss Neville in ‘She stoops to conquer,’ and many other good parts. From that time until 1824 she was playing soubrettes and walking ladies. She then left Edinburgh, being anxious to advance herself in her profession. On 9 Nov. 1824 she played Flora in the ‘Wonder’ at Drury Lane; her name also appears as one of the choristers in the same place on 5 July 1825; Flora in ‘She wou'd and she wou'd not,’ 26 Oct. 1825; Laurina in ‘Trial of Love,’ 1 March 1827. After acting at Drury Lane till 1829, she joined the company at the Surrey Theatre under Elliston in 1830–1, and there confined herself to old-women parts. She seems to have stayed two seasons there. In December 1833 she was a member of Ryder's Aberdeen company, and during the spring and summer of 1834 travelled round the smaller Scottish towns.

She now devoted herself entirely to the line of characters in which her mother had made her reputation. She was re-engaged by William Henry Murray [q. v.] for the Edinburgh Theatre Royal in 1834, playing (8 Nov.) Mrs. Gloomly in ‘Laugh when you can.’ She never afterwards left the city for more than a few weeks at a time until her retirement. She soon became a great favourite, and gained as much respect in private life as her mother. Her abilities in her particular line of characters were unquestionable, and several noted exponents