gfmertcau actor g^eries 
 
 EDITED BY LAURENCE HUTTON 
 
In I 
 
AMERICAN ACTOR SERIES 
 
 MRS. DUFF 
 
 BY 
 
 JOSEPH N. IRELAND 
 
 SHitfj lEIIustrattons 
 
 BOSTON 
 JAMES R. OSGOOD AND COMPANY 
 
 1882 
 
Copyright^ 1882, 
 By James R. Osgood and Company. 
 
 All rights reserved. 
 
 e t 
 
 c « e c c 
 

 Ixok up, my fjiasters, we have lost a star! 
 
 I looked . . . the star was gone, 
 And nothing marked in heaven -where she had shone. 
 
 She shall not pass without her requiem. 
 
 She, lost gem. 
 Shall be remembered ; thotigh she sought not fame. 
 It shall be busy with her beauteous nam^. 
 
 Jean Ingelow. 
 
 991272 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Pagb 
 
 Introductory i 
 
 1794- 1S09 5 
 
 1810-1812 S 
 
 1813-1816 18 
 
 1817 20 
 
 1818-1823 » 22 
 
 1824 4^ 
 
 1825 47 
 
 1826 . 49 
 
 1827 , 64 
 
 1828 S7 
 
 1S29 e 97 
 
 1830 lOI 
 
 1S31 106 
 
 1832 114 
 
 1833 T19 
 
 1834 122 
 
 1835 124 
 
 1836 131 
 
 1S37 » 133 
 
 1838 133 
 
 1839- 1853 134 
 
 1854- 1857 140 
 
 Appendix I. — A List of Characters performed by 
 
 Mrs, Duff 147 
 
 Appendix TI. — A List of Characters performed by 
 
 Mr. Duff 155 
 
 Note of Acknowledgment 164 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Mrs. Duff as Mary in •* Superstition '"' . . Frontispiece 
 
 Mr. Duff as Marmion i8 
 
 Mr. Duff as Hamlet 60 
 
 Federal Street Theatre, Boston 95 
 
 Autograph of Mrs. Duff 125 
 
 Mrs. Duff at the age of Sixty 140 
 
 From a Daguerreotype. 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 If it be due to pre-eminent merit, guided and glori- 
 fied by the highest histrionic genius, that its career 
 should be held in remembrance and its fame per- 
 petuated by a record more permanent and accessible 
 than the mere newspaper notices of the day, then a 
 debt has long been owing to the memory of Mrs. 
 Duff, which all the resources of her present biographer, 
 however faithfully applied, will be quite inadequate to 
 discharge. 
 
 Acknowledged without dispute for many years as 
 the first tragic actress of our stage, it is certain that 
 she had never been ec^ualled by any predecessor, and 
 very doubtful if she has been surpassed, even by a 
 Rachel or a Ristori, among those who have succeeded 
 her. 
 
 She was endowed by nature with every mental 
 .-ikculty and every physical requisite for pure tragedy ; 
 and in that distinct line, and in that line only, education 
 and experience raised her (in the opinion of the 
 \^Titer) to the highest rank ever attained on the stage 
 of America. She possessed a person of more than 
 medium height, and of the most perfect symmetry, — 
 not so commanding, perhaps, as that of Mrs. Siddons, 
 
2 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 but far more available, in her maturer years, for the 
 youthful heroines of the drama, and far more graceful 
 and pleasing to the eye than Miss Cushman ever pos- 
 sessed. Her face, called beautiful in her girlhood, 
 throughout life was irradiated by eyes of the darkest hue 
 and most speaking intelligence. The varying expression 
 of her features has never been surpassed; while her 
 voice was as soft and musical, in its quiet tones, as (we 
 are told) was that of Mrs. Gibber, — wild and plaintive 
 in its ejaculations of distraction and despair, yet reso- 
 nant and thrilling in its forceful utterances. It was 
 admirably adapted to the sorrows of the rustic heroines 
 of domestic life — such as Annette in " The Maid and 
 Magpie," or Mary in " The Innkeeper's Daughter " — 
 as well as to the touching and exquisitely natural mad- 
 ness of Ophelia, the stormy grief of Constaiice, the 
 grander suffering of Lady Macbeth, and the very tem- 
 pest and whirlwind of contending passion embodied in 
 her unrivalled Hermione. 
 
 Unfortunately for Mrs. Duff's reputation in New 
 York, she attained distinction and popularity in Boston 
 and Philadelphia before being introduced to the stage 
 of the Metropolis. New York, like London, can some- 
 times be jealous of her sister cities, and does not like to 
 be called upon to worship the idol of another and a 
 smaller place ; and, therefore, although critical judgment 
 pronounced her worthy of the highest praise, the public 
 — with honorable exceptions — finding that she bore 
 no foreign endorsement, looked upon her simply as the 
 favorite of a provincial town, and did not greet her 
 advent with that general and enthusiastic welcome she 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 3 
 
 SO well desen'ed. The few who saw her were charmed 
 with her personations, but fashion could not be in- 
 duced to interest itself in her behalf, or to crowd the 
 house when her name was first announced. She was 
 heartily applauded but not numerously followed ; and, 
 although she finally won her way to every heart, she 
 never became an attraction powerful enough to secure 
 a permanent engagement in New York's leading 
 theatre. 
 
 Pronounced by the elder Booth to be the best ac- 
 tress in the world; rebuked by the elder Kean for 
 attracting from him his proper share of the night's 
 applause ; complimented by Cooper and Forrest as 
 the most desirable coadjutress with whom they had 
 ever been associated ; playing with the elder Conway 
 to be proclaimed his superior ; acknowledged openly 
 before Judge Ir\-ing, in the New York Court of Com- 
 mon Pleas, by William M. Price (an eminent lawyer, 
 and brother of Stephen Price, the lessee of the old 
 Park Theatre,) to be " the most distinguished actress ifi 
 this or any other country ; " honored by Horace Gree- 
 ley's printed opinion that her Lady Alacbeth has never 
 since been equalled; and sustained by the criticisms 
 of the entire press of the Union, — Mrs. Duff possessed 
 higher testimonials of ability than have ever been 
 awarded to any other actress on the American stage ; 
 and these have been reinforced by the testimony of 
 that glorious artist and thoroughly competent judge, 
 John Gilbert, who at the present day asserts that she 
 was, without exception, the most exquisite tragic ac- 
 tress he ever saw. 
 
4 INTROD UCTOR V. 
 
 Except as her professional duties required her ap- 
 pearance before the public, she shunjied the gaze of 
 the outer world, and in rural retirement sought enjoy- 
 ment congenial to her taste. Her hours of leisure 
 were consecrated to the care and instruction of her 
 numerous children, and her devotion to them and to 
 her husband was the constant theme of remark and 
 admiration among her personal friends. 
 
 Retiring from public hfe ere age had dimmed her 
 marvellous powers, abjuring the Roman Church, in 
 which she had been educated, and devoting herself 
 earnestly and faithfully to the service of tlie Methodist 
 Communion in a distant section of our countr}^, Mrs. 
 Duff successfully eluded all intercourse with those who 
 would have addressed her as an actress, and at last 
 sunk into the grave, unknown to her old friends and 
 associates who, with affectionate regard, would proudly 
 though mournfully have laid her down in honor to her 
 last repose. 
 
 The few memorials of her private and professional 
 life that have reached the writer are of so interesting 
 a character that he places them on record for the 
 benefit of the reader of theatrical biography, in the 
 endeavor to preserve green and fresh the name and 
 the memory of one who was certainly the most intel- 
 lectual and accomplished actress of her day. 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 1794-1809. 
 
 Attached to the Dublin Theatre in the year 1809, 
 in the capacity of dancers, were three young and lovely 
 girls bearing the name of Dyke. Of their previous 
 history little is known. They were not (as frequently 
 has been asserted) natives of Ireland, but daughters 
 of an English gentleman who held a position in the 
 service of the East India Company ; and they were all 
 born in London, th e eldest, our heroine, Mar3^in the 
 year 1794. Their father died abroad, leaving them a 
 scanty heritage, and under the supervision of their 
 mother they were prepared for the commencement of 
 a stage career by the celebrated D'Egville, ballet- 
 master of the King's Theatre, London. 
 
 Their first public essay appears to have been made 
 on the boards of the Dublin Theatre, where their singu- 
 lar gra ce, beau t y^ and mod esty attrac ted inqmediate 
 attention and admiration. 
 
 It was the fashion of the time at Kilkenny for gentle- 
 man amateurs to give annual public performances for 
 the benefit of the poor of the city ; and it was on one 
 of these occasions, when the assistance of professional 
 
5 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 ladies from Dublin was invoked, that Moore , the Irish 
 poet, was introduced to Mary Dyke, and immediately 
 found himself passionately in love with her. We have 
 not seen a programme of this performance in which 
 Miss Mary Dyke took part ; but one for the succeeding 
 ye^ fda-ted: Honday, Oct. i, 1810, after she had de- 
 parted for Ainejica, now lies before us. It contains 
 ^,tl7€' iiames-,of hpr sisters and announces the tragedy 
 of " Coriolanus," with Mr. Becher, afterwards Sir Wil- 
 liam Wrixon Becher, and husband of the celebrated 
 Miss O'Neill, as Coj-iolaniis ; Mr. George Ponsonby 
 as Meneniiis ; Lieutenant Walker, R. N., as Siciuius ; 
 Mr. R. Power as Tulhis AiifiiUus ; Miss Walstein, the 
 reigning favorite of Dublin, as Virgilia ; Miss Locke 
 as Volumnia ; Miss Elizabeth Dyke as Valeria ; and 
 Miss Ann Dyke as Servilia. In the afterpiece of 
 " Fortune's Frolic " Moore himself personated Robin 
 Roughhead. and Miss E. Dyke, Nancy. It may be 
 mentioned that at this time Moore, having been dis- 
 appointed in his hopes of obtaining the eldest of the 
 family, had transferred his affections to Elizabeth Dyke, 
 the second sister, whom he soon after married. How 
 far Mary Dyke may have encouraged Moore's addresses 
 cannot now be ascertained; but it is certain that she 
 rejected his offers of marriage, — a circumstance that 
 gave rise to the composition of the celebrated song 
 herewith annexed. 
 
 Mary, I believed thee true, 
 And I was blessed in thus believing; 
 
 But now I mourn that e'er I knew 
 A girl so fair and so deceiving, — 
 Fare thee well ! 
 
MRS. DUFF. 7 
 
 Few have ever loved like me, — 
 
 Yes, I have loved thee too sincerely 1 
 
 And few have e'er deceived like thee, — 
 Alas ! deceived me too severely. 
 
 Fare thee well ! yet think awhile 
 
 On one whose bosom bleeds to doubt thee, — 
 
 Who now would rather trust that smile 
 And die with thee than live without thee. 
 
 Fare thee well ! I'll think of thee ; 
 
 Thou leav'st me many a bitter token ; 
 For see, distracting woman, see. 
 
 My peace is gone, my heart is broken ! — 
 Fare thee well ! 
 
 Moore was a man of the world, accustomed to the 
 society of ladies both in Dublin and London ; and there 
 must have been something extremely fascinating about 
 these young girls, scarcely half his own age, to have 
 induced him to make them successively proposals of 
 marriage. He appears to have been throughout life 
 devotedly attached to his wife, who proved to be a 
 most amiable and domestic woman ; and he never 
 omits an opportunity in his " Diary and Letters " to 
 speak of her in terms of the highest admiration. His 
 Diary^which is said to have been carefully prepared by 
 himself for posthumous publication, contains no allusion 
 to the first-loved sister, however ; and a letter from the 
 Right Honorable Earl Russell, who acted as its editor, 
 assures us that he has no remembrance of her name 
 occurring in any of his papers, although Mrs. Moore 
 in her letters makes frequent allusion to the Dyke 
 family. The latter may be dismissed from further 
 
8 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 consideration here, with the remark that Ann Dyke, 
 the youngest sister, married WilHam Murray, who was 
 the brother of Mrs. Henry Siddons, and for thirty 
 years manager of the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh. Mrs. 
 Murray, hke her elder sisters, was noted for her beauty 
 and accomphshments, but unfortunately she died soon 
 after her marriage. 
 
 1810-1812. 
 
 The cause of Mary Dyke's rejection of Moore was 
 soon discovered in an attachment she had formed for 
 John R. Duff, a young actor connected with the Dublin 
 Theatre, who has been described as an Apollo in 
 person and as a Crichton in accomplishments. He 
 had been a classmate of Moore in Trinity College, and 
 was intended for the practice of law, but he was fasci- 
 nated by the allurements of the stage, and finally 
 became an actor by profession. Showing promise of 
 distinction, he was recommended by Cooper the trage- 
 dian, who saw him in Dublin, to Messrs. Powell and 
 Dickson of the Boston Theatre, by whom he was 
 immediately engaged. Having married Mary Dyke 
 before she had completed her sixteenth year, he em- 
 barked with her for America, and made his first appear- 
 ance at the old Federal Street Theatre in Boston, 
 Nov. 2, 1 810, as Qctaviai^ in the play of ''The Moun- 
 taineers," and as Baron Willijighurst in the musical 
 farce called " Of Age To-morrow." The critics of the 
 day stated tliat high expectations had been formed of his 
 abilities, and that those expectations were, without ex- 
 ception, fully reahzed. His second appearance was 
 
MRS. DUFF. g 
 
 made in the characters of Gossamer and ycremy Did- 
 dler, in which his success was even more pronounced. 
 These were followed by Young JVorvai, Belcour in the 
 ''West Indian," Geo?-ge Barmvell, Tekeli, TaJigent, 
 \Verter,2cs\^ on the 30th by Hamlet, — the last eliciting 
 the following comments from the Boston Gazette : — 
 
 " The Ha7nlct of Mr. Duff, though in many parts, par- 
 ticularly the Closet scene, remarkably well performed, 
 will not be ranked among the characters in which he 
 is destined to make a shining figure. His forte is 
 genteel and sprightly comedy; or, if he puts on the 
 buskin, it should be to impersonate the hghter kind of 
 impassioned heroes." 
 
 A subsequent performance of the character drew 
 forth the following from the Boston CeJitinel : — 
 
 ''We were much pleased with the personation of 
 Hamlet by Mr. Duff, and we do not hesitate to say 
 that in some of the scenes — and those of no ordinary 
 grade of difficulty — he has never been excelled on the 
 Boston boards." 
 
 Whatever difference of opinion may have existed as 
 to his merit in particular parts, he sgon became the 
 acknowledged favorite of the Boston public, and for 
 many years retained their highest esteem. The ma- 
 turer judgment of his critics awarded him his greenest 
 laurels for his successes in light comedy ; but he was an 
 actor of extraordinary versatility, unequalled on our 
 stage save by Hodgkinson, and surpassed in London 
 only by Elliston, whom he is said to have resembled 
 more closely than any other actor. 
 
 For imperative reasons Mrs. Duffs d^but was de- 
 
lO MJ^S. DUFF. 
 
 ferred until the 31st of December, 18 10, when she first 
 attempted, on any stage, the personation of Shake- 
 speare's most difficult character of Juliet. The cast of 
 the tragedy on this occasion may be not without inter- 
 est, and is therefore given in full : — 
 
 Romeo Mr. Duff. 
 
 Mercutio Mr. Bernard. 
 
 Tybalt Mr. Darley. 
 
 Paris Mr. Vaughan. 
 
 Benvolio Mr. Robertson. 
 
 Capulet Mr. Barnes. 
 
 Friar Laurence Mr. Drake. 
 
 Friar John Mr. Graham. 
 
 Peter Mr. Entwistle. 
 
 Apothecary Mr. Fisher. 
 
 Balthazar Mr. Henry. 
 
 Page Miss Worrall. 
 
 Lady Capulet Mrs. Drake. 
 
 Nurse Mrs. Barnes. 
 
 Juliet Mrs. Duff. 
 
 Bernard was the celebrated and favorite English 
 comedian whose " Retrospections " have furnished so 
 much entertainment to all readers of theatrical books ; 
 Darley was the handsome father of our modern artist 
 of the name, but his talents were more conspicuous in 
 the vocal than the tragic line ; Mr. and ^Mrs. Drake 
 were the grandparents of the since distinguished Julia 
 Dean ; Entwistle was a newly arrived and very popular 
 comedian ; Mr. Henry was the father of the beautiful 
 Mrs. George Barrett ; but Mr. and Mrs. Barnes were 
 not Mr. and Mrs. John Barnes, the special favorites of 
 New York, who did not arrive in America until 1816. 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 II 
 
 Mrs. Duff's first representation of j^jdief, a character 
 in'~\vhich she afterwards became famous, was not a 
 failure — neither was it a brilliant success. Mr. Clapp 
 \ATites : " A more beautiful woman had not trod the 
 stage, and so far as the making-up and personnel were 
 concerned, a more attractive Juliet had never appeared, 
 but the '.spirit ' seemed wanting. Her style was indif- 
 ferent, and she lacked both conception and powej;." 
 It must be remembered that Mrs. Duff was then but 
 sixteen years of age, and that experienced critics have 
 asserted that no woman is competent to play Juliet 
 till she is too old to look the part. The contrast 
 between the earlier and latter portions of the character 
 is so great that few juvenile artist s are enabled to b lend 
 harmoniously the two extremes. / Her next appearance 
 was on the 3d of January, 181 1, when she played 
 Lady Anne to the Richard III. of no less an actor 
 than George Frederick Cooke, the gi-eatest tragedian 
 who had then trod our stage, — following it with Lady 
 Rodolpha Lumbercourt to the veteran's Sir Pertinax 
 MacSycflphafit, Charlotte to his Sir Archy MacSar- 
 casm, and Lady Pei'cy to his Falstaff. She_was cast 
 fot many important second characters in the plays that 
 were presented, and a few leading ones, — among others 
 Miranda to her husband's Ma^-plot in •' The Busy 
 Body," and Eliza Ratcliff to Bernard's excellent rep- 
 resentation of Sheva, in '' The Jew." She also appeared 
 as the heroines of the two serious pantomimes of 
 "Oscar and IMalvina" and "Brazen Mask" — very 
 popular entertainments in their day; and the graxie— 
 and expressiveness of her pantc^mimic action met with 
 the highest commendation, 
 
12 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 On the 29th of April, 181 1, occurred the first benefit 
 in America of Mr. and Mrs. Duff, the bill for which is 
 produced entire : — 
 
 THE HONEYMOON. 
 
