Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 43.djvu/428

 was due to Jackson, the Edinburgh manager. On 19 Oct. Parsons played Don Felix in the ‘Wonder,’ on the 28th Charino in ‘Love makes a Man,’ on 24 Feb. 1763 Grigg in the ‘Beggar's Wedding.’ The following season he was the Countryman in ‘Philaster,’ Robert in ‘All in the Wrong,’ Starveling in ‘Midsummer Night's Dream,’ Periwinkle in ‘A Bold Stroke for a Wife,’ a recruit in the ‘Recruiting Officer,’ and Argus in ‘Contrivances.’ On 24 Jan. 1765 he was the original Nicodemus in the ‘Platonick Wife’ of Mrs. Griffiths, and on 26 April Harcourt in a version in two acts of the ‘Country Wife.’ Gratiano in ‘Othello’ and Douglas in the ‘First Part of King Henry IV’ followed. In June 1765 he made his first recorded appearance at the Haymarket as Dr. Catgut in Foote's ‘Commissary,’ caricaturing Dr. Arne. With this part he doubled that of the Hackney Coachman. From this time more important characters were assigned him, and he appeared at Drury Lane, with which he was all his life associated, as Blunt in the ‘London Merchant,’ Lord Plausible in the ‘Plain Dealer,’ Shallow in the ‘Merry Wives of Windsor,’ and in the ‘Second Part of King Henry IV,’ Ananias in Jonson's ‘Alchemist,’ Dogberry, Sir Hugh Evans, Gripus in ‘Amphitryon,’ Razor in the ‘Provoked Wife,’ the First Gravedigger in ‘Hamlet,’ Lord Froth in the ‘Double Dealer,’ Gobbo in the ‘Merchant of Venice,’ Vellum in the ‘Drummer,’ Philario in ‘Cymbeline,’ Foresight in ‘Love for Love,’ Scrub in the ‘Beaux' Stratagem,’ Obadiah in the ‘Committee,’ Sir Harry Sycamore in ‘Maid of the Mill,’ Sir William Meadows in ‘Love in a Village,’ and innumerable other characters followed. His original parts included Shallow in Kenrick's ‘Falstaff's Wedding,’ 12 April 1766; Sir Harry Harlowe in ‘Neck or Nothing,’ attributed to Garrick, 18 Nov. 1766; Dorus, a character in which he distinguished himself, in Garrick's ‘Cymon,’ 2 Jan. 1767; Linger in King's ‘Wit's Last Stake,’ 14 April 1768; Ostler in the ‘Jubilee,’ 14 Oct. 1769; Justice Clack in ‘Ladies' Frolick,’ taken by Love from Brome's ‘Jovial Crew,’ 7 May 1770; Don Guzman in Bickerstaffe's ‘'Tis well it's no worse,’ 24 Nov. 1770; and Varland in the ‘West Indian,’ 19 Jan. 1771. At the Haymarket he was, 10 or 12 June 1772, the first Martin (an old cooper) in Dr. Arne's ‘Cooper,’ and 29 June the First Mayor in Foote's ‘Nabob.’ Once more, at Drury Lane, he was Whittle in Garrick's ‘Irish Widow,’ 23 Oct. 1772.

Parsons played Pandolfo in a revival of ‘Albumazar’ and Antonio in the ‘Chances;’ was, 2 Nov. 1773, the original Skirmish in Dibdin's ‘Deserter,’ and 27 Dec. the original Faladel in the ‘Christmas Tale,’ assigned to Garrick. On 1 Feb. 1775 he was the first General Worry in Bate's ‘Rival Candidates,’ on 18 March Clown in ‘Measure for Measure,’ and the first Davy in Garrick's ‘Bon Ton.’ He was, 15 Feb. 1776, the original Justice in Mrs. Cowley's ‘Runaway,’ and on 7 March the original D'Oyley in Colman's ‘Spleen.’ He also played Mawworm. At the Haymarket, on 12 June 1776, he ‘created’ the character of Colonel Lovemore in the ‘Contract,’ attributed to Dr. Franklin. Prig in Foote's ‘Cozeners’ and Sir Harry Hamper in his ‘Capuchin’ followed.

The season of 1776–7 was prolific of novelty, since, besides smaller parts, he originated at Drury Lane, 21 Nov. 1776, Sir Jacob Thrift in Vaughan's ‘Hotel, or Double Valet;’ Probe in Sheridan's ‘Trip to Scarborough,’ 24 Feb. 1777; Diggery in Jackman's ‘All the World's a Stage,’ 7 April, and Crabtree in the ‘School for Scandal,’ 8 May; and, at the Haymarket, Dr. Bartholo in Colman's adaptation, ‘The Spanish Barber.’ On 10 March 1778 he was, at Drury Lane, the first Justice Solemn in ‘Belphegor,’ and on 2 July, at the Haymarket, Tony Lumpkin in O'Keeffe's ‘Tony Lumpkin in Town.’ At Drury Lane he was the first Old Valence in Fielding's ‘Fathers, or the Good-natured Man,’ 10 April 1779; D'Oyley in Mrs. Cowley's ‘Who's the Dupe?’ and 14 Aug., at the Haymarket, Crankey in O'Keeffe's ‘Son-in-Law.’ In Sheridan's ‘Critic’ Parsons was, 29 Oct. 1779, the original Sir Fretful Plagiary; on 27 Dec. 1780 was Sir John Contrast in Burgoyne's ‘Lord of the Manor;’ and, 9 March, Alderman Uniform in Andrews's ‘Dissipation;’ Qui Tam, an attorney, in ‘Divorce,’ 10 Nov. 1780; Sir Pater Pagoda in the ‘Carnival of Venice,’ 13 Dec.; Sir Timothy Valerian in Tickell's ‘Variety,’ 25 Feb. 1782; Bale in Pilon's ‘Fair American,’ 18 May, followed; and he played at the Haymarket the Clown in ‘Twelfth Night.’ He also added to his repertory Sir Francis Gripe in the ‘Busy Body,’ Holdfast in Massinger's ‘City Madam,’ Justice Woodcock in ‘Love in a Village,’ Justice Greedy in ‘A New Way to pay Old Debts;’ and, at the Haymarket, Twitch in the ‘Good-natured Man,’ Lord Ogleby in the ‘Clandestine Marriage,’ and Corbaccio in ‘Volpone.’

To these parts may be added at a later date Old Hardcastle in ‘She stoops to conquer,’ and Elbow in ‘Measure for Measure.’ The only original characters of his later years which have a claim upon attention are Johnny Atkins in Mrs. Inchbald's ‘Mogul Tale, or the Descent of the Balloon,’ Hay-