Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/189

Rh emphaſis, that it was taken notice of by the whole ſchool.

In conſequence of this happy talent, when, according to the cuſtom of the ſchool, a Latin play was to be acted, a conſiderable part thereof was given to young Booth, who drew by the melody of his voice, and the gracefulneſs of his action, the applauſe of all the ſpectators, a circumſtance which firſt fired him with theatrical ambition, much againſt the inclination of his father, who intended him for the church, and was therefore careful of his education. This propenſion in our young Roſcius, recommended him ſtill more to the favour of Dr. Buſby, who beſtowed the moſt laviſh encomiums upon him: Buſby was himſelf a great admirer of theatrical elocution, and admirably fitted by nature for the ſtage; when he was young he obtained great applauſe in a part he performed in a play of Cartwright’s, and from that moment held theatrical accompliſhments in the higheſt eſteem.

When Booth had reached the age of eighteen, and the time approached when he was to have been ſent to the univerſity, he reſolved to run any riſk, rather than enter upon a courſe of life inconſiſtent with the livelineſs of his temper, and the natural bent of his inclinations. It happened that there was then in London one Mr. Aſhbury, who had been long maſter of a company at Dublin, with whom young Booth became acquainted, and finding that under his direction there was no danger of his getting a livelihood, he quitted all other views, ſtole away from ſchool, and went over to Ireland with Mr. Aſhbury in 1698.

He very ſoon diſtinguiſhed himſelf on the ſtage at Dublin, where he had great natural advantages over moſt of his cotemporaries, eſpecially in ;