 Duke Aranza Mr. Duff. 
 
 Rolando Mr. Robertson. 
 
 Count Montalban Mr. Vaughan. 
 
 Balthazar Mr. Drake. 
 
 Jacques Mr. Entwistle. 
 
 Lampedo Mr. Dickinson. 
 
 Lopez Mr. Roberts. 
 
 Juliana Mrs. Powell. 
 
 Volante Mrs. Doige. 
 
 Zamora Mrs. Duff. 
 
 Hostess Mrs. Barnes. 
 
 Recitation, Collins's " Ode on the Passions," by Mrs. Duff, 
 with appropriate music and action. 
 
 A Pas Seul, by Mrs. Duff. 
 
 A Pas de Deux from " Oscar and Malvina," by Mrs. Duff 
 and Mr. Fisher. 
 
 To conclude with 
 
 THREE AND THE DEUCE. 
 
 Pertinax, Percival, and Peregrine Single . Mr. Duff. 
 
 Justice Touchit Mr. Drake. 
 
 McFloggan Mr. Bernard. 
 
 Humphrey Grizzle Mr. Entwistle. 
 
 Frank Woodbin Mr. Fisher. 
 
 Monsieur Renard Mr. Darley. 
 
 Pinch Mr. Stockwell. 
 
 Cramp Mr. Graham. 
 
 Emily Mrs. Doige. 
 
 Phoebe Mrs. Darley. 
 
 Taffline Mrs. Graupner. 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 13 
 
 In the lastjiamed piece iSIr. Duff made a most ex- 
 traordinary hit, and his representation of the Three 
 Singles, became his_most popu lar e ffort. We know of 
 his performing them more than eighty times, and he 
 doubtless gave many repetitions of which we have (\ 
 
 no record. To those who knew Mrs. Duff only in after ^ o^ 
 years, the idea of her executing a pas sen! and other .^^y/^ y^ 
 dances, as a benefit attraction, must seem ludicrously 
 strange ; yet it would appear that in ballet and j^anto- . , u 
 n iime (the latter was very different in plot and con- V 
 struction from those at present in vogue) she had made 
 he r strongest impression on theJBostQn audience, while 
 to her Jiusband were assigned all the laurels of the legiti- 
 mate drama. 
 
 With one or two more characters, especially that of 
 Vuiorda in Mrs. Cowley's " Bold Stroke for a Husband," 
 Mrs. Duff ended her first season in America. In July 
 the Boston company made its annual migration to 
 Providence, R. I., and here she found a wider sphere 
 for the exercise of her talents. The lovely and winning 
 Mrs. Darley, the late leading "juvenile lady," having 
 retired from the ranks, Mrs. Duff succeeded to most of 
 her characters. She here first played Ophelia to her 
 husband's Ha7nlet, Statira to his Alexander _iI i£jC^^€€i4T—' 
 and Charlotte to his Werter. | She repeated Juliet 
 with more success, and on the 31st of July made a 
 marked hit as ^orgiana in the " Forty Thieves," her 
 traiii£d._sldlLas. a dancer lending, a great jind hitherto 
 unknown elegance to the part. On the 7th of August 
 she first essayed Desde7?iona (Mr. Duff playing Othello), 
 and on the 1 2th made her first attempt as ^ane Shore, 
 
14 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 which, in after-life, was thought by many to be her best 
 performance. During the season, which extended to 
 the 2 7th of September, she also personated, for the first 
 time, Edn mid-^ in the favori te—ineledfatftar-oi^-llThe 
 Blind Bo y," Lady True7?tan in Addison's old comedy 
 of " The Drummer," Cora in " Pizarro " (in which her 
 efforts met with much applause), Marianne in "The 
 Dramatist," Lady Priory in "Wives As They Were," 
 and Grace Gay love in " The Review." She and her 
 husband also appeared as the _heroine_and Jiero of a 
 now entirely forgotten play by John Howard Payne, 
 entitled " Mazeppa, the Hetman of the Ukraine," a 
 very different production from the more modern drama 
 of the same name. Jler youth, beauty, simpUcity of 
 manner, melodious voice, and faithful earnestness of 
 endeavor during this season establishedjier as a favor- 
 ite in Providence, and throughout her whole career she 
 was ever there a welcome visitor. 
 
 Her second season in Boston commenced on the 
 14th of October, 181 1, with her performance of the 
 light-hearted Emily to her husband's Gossamer in Rey- 
 nolds's " Laugh When You Can," a character she soon 
 after exchanged for the matronly and sorrowing Mrs, 
 Morti?ner in the same comedy^ She~n^ext appeared 
 as the jniiQ££nt_aiid__interesting Or ilia in Dimond's 
 "Adrian and OrillajoTarTCDllier's Vengeance." On 
 the 20th of November she made a decided impression 
 in her first really original character, that of the devoted 
 daughter, ^/^;c/;2<2, in Reynolds's play of "The Exile," 
 then first performed in Boston, where it was represented 
 many times. She also repeated her charming perform- 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 15 
 
 ance of Morgiana with increased effect. In the suc- 
 ceeding months she again supported Mr. Cooke during 
 his engagements, and appeared for the first time as 
 Leonora to his Zanga in Dr. Young's tragedy of '' The 
 Revenge." On the loth of February, 181 2, she played 
 Ophelia to the Hamlet of John Howard Payne, then in 
 the height of his popularity ; and, soon after, Sigismonda 
 to his Ta7icred in Thomson's not very successful tragedy 
 of " Tancred and Sigismonda." Illness then for a fort- 
 night detained her from her duties, but on the 28th 
 she reappeared as Ciiidej-ella m the ballet pantomime 
 of that name ; a part which was "elegantly represented," 
 according) to the Boston papers, and repeated for six 
 successiv^ nights, — a most prosperous run for those 
 days. 
 
 hiff now made a journey to Philadelphia and 
 opened there as Macbeth^^nd Jeremy Diddler to a 
 house of one hundred and twenty-three dollars, which 
 was followed by a continuous increase of receipts until 
 his benefit night, when they exceeded eleven hundred 
 dollars. His performances gave entire satisfaction 
 and the press was unanimous in the wish that he might 
 soon form a component part of the Philadelphia Thea- 
 tre. " On his return to Boston he was announced as 
 Daran to Mrs. Duff's Alexina in "The Exile." The 
 Gazette, in noticing his reappearance, remarked that 
 he had been eminently successful in Philadelphia, and 
 asserted that he possessed a versatility of talent not to 
 be found in any other actor on this side of the Atlantic. 
 On the 30th of March, Morton's unfortunate failure, 
 " The Knight of Snowdoun " (from Scott's " Lady of 
 
1 6 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 the Lake ") was first played in Boston, — Mr. Duff per- 
 forming Roderick Dhii (a character which in Eyre's 
 subsequent version jofuhe-^oem- he made for years 
 exclusivei^This o\^^l) and Mrs. Duff, Elleii Douglas. 
 \ For their joint benefit on the 20th of April ]Mr. 
 Duff appeared as Leon in '' Rule a Wife and Have a 
 Wife," as Sylvester Daggerwood, and as Looney Mc- 
 Twolter in " The Review " ; while Mrs. Duffs name is 
 set down only for Grace Gaylove in the farce, even the 
 attraction of her dancing being omitted. She was 
 however called on to execute a pas seiil for stately 
 Mrs. Powell's benefit on the 4th of Tvlay, on which 
 night she closed her second dramati^ season in Boston, 
 in the interesting character of Rose Sid?iey in ^lorton's 
 comedy of " Secrets Worth Ki 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Duff now joined the company of 
 Messrs. Warren and Wood, of the Philadelphia and 
 Baltimore Theatres, in whose service they remained 
 permanently for five years. Mr. Duff made his debut 
 in Baltimore, May 20, 181 2, as Macbeth and Jeremy 
 Diddler, the same characters in which he first pre- 
 sented himself at Philadelphia, and with the same 
 success. Mrs. Duff's first appearance in Baltimore 
 was as Zamora in " The Honeymoon." On their 
 benefit night she appeared as Alalvina in " Oscar and 
 Malvina," Mr. Duff personating Carrol in that piece, as 
 well as the Three Singles and Sylvester Daggerwood. 
 
 They next visited Washington where the prospect 
 of a successful season was clouded by the declaration 
 of war against Great Britain. From June 16 to 
 August 10, however, they were constantly employed 
 
MRS. DUFF. ly 
 
 in leading parts, and on their benefit night Mr. Duff 
 appeared as J^olla and Petruchio, and Mrs. Duif as 
 Cora. 
 
 The company opened in Philadelphia in the follow- 
 ing September, with Mr. Duff as Odavian and jfererny 
 Diddler, and on the 3d of October Mrs. Duff made 
 her first appearance there as Angela in " The Castle 
 Spectre." Mr. W. B. Wood says: " At_this-iin^€-she 
 was_y£]^f-pfetty, but so tame an^ indolent as to,^e 
 no hope of the improvement we afterwards witnessed. 
 Mr. Duffs salary was six guineas a week,* and he 
 often played, on his sole attraction, to houses of seven 
 or eight hundred dollars, and brought more positive 
 profit to the house in two years than any star who 
 visited us. His benefit, for which he performed Corio- 
 ianus, brought fifteen hundred and seventy-four dollars, 
 which greatly exceeds most of Cooke's, Kean's, or ' 
 Mathews's. For his wife's benefit he personated Rich- 
 ard III. (in imitation of and precisely after the man- 
 ner of Cooke) to Mrs. Duffs Lady Anne^ the receipts 
 being nine hundred and forty-nine dollars." 
 
 * Mr. J. T. Buckingham, in the Boston Polyanthos iox March, 
 18 1 2, says that Mr. Duff's successful exertions in Philadelphia 
 " have secured him an engagement there for the next season, 
 with a salary of fifty-six dollars a week." This probably was 
 the joint salary of himself and wife. Small, indeed, compared 
 with terms of the present day, but liberal for the time. Mr. 
 Thomas Barry, well known in Boston, assured the writer that 
 in 1827 when " leading man" in the Park Theatre, New York, 
 his salary was but five pounds a week, until he assumed the 
 duties of stage management. 
 
1 8 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 1813-1816. 
 
 On the I St of January, 181 3, Mr._JDiifC sheared as 
 Marmion in J. N. Barker's spirited adaptation of Scott's 
 poem, then first placed upon the stage. He met with 
 great. success, in this character, in which his portrait 
 was painted by Neagle and engraved by A. B. Durand. 
 Mrs- JOuff represented Clara de Clare efficiently. She 
 as jet had developed but Httle force, and her most 
 successful representations w^ere confined to characters 
 requiring loveliness of person, with expressive sim- 
 pUcity and .pathetic tenderness of delineation, X^^^essy 
 Oatla?id, Mary Thornberry, and Emily Worthington, 
 in which she was very favorably received. 
 
 During their residence in Philadelphia Mrs. Mason 
 (afterwards Mrs. Entwistle) was deservedly the favor- 
 ite and principal comedienne, and Mrs. W. B. Wood 
 the leading tragic actress. As Mr. Wood looked upon 
 his wife as the only lady required for the tragic depart- 
 ment, and as Mrs. Duff had litde mirthfulness or gayety 
 in her composition, her chances for prominent charac- 
 ters were very few ; nevertheless, she was occasionally 
 entrusted with Ophelia and Cordelia, as well as Lady 
 Percy, Lady Anne, Floranthe, and a few others. She 
 also played Edmond in "The Blind Boy " and ^iilio 
 in " Deaf and Dumb," characters of which Mrs. Charles 
 Kemble was the celebrated original in London, and 
 the latter of which was last played in New York by 
 the fascinating Mademoiselle Celeste. Mrs. Duffs 
 beaudful figure enhanced the charm of her acting as 
 boys and pages, in which line she soon became an 
 
MRS. DUFF. ig 
 
 acknowledged. favorite. Mr. Duff however was the 
 main attraction, and his excellent performances as The 
 i^^fTudf., Mannion^ Roderick Dhu, Abcellino, Tekeli, 
 and other striking melodramatic heroes, added to his 
 high reputation as well as to the treasury of the 
 theatre. 
 
 A grand_ array of histrionic talent was congregated 
 in Philadelphia at this period. Huff and Wood were 
 the leading favorites in the highest departments. War- 
 ren^ father of the William Warren of to-day, was the 
 most perfect '' old man " of comedy or tragedy then 
 known in America ; and Jefferson (grandfather of the 
 present Jefferson), a most distinguished comedian, 
 was at home in every branch of humor. Francis was 
 an excellent ^' second comic old man " and an efficient 
 director " of fHe ballet, and his wife was the best "old 
 woman " and '^ chambermaid " of that time. " Gentle- 
 man" George Barrett was there in all the freshness 
 of his youth and almost in all the maturity of his 
 excellence, the eloquent Cone (afterwards a Baptist 
 clergyman, and grandfather of the present Kate Clax- 
 ton), BHssett (the most admirable of all artists in small 
 comedy or French parts), Mrs. Wood, Mrs. Mason, 
 Mrs. Barrett, Sr., Mrs. Jefferson, Mrs. W. Green 
 (formerly the lovely Miss Willems, whose only daughter 
 was burned in the Richmond Theatre in 1811), our 
 own fair heroine, and a numerous corps of secondary 
 rank, formed a company stronger in every department 
 than either New York or Boston could boast. 
 
 In calling attention to Mr. Duff's benefit in 18 13, 
 the Philadelphia Aurora said : " Never have we seen 
 
20 ^RS. DUFF. 
 
 such .Yan£±y..,and contrast of character, united with 
 so much excellence in all, as we have seen in the per- 
 formances of Mr. Duff. Never do we recollect so 
 great a loss, as that of the drama in the death of Cooke, 
 so immediately and so admirably compensated. It is 
 not indeed Cooke, nor Cooke's cast of manner and 
 personification, but it is another planet in a larger orbit, 
 and so incomparable in what he does that pleasure 
 and applause are invariably associated with his ap- 
 pearance." 
 
 1817. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Duff continued with the Philadelphia 
 managers until July 181 7, ever attractive and in re- 
 ceipt of liberal benefits. During their long engage- 
 ment they occasionally appeared in the. sa^e plays 
 with the celebrated Mrs. Whitelock (sister of Mrs. 
 Siddons), Mr. Holman and daughter (afterwards Mrs. 
 Gilfert), Mr. Cooper, the distinguished amateur Gou- 
 verneur Bibby, and other prominent performers. 
 
 During occasional vacations Mr. Duff revisited 
 Providence on a starring engagement, and also pre- 
 sented himself with success for the first time to the 
 audiences of New York and Albany. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Duff now rejoined the Boston Com- 
 pany, the former becoming associated in its man- 
 agement with Messrs. Powell and Dickson. In a 
 preHminary season at Providence Mrs. Duff made her 
 first appearance in five years, Sept. i, 181 7, as Rosalie 
 Somers, the once interesting (but now called insipid) 
 heroine of Morton's comedy of " Town and Country." 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 21 
 
 On the 6th of October the Boston Theatre reopened 
 with "The School for Scandal," in which appeared 
 Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Brown, Mr. and Mrs. S. 
 Wheatley, ^Ir. and Mrs. Drummond, Mrs. Barnes, and 
 Messrs. Bernard, W. Green, Hughes, Bray, Pelby, and 
 Dykes. 
 
 Frederick BrowTi's position at this time was so good 
 that he very unwillingly played second even to Cooper 
 or Wallack. His wife, a sister of Mrs. Charles Kemble, 
 was an excellent actress of soubrettes, and was popular 
 in a wide range of comic characters. The beautiful 
 Mrs. Drummond, later Mrs. George Barrett, became a 
 great favorite throughout the entire Union, and Mr. 
 Pelby, whose name now stood opposite to old Rowley, 
 was in after years to play Hamlet, Bei'tram, and Pes- 
 cara with general acceptance. Mr. Hughes aftenvard 
 became the husband of the lady so well remembered, 
 as the companion of Burton, in Mrs. Toodles and Lady 
 Sowerby Crea7?ily. Mrs. §, Wheatley, once known as 
 Mrs. Williams, was the Lady Teazle of the evening 
 and the " leading high comedy " actress of the company, 
 but was not Mrs. Sarah Wheatley, wife of Frederick 
 Wheatley, who was so long the peerless "old lady " of 
 New York, with whom she has often been confounded. 
 
 Mr. Duff opened on the 9th in " Macbeth," and on 
 the loth Mrs. Duff, made her first appearance as Ros- 
 alie So7nerSj,^ H^er-impravemeat-^was at once noticed, 
 and she was now pronounced as interesting as an ac- 
 tress as she always had been as a woman. Her power- 
 ful and harmonious voice was highly praised, and its 
 modulated tones of tenderness and pathos were said' 
 to be very effective. - — . . 
 
22 ^^^S- BUFF. 
 
 1818-1823. 
 
 In February, ^818, JJrs^_Du£f presented a perfect 
 picture of Shakespeare's Juliet, her Romeo being the 
 then elegant and universally admired Cooper. Her im- 
 provement here was great and wonderful. She had all 
 the loveliness and innocence of youth, the fer\^or and 
 force of passion, the ecstacy of joy, and the agony of 
 grief, terror, and despair, combined in her most har- 
 monious and powerfully developed personation. In 
 March she played jfane Shore, the cruelly tried Julia 
 in Sheridan's " Rivals " (a character once performed 
 by Mrs. Siddons, but now disliked of all actresses, and 
 entirely ehminated from Mr. Jefferson's late elegant 
 revival of the comedy), Staiira, Orasmyn the boy in 
 the romance of " The Ethiop ; " and for her benefit, 
 Cora in "Pizarro" and Irene in "Blue Beard." In 
 Philadelphia she had played the Princess in the Eastern 
 tale of " Aladdin." She here portrayed for a succes- 
 sion of nights the roguish young scamp himself. 
 
