Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 63.djvu/390

 ‘Poor Gentleman,’ Petruchio, Gondibert in the ‘Battle of Hexham,’ Sir Edward Mortimer in the ‘Iron Chest,’ Harry Dornton in the ‘Road to Ruin,’ Eustace de Saint Pierre in the ‘Surrender of Calais,’ Penruddock in the ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ and Rolla in ‘Pizarro,’ parts in which he had had country practice; and was on 13 Aug. the first Frank Woodland in T. Dibdin's unprinted ‘Errors Excepted.’ In the two following seasons he was Zanga in the ‘Revenge,’ Old Wilmot in ‘Fatal Curiosity,’ Zorinski in a piece so named, Duke in Tobin's ‘Honeymoon,’ Leon in ‘Rule a Wife and have a Wife,’ Falkland in the ‘Rivals,’ Durimel in ‘Point of Honour,’ and George Barnwell; and was the original Selico in Colman's ‘Africa’ on 29 July 1808, and the Count de Valmont in Dimond's ‘Foundling of the Forest’ on July 1809. He had in the season of 1807–1808 and 1808–9 been at Bath appearing as Hamlet on 3 Oct. 1807, and playing Leon, Ranger, and Young Mirabel in the ‘Inconstant.’

On 10 Nov. 1808, as the original Daran in Reynolds's ‘Exile,’ he appeared for the first time as a member of the Covent Garden company, then, in consequence of the destruction of the theatre by fire, acting at the Haymarket Opera House. With the company he migrated to the other Haymarket house, where he played Othello, Reuben Glenroy in ‘Town and Country,’ Macbeth, Beverley, Lord Townly, and Frederick in ‘Lover's Vows.’ His engagement was to support John Philip Kemble, and on occasion to replace him. After the opening of the new theatre in Covent Garden and the suppression of the ‘O. P.’ riots he appeared as Evander in the ‘Grecian Daughter,’ and played Publius in the ‘Roman Father.’ He was the first Abbot of Corbey in Reynolds's ‘Free Knights, or the Edict of Charlemagne,’ on 8 Feb. 1810, and played Sir John Restless in ‘All in the Wrong,’ and Irwin in ‘Every one has his Fault.’ In Reynolds's ‘Bridal Ring’ on 16 Oct. 1810 he was the first Marquis de Vinci; and on 29 Nov. the first Gustavus Vasa in Dimond's play so named, Sir Roderick Dhu in Morton's ‘Knight of Snowdoun’ on 5 Feb. 1811, and on 23 March Lord de Mallory in Holman's ‘Gazette Extraordinary.’ He was also seen as Kitely and Ford.

Kemble's performances were now but few, and Young became accepted as the leading English tragedian, until his supremacy was challenged, first by Kean and subsequently by Macready. Kean did not appear at Drury Lane until 1814, and before that time Young had established himself at Covent Garden. He was the original Benzowsky in a translation of Kotzebue's ‘Kamtschatka’ on 16 Oct. 1811, Rolla in Reynolds's ‘Virgin of the Sun’ on 31 Jan. 1812, Almanzor in Dimond's ‘Æthiop’ on 6 Oct., Dorax (the renegade) in Reynolds's ‘Renegade’ (an adaptation from Dryden) on 2 Dec., and Count Villars in Morton's ‘Education’ on 27 April 1813. He had also been seen in Iachimo, Pierre, Prospero, Biron in ‘Isabella,’ Jaques, Joseph Surface, Coriolanus, Mark Antony in ‘Antony and Cleopatra,’ Richard III, Cassius, Iago, Barford in ‘Who wants a Guinea?’ and Macheath in the ‘Beggar's Opera.’ He had been in October 1813 in Bath. Subsequently at Covent Garden he was the first Fitzharding in Mrs. C. Kemble's ‘Smiles and Tears,’ 12 Dec. 1815; Count St. Evermont (? Evremont) in Sheil's ‘Adelaide, or the Emigrants,’ 23 May 1816; Leontius in an alteration of the ‘Humorous Lieutenant,’ 18 Jan. 1817; Aben Hamet in Dimond's ‘Conquest of Taranto,’ 15 April; Malec in Sheil's ‘Apostate,’ 3 May; Duke of Savoy in Reynolds's piece so named, 29 Sept.; Varanes in Dillon's ‘Retribution,’ 1 Jan. 1818; Montalto in Sheil's ‘Bellamira,’ 22 April; Colonna in Sheil's ‘Evadne,’ 10 Feb. 1819; Fredolfo in Maturin's ‘Fredolfo,’ 12 May. He had meantime added to his repertory many important parts, including Chamont in the ‘Orphan,’ Duke in ‘Measure for Measure,’ Horatio in the ‘Fair Penitent,’ Inkle in ‘Inkle and Yarico,’ Columbus, Falstaff, King John, Brutus, Hastings in ‘Jane Shore;’ and at Bath ‘King Lear.’ For one or two years following Young was at Bath or elsewhere in the country.

On 17 Oct. 1822, as Hamlet, he made his first appearance at Drury Lane, where he divided ‘the lead’ with Kean, and supported him in Iago and Clytus. The following season he was back at Covent Garden, where he played Sir Pertinax Macsycophant, Cato, was the first Count de Procida in ‘Vespers of Palermo’ on 12 Dec. 1823, was Foster in a revival of ‘A Woman never Vexed,’ and was the first Cesario in ‘Ravenna,’ translated from Schiller, on 3 Dec. 1824. In the spring of 1826, supported by Vandenhoff, he played an engagement in Edinburgh, which city he revisited in 1830 and 1831, making his last appearance there on 9 April 1831. Once more at Covent Garden in 1826, he was the first Doge in Miss Mitford's ‘Foscari’ on 4 Nov. He was the original Vladimir in Talbot's ‘Serf’ on 23 Jan. 1828. On 1 Oct. 1828 he reappeared at Drury Lane in Hamlet, played Macbeth, and was on