 In August, at Providence, she first attempted the 
 shrewish yuliana in Tobin's " Honeymoon," a part 
 which reverted to Mrs. Powell on the opening of the 
 Boston Theatre in September. In October she made 
 a hit as Myrtillo the dumb boy in "The Broken 
 Sword," and on the 30th of November, on the elder 
 James W. Wallack's first appearance in Boston in his 
 favorite part of Rolla, her Cora materially added to 
 the brilliancy of his success. She also enacted Des- 
 de7no7ia to his Othello, and Ophelia to his Hamlet. 
 Morgiana was frequently repeated. In the new melp- . 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 23 
 
 (Jrama of "Maid and Magpie " she made a powerful 
 impression as Annette, and in the novelty " The Falls 
 of Clyde " she personated Ellen Enfield seven times, 
 — an unusual run for the period. A more extraordinary 
 effort of hers, if the music of the part was given, is 
 recorded on the 17 th of February, 18 19, when she 
 played Louisa in Sheridan's opera of " The Duenna." 
 Little has_ been said of Mrs. Duffs musical accomplish- 
 ments~in~pnbiic^_but she has been repres entecLas,a 
 very sweet and charming songstress in private life ; and 
 she had previously in Baltimore appeared as Mrs. 
 Cornflower, the heroine of Dibdin's opera "The Far- 
 mer's Wife." 
 
 On the 31st of March, the Columbian Centinel csWed 
 attention to her benefit in the following article : " We 
 hear with pleasure that the present appearance of the 
 box-book presages a full auditory this evening, when 
 Mrs. Duff will attempt a benefit. To the ladies of 
 Boston we trust it is not necessary to point out the 
 merits of this amiable actress, and if the gentlemen 
 neglect to patronize their o^\^l sex it is hoped they will 
 not extend their neglect to the ladies. We hope there- 
 fore that some of that exuberance of patronage which 
 has been bestowed on comets will not be withheld 
 
 from THIS BRILLIANT THOUGH FIXED StAR." On this 
 
 occasion Mrs. Duff represented Annette, and also 
 Elizeiie in the first performance of "The Forest of 
 Hermanstadt." ' 
 
 This season — which was remarkable for the intro- 
 duction to the Boston stage of Mr. and Mrs. Bartley 
 and Mr. Wallack, for an unusually long engagement 
 
24 ^^J^S. DUFF. 
 
 of Mr. Cooper, for the highly successful performance 
 of Mr. Duff in the operatic part of Cou?it Belino with 
 all its music, and for the Farewell to the profession 
 of the veteran Bernard — closed on the 7th of June 
 with Mrs. Duffs performance of Bertha in "The 
 Point of Honor " and Amazaide in the romance of 
 "Zembucca." 
 
 Mr. Duff is found in July enacting Gossamer, Bel- 
 coiir, Tekeli, etc. in Providence, his wife playing all 
 the leading female characters. During that month 
 ]Mr. Thomas Betterton — the celebrated actor of Lon- 
 don and Dublin, and father of the more celebrated 
 Mrs. Glover — made his first appearance there as Vapid 
 in "The Dramatist," subsequently playing Major 
 O' Flaherty in " The West Indian," with Mrs. Duff as 
 Marianne and Charlotte Rusport. During this month 
 she was seen in the pathetic character of Mary in 
 "The Innkeeper's Daughter," and in all the trusting 
 simplicity of Cecily Ho?7iespun, with peculiar effect. 
 
 On the occasion of Mr. Duff's benefit, September 
 8, he again repeated Coimt Belino, with all the 
 music, and for the first time Mrs. Duff gave the songs 
 of Cou7itess Rosalvina. Of Mr. Duff's merits in Count 
 Belifio much discussion has taken place in latter years ; 
 but as he performed the part in Boston, Providence, 
 Philadelphia, and Baltimore with applause to crowded 
 houses, and selected it on several occasions for his 
 benefits, there can be no doubt of the public verdict 
 at the time. He had been led to undertake the char- 
 acter by the great success of Thomas Philipps in it, 
 and one of his personal friends said that his voice was 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 25 
 
 music itself, and his ear so correct that ever}^ point of 
 Philipps's beauties was truly given. 
 
 To Mr. Durang of Philadelphia Mr. Duff himself 
 made the following remarks : " Charley, I am puzzled 
 to know whether acting and singing are humbugs or 
 not. There is poor Wheatley* whom the audience 
 here will not listen to, yet in Dublin he led the busi- 
 ness and supported Mrs. Siddons in all her pieces; 
 and here am I, without knowing a note of music, sing- 
 ing and playing the part of Coti?it Belmo after Philipps, 
 who is one of the first musicians of England, — and I've 
 made by it in Philadelphia in three performances as 
 much as Philipps during his whole engagement. I 
 confess it was impudence in me ; but the pubUc liked 
 it, so no matter ! " 
 
 The Boston season commenced October 11, but 
 Mrs. Duff's appearance was delayed until the 31st of 
 December, when she came forward in the character 
 of Adela in M. M. Noah's drama of " She Would be 
 a Soldier, or The Battle of Chippewa ; " her husband 
 representing the Indian Chief, originally personated in 
 New York by Maywood, and afterward by Edwin 
 Forrest, — whose very successful and realistic embodi- 
 ment of the Aboriginal character in that play first sug- 
 gested the creation of his still more successful role of 
 Metamora. 
 
 After two or three representations of the drama 
 
 * This refers to Mr^ I. Wheatley, long a serious actor on 
 the Philadelphia stage, not to Mr. S. Wheatley, to Mr. Freder- 
 ick Wheatley, nor to the latter's more popular son Mr. Wil- 
 liam Wheatley. 
 
^ 
 
 26 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 Mrs. Duff was again absent from the stage until the 
 8th of May, 1820, when "The Bride of Abydos " was 
 brought out with great splendor, — the heroine Zulieka 
 being in her hands the principal feature of the piece, 
 and one of her most admired and popular personations. 
 She continued to perform it for many years in the 
 principal theatres of the country. 
 
 At this period it rarely happened that a new play was 
 produced more than six or eight times during any one 
 season, and stars usually varied every night's perform- 
 ance throughout an engagement. The run of any 
 play as at the present time was unknown and entirely 
 unanticipated. During this month she again sup- 
 ported Mr. Wallack as Juliet, Cora, Zorayda, etc., 
 and brought the season to a close on the 9th of June 
 with her performance of Lady Amaranth in ''Wild 
 Oats " to her husband's Rover, and Myrtillo to his 
 Estevaji, for their joint benefit. 
 
 In the succeeding Providence campaign she per- 
 sonated no new characters ; but her Morgiana, as of 
 old, met with a warm greeting. 
 
 The Boston Theatre reopened on the 2d of Octo- 
 ber with Mr. and ]Mrs. Duff as Major O' Flaherty and 
 Charlotte Riisport, and on the 9th they appeared as 
 Lord Hastings and Jane Shore, — the lady's persona- 
 tion of the latter character raising her in a marked 
 degree in the estimation of the pubhc, which was still 
 further increased on the 13th of the same month by 
 her impassioned representation of Herjnione in " The 
 Distrest Mother," taken from Racine's " Andromaque." 
 This was the character in which the Bostonians first 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 27 
 
 fully appreciated her_geniiis^ and talents, and in which, 
 throwing aside all tameness and restraint, she perhaps 
 first fully developed the fire and passion that had long 
 been slumbering in her soul. 
 
 Her next success was in a character of a different , 
 cast, that oi Lady Alargaretm "The Vampire, or Bride of 
 the Isles," followed by her still moreJ;)eautiful and touch- 
 ing personation of the exquisitely dra\vTi character of 
 jfeafiie Deans in "The Heart of Mid Lothian." In 
 November she added a part of a totally different de- 
 scription to her list, that of the Countess of Lovelaiigh 
 in the comedy of " Rochester," which proved to be 
 one of her very few positive triumphs in the comic line. 
 Later in the month she again lent her aid to Mr. Cooper 
 in a round of tragedies and, in Ophelia especially, re- 
 ceived renewed evidence of popular appreciation. 
 
 In January, 182 1, Mr. and Mrs. John Barnes of the 
 New York Theatre fulfilled a star engagement, during 
 which on one occasion the names of these sometimes 
 called rival actresses were contained in the same cast. 
 This was on the 21st of that month, in Sheridan's 
 comedy of "The Rivals," and as the distribution was 
 a very remarkable one it is here presented entire : — 
 
 Sir A. Absolute Mr. J. Barnes. 
 
 Captain Absolute Mr. F. Brown. 
 
 Sir L. O'Trigger Mr. Duff. 
 
 Bob Acres Mr. Bray. 
 
 Falkland Mr. Pelby. 
 
 David Mr. Roberts. 
 
 Mrs. Malaprop Mrs. Barnes. 
 
 Lydia Languish Mrs. J. Barnes. 
 
 Julia Mrs. Duff. 
 
 Lucy Mrs. Pelby. 
 
28 ^RS. DUFF. 
 
 There is no record of any other appearance of 
 Mrs. Duff and Mrs, Barnes in the same bill. Old 
 Jack Barnes and his wife were unbounded favorites of 
 the New York public. Mrs. J. Barnes, possessing great 
 versatility and having real merit, ranked for many 
 years in tragedy second only to Mrs. Duff. The Mrs. 
 Barnes (previously Miss Bates) cast for Mrs. Malaprop 
 was the best " old woman " then known on the Boston 
 boards. 
 
 In February Mrs. Duff's name is found for the first 
 time as Lady Randolph in " Douglas," a part in which 
 her representation of a mother's love and tenderness 
 has never been equalled on our stage ; so say those who 
 saw it. The engagement of Edmund Kean during this 
 month created a furor of excitement, and he himself 
 became the lion of the day. After playing nine nights 
 — sharing receipts with the management after a thou- 
 sand dollars per week, which resulted in giving him 
 thirty-three hundred dollars — he was re-engaged for six 
 nights at fifty pounds sterling per night and a clear 
 benefit, from which engagement he realized twenty-one 
 hundred and fifty dollars. On the 19th Mrs. Duff 
 played Ophelia to his Hamlet, drawing forth, in a criti- 
 cism on his acting, the remark that " in Ophelia Mrs. 
 Duff was uncommonly impressive." She twice played 
 Cordelia to his Lear ; and, on his benefit night, LLennione 
 to his Orestes. She had before played the character 
 with applause but, stimulated by the unwonted excel- 
 lence of her support, her genius now essayed its highest 
 flight and won the crown it had so long deserved. It 
 was while rehearsing this part that Mr. Kean is said to 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 29 
 
 have requested her to play with less f orce a nd intensity , 
 or her acting would throw him into the background ; 
 to which she replied that, though she honored his rank \ 
 and position in the profession, her duty to herself and 
 the public would constrain her always to play to the 
 best of her ability. Her hour of supreme triumph had 
 at length arrived, for at night her performance fairly 
 divided with Mr. Kean's the applause of the house, 
 which unanimously pronQimced-het-the-eqiial- of- th€ 
 greatest^ct^r^f the age ; and in theatrical circles her^ 
 brilliant success was the leading subject of conyersatioB. 
 Kean himself was so astonished at her personations 
 that he said she was the superior of any actress on the J 
 British stage, — an opinion that he frequently rQiterated. / 
 
 She soon after appeared as the Coiuiiess Adela in '^The 
 Warlock of the Glen " and Helen Mar in " The Hero of 
 Scotland," characters in which she won great local 
 popularity and which she chose for her benefit on the 
 26th of March. In an article in the Centmel calling 
 attention to this event, it is remarked that " the pro- 
 fessional talents of Mrs. Duff have not been sufficiently 
 known or estimated in this tOAvn. Her personations 
 during the engagements of Messrs. Cooper and Kean 
 the present season have elicited the wannest and most 
 general applause, and they were among the first oppor- 
 tunities the public availed themselves of to know and 
 appreciate her excellence and to award to her the 
 meed she has so long deserved. Her Ophelia, Cor- 
 delia, Tarquinia, and Hermione will long be remem- 
 bered as among the highest displays of histrionic 
 talent." - - 
 
30 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 The Boston Gazette published the following : — 
 " Mrs. Duff. It so seldom happens that a theme 
 presents itself upon which we can bestow our unquali- 
 fied approbation that we can by no means forego the 
 gratification of saying a few words respecting this favor- 
 ite actress. A favorite she has_always— beerr^'bul not 
 without some touch of alloy. Hitherto she has lacked 
 animation ; but this season, especially during the en- 
 gagement of Mr. Kean, she has burst from our dramatic 
 constellation like a celestial stranger. She has evinced 
 new powers and has proved that she is possessed of 
 talents which must raise her to the foremost rank of 
 her profession. Never within our recollection has an 
 actress, who deservedly ranked so high before, raised^ 
 herself so much in the estimation of the public within 
 a month as Mrs. Du£f." 
 
 And onthe day of her benefit this additional article 
 appeared : '' We confess ourselves unable to do justice 
 to this lady's merit, especially as it has been developed 
 in her last few performances. We have been accus- 
 tomed to pay deference to female as well as to male 
 talent which has been sanctioned by the approbation of 
 a London audience, and actresses have visited this 
 metropolis from our sister cities and we have been 
 proud to admire their various beauties, but never have 
 we witnessed such a display of histrionic talent as in the 
 representation of He?'mione by Mrs. Duff. There was 
 a spirit of inspiration breathing throughout the per- 
 formance, passion developed and sustained the most 
 vivid and imposing in nature, a pathos and sublimity 
 of action, voice, and expression which genius seemed 
 
MRS. DUFF. 21 
 
 to have impressed with her own image and hallowed 
 with the breathings of her own divinity. There was the 
 melting and the freezing glance, the quivering lip, the 
 front of defiance, the trembling frame, — all that could 
 express tender or exulting love, pride or scorn, stifle.d 
 rag;e and bursting fury, revenge, indecision, and re- 
 morseful grief. The eye of fancy almost beheld the 
 sacred shade of Racine descending from above to pro- \ 
 claim her for his own resuscitated Hermione. But it is 
 not in this part alone that Mrs. Duff has excelled. In 
 all the characters in which she has occasionally ap- 
 peared, the same elements of a great actress have been 
 at work. Those who have seen her in Ophelia will 
 remember it throughout life. Certain it Js_jhe-has-the 
 power, and we have felt it, to consecrate sorrow, dignify 
 emotion, and kindle the imagination, as well as awaken 
 the sympathies, which are among the highest attain- 
 ments of this ennobling art." 
 
 The Boston pubUc honored her benefit with an over- 
 flowing house. 
 
 For Mr. Duff's benefit on the 27th of April Mrs. 
 Duff reappeared as the heroine of " Tancred and Sigis- 
 monda," when the late Edward J. Thayer successfully 
 made his first appearance on a public stage as Tancred, 
 although in after life his chief triumphs were in light 
 comedy. Mrs. Duff also recited Colhns's " Ode on the 
 Passions." The papers spoke of her Sigis7nonda as 
 being well calculated to display to advantage her extra- 
 ordinary talents. Mrs. Duff seems to have first assumed 
 the part of the Unknown Female, (^Eugenia) in Dim- 
 ond's melodrama " The Foundling of the Forest " on 
 
32 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 the I ith of May. General audiences then as now Hked 
 the sensational drama, so called, better than the clas- 
 sic or legitimate ; and this performance was loudly 
 applauded, the character becoming with her one of 
 long standing popularity. 
 
 May 23 Mr. Kean commenced a new engagement, 
 playing Lear with Mrs. Duff as Cordelia ; and, on the 
 24th, Jaffier in "Venice Preserved" to Mr. Duffs 
 Pierre and Mrs. Duff's Belvidera — her first assumption 
 of the character. On the 25th Mr. Kean was adver- 
 tised to appear as Richard III., but mortally offended 
 the citizens of Boston by refusing to play to a thin 
 house; an insult which resulted in 1825 in serious 
 rioting, on his attem,pted reappearance, both there and 
 in New York. On this occasion Mr. Frederick Brown 
 was substituted as Richard^ and Mrs. Duff for the first 
 time undertook Qiieeji Elizabeth, in consequence of 
 the recent bereavement and widowhood of Mrs. Powell 
 to whom the part belonged. With a repetition of Jane 
 Shore on the 28th Mrs. Duff closed her labors for the 
 season, having won a position in advance of every 
 actress hitherto known in Boston, and with a fame that 
 resounded throughout the entire country. 
 
 Mr. Duff's connection with the Boston Theatre as 
 manager terminated with the season, but he and his 
 wife were both engaged as performers by his successors 
 Messrs. Kilner and Clark. In consequence of pro- 
 tracted illness Mrs. Duff's appearance did not take place 
 until Jan. 14, 1822, when she came out as yane Shore, 
 and a fortnight later repeated Sigismonda, — a charac- 
 ter which, with all her abihty, she never succeeded in 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 33 
 
 making popular. On the 13th of March she first 
 played Therese in Howard Payne's " Orphan of 
 Geneva," which later was one of her most admired 
 personations. On the ist of April she enacted Shake- 
 speare's Rosalind, probably for the first and only time ; 
 on the loth the Widow Btimore in Murphy's comedy 
 "The Way to Keep Him;" and on the 15th Lady 
 Jane in the same author's " Know Your Own Mind ; " 
 but comedy was not her forte and she rarely CEtreed 
 . any furor therein, her highest praisej3eing_t]iat^she_was 
 c almly correc t and not unple^sing. Mr. Thayer brought 
 out for his benefit an old drama entitled '' Edgar, or 
 Caledonian Feuds," in which Mrs. Duff was cast for 
 Matilda, but it does not appear to have been repeated. 
 For her own benefit she selected Herinione and Therese, 
 characters in which she was very popular. 
 
 On the 6th of May Mr. Booth, Sr. — the only 
 acknowledged representative of the part in America 
 save Cooke and Kean — made his first appearance in 
 Boston as Richard III. On the 9th he played Kifig 
 Lear with Mrs. Duff as Cordelia ; and on the 20th for 
 his benefit, to a house of eight hundred dollars, enacted 
 Hamlet with Mrs. Duff as Ophelia, in which charac- 
 ter she so surprised and dehghted him that he also 
 placed her above all competition in Europe or America ; 
 and some time after, in a letter to George Holland the 
 comedian (then in England), he described her as the 
 greatest actress in the world, and added that his stren- 
 uous advice alone prevented her visiting London. 
 
 During the ensuing summer Mr. Duff managed an 
 establishment in Boston called the New City Theatre, 
 3 
 
34 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 Washington Gardens ; and he and Mrs. Duff, with Mrs. 
 Holman the vocahst, Miss Ellen Johnson (afterwards 
 Mrs Hilson), Mr. Moreland and Mr. Jacob WoodhuU 
 from the Park Theatre, New York, and Mr. and Mrs. 
 Charles Durang, from Philadelphia, were its principal 
 attractions. 
 
 Mrs. Duff here repeated yjiliana in the '' Honey- 
 moon," and on the 5 th of August first personated the 
 penitent and suffering Afrs. Haller in the tearful but 
 much abused play of " The Stranger." Her represen- 
 tation was an entire success, and from all accessible 
 records it would appear to have been repeated (with 
 one exception) more frequently than any other of her 
 characters. On the 7th for the first time she played 
 Katherine in " The Taming of the Shrew," which 
 proved tp'be her most popular assumption in comedy, 
 from the fact probably that littlega^:£j:jL on^joyousness 
 is required in its embodiment. | She could exhibit scorn, 
 anger, and contempt with pov/er, and del.iver.-a^sarcasm 
 with the most cutting poignancy, as well as assume the 
 opposite^~characteristics of lowly humihty which the 
 part requires J and she was frequently called on for its 
 repetition. 
 
 On the 20th of August, Howard Payne's, '^ Adeline " 
 was first given in Boston, Mrs. Duff personating the 
 unfortunate heroine. The character however was never 
 a favorite with her, and when engaged in New York 
 she refused to perform it. The season extended to the 
 middle of September ; but no record of Mrs. Duff's 
 subsequent performance is found until April 7, 1823, 
 when she made her first appearance in Philadelphia 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 35 
 
 in six years at the Chestnut Street Theatre, for the 
 benefit of Mr. Booth, in her renowned character of 
 Hcrmione, with Mr. Booth as Orestes, Mr. Wood as 
 Fyrrhiis, and Mrs. Wood as Andromache, — the re- 
 ceipts being four hundred and ninety-two dollars. Mr. 
 Booth's previous six nights had run from one hundred 
 and sixty-seven to three hundred dollars, averaging about 
 two hundred and fifty-nve dollars per night. Of this 
 occasion Mr. Wood remarks : " We had now the first 
 appearance of Mrs. Duff since her late very decided 
 success in Boston. She seemed to have made in that 
 city a discovery of powers up to that time latent, and 
 now destined to astonish and delight future audiences. 
 Her success as Herviione fully confirmed the judgment 
 of her Boston friends." On the 21st of the same 
 month she personated Statira for the benefit of 
 Alexander Wilson who appeared as Alexander the 
 Great. 
 
 Mr. Duff, having completed an arrangement with 
 Messrs. W^ood and Warren, proceeded to Baltimore, 
 where he and Mrs. Duff commenced their engagement 
 as Romeo and jfuliet on the 7th of May, followed by 
 the lady's performance of Belvidera, Eugefiia, Her7ni- 
 07ie, Therese, Calaiithe, Isabella, An7ictte, Cora, Meg 
 Mei'rilies, and Florinda. Although late in the season, 
 and in a small city, their nightly receipts averaged two 
 hundred and ten dollars, with a benefit to Mrs. Duff of 
 six hundred and thirty-four ; and this where Mr. Booth 
 had lately been playing to an average of one hundred 
 and eighty-five dollars for eight nights, and a benefit of 
 two hundred and sixty-nine. During this engagement 
 
36 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 Mrs. Duff first added Isabella, Meg Merrilies, and 
 Florinda to her list of characters. In Isabella she 
 most pathetically portrayed the sorrows and madness 
 of deceived and suffering innocence, and displayed 
 powers which perhaps more than in any other character 
 entided her to be called the first actress of the day. 
 It became acknowledged as her finest and most 
 admired performance in legitimate tragedy, and has 
 not been equalled in merit by any subsequent per- 
 formeEJ Flormda also proved to be one of her strong 
 ■^arts, and made so powerful an impression on the 
 pubhc mind that it was rare thereafter to find an actress 
 willing to attempt it. It was the last character she 
 ever played, and her name alone is now remembered 
 in connection with it. Of her Meg Merrilies, though 
 occasionally called on to repeat it, no special descrip- 
 tion has been found ; and she never appears to have 
 chosen it for a benefit, or admitted it into her round 
 of characters during any subsequent star engagement. 
 At the close of the Baltimore season she visited 
 Washington and repeated most of the characters men- 
 tioned, adding to them, for the first time, Elvira to 
 her husband's Rolla and handsome Henry Wallack's 
 Fizarro.^ To Mr. Booth's Feiiben Gle?iror, Othello^ 
 and lear, she enacted Rosalie So7?iers, Fesdemona, 
 and Cordelia, — the receipts to which severally were one 
 hundred, one hundred and two, and one hundred and 
 eight dollars ! Mr. and Mrs. Duff's benefit (without 
 
 * Cora's Child at this period was represented by James W. 
 Wallack, Jr., son of Henry Wallack, — in later life an accom- 
 plished and highly popular melodramatic actor. 
 
MKS. DUFF. 
 
 37 
 
 Mr. Booth) reached a hundred and sixty-five, though 
 they afterwards played to less than one hundred dollars. 
 It seems strange that managers should have attempted 
 a season in Washington during the heat of mid- 
 summer. 
 
 Concerning Mrs. Duff's appearance at the Park 
 Theatre, New York, a theatrical article in the Netc 
 York Albio7i of August 30, 1823, concludes with 
 the following remarks : " We are most happy to add 
 that Mrs. Duff, the darling of the Boston boards, has 
 made a short engagement with our manager, and will 
 in September present herself to a New York audi- 
 ence ; " and the Eve?mig Post of September 5 heralds 
 her advent in the following terms : " We perceive by 
 the bills that Mrs. Duff, of whom fame speaks highly^ 
 is to make her first appearance this evening before a 
 New York audience in the character of Herijiione in 
 "The Distrest Mother." The part of Orestes has been 
 assigned to Mr, Booth, and we have no doubt the 
 united efforts of these two celebrated performers will 
 prove a real treat to the lovers of the drama." Of the 
 remaining characters in the play, Fyrrhus was entrusted 
 to Mr. J. H. Clarke, Py lades to Mr. Woodhull, and 
 Andromache to the amiable and admired favorite Ellen 
 Johnson, afterwards Mrs. Hilson. 
 
 The Albion thus discoursed on the event : " Mrs. 
 Duff made her debut on our boards last night as Her- 
 mione in "The Distrest Mother." It was in this char- 
 acter she reaped such a rich harvest of laurels before 
 the Boston audience, and in which she made a power- 
 ful impression on the house last night. Mrs. Duff 
 
38 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 possesses a fine person, a sweet voice, and great com- 
 mand of countenance, and we are confident will soon 
 become a general favorite." 
 
 Her second appearance at the Park Theatre was as 
 Calmithe to the DamoJi of Mr. Cooper and Pythias of 
 Mr. E. Simpson, and the impression she made on one 
 auditor may be gathered from the following communica- 
 tion addressed to the New York A7fiericafi of the next 
 day :- " I never before wrote a word in praise of a play- 
 actor or actress, but I cannot help saying of Mrs. Duff 
 that her representation of Calanthe last evening was the 
 most spirited and natural performance I ever witnessed. 
 
 s/ I say natura l, where words distil from the lips without 
 
 . /J affectation or mouthing and where ' the action suits the 
 /W fiords.' I have seen women whose performances I 
 
 ir V.oiave tried to like, buf Mjia^JQuffjoiakes her way to the 
 if nature rather than art stimulated her feelings 
 and filled her soul." 
 
 , „ The New York Mirror, then the fashionable literary 
 
 yjl and family paper, in noticing this performance said 
 
 ^ that " the beautiful Calanthe lived and breathed in the 
 
 person of Mrs. Duff. This lady is a n ew and very 
 valuable addition to our stage. She has a good figure, 
 a very graceful action, a. soft clear voice, — and so hand- 
 some a face withal that she must always be received 
 with pleasure by a New York audience. She is cer- 
 tainly an actress of the highest class." Calanthe was 
 one of her most popular parts, and stands next to Mrs. 
 Haller in the number of its representations. Her next 
 characters in succession were Lady Macbeth, Tullia, 
 Roxaita, Imogine, and Mrs. Beverley — all for the first 
 
 \\/ X\fi ^^^ trie 
 Y /{K heart as 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 ^ — "-^ 
 
 time — to the Macbeth, Brutus, Bertram, and Beverley 
 of Mr. Cooper. 
 
 ^r\^JjTJv__Marhpth Mr<; Dnff ff>r m any vears Sto od 
 p eerless an fT plnn^ • in Tullia she was more than 
 equal to the requirements of the part ; in Imogme she 
 was powerful and exciting beyond all precedent ; and 
 in Mrs. Beverley all womanlj M:enderness, love, confi- 
 dencej__sqrrow^ and despair were expressed with so 
 much sympathy and pathos that it took its place among 
 the very highest creations of histrionic art. Her 
 Roxana was pronounced a fine piece of acting and 
 received loud applause, yet the character was not as 
 pleasing to the actress as its rival Statira in the same 
 tragedy. Mrs. Duff's benefit took place en the 24th 
 of September when she played Florinda in " The 
 Apostate," with Mr. Duff (his first appearance in New 
 York for nearly ten years) as Make, Maywood as 
 Fesca7'a, and E. Simpson as Heineya. Mr. Duff also 
 appeared as the Three Sijtgles. 
 
 In speaking of this event the Albmi said : " The 
 benefit we fear was not very productive, but Mr. and 
 Mrs. Duff had the satisfaction to receive unbounded 
 applause from all parts of the house throughout the 
 evening. With much regret we announce that Mrs. 
 Duff will not be engaged for the season." 
 
 The shortness of this engagement was undoubtedly 
 the greatest n >ist.ak£- x»y-TnTsfortn n e of Mrs. Duff's pro- 
 fessional hfe/ She made a powerful impression on her 
 audiences and every writer spoke in her praise, but the 
 difficulty was to get the fashionable world to see her. 
 Had she been engaged as the " leading lady " of the 
 
40 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 theatre for a few months, if not for the entire season, she 
 
 would necessarily have made herself generally known, 
 
 and for her to be known was to be admired ; but the 
 
 New York diletta?iti seemed to consider it a piece of 
 
 presumption for a stock actress from the Boston and 
 
 Philadelphia theatres to present herself as a star on the 
 
 A Metropolitan stage, and many of them in consequence 
 
 1 yO'^/avoided the theatre during her stay. One prosperous 
 
 ^y^ season at ihe Park would have carried her in triumph 
 
 throughout the land, and returned her to its boards 
 
 with its audience anxious to give a warm welcome on 
 
 her reappearance. , 
 
 It was~'a' mistake also on the part of Messrs. Price 
 and Simpson that they did not secure her services ; 
 for a year or two later, when better known, her 
 attractiveness at the then new Bowery Theatre drew 
 off a large portion of the usual patronage of the 
 Park. Mrs. Barnes, their leading actress in tragedy, 
 though possessing merit, fell far short of Mrs. Duff's 
 preeminence. 
 
 Resuming their engagement with Messrs. Warren 
 and Wood, Mr. and Mrs. Duff next proceeded to Balti- 
 more where, on the 6th of October, 1823, we find 
 Mrs, Duff opening as HeriJiione to the Orestes of 
 Frederick Brown. She also played Calanthe to his 
 Da77ion, Lady Consfa?ice to his Ki?ig John, and Cor- 
 delia to his Lear, — taking her benefit on the 2Cth of the 
 month as Eugenia in "The Foundling of the Forest." 
 On the 24th of December Mrs. Duff commenced her 
 engagement in Philadelphia with her ever favorite Her- 
 mione^ Mr. Booth being engaged for Orestes. 
 
MRS. DUFF. AY 
 
 1824. 
 
 On the ist of January, 1824, she was announced for 
 Zidieka in "The Bride of Abydos " to the Selim of 
 Mr. Cooper, and repeated it several times during the 
 season, with Mr. Booth, Mr. H. Wallack and others in 
 Mr. Cooper's part. 
 
 On the 7th of January Mr. Booth played Hamlet, 
 Mrs. Duff delivered an original poetical address, and 
 Mr. Duff played Walter in "The Children in the 
 Wood," for the benefit of the Greeks then struggling 
 for their liberty. The receipts were nine hundred and 
 twenty-two dollars, and this was the first time that 
 Mr. Booth received a real hearty greeting at the hands 
 of the Philadelphians, or played among them to an 
 audience at all worthy of his deserts. Later when he 
 played Brutus for his benefit, with Mrs. Duff as Tullia 
 he was honored with a house of ten hundred and thirty- 
 eight dollars. During the season Mrs. Duff played her 
 usual round of characters with marked success, includ- 
 ing Meg Merrilies to the Henry Bertra77i of Mr. Pear- 
 man, the then favorite English vocalist, and Virginia, 
 probably for the first time, to Cooper's Virgifiius. 
 
 On the 1 2th of March J. N. Barker's successful 
 tragic play of "Superstition" was produced, with Mrs. 
 Wood as Isabella and Mrs. Duff as Mary. Mr. Wood 
 says it was received with deserved applause ; and Mr. 
 Wemyss adds that it was rarely repeated, in conse- 
 quence of Mrs. Duff's so far outplaying the manager's> 
 wife that he did not like her to appear in such disad- 
 vantageous contrast. Mrs. Duffs portrait in the char- 
 acter of Mary was painted by Neagle, and engraved 
 
42 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 by Longacre for Lopez & Wemyss's fine edition of 
 acting plays. The engraving gives but a faint idea 
 of the beauty of the lady, as it represents her in the 
 Mad scene of the play. 
 
 Dimond's " Ethiop " being soon after revived, Mrs. 
 Duff made a pronounced success as Cepha?iia. She 
 also played A}?ielia in "The Robbers" and Queen 
 Elizabeth in " Kenilworth." For her benefit she chose 
 "Adrian and Orilla," playing Mada77ie Clermont for 
 the first time. Out ofjiie line of legitimate tragedy 
 this has been called^Irs. Duffs finest personation. It 
 won the commendation of Kean, who conceded it to 
 be the best sustained delineation of maternal affec- 
 tion he had ever witnessed ; and in New York after- 
 wards it was more frequently performed by her than 
 any other character. It was originally given at Covent 
 Garden by :\Irs. George Bartley, who repeated it during 
 her American engagements in 1819. In May :\Irs. 
 Duff, in conjunction with i\Ir. Booth, played a brilliant 
 engagement at Baltimore, — on one occasion her scene 
 as Flori?ida in the fourth act of "The Apostate " being 
 honored with nine distinct rounds of applause. 
 
 In the summer of 1824 Mr. and Mrs. Duff were 
 at the Chatham Garden Theatre, New York, under 
 Barriere's management, opening there on the 12th 
 of August in "Venice Preserved" and "Three and 
 the Deuce," with Mrs. Duff as Belvidera, Henry Wal- 
 lack as Pierre, and Islx. Dufi" as Jaffier and the Three 
 Siiigles. From a long article on their performance in 
 the E7nerald, a weekly paper of the time, a few pas- 
 sages are selected : " If we spoke of ISIrs. Duff as we 
 feel, we should risk the imputation of flattery or enthu- 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 43 
 
 siasm. With a beauty the most intellectual, sh^ix^m- 
 bines gesture and elocution of the highest order. We 
 saw her in grieLandin joy, in sorrow and in gladness ; 
 and were charmed with the heavenly expression of a 
 countenance at one time beaming through the clouds, 
 and at another time giving increased splendor to the 
 light which occasionally enlivened the hopes of Belvi- 
 dera. . . . We shall never as long as our attachment 
 for the drama exists, forget the power with which Mrs. 
 Duff acquitted herself." 
 
 Mrs. Duff appeared here as Mrs. Haller, Jane 
 Shore, Mrs. Beverley, Madame Clermont, and jfiiliet, — 
 her principal support coming from her husband in the 
 leading male characters. 
 
 The company of the establishment at this time was 
 excellent, including on its roll the names of Henry 
 Wallack, Thomas Kilner, George Barrett, Walter 
 Hughes, John A. Stone, Harry Moreland, Alexander 
 Simpson, Spiller, Charles Durang, Williamson, Somer- 
 ville, John Jefferson, Mrs. Entwistle, Mrs. Henry (after- 
 wards Jvlrs. G. Barrett), Mrs. Waring (afterwards Mrs. 
 Blake), Mrs. H. Wallack, Mrs. Walstein, Mrs. C. 
 Durang, Mrs. Kilner, Mrs. Allen, and others. 
 
 In complimenting Mrs. Duff's performances the 
 Albion again expresses the wish that she might remain 
 permanently in New York, as " she is a powerful acqui- 
 sition to any theatre." 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Duff next fulfilled an engagement at 
 Boston, where they opened on the 1 7th of September in 
 " The Gamester " and " Three and the Deuce." Mrs. 
 Duffs characters here were Mrs. Beverley, Mrs. Haller, 
 
44 ^^S. DUFF. 
 
 Ellen Enfield, Eugenia, He?'7nione (twice), Theresa, 
 Madame Clermont, Florinda, Roxana, Mrs. Greville 
 in *' Secrets Worth Knowing," and Countess Adela in 
 "The Warlock of the Glen." From the celebrated 
 Henry J. Finn she had support in several prominent 
 tragic and melodramatic characters. In Boston Mr. 
 Finn played tragedy and comedy with almost equal 
 success, but in New York he is remembered solely 
 as among the best of actors in broad and eccentric 
 comedy. It is noticeable that during this season Miss 
 Jane Placide (afterwards the tragic favorite of New 
 Orleans) played such vastly dissimilar characters as 
 Mrs. Mo7'timer to Duff's Gossamer in " Laugh When 
 You Can," and Sally Down7'ight to his Rostrum in 
 "Secrets Worth Knowing." 
 
 Towards the close of the engagement the Boston 
 Gazette called attention to Mrs. Duff's approaching 
 benefit as follows : — 
 
 " Mrs. Duff. This interesting and excellent actress 
 has made her way to the high standing she now holds, 
 without clamor, excitement, or party influence. She 
 was always thought to possess first-rate powers, but these 
 not properly schooled ; and until the time Kean came 
 here, her reputation had nothing extraordinary in it. 
 She was beautiful and lovely before, but at that time 
 she burst upon the pubhc in the most astonishing man- 
 ner in the character oiHermione; after which every char- 
 acter she acted underwent a change for the better, and 
 since then her powers have been constantly develop- 
 ing. In the character of Madame Clerftiont last Friday 
 evening she produced a wonderful effect upon the 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 45 
 
 house, her talents and improvement were universally 
 acknowledged, and all seemed to be grieved that her 
 great powers had not been discovered years ago. 
 
 "We trust her benefit may be fully attended, for, added 
 to her professional merit, she has a charm which never 
 fails to please with our fair countrywomen, — the charm 
 of a virtuous life. She is known to be the kind, care- 
 ful, and pious mother of a numerous family, and it is 
 said by those who are best acquainted with her, that 
 if the public awaken her professional ambition, the_ 
 endearmentsjif-her-femily have all her heart." 
 
 liaTbeen surmised that arwdetyi-ior.her family was 
 the chief cause of Mrs. Duff's awakened energy and de- 
 sire to excel in her profession, which in earlier life she 
 had felt unnecessary and had been indifferent to. In 
 the beginning of their career in America Mr. and Mrs. 
 Duff were both very attractive, she from her personal 
 loveliness, and her husband from his excellent acting. 
 Their salaries were fair and their benefits most liberal, 
 but Mr. Duffs management at Boston had been profit- 
 less. Kean, the Wallacks, Booth, Maywood, and other 
 lights had dimmed the brilliancy of his achievements 
 as an actor. He did not advance in excellence, and 
 from repeated attacks of gout he was frequently on the 
 sick list for weeks in succession. Mrs. Duff felt that 
 on her alone would soon depend the entire support of 
 her family, a fear that in after years was unfortunately 
 realized. Stimulated perhaps by Kean's magnetic in- 
 fluence, she studied closely ; and, throwing her whole 
 soul into the characters she undertook and into which 
 for the time she seemed transfused, she made those 
 
46 ^^^^S. DUFF. 
 
 brilliant efforts which resulted in complete success and 
 forced the acknowledgment of her superiority to all 
 who had preceded her. 
 
 From October 20 to December i, 1824, Mr. and 
 Mrs. Duff were in Baltimore, and their services were 
 in requisition on every play night, — the lady appear- 
 ing eight times as Zulieka to houses averaging three 
 hundred and. fifty dollars, four times as the Coimtess 
 Adela in "The Warlock of the Glen," and in various 
 other characters, — taking for her benefit Isabella and 
 Katherine the Shrew, which drew a house of four 
 hundred and eight dollars, the net amount to Mrs. 
 Duff being two hundred and forty-seven. Previous to 
 the appearance of the Duffs this season Conway' the 
 tall tragedian had played a star engagement to houses 
 averaging only two hundred and forty dollars ; but for 
 his benefit he procured the assistance of j\Ir. Booth 
 and Mr. and I\Irs. Duff in "The Apostate," and the 
 receipts for this splendid combination reached the ex- 
 traordinary sum of seven hundred and thirty-eight 
 dollars. Booth played Fescara ; Conway, Hemeya ; 
 Duff, Make ; and Mrs. Duff, of course, Florinda. 
 
 There is something singular in the history of Booth's 
 connection with the part of Fescara. It is said to have 
 been written by Shell expressly for him ; but on the 
 production of the play at Covent Garden, in 181 7, 
 after rehearsing it four times he refused to perform it 
 because, as it is said, he thought the characters of 
 Hemeya and Malec (assigned to Charles Kemble and 
 Young) were superior; or, as one of his biographers 
 suggests, because he wished to play He7neya to the 
 
AIRS. DUFF. 47 
 
 Florifida of the beautiful Miss O'Neill. Whatever the 
 cause of his renunciation, it gave Macready an oppor- 
 tunity to make a powerful impression on the London 
 audience in an original part ; and in after years, when 
 Booth concluded to add it to his list of characters, he 
 made it on the American stage exclusively his own. 
 Geneste, the learned theatrical historian, however, con- 
 siders Make the best male character in the play. 
 
 1825. 
 
 The Philadelphia season commenced late in 1824 
 and extended to the end of April, 1825. For more 
 than seven weeks during its progress Mrs. Duff was 
 detained from her duties by injuries received while 
 performing Zulicka to Cooper's Seliin in " The Bride 
 of Abydos " on the evening of January 4. In the last 
 act of the piece the walls of the Seraglio, in which 
 Zulieka is confined, are supposed to be beaten down 
 by an outside assault ; and, by some mismanagement 
 of the blocks of which they were composed, Mrs. Duff 
 
 wasl precipitateff from a gallery a distance of ten feet 
 to tli^~3tage7 producing severe contusions on her head 
 and face, and causing such anxiety in the audience 
 that they refused to leave the house till they were 
 assured by Mr. Wood ^- and afterwards by Dr. Gibson, 
 a surgeon in attendance — that no apprehension of 
 fatal consequences need be entertained and that no 
 bone had been broken. On her reappearance, March 
 2, she received an enthusiastic welcome from a house 
 that seemed desirous of expressing its congratulations 
 for her recovery as well as its delight on her return 
 
48 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 to the stage. During the season she enacted Queen 
 Elizabeth, Cordelia, and Portia to Bootli's Richard, 
 Lear, and Cassius ; Vif-ginia to Cooper's Virginius ; 
 Ehnra and Calaiithe to Pelby's Rolla and Damon; 
 and J-idiet, Lady Randolph, and Agatha Frihe7g to 
 Watkins Burroughs's Romeo, Young Norval, and Fred- 
 erick. For Mr. Jefferson's benefit she for the first 
 time assumed the character of Lady Melmoth in the 
 comedy of '' Folly as it Flies," to a house of twelve 
 hundred and fifty-six dollars. Agatha Friherg in 
 "Lovers' Vows" was a new character to her; and 
 Olympia was specially written for her by Booth in his 
 drama of " Ugolino/' first produced for Henry Wal- 
 lack's benefit on the 20th of April. For her own 
 benefit she chose Florinda and Kathe?'ine, — Henry 
 Wallack playing Pescara ; Pelby, LLemeya ; and Duff, 
 Malec and L^etruchio. The receipts were seven hun- 
 dred and forty-sev^en dollars. 
 
 Mrs. Duff commenced her spring engagement at 
 Baltimore May 6, 1825, as Lsabella. She repeated 
 Zulicka several times, and played Madame Clermont 
 for Mr. Warren's benefit, to one thousand and eighty 
 dollars. The season ended in June, recommencing in 
 October with Mrs. Duff as Lady Randolph to the 
 Douglas of a young aspirant named Fielding. On the 
 24th of the month Knowles's tragic play of " William 
 Tell " was first produced in Baltimore, and Mrs. Duff 
 ^vas cast for Emma, TclVs wife. She made it, as far 
 as the author would permit, effective, but it was not a 
 particularly strong part. Wood personated Tell; Duff, 
 Michael ; Jefferson, Braun ; and Mrs. Wood, Albert. 
 
BJ2CJr:=3*^ 
 
 
 S J«-? 
 
 ^'5- 
 
 ^H-?^i 
 
 1 55 ? 
 
 -^sli^? losses: 
 
 2.510 -naftrrgn^ 
 
 
 3* o 
 9 3 
 
 "3 
 
 :? 
 
 
 
 "• ° z.'~ Z 
 
 f 1^ 
 

 jBHHI 
 
 »^ 
 
 fe? 
 
 3"? -ifi 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 &5 
 
 
 
 
 .^ 
 
 ■ =" 
 
 t^l 
 
 5 
 
 < 
 
 " • ■ • 
 
 J3i 
 
 1 ! 
 
 
 ' • ' 
 
 1 Si0^ 1 
 
 Ji-I 
 
 HesA 
 
 • ■ ■ . ' 
 
 rf Tragedy caUe. 
 
 ST 
 
 ), Dublin and N 
 
 
 
 F????F 
 
 F^ 
 
 
 bS 
 
 PELBY. 
 
 DUFF 
 
 WALLACK. 
 
 BIGNALL. 
 
 J. JKFFERS 
 
 WIIKATLY 
 
 i 5 
 
 
 
 1^ 
 
 i fif 
 
 3 ♦-► 
 
MRS. DUFF. .g 
 
 For her benefit she selected Eugenia in '' The Found- 
 ling of the Forest," for which she received the net 
 amount of two hundred and six dollars. 
 
 She opened again in Philadelphia on the 23d of 
 November as Lady Randolph, and during the season 
 repeated Emma six times and Elvira four times. 
 She played as before with Cooper, Conway, and Bur- 
 roughs, and for the first time with Mr. and Mrs. 
 Hamblin. She was also the Cordelia and Tiillia to 
 Mr. Kean's Lear and Brutus. Mr. Kean's engage- 
 ment of ten nights in Philadelphia at this period aver- 
 aged more than eight hundred dollars per night. He 
 opened as Richard to eleven hundred and sixty- five, 
 and repeated it for his benefit to twelve hundred and 
 fifty-four dollars, — on both of which occasions Mrs, Duff 
 personated Queen Elizabeth. For her own benefit she 
 played Mrs. Beverley and Annette to only four hundred 
 and seventy-seven dollars, and for her husband's benefit, 
 Alexina in "The Exile" to six hundred and sixteen 
 dollars. 
 
 1826. 
 
 The season was remarkable for Kean's finalj^erform- 
 ances in Philadelphia and for hiscontinued commen^ 
 dation of Mrs. Duff's j:o-operation ; as well as for the 
 triumphant reappearance in his native city of Edwin 
 Forrest, who for the benefit of Mr. Charles Porter on 
 the 1 6th of May, 1826, enacted jfaffier to Mrs. Duff's 
 Bclvidera to a house of four hundred and one dollars. 
 His success was of so pronounced a character that he 
 was allowed two nights more though at the very close 
 of the season, on one of which Mrs. Duff personated 
 4 
 
50 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 Elvira to his RoUa to four hundred and eighty-three 
 dollars. On the 23d of April she had performed the 
 same character to Mr. Duff's Rolla to five hundred 
 and twenty-four dollars. 
 
 A critic of unusual pretensions and more than com- 
 mon ability gave, over the signature of '^ Jacques" in 
 the United States Gazette during the season just closed, 
 a series of articles on the performances at the theatre, 
 which attracted general attention and were considered 
 of sufficient value to be repubhshed in book form. He 
 was not sparing in the use of the lash, and Mr. Duff in 
 many parts felt its appUcation with unmerciful force and 
 stinging severity. Still, merit was allowed him, and 
 censure perhaps was more freely administered for his 
 lack of effort than for his lack of abihty. His Rolla 
 was said to be in many particulars superior to that of 
 any rival. His Dashwould, Mr. Oakley, and Duke 
 Aranza were represented with so much ease, grace, 
 and spirit that in them his faults were not worth notic- 
 ing; and were ail his characters as well acted, the 
 theatre would have a treasure in him. 
 / Mrs. Duff was admired for her beauty of face and 
 /jform, and applauded for her tenderness and pathos, as 
 ! ^vell as for her skill in portra)ing pride, anger, scorn, 
 ii Remorse, anguish, and despair, but was censured for 
 transitions said to be too abrupt, and for a lack otthe 
 i happy medium between the two extjemes.> A few of 
 I ;he writer's remarks are here repeated : " As Emma 
 I in 'William Tell' Mrs. Duff looked and acted like a 
 Imother. This lady appears to improve nightly. With 
 the finest figure and the most noble and expressive^. 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 51 
 
 countenance of any actress we have ever seen, she 
 needs only time and attention to make her unrivalled in 
 the highest walks of tragedy." Her Angela in " The 
 Castle Spectre " was not approved until her meeting with 
 the Ghost, when " her attitude, the horror ^expressed on 
 her features, and her manner of shrinking from its touch 
 was one of the most striking exhibitions ever witnessed." 
 " Mrs. Duffs Calanfke was tender and touching." In 
 *' Brutus " " Mrs. Duff particularly merited attention 
 as Tiillia. Her situation at intervals is truly tingic. 
 When the dialogue assumes the loftiness of rage, dis- 
 dain, and madness she bursts forth with tremendous 
 energy. Her attitudes and manner were extremely 
 dignified and natural. In the scene in Rhea's Temple 
 she carried tragic horror to its highest pitch. Her 
 paleness, the wildness of her eyes, the lividness of her 
 lips, the disorder of her hair, and the shrieking accents 
 that seemed to burst from her very soul, — were tremen- 
 dously forcible, terribly faithful. The dying scene that 
 follows at the sight of her father's statue, with the wild 
 cry that accompanied it, was awful in the extreme. 
 We have witnessed similar scenes, but never, never 
 any one equal to this night's ! I t was one^ of those ^ . / 
 sing^ular and power ful^exllibitiQiis-tbatie ave an impre s — 
 sion on the mind never to be effaced." 
 
 In Mrs. Duff's Lady Randolph the critic found so 
 many beauties and so many imperfections that he 
 could scarcely tell which predominated. But her ques- 
 tioning ejaculation, "Was he alive?" to Old Norval 
 when he tells of the babe he discovered in the water, 
 '' was electric. It was the voice of nature, and its force 
 
52 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 was felt by every hearer." It will be remembered that 
 this was Mrs. Barry's great point in the play. 
 
 In " Romeo and Juliet " " Mrs. Duff exceeded our 
 expectations. We never saw the jfidiet of our imagi- 
 nation, and do not expect we ever shall. More 
 than once in the Garden scene we were ready to 
 exclaim : — 
 
 ' How silver sweet sound lovers' tongues by night, 
 Like softest music to attending ears ! ' 
 
 The very soul of the fair Capulet seemed in her utter- 
 ance of 
 
 * My bounty is as boundless as the sea, 
 My love as deep ; the more I give to thee 
 The more I have, for both are infinite.' 
 
 It was as true to nature as is the passage (but if possible 
 more so) where Romeo says he would he were her bird, 
 
 and she replies : — 
 
 ' Sweet, so would I, — 
 Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.' 
 
 The 7idivete she displayed in coaxing the old Nuise 
 was admirable ; w^e were not aware that she could 
 assume so much playfulness. The heroic spirit of the 
 luckless maiden was developed with fidelity in the 
 scene with Friar Laiire7ice ; but when about to swallow 
 the draught she astonished us by those emanations 
 of genius she sometimes exhibits — as powerful as they 
 are original — when she exclaimed 
 
 * Or if I wake shall I not be distraught. 
 Environed with all these hideous fears, 
 And madly play with my forefathers' joints .? 
 And pluck the mangled Tybalt from his shroud 1 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 53 
 
 And in this rage with some great kinsman's bone, 
 As with a club, dash out my desperate brains ? 
 O look ! methinks I see my cousin's ghost 
 Seeking out Romeo ; — stay, Tybalt, stay ! ' 
 
 Whoever has seen Mrs. Duff when roused to frenzy, 
 rage, or despair, may conceive her manner in this part, 
 but we cannot describe it properly ; no description 
 can reach reality. One would have supposed the 
 ghost of Tybalt was really before her ; her look, the 
 wildness of her appearance, and her arms thrown out 
 as if to interpose a barrier between Ro7neo and his 
 purpose, while she drank the potent liquid, — all im- 
 pressed the spectator with the idea she had drawn of 
 his figure in the thin air." 
 
 Of ''The Lady of the Lake " our critic says : " We 
 never saw Mrs. Duff look so beautiful, so exquisitely 
 sweet, as in Ellen Douglas. She appeared and acted 
 as the poet's Lady of the Lake." In " The Gamester " 
 " Mr. Duff as the infatuated Beverley was unusually 
 commendable ; we have rarely seen him display so 
 much ability. Mrs. Duff as his patient, fond, and 
 devoted wife was equally excellent. At times she dis- 
 played an exquisite variety of warmth and feeling and 
 pathos that wholly subdued the audience. This lady 
 has the admirable faculty of entwining herself with our 
 warmest sympathies ; she appeals to our hearts rather 
 than our judgment." That is, though not always con- 
 forming to established rules of art, Mrs. Duff's perform- 
 ances touched the feelings with a power so irresistible, 
 that nature always acknowledged their truth by the 
 unrestrained offering of sobs and tears. Other writers 
 
^4 ^-^J^S. DUFF. 
 
 joined in the chorus of praise accorded to Mrs. Duff, 
 and one who used the signature of " Marcus " con- 
 gratulated himself on having discerned in her earliest 
 and crudest performance of Juliet prophetic indica- 
 tions of that consummate genius which had now raised 
 her beyond all tragic competition on the American 
 stage. He discussed the merits of her various imper- 
 sonations, and was particularly charmed with her full, 
 mellow voice, her distinct, unhurried articulation, and 
 the~'impressive and appropriate" eloquence with which 
 she delivered the words of her author in happy con- 
 sonance with the various phases of suffering which she 
 so ably simulated. In conclusion he called' upon the 
 Quaker City to adopt her as its own, as no actress in 
 the country could fill the void her loss would create. 
 She had reached an eminence that could do justice to 
 the finest language of Shakespeare or Racine ; and 
 though this was a high encomium, the merit that had 
 earned it would have the magnanimity to bear it. It 
 would neither produce a change in conduct nor lead 
 to future exorbitant demands from the managers of 
 the theatre. 
 
 Notwithstanding these high commendations and 
 earnest wishes of their admirers, ^Ir. and Mrs. Duff's 
 contract with Messrs. Warren and Wood was not 
 renewed, but they concluded an engagement with 
 Henry Wallack of the Chatham Garden Theatre, New 
 York, where they commenced on the 23d of May 
 with "The Foundling of the Forest" and "Three and 
 the Deuce," Mrs. Duff as Eugenia and Mr. Duff as 
 the Three Si?igles. On the 5th of June " The Game- 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 55 
 
 ster " was performed, — Beverley by Mr. Conway, his 
 first appearance in that theatre ; Stukely, Mr. Scott 
 (afterwards famous as Lo7ig Tom Coffin) ; Lewson, 
 Mr. H. Wallack ; Mrs. Beverley, Mrs. Duff; and Char- 
 lotte, Mrs. H. Wallack. Mr. Conway's Beverley was 
 warmly praised, but the Mirror said : " Fine as was 
 the acting of Conway we will venture to say that a 
 greater than Conway was there, for Mrs. Duff was 
 unquestionably the presiding spirit of the hour.r-'THe 
 opinion lately expressed by a contemporary, thai this 
 lady is superior to any actress on the. American or 
 British stage, we think has every probabiHty of being 
 correct, and we are more and more inclined to believe 
 in it every time we witness her performance. j' She next 
 pTayed Belvidera, Juliet, Elvira ^ zxA -Mr^. Halle r to 
 Conway's jfaffier, Romeo, Rolla, and the Stranger. 
 
 On the 15th of June was produced, for the first time 
 on any stage, George P. Morris's drama entitled " Brier 
 Cliff, a Tale of the Revolution," taken from a popular 
 novel then lately pubhshed under the name of " Whig 
 and Tory." It was very enthusiastically received and 
 several times repeated. Its principal characters are 
 appended. 
 
 Onalaska Mr. Scott. 
 
 Major Waldron Mr, Durang. 
 
 Alfred Leslie Mr. Duff. 
 
 Eugene Grant Mr. Stevenson. 
 
 Captain -Musgrave Mr. Thayer. 
 
 Doctor Meredith Mr. Roberts, 
 
 John McArthur Mr. Anderson. 
 
 Miss Polly Jansen Mrs. Walstein. 
 
 Mary Jansen Mrs. Waring. 
 
 Crazy Bet Mrs. Duff. 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 Mrs. Duff was very impressive in one or two scenes, 
 but the part was quite unworthy of her powers. 
 
 ^The Foundling of the Forest" was soon after 
 repeated with as fine a cast as it has ever been hon- 
 ored with, — Mr. Conway as Coimf de Valmoiit and 
 Mrs. Duff as Eugenia being supported by Messrs. 
 Scott, Thayer, Duff, Roberts, Miss Riddle, Mrs. War- 
 ing, and Mrs. Walstein. 
 
 "Macbeth" was also given three times with great 
 applause, — Conway as Macbeth, Duff as Macduff, and 
 Mrs. Duff as Lady Macbeth. The Albion announced 
 that Mr. and INIrs. Duff continued in high favor at the 
 Chatham, and that Mrs. Duff was at length in a fair 
 way to make her great talents known to the people of 
 New York, — adding that it had been a matter of regret 
 to those who knew her that she never before had had 
 an opportunity of doing so. 
 
 Mr. Conway, for his benefit June 26, gave "Julius 
 Caesar," with the following superior cast : Julius Ccesar, 
 Mr. Scott ; Marc Antony, Mr. H. Wallack ; Brutus, 
 Mr. Conway; Cassius, Mr. Duff; Portia, Mrs. Duff. 
 This was followed on the 28th by his last appearance 
 in "The Gamester," for the benefit of Mrs. Duff, who 
 of course played M?'s. Beverley, a performance sup- 
 plemented by Mr. Duffs representation of Looney 
 McTwolter in " The Review." 
 
 The theatre closed for the season on the 17th of 
 July; and during her engagement of less than two 
 months Mrs. Duff had personated eighteen different 
 characters, the longest nm of any one play being five 
 nights. Audiences then demanded constant variety, 
 
>«4^ AIRS. DUFF. 57 
 
 and immense^ was the lab or.Jbr,, fieribrmers. How 
 different from the requirements of to-da}-, when two 
 or three characters will fill up an a( iic>>'s time during 
 an entire season. 
 
 Mr. and ^hi. Duff were not pleased with Mr. Henry 
 Wallack. as a manager, and a serious disagreement 
 occurring between them, the Duffs formed an engage- 
 ment with Mr. C. W. Sandford (afterwards eminent as 
 a lawyer and major-general of militia), manager of the 
 then lately established Lafayette Theatre ; and on the 
 2oth of July, 1826, Mrs. Duff made her first appear- 
 ance there as Juliet to the Mercutio of Mr. Thayer 
 and the Romeo of Mr. Burroughs. Her position in 
 New York was now well established, and frequent calls 
 were made for her appearance in some particular part ; 
 but it was a midsummer season, and she was unable 
 to exert herself so unceasingly as during her Chatham 
 engagement. She here played for the first time in 
 New York her highly pathetic part of Jeanie Deans 
 in " The Heart of Mid Lothian," which she repeated 
 several times. Her Lady Randolph, to the Young 
 Norval of Mr. BuiTOughs, was pronounced the finest 
 known since the retirement of Mrs. Siddons. 
 
 For this engagement of ten weeks Mr. and Mrs. 
 Duff received joindy a salary of fifty-five dollars per 
 week, and the net proceeds of a benefit amounting 
 to two hundred and thirty-four dollars, — in all, seven 
 hundred and eighty-four dollars. How different the 
 emoluments of the profession at the present time, when 
 artists can demand and receive for their services five 
 hundred or a thousand dollars per night 1 
 
 f 
 
 
 jlA^ 
 
58 ^^^S. DUFF. 
 
 The salary list of the Lafayette Theatre, now in 
 possession of T. J. McKee, Esq. of New York, shows 
 that such popular performers as W. R. Blake, E. J. 
 Thayer, and Mrs. Pelby received only twenty-five dol- 
 lars per week; Roberts, the favorite low comedian, 
 thirty dollars ; and Mrs. Walstein, the excellent " old 
 woman," the miserable pittance of fifteen dollars. 
 May wood as a star had thirty-five dollars ; Arthur 
 Keene and Mrs. Burke, vocalists, jointly forty dol- 
 lars ; and Burroughs, as actor and stage manager, fifty 
 dollars. 
 
 Mrs. Duff soon after fulfilled an engagement at 
 Baltimore, where her only new character was Bella- 
 mira in Shell's tragedy of that name, which never 
 attained popularity. 
 
 In announcing his programme for the fall season 
 at Chatham Garden, Mr. Henry Wallack included the 
 names of Mr. and Mrs. Duff in the list of his company. 
 This brought forth a card from ]\Ir. Duff in the Even- 
 ing Post of September 20, 1826, as follows : — 
 
 " Perceiving in the papers of the day our names 
 associated with the Chatham Garden company, I deem 
 it proper to state that neither Mrs. Duff nor myself 
 has any engagement with Mr. Wallack. 
 
 (signed) John Duff." 
 
 A new theatre having been erected this season in 
 New York by a company of gentlemen, its manage- 
 ment was entrusted to Mr. Charles Gilfert, an eminent 
 musician and an experienced manager at Charleston, 
 Albany, and elsewhere. He has been described as a 
 
MRS. DUFF, 
 
 59 
 
 man of excellent theatrical taste and of recklessly 
 extravagant habits, whose monetary troubles and ulti- 
 mate death were the results of a copious lack of finan- 
 cial judgment or of simple arithmetical calculation. 
 His character may perhaps be fully understood from 
 the following anecdote told of him in the days when 
 he was the witty and amusing companion of many 
 prominent men about town. The narrator is supposed 
 to be a French resident of Albany at a date anterior 
 to railroad travelling : " Monsieur Charles Gilfert, he 
 come to Albany. He have ruin me in my business, 
 mes affaires. He borrow de V argent from me to large 
 amount. He go to New York and promise to send 
 him right away, ver quick. But voyez-vous, when I 
 wTite to him he return me von response inconvenante, 
 von impudent answer, and say I may go to the devil for 
 look for him. I leave Albany instantly to have the 
 grand personal satisfaction for the affront he put upon 
 me. I walk straight away from the steamboat. I 
 procure von large stick and rush out to meet him. 
 By-and-by, bientot, I see him von large way off, ver 
 remotely. I button up my coat with strong determina- 
 tion, and hold my stick fierce in my hand to break his 
 neck several times. Ven he come near, my indignation 
 rise. He put out his hand ; I reject him. He smile 
 and look over his spectacles at me. I say, you von 
 scoundrel, coqiiin infdme! He smile de more and 
 make un grand effort to pacify my grand indignation ; 
 and before he leave me, he borrow twenty dollar from 
 me once more, by gar ! A ver pleasant man vas Mon- 
 sieur Charles Gilfert ! " 
 
5o ^^JRS. DUFF. 
 
 Poor Gilfert ! He at length found quiet and repose 
 in the cemetery known as St. John's, in New York, 
 where on his tombstone is inscribed : " Cernit Omnia 
 Deus Vindex" (God the avenger sees everything). 
 
 Under the banner of this noted leader at the Bowery 
 Theatre, New York (or the New York Theatre, Bow- 
 ery, as it was originally called), Mr. Duff now enlisted. 
 He had lost little of his real merit, but his attractive- 
 ness had greatly waned. He was to play in light com- 
 edy subordinate to George Barrett, who had choice 
 of characters in that line, but was otherwise considered 
 the leading man of the company, — a position to which 
 he was justly entitled by his high reputation, his long 
 experience, and his genuine talent. 
 
 Mr. Duff inaugurated his engagement on the open- 
 ing night of the season, October 23, 1826, by appear- 
 ing as Han-y Dornton in "The Road to Ruin" to 
 Mr. Barrett's Goldfinch. The company he headed 
 v/as a fine one, comprising many of the first artists of 
 the day. ]Mrs. Gilfert was the best of " high comedy 
 ladies " then known, and Mrs. G. Barrett and Mrs. 
 Charles Young were accounted the two most beautiful 
 women on the stage, the former especially being a 
 most excellent and versatile actress. The talent of 
 Mrs. Hughes was unquestionable at this period, when 
 no one could have anticipated her future prominence 
 as Lady Sowerhy Creamly or Mrs. Toodks, while the 
 versatility and compliant disposition of Mrs. H. A. 
 Williams (afterwards Mrs. MayAvood) rendered her 
 one of the most useful members of the troupe. Its list 
 of gentlemen included George Barrett, Charles Young, 
 
i»BlU]FF AS IHIA^tt,JS<r^' 
 
MI^S. DUFF. 6 1 
 
 *• Irish " Faulkner (who was also an excellent " old 
 man "), John A. Stone (the author of " Metamora"), 
 Bernard Jr., Cornelius Logan (father of three celebrated 
 daughters, Eliza, Olive, and Celia), James Roberts, and 
 George Hyatt, — the last two unsurpassed in eccentric 
 and low comedy. These, with a long array of sec- 
 ondary actors and a brilliant constellation of stars, 
 rendered the cast of pieces at the Bowery Theatre 
 unusually strong and satisfactory. 
 
 The accession of Mrs. Duff to this fine corps was thus 
 announced in the Evenmg Post of November 23 : — 
 
 " This lady makes her first appearance this evening 
 as ya?ie Shore at the Bowery Theatre. It is one of 
 those characters in which Miss O'Neill shone with 
 peculiar lustre. Mrs. Duff approaches if not fully 
 equals that lady in this and such characters as Mrs. 
 Beverley, Mrs. Haller, etc. The Baltimore papers 
 speak in unqualified praise of the latter. Why did 
 she not appear in it last night (instead of Mrs. Gilfert) 
 to Conway's Stranger?'' 
 
 Mrs. Duff's ^afie Shore was enthusiastically received. 
 It was pronounced to be one of the greatest efforts 
 of human genius, and one critic almost imagined that 
 Mrs. Siddons herself stood before him. Her support 
 in the tragedy was from her husband as Giosfer, Barrett 
 as Hastings, Young as Diwiont, and Mrs. Hughes as 
 Alicia. 
 
 On the 24th she appeared in "The Gamester" 
 with Mr. Conway, a performance which was thus re- 
 viewed in the Post : " Beverley beyond all comparison 
 is Conway's best performance. Mrs. Duff's Mrs. 
 
52 ^'^^S. DUFF. 
 
 Beverley is a wonderful effort, and was so acknowledged 
 by the house, for hardly an eye denied the tribute of 
 a tear. There is not a beauty in the dialogue of this 
 most affecting tragedy that was not distinctly marked by 
 this accomplished actress. Her jewels were destined 
 to adorn a wanton, but when Stukely proffered love 
 his baseness was revealed, and with one withering look 
 she blasted all the expectations of the villain. How 
 her perfect love and unsulUed honor sustained her to 
 the last, how her noble and virtuous nature would still 
 dwell on the happiness that awaited them in days to 
 come, no pen can describe. Her husband expired ; 
 she shrieked and dropped upon his lifeless corpse ! 
 For a moment all was still ; but the next this admir- 
 able actress received as proud a tribute as was ever 
 given to dramatic excellence. The impression made 
 by this representation exceeded anything we ever 
 witnessed." 
 
 Mrs. Duff's third character was Lady Macbeth to' 
 Conway's Thane; her fourth, Lady Coiistance to his 
 King yoh7i ; her fifth, Belvidera to Barrett's Pierre 
 and Duffs jfaffier. 
 
 Of the latter performance the following criticism 
 appeared : — 
 
 " Otway's celebrated tragedy of ' Venice Preserved ' 
 was represented at the Bowery Theatre on Friday 
 night. The sudden indisposition of Mr. Conway threw 
 the part of Jaffier upon Mr. Duff, and he was abund- 
 antly rewarded by frequent and well merited applause. 
 This gentleman possesses rare quahfications for the 
 higher efforts of the drama, and we are really curious 
 
MRS. DUFF. ' 63 
 
 to know what it is that obstructs his advancement. Is 
 it indeed because he is not a wandering star? Mr. 
 Barrett's line of acting has nothing to do with the 
 
 character of J^ierre Mrs. Duff's representation 
 
 of Belvidera was a chaste picture of conflicting pas- 
 sion. Filial piety swayed the bolder claims of the 
 husband, but the cruel sentence which deprived her 
 child of a father, robbed its mother of her reason ; and 
 never sure was madness more touchingly or naturally 
 portrayed. This lady has the rare merit of not hunting 
 after passages for a momentary gratification. The course 
 of the story is traced in the quiet progress of events up 
 to the very distraction of her soul under unmerited 
 wTongs, which at last ceases to conflict with her in- 
 superable difficulties." 
 
 For his benefit Mr. Conway appeared as Cardinal 
 Wolsey in Shakespeare's " King Henry VIII." to the 
 Henry of Mr. Young and the Queen Katherine of Mrs. 
 Duff, — the first and only time her name has been 
 found in connection with that character. Those who (^ 
 remember the plaintive tenderness of her tones, the 
 majestic dignity of her demeanor, and the forceful. 
 _grace of her action, need no assurance of the excellence 
 of her delineation. 
 
 December 18, 1826, is a red-letter day in the calen- 
 dar of the Bowery, for it marks the conjunction of Mrs. 
 Duff with _Mr..Fjorrest and Mr. Hamb'iin, for the first 
 time on its stage, in the tragedy of " Venice Presened," 
 — Hamblin as Pierre and Forrest as Jaffier affording 
 the lady's Belvidera unwonted excellence of support. 
 
 December 26 Mrs. Duff played Volmnnia to Mr. 
 
64 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 Hamblin's Coriolanusf one of his finest and best re- 
 membered parts. In after years he was the Bowery's 
 most successful manager, and the idol of its not aiways 
 highly cultivated audience. He took his benefit on 
 the 27 th, when he announced, for the first time in New 
 York, jNIr. Forrest in the character of King Lear, — of 
 all his Shakspearian personations, except Othello, the 
 most admired, the greatest, and the best. Hamblin 
 himself played Edgar ; Duff, Edmund; Young, Kent; 
 Hyatt, Oswald ; and Mrs. Duff, Cordelia. 
 
 1827. 
 
 For his owoi benefit on the 3d of January, 1827, Mr. 
 Forrest attempted Richard III., Mrs. Duff enacting 
 Queefi Elizabeth. However well received at the time, 
 it was afterwards considered one of his least successful 
 efforts. 
 
 On the 9th ]\Irs. Duff created an immense sensation 
 as Madame Clerjnont in '^ Adrian and Orilla," the 
 other characters being thus distributed : — 
 
 Adrian Mr. Bernard. 
 
 Prince Altenberg Mr. Duff. 
 
 Count Rosenheim. ...... Mr. Faulkner. 
 
 Michael Mr. Roberts. 
 
 Lothair Mrs. Young. 
 
 Orilla Mrs. G. Barrett. 
 
 Minna Mrs. Brazier. 
 
 Githa Mrs. Williams. 
 
 For the benefit of the New York Fire Department 
 Fund, January 24, with other entertainments, Mrs. 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 65 
 
 Duff recited an original poetical address written by ^/L / 
 Woodworth. She soon after played Elvira and Cal- \ v 
 a?it/ie to the Rolla and Damon of Mr. Forrest. v^^ . 
 
 Mrs. Duff was now at the prnnHest p erioH of her 
 car.eer^.at.the very acme of her fame and zenith of her 
 reputation, admired and applauded on all sides, widi.- 
 out rivalry in her profession, and yet so amiable and 
 unassuming in her manners that William Govvans, a 
 late well known and respected bookseller and collector 
 of New York, who in early life had occupied a subor- 
 dinate position on the Bowery boards, has been heard 
 to express and reiterate the opinion that she was the 
 most perfect and indeed the only true lady he had ever 
 met on the stage of the theatre. Her Madame CIen7ioJit 
 continued to be received with great favor, as may be' 
 seen from the following article in the Albmi of Feb- 
 ruary 10: — 
 
 " We have no space to express in sufficient detail 
 our surprise and admiration at the Madame Clermont 
 of Mrs. Duff. The play is excessively trashy but her 
 acting is peculiarly fine. Since the time of Miss 
 O'Neill we have seen no performer so successful in the 
 dehneation of maternal affection. It would be judi- 
 cious in Mrs. Duff to persuade her husband to make 
 himself master of his author. His inaccuracy and for- 
 getfulness on Tuesday were shameful." 
 
 How far this censure may have been deserved it is 
 now impossible to tell, but it no doubt was in some 
 way resented by Mr. Duff, for from this date forward 
 there was a change in the tone of the Alhio?i's articles 
 on Mrs. Duff also, whom hitherto it had placed beyond 
 5 
 
\66J MRS. DUFF. 
 
 all competition. It did not cease to praise her, al- 
 though in a somewhat qualified manner. 
 
 Mrs. Duff was now invited to Philadelphia by Mr. 
 Booth, and on the occasion of his benefit at the Chest- 
 nut Street Theatre, February 17, appeared for that 
 night only as Belvidera to his jfajjier and the Pierre 
 of Henry Wallack. 
 
 Two events of great interest to the dramatic public 
 of New York now occurred in the Court of Common 
 Pleas, through the suits of Henry Wallack against 
 Charles Gilfert and John Duff for loss of ser\dces and 
 breach of contract, the reports of which from the 
 papers of the day are herewith appended : — 
 
 NEW YORK COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. 
 
 Judge Irving, presiding. 
 
 March i, 1827. 
 
 WALLACK vs. GILFERT. 
 
 For damages incurred by the seduction of Mr. and 
 Mrs. Duff from the employ of plaintiff, manager of the 
 Chatham Theatre, by the defendant, manager of the 
 New York Theatre, Bowery. 
 
 Henry Dennis, box-keeper of the Chatham Theatre, 
 in his testimony says he has seen Mr. and Mrs. Duff; 
 can form no estimate of their value ; Mrs. Duff is an 
 attractive actress and would produce emoluments to 
 any house ; Mr. Duff is also an attractive actor ; the 
 V Jady^howevcr is the chief^aittafifJiGi^ Such an actor 
 and actress would give strength to a company, which 
 
MRS. DUFF. ^j 
 
 would sustain great loss by their being taken away. 
 Mrs. Duff drew good houses whenever she played. 
 
 Richard Hatfield, Master in Chancery, knows Mrs. 
 Duff as an actress : would consider her the main 
 strength of any company, and one of the first actresses 
 in the country. Knows Mr. Duff. He is a very good 
 actor. ^JI5^Il!ljIi5_tl]f prinripil rh^irtvv Would con- 
 sider the profits of a house enhanced by Mr. Conway 
 and Mrs. Duff performing together. 
 
 Mr. Smith was called as a witness, when Mr. W. M. 
 Price (for the defence) remarked that it was unneces- 
 sary to introduce any more evidence of the value of 
 Mrs. Duff, as he was willing to admit what he really 
 thought her to be, the 7nost distinguished actress in this 
 or any other country. He would also admit Mr. Duff 
 to be a very respectable actor. 
 
 Mrs. Mary Ann Duff, sworn : The engagement 
 between Mr. Duff and myself with ]\Ir. Wallack com- 
 menced on the 23d of May last. 
 
 The letters by which the engagement was made were 
 then read. 
 
 The plaintiff here rested his case. 
 
 Mr. Price then opened for defendant. Having con- 
 cluded, he recalled Mrs. Duff. 
 
 Mrs. Duff. — Previous to the ist of July Mr. Duff 
 had no conversation with Mr. Gilfert about an engage- 
 ment. 
 
 Question. — Had you ever communicated to any 
 person that you were disengaged ? 
 
 Mrs. Duff. — Mr. Eustaphieve, the Russian Consul, 
 called on me, and in the course of conversation asked 
 
68 ^^^S- DUFF. 
 
 where I would perform the next season. I told him 
 I had no engagement for the next season. 
 
 The theatre closed on the 15th of July for the pur- 
 pose of repairing the house. I received no salary from 
 the 15 th of July to the 9th of October. The last 
 week's salary for my performance was not paid me. 
 I went twice for it but did not see the manager. I 
 had a conversation with Mr. Wallack about signing 
 certain articles. It took place on the 4th of July. 
 He demanded my signature to the articles. I refused. 
 He then shook them in my face and said I must and 
 should sign them. I again repeated that I would not. 
 He then said his company was governed by those 
 articles and that I was of no more consequence than 
 any other member of his company, and whether I 
 signed them or not I should be governed by them. 
 It was after this that Mr. Eustaphieve called on me. 
 When I said I had no engagement, he replied that 
 he understood I was engaged to Mr. Wallack. I told 
 him I considered that as broken, inasmuch as Mr. 
 Wallack had treated me with much rudeness, and had 
 not paid me my last week's salary. He asked per- 
 mission of me to say I was disengaged, which I gTanted 
 him. There was no proviso made in the agreement 
 between my husband and Mr. Wallack by which we 
 were to be deprived of salary during the tearing-do\Mi 
 of the theatre. 
 
 Cross-ex.\mined by Mr. Anthon. 
 With regard to the last week's salary, I had understood 
 that the funds of the theatre were at the time locked 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 69 
 
 Up in the Tradesmen's Bank by an injunction. About 
 two months after it was due, a person whom I never 
 saw before came and tendered me the salary. It was 
 refused. It was not again tendered me. During the 
 rebuilding of the Chatham Theatre Mr. Duff and myself 
 were engaged at the Lafayette Theatre. 
 
 Question. — Another ground of complaint, as alleged 
 by you, was the cast of characters. You refer, do you 
 not, to Adeline / 
 
 Mrs. Duff. — I do. 
 
 Question. — Was not that a favorite character of 
 yours ? 
 
 Mrs. Duff. — I have n o favo rite characters^ 
 
 Question. — Was it not a favorite with the public? 
 
 Mrs. Duff. — They have never seen me in it. 
 
 Question. — Have you never performed it ? 
 
 Mrs. Duff. — I have in Philadelphia, not in New 
 York. 
 
 Question. — Was it not a favorite there ? 
 
 Mrs. Duff. — I believe not ; the play did not suit. 
 
 Question. — Was it repeated ? 
 
 Mrs. Duff. — It was, twice. 
 
 Question. — You were not constrained to perform it 
 here? 
 
 Mrs. Duff. — I was not. 
 
 The contract by Mr. Duff with Mr. Gilfert, relative 
 to the engagement of Mr. and Mrs. Duff, was here 
 stated by the witness, but we do not think proper to 
 put it before the public. It was dated the iSth of 
 September, 1826. 
 
70 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 On resumption of the evidence Mrs. Duff testified 
 that she did not know that Mr. Wallack had sued Mr. 
 Sandford, proprietor of the Lafayette Theatre, for her 
 performance there. Had no reason to, and did not, 
 expect a vacation in the Chatham Theatre at that 
 time. Considered her engagement as for ten succes- 
 sive months. It is not usual for a summer theatre to 
 have a vacation in summer. Is not acquainted with 
 any act or deed of Mr. Gilfert intended to draw us 
 away from the Chatham Theatre. 
 
 Mr. John Duff in his testimony says that he recol- 
 lects the conversation with Mr. Eustaphieve. Met 
 Gilfert accidentally in the coffee-room of the Lafayette 
 Theatre. He asked me if I was engaged to Wallack. 
 I told him, no. He said he did not wish to go to war 
 with any other managers or interfere with them, and 
 would like to know if he might write to me asking if I 
 was engaged. I replied, he might. Such letter how- 
 ever was never received. I mentioned it to Mrs. Duff. 
 She replied she was under some obligation to Mr. 
 Sandford, and considered herself bound to give him 
 the preference. An offer was then made to Mr. Sand- 
 ford, which he declined on the ground that he could 
 not obtain adequate support for Mrs. Duff. I then 
 considered myself open to a negotiation with Mr. 
 Gilfert. 
 
 Jonathan D. Stevenson, present manager of the 
 Chatham, and formerly connected with Mr. Wallack, 
 says : In course of conversation Mrs. Duff said Mr. 
 Wallack certainly could not expect them to remain 
 idle during the vacation. I remarked, "We do not 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 71 
 
 lose you, madam?" She said, "Oh, no! we return 
 after the vacation." 
 
 James Roberts, comedian, testified that he was 
 engaged to Mr. Wallack at the rate of thirty dollars per 
 week, but broke his engagement in consequence of 
 dislike and disagreement with him ; that he paid the 
 penalty, one thousand dollars, for breaking his engage- 
 ment ; that he now received forty dollars per week, 
 and fifteen dollars per week for his wife, at the Bowery 
 Theatre; that Mr. Gilfert loaned him one thousand 
 dollars to pay Mr. Wallack, which amount he had re- 
 turned, excepting two hundred dollars. He did not 
 think the Chatham a desirable place for representing 
 tragedy, in which Mrs. Duff excelled, but that it was 
 more appropriately a theatre for melodrama. 
 
 The case was summed up by Messrs. W. M. Price 
 and David Graham for the defendant and by Mr. 
 John Anthon for the plaintiff, and after a short charge 
 by Judge Irving the jury returned a verdict for the 
 plaintiff, with six cents damages and six cents costs ! 
 
 The second suit came off on the following day and 
 is thus reported. 
 
 NEW YORK COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, 
 Judge Irving, presiding. 
 
 March 2, 1827. 
 HENRY WALLACK vs. JOHN DUFF. 
 
 Mr. John Anthon opened the plaintiffs case. He 
 stated that the contract on which this action was 
 
n 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 based had been concluded between the parties in 
 the course of an epistolary correspondence about the 
 24th of March, 1826, by which the plaintiff became 
 entided to the services of the defendant and his wife 
 as dramatic performers at the Chatham Theatre for ten 
 months at the joint salary of fifty-five dollars per week ; 
 that, in pursuance of the contract so entered into tlie 
 defendant and his wife came to the city of New York 
 from Philadelphia about the 21st of May last, and 
 entered upon the performance of their engagement at 
 the plaintiff's theatre on the 23d ; that they continued 
 to be so employed until about the 15 th of July follow- 
 ing, when the theatre was closed for the purpose of 
 making extensive repairs, and continued closed until 
 the 9th of October following; that notwithstanding 
 the closing of the theatre the defendant's contract 
 continued in full force, but that, instead of returning to 
 resume his engagement, he and his wife had accepted 
 a more profitable engagement from Mr. Gilfert of the 
 New York Theatre, Bowery, where they were at present 
 employed : that in consequence of this breach of the 
 defendant's agreement the plaintiff had sustained great 
 damage which he now called upon the jury to re- 
 imburse. 
 
 The correspondence between the parties was then 
 read. It consisted of three letters, the last dated 
 March 24, 1826. 
 
 The engagement was that the defendant and his 
 wife should perform for ten months, which are certain, 
 without reduction of salary, at the joint salary of fifty- 
 five dollars per week, — Mrs. Duff to have the entire 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 73 
 
 range of tragedy and their benefits to amount to from 
 seven to eight hundred dollars, after deducting one 
 hundred and eighty dollars, the expenses of the 
 house. 
 
 In Jonathan D. Stevenson's examination he says the 
 Chatham Theatre is not a summer theatre, although it 
 opened as such in 1824; that before its enlargement 
 it would not have contained more than seven hundred 
 dollars in all ; that the expenses were about one hun- 
 dred and eighty dollars, and that a benefit could not 
 yield more than five hundred dollars; that it would 
 now hold one thousand dollars ; that Mrs. Duff is a 
 very attractive actress, but that she has sometimes 
 played to thin houses. 
 
 ]Slr. Graham in opening for the defendant stated 
 that the breach of contract in this cause was on the 
 part of the plaintiff himself, in shutting up the theatre 
 and stopping the salary of the defendant and his wife. 
 According to the plaintiff's own evidence the contract 
 had been violated by him. He was bound to obtain 
 the consent of the defendant. This he had not done, 
 but had cast him and his family upon the world for 
 three months without employment and without salary. 
 In addition he had refused to pay their last week's 
 salary, and insisted in the most arbitrary manner upon 
 Mrs. Duff signing certain articles creating an essentially 
 different contract both as to time and services to be 
 rendered, and to be enforced by severe penalties. 
 He had insisted on Mrs. Duff's performing in melo- 
 drama, contrary to the terms of contract ; and after 
 closing his theatre, so far from finding defendant and 
 
74 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 wife employment or continuing their salary, he had 
 declared that they should not perform at the Lafayette 
 Theatre, and that any person who did so should not 
 perform at his theatre again. 
 
 John Barnes — comedian, and husband of Mrs. 
 Barnes, the tragic actress — says in his testimony that 
 Mrs. Duff is a great treasure to any theatre, but con- 
 siders the Chatham more suited to melodrama than 
 tragedy, the former being more attractive there. 
 
 Charles Gilfert says : Mrs. Duff is an eminent and 
 attractive actress. Her principal value to a manager 
 would consist in her appearing seldom, and in sending 
 her at times to Philadelphia or Boston. She has played 
 at the Bowery Theatre to as low a sum as sixty-one 
 dollars and a half. Five hundred dollars is the largest 
 house she has played to, and then she had the assist- 
 ance of Mr, Conway. Every manager keeps books 
 showing the receipts of the house every night. Pre- 
 sumes the plaintiff keeps such books. Has been a 
 manager since 1817. Would consider the closing of 
 the Chatham Theatre at the time and under the cir- 
 cumstances a violation of agreement if the salaries of 
 the performers were not continued. 
 
 James Roberts, comedian, testified as to the melo- 
 dramatic character of the Chatham Theatre, and the 
 great success of "The Lady of the Lake " and " Brian 
 Boroihme ; " that Mrs. Duff when first there drew good 
 houses, but " Brian Boroihme," drew better ones. 
 Mrs. Duff had a benefit at the Chatham while he 
 played there. Does not remember Mr. Duff having 
 one. The other actors were paid while the injunction 
 remained on the Tradesmen's Bank. 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 75 
 
 Nicholas Dean, Clerk of the City and County, says 
 Mrs. Duff is a most distinguished actress, but has seen 
 her play to very thin houses at the Bowery Theatre. 
 
 William R. Blake produced the blank articles of 
 agreement used at the Chatham Theatre. They pro- 
 vide for a vacation of two months, in january and 
 February. 
 
 After the summing up by the counsel and the charge 
 by Judge Irving, the jury returned, after an hour's 
 absence, with a verd ict for defendant. 
 
 Mrs. Du gVbe-npfi t gnirkly fnllnwpxl the termination 
 of these , trials, tlie result of which gave general. satisfac- 
 tion. It occurred on the 5th of jMarch and was most 
 liberally patronized. SS\. the city papers called atten- 
 tion to her bill, which consisted of " Adrian and Orilla " 
 and a new farce called " Returned Killed," in which 
 Mr. Duff assumed the character of Milligan. 
 
 The Evenmg Post of that date said : " Mr. Kean 
 has pronounced her Madame Clermont, which she has 
 chosen for her benefit, the most finished performance 
 he ever witnessed. We are confident there will be a 
 rush to see it." 
 
 The Enquirer added : " Mrs. Duff has chosen 
 * Adrian and Orilla,' in which her talents have made 
 so deep an impression. Madame Clermo?it is her best 
 performance. Mrs. Duff has recently escaped from 
 the perils of a lawsuit. In the first trial she gave her 
 testimony in" thie^Tearest and most unassuming manner 
 and, though subjected to a severe cross-examination, 
 nothing could exceed the consistency and propriety 
 
-6 ^^^S- DUFF. 
 
 of her answers. In the second trial the jury pronounced 
 her conduct irreproachable. Will not the public concur 
 in that opinion? " 
 
 And the Albion, a few days after, in noticing the 
 occurrence, stated that " Mrs. Duff had her benefit on 
 Monday. The play was ' Adrian and Orilla,' in which 
 she sustains with vast ability the part of Aladame Cler- 
 mo7it. The circumstances of the recent trials in rela- 
 tion to this lady's engagement at the Bowery Theatre 
 created a strong excitement in her favor, and drew a 
 numerous audience." 
 
 On the 7th of March, for the first time, she played 
 her since very celebrated character of Addgitha, for 
 the benefit of Mrs. Blake. Mr. Charles Young sup- 
 ported her as Guiscard, Mr. Blake (then young and 
 handsome) as Lothair, Mr. G. Barrett (severely out 
 of place) as Michael Ducas, and Mrs. G. Barrett as 
 Ivima. 
 
 Arthur Keene, the vocalist, took a benefit here on 
 the 1 2th of March, appearing as Francis Osbaldistone in 
 ** Rob Roy," — Henry Wallack making his first appear- 
 ance at the Bowery as the Highland Chieftain, Mr. 
 Roberts enacting his favorite part of the Baillie, Mrs. 
 Blake giving the music of Diana Verfion, and Mrs. Duff 
 seeming to be the actual Helen Macgregor herself. 
 
 Many comments were made on this unexpected 
 conjunction of talent so soon after the late suits at law, 
 and one from the Albion is here introduced : " On 
 Monday by particular desire Mr. Keene had a benefit, 
 and the house was greatly thronged. The opera was 
 ' Rob Roy,' in which Mr. Henry Wallack played Rob, 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 77 
 
 Mr. Wallack, as every one knows, the manager of 
 the Chatham, had only last week brought an action 
 against Mr. Gilfert of the Bowery for seducing away 
 Mrs. Duff; yet within a few days he volunteers to 
 act upoil Mr. Gilfert's stage as Mrs. Duff's dramatic hus- 
 band.V We do not understand these things and perhaps 
 they are not worth understanding. Wallack is a goocj 
 liob Roy but considerably inferior to Maywood. The 
 Ifele?i of Mrs. Duff is a first-rate performance, for- 
 cible in the declamatory and affecting in the pathetic 
 parts." 
 
 In speaking of the performance the Mirror said : — 
 "We have but a word more; it is in relation to 
 Mrs. Duff. The part of Helen Macgregor is not suited 
 to her transcendent powers, but ' ;/// tetigit quod non 
 ornavit ' was never better applied than in relation to 
 that admirable performer. Her burst of feeling when 
 the lament comes wailing through the rocks of the 
 Highlands and she learns what toils have been woven 
 around her husband ; her high and haughty charge to 
 Francis Osbaldistone ; her agonized parental emotions 
 as she strains her children to her breast ; and then the 
 thrilling exclamation which escapes her when the name 
 of Rob is echoed through the mountains, and safe and 
 unharmed he folds her in his arms, — were all conceived 
 and executed in — but we need not seek for epithets ; 
 it was nature itself ! 
 
 " Many are of the opinion that the frequent witness- 
 ing of theatrical representations hardens instead of hu- 
 manizes our hearts. To such we would say that we sat 
 in the same box with an actor whose province it is to 
 
7^ 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 smooth the \mnkles on the brow of care, and whose 
 original humor in that house has ahvays called forth 
 peals of laughter. JVe saw the big tears roll dow7i his 
 cheeks for the well depicted sufferings of Helen Mac- 
 gregor. Mrs. Duff will appreciate the compliment 
 when we tell her that the tears of Hyatt attested the 
 excellence of her performance." 
 
 On March 15 Mrs. Duff appeared in "The Distrest 
 Mother," calling forth, in the following terms, one of 
 those slurring comphments heretofore alluded to, and 
 peculiar to the Albion alone : " We have no room to 
 speak of 'The Distrest Mother' except to laud Mrs. 
 Duff's Herfnione, and to wish that she would be a little 
 less tragic in her tragedy. Horace says that people 
 who wish to make others weep should begin by weep- 
 ing themselves ; but he never meant that they should 
 keep their visages in a perpetual state of irrigation. 
 With this exception Mrs. Duff is without a superior 
 on the American stage." 
 
 Among thousands of notices in American papers on 
 Mrs. Duffs performances the above are the only dis- 
 paraging remarks that have been found. 
 
 Mrs. Duff next played Cora in " Columbus ; " and 
 asrain Elvira to Alexander Wilson's Roll a, in which 
 she seemed to evince extraordinary power, her last 
 scene being pronounced sublime. Her succeeding 
 characters were Angela in " The Castle Spectre," Lady 
 Randolph, Florinda, Therese, Desdeviona, and Iinogine 
 to Forrest's Bertrajn, which was thus noticed by the 
 Mirror : — 
 
 " We must now speak of Mrs. Duff, and we hardly 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 79 
 
 know how to say enough in her praise. Those who 
 are fond of strong excitement will not find an enter- 
 tainment more suited to their taste than her enactment 
 oi Jmo^ie^ but persons who cannot depend on the 
 strength of their nerves should not venture to witness 
 it. We believe that there were very few present on 
 the occasion of which we speak whose looks were not 
 sometimes stiffened with horror as she depicted the 
 woes of the heroine." 
 
 Her long engagement terminated with a second 
 benefit on the 25th of July, when she appeared as 
 Elvira (with Forrest as Rolld) and as Aujiette in 
 " The Maid and Magpie." During the season she 
 had appeared upwards of sixty times and represented 
 twenty-six different characters, — Belvidera, Calaiithe, 
 Elvira, AladajJie Cler77iont, and Queen Elizabeth tak- 
 ing precedence in the number of repetitions. 
 ■,. Mrs. Duff had now established as high a reputation 
 in New York as in Boston or Philadelphia, and press 
 a nd people were lavish in JigL^raise. 
 
 I Of all the articles written on her performances and 
 s/mming up her merits, none perhaps was more just 
 and discriminating than the following which appeared 
 in the Mirror of May 5, 1827 : — 
 
 " Mrs. Duff. This lady is decidedly the best ac- 
 tress in our country. 
 
 " We have for a long time intended to speak of her 
 in a separate article and more at length than the limits 
 of a notice of the performances through the week 
 would permit. The subject however is one of diffi- 
 culty. There are few who are not able to appreciate 
 
80 M/^S. DUFF. 
 
 good playing, but there are fewer who are capable of 
 conveying to the mere reader anything like a distinct 
 idea of an actor's merits. 
 
 " To Mrs. Duff in particular this obsen-ation applies. 
 In her style of acting there are none of those prom- 
 inent points, none of those strongly marked character- 
 istics, which are of such ser\dce to the dramatic critic 
 in his observations on the stage. 
 
 ''Mrs. Duff has one great characteri stic, one re- 
 markable peculiarity that strikes all who see her, and 
 that is unifo7'7jiity of excellence. She makes no points. 
 We cannot say of her as we used to say of Kean, — 
 'that's a beautiful touch.' Her merits and defects 
 (though the latter are few in number and trivial in 
 moment) per\-ade the whole of every character she 
 undertakes. There is no singling them out and saying 
 ' such a speech was given in a pre-eminently fine man- 
 ner, and in such a scene she did not seem to have a 
 full conception of her author's meaning.' Frpm begin- 
 ning to end, from her first entrance to her final exit, 
 you see before you only the character she is person- 
 ating. The unity of her conception — the ofieness — is 
 remarkable. No temptation can induce her to break 
 it. If a scene offer ever so much opportunity for dis- 
 play, and it be a display not authorized by the whole 
 design and tenor of the part, she suffers it to pass by 
 unnoticed. 
 
 "This is the perfection of her art. This is the way 
 to deceive and delight an audience. They forget they" 
 are in a theatre, and ' live o'er the scene.' 
 
 " If a noise occur in the gallery Mrs. Duff exhibits 
 
MRS. DUFF. 8 1 
 
 no consciousness of it as many very naturally do, thus 
 permitting the player to be seen through the regal robe 
 or sacerdotal habit. 
 
 " She seems to have a separate existence during the 
 continuance of the play, and to have lost all knowledge 
 of, and even all power of seeing, the realities around 
 her. Kean used to startle us by electric flashes ; Mrs. 
 Barnes occasionally shines out with great brilliancy ; 
 but Mrs. Duff pours out one unceasing blaze during 
 the whole time she occupies the stage. \Ye_do, not 
 mean to say that there is a uniformity of interest in 
 ajl she does, but a uniformity of excellence. 
 
 " In an important passage she gives us no declama- 
 tion or rant on the one hand, and on the other she does 
 not think it beneath her powers and slight it. 
 
 " The playing of this lady may be compared to the 
 poetry of Goldsmith. No fits and starts, no rising and 
 falling, except as the dignity of the subject varies. 
 There is scarcely a person who ever read ' The Desf^rted 
 Village ' for the first time who did not think h* 'self 
 capable of writing as well, till by the experiment he 
 became convinced of his error. This arises from the 
 truth of the sentiment, and the care and beautiful 
 polish the author has bestowed on that admirable pro- 
 duction. So it is with Mrs. Duff's acting. At first 
 when we see her we are like Partridge in Fielding's 
 novel, and are ready to exclaim, ' Psha, there is no great 
 excellence in that.' This impression however is of 
 no great duration, and we soon are willing to acknowl- 
 edge that her art is perfect in proportion as it assimilates 
 itself to nature. 
 
 6 
 
82 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 " In the Bourbonic Museum at Naples there is a 
 large fragment of an unfinished statue of Hercules. 
 It is unfinished, but every line and trace about it 
 declare it to have been the work of a master genius. 
 So it is with the playing of several of our prominent 
 actresses, but it is not so with Mrs. Duff, whose work 
 is finished at every point. 
 
 " Since we have drawn an illustration from sculpture, 
 we might properly speak of her style as bearing a re- 
 semblance to the immortal Phidian Goddess, every 
 feature of which is true to nature, but which presents 
 a whole more beautiful than Nature's choicest works. 
 Who that has seen Mrs. Duff in the part of Jane Shore, 
 for example, will not perceive the aptness of the re- 
 mark ? In every line, in every word, she is true to 
 the author, and departs not in a single instance from 
 his delineation ; yet the character as given by her is 
 one of far greater dignity than Rowe had the ability 
 to draw." 
 
 Alter a few weeks' rest Mrs. Duff appeared at the 
 Park Theatre on the 27th of September in conjunction 
 with Mr. Cooper, their opening play being "Venice 
 Preserved." She was here seen as Belvidera, Lady 
 Macbeth, Madame Clermont, Lnogiiie, Volumnia, Eu- 
 genia, — and on her benefit night, her last before visit- 
 ing Europe, as Virginia, for the first time in New York. 
 Although their off-nights were occupied by the power- 
 ful attraction of the first engagement in New York of 
 Clara Fisher, whose popularity brought her a benefit 
 of sixteen hundred and eleven dollars, Mrs. Duff and 
 Mr. Cooper were liberally and fashionably patronized, 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 83 
 
 and universal regret was expressed at the lady's in- 
 tended absence. 
 
 Mrs. Duff next proceeded to Boston, where she 
 commenced an engagement on the 17th of October. 
 After playing a few nights the critics of our modern 
 Athens were incensed to find that Hackett and Barnes, 
 in their great hit of the Two Dromios, were absorbing 
 most of the patronage of the public. Some of the 
 newspaper articles are here reproduced. 
 
 From the Boston Gazette, Oct. 22, 1827, we quote : — 
 
 '' The stage for the past week has indeed presented 
 a ' Comedy of Errors.' The high soaring of genius has 
 been unheeded, and senseless mimicry and grimace 
 have borne the ascendant. 
 
 " It is a singular fact that an actress of more decided 
 talent in tragedy than any one on the English'"st£^:e'trt- 
 this hour, has performed three nights at the Federal 
 Street Theatre to little better than bare walls. Nor 
 can our play-going community plead ignorance of her 
 merits ; here they first electrified an audience^ and 
 ^^r^ fV.^y fi^i^j- bn^g*^ f'-^'-'-^-' from obscurity into sunshine. 
 
 V At this moment Mrs. Duff is more highly gifted 
 thin ever; her powers have ripened into matured 
 excellence, and in her particular line her contempora- 
 ries readily yield her the. palm. We think she has 
 gready improved since her last visit," and are convinced 
 she can make a stand in any tlieatre whalL^u. ■ ~'~~^ 
 
 " On Friday evening we saw her for the first time in 
 Mada7?ie Clennont, and since her wonderful effort in 
 Hermione we have seen nothing to equal it. In the 
 last scene she seemed to throw off her identity, and 
 
f4 ^^^•5-. DUFF. 
 
 looked and moved as a supernatural being ; her face 
 assumed a cast altogether Siddonian, and her hurried 
 and pathetic tones penetrated us with an involuntary 
 shudder. We could only lament the capriciousness of 
 taste which would disregard such talent in pursuit of 
 buffoonery and farce." 
 
 The Bosto?i Traveller, Oct. 23, 1827, said : — 
 " Mrs. Duff. There has been nothing more surpris- 
 ing in the annals of our stage than that this lady should 
 in the least lack public patronage. Mrs. Duff is un- 
 doubtedly the Siddons of the American stage. We 
 have seen no other so fitted, both personally and men- 
 tally, to take the highest stand in her profession. In 
 the soul-subduing qualities of her voice, so touching in 
 its pathos and awakening in its energy. Nature has 
 been most liberal to her. The outline of her head and 
 face is classic, and her eyes are brilliant and powerful. 
 She never fails to carry her audience along with her, 
 and so completely embodies the properties with which 
 an author invests the character, that her representations 
 are unerringly true to nature. 
 
 " Our stage is (Occasionally illuminated by the genius 
 of such men as Kean, Macready, and Forrest, but first- 
 rate female talent has been almost unknown to us. 
 Would it not seem that its very rarity should cause it 
 to be cherished ? Why, then, is Mrs. Duff neglected ? " 
 The Boston Gazette, Oct. 25, 182 7, said: — 
 " Mrs. Duff. This lady's performance of Isabella 
 was throughout the most finished and effective repre- 
 sentation which we have witnessed of the character. 
 Her chief power undoubtedly lies in the pathetic, to 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 85 
 
 which indej^ every lineament of her speaking face 
 seems to be attuned. Nothing could exceed the ex- 
 quisite pathos of her manner in giving the ring to 
 Villeroy, or her subdued frenzy and death scene in the 
 play. Although her audience was not numerous, it was 
 composed for the most part of those who can best 
 appreciate the efforts of genius, and whose breathless 
 attention gave the happiest commentary on her success. 
 We have assurance from them and others that she shall 
 not leave Boston without a proper indemnity for her 
 exertions, and we think it proper to state that they will 
 be used to-morrow evening for her benefit, on which 
 occasion she will appear as Adelgit/ia, in the play of 
 that name, for the first time in Boston." 
 
 The Boston Courier said : " We are assured by sev- 
 eral gentlemen in her profession, who have recently 
 arrived from England, that there is no lady at present 
 on the stage who can be considered as in any degree 
 her rival," • 
 
 The Boston Ti'avclhr responded : " Her place can- 
 not be supplied, as it is granted by all who have seen 
 her that she has no equal on this side of the Atlantic 
 nor any superior on the British stage." 
 
 Her benefit attracted a fashionable house, and her 
 unrivalled powers were never more successfully exerted 
 than on that evening ; so said the public press. 
 
 A brief re-engagement followed for the support of 
 Mr. Forrest, who made his first appearance on the 2d 
 of November as Damon, and afterwards in succession 
 personated Bo /la, Virgin ins, OtJuilo, Brutus, and Ber- 
 tratn, Mrs. Duff being the Calafithe, Elvira, Virginia, 
 
8^ MRS. DUFF. 
 
 Desdemona, Tidlia, and l7?iogi?ie, — the latter for her 
 final benefit on the 15th of the month. 
 
 T^Irs. Duff and her husband sailed from Boston on the 
 ship " New England " for Liverpool on the 4th of De- 
 cember, 1827. Steam-packets were yet unknown, and 
 at that period of the year it may be imagined that the 
 voyage was not over pleasant or very speedy. After 
 Mr. Duff had taken his passage, he was disturbed by a 
 dream in which he beheld the destruction by shipwreck 
 of the vessel in which he was to sail. This made such 
 an impression upon his mind that he changed his 
 tickets for those on a packet to leave at a later date, 
 in which he and his wife reached their destination in 
 safety ; but in Liverpool he learned that the former 
 ship had not yet arrived, nor was she ever heard of 
 again. The story of this dream has been converted 
 into quite another shape, and has been told in print as 
 follows : " Mrs. Duff, after her widowhood, had formed 
 an engagement of marriage with Mr. Conway, the 
 tragedian, who soon after sailed for Savannah. A few 
 nights after his departure the apparent ghost of the 
 tragedian appeared to Mrs. Duff in a dream. On 
 awakening, she wrote down the circumstances, date, 
 and hour. Soon news arrived that Mr. Conway had 
 committed suicide by plunging into the sea off Charles- 
 ton Harbor on the very night and hour of the strange 
 dream." The incorrectness of this version of the story 
 will be at once perceived when it is remembered that 
 Mrs. Duff did not become a widow until April, 183 1, 
 and that Mr. Conway had perished in the spring of 
 1828, three years before. But to return to this London 
 engagement. 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 87 
 
 1828. 
 
 , — 
 
 The American public was anxious to learn the result 
 of the experiment ; but nothing was heard of the Duffs 
 until April, when the news came that Mrs. Duff, after 
 playing a preliminary and successful engagement at 
 Brighton, had appeared on the boards of Drury Lane 
 Theatre on the 3d of March, 1828, in the tragedy of 
 " Isabella," with the following cast : — 
 
 Biron Mr. Macready. 
 
 Count Baldwin Mr. Younge. 
 
 Carlos Mr. Wallack. 
 
 Villeroy Mr. Cooper. 
 
 Belford Mr. Mude. 
 
 Sampson Mr. J. Russell. 
 
 Nurse Mrs. C. Jones. 
 
 Child Miss Lane. 
 
 Isabella Mrs. Duff. 
 
 (From the Theatre Royal, Dublin ; her first appearance in 
 London.) 
 
 Of the above cast, it may be remarked that Miss 
 Lane is the sole survivor, and that she is now known in 
 America as the very talented Mrs. John Drew (1882). 
 
 Why Mrs. Duff was announced as from Dublin has 
 not been explained, but probably from a desire to 
 avoid the prejudice, then supposed to exist in London, 
 against everything American ; and especially because 
 Thomas A. Cooper, the foreign born but naturalized 
 American actor, had recently been almost hissed from 
 the boards on his first appearance as Macbeth. Mrs. 
 Duff had originally played at the DubHn Theatre ; so 
 the announcement, though deceptive, was not altogether 
 fictitious. 
 
(5? 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 i 
 
 . The comments of the London press were very various. 
 The TJieatrical Observer condemned her performance, 
 and said she wanted energy, action, and — most of all 
 — mind. Still it acknowledged that she was received 
 with some favor. The Loudon Atlas spoke of her as 
 a respectable but not a remarkable performer, and the 
 Gazette observed that her fright was so excessive as to 
 prevent the possibility of forming a decided opinion 
 relative to her merits. 
 
 BelFs Weekly Messenger, however, gave a very dif- 
 ferent expression of opinion. It said: "The tragedy 
 of ' Isabella ' was performed for the purpose of intro- 
 ducing a Mrs. Duff in that character. The lady is 
 pleasing in features, elegant in person, and seems to 
 possess a thorough knowledge of the business of the 
 stage. She performed Isabella with considerable effect. 
 There was a graceful ease in her deportment, a proper 
 conception of the author, and an impassioned manner 
 in the delivery of the text, which appeared to make 
 considerable impression on the audience, which was 
 very numerous." 
 
 But these remarks were tame compared with the 
 S^'criticism which appeared in the London Age, herewith 
 ' annexed : — 
 
 " The house was not full, and the audience by no 
 means one of those we sometimes find in theatres on 
 first nights, predetermined to applaud whatever was 
 not absolutely repulsive. On the contrary we never 
 saw a house in the beginning much more indifferent, 
 nor did we ever see a more thorough triumph over 
 such indifference. The applause at first was reluctant 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 89 
 
 and guarded, but in every succeeding scene it increased 
 in frequency and fer\'or, until at length, when the sec- 
 ond appearance of the actress was announced, it rose 
 to absolute enthusiasm. Under such circumstances the 
 triumph, of course, must have been complete, and 
 the actress had the right to prize it more dearly from 
 its having been accorded without favor, and only after 
 a clear, unbiassed conviction that it could not with 
 honesty have been denied. 
 
 " Mrs. Duff appears to be about eight and twenty. 
 Her figure is good, and her action graceful but not 
 redundant. She seems perfecUy_self:P_o_ssessed._, From 
 the moment she came upon the stage until the moment 
 she left it there appeared an utter unconsciousness 
 about her of an audience. She was absorbed in the^ 
 character she represented. She gave not only every 
 slfuatidiTbut every syllable in such a manner as would 
 have most delighted Southern himself, and was never 
 disheartened by any omission to notice the more deli- 
 cate and most beautiful touches, nor betrayed into 
 extravagance by the eagerness with which the more 
 obvious — and consequently less valuable — points were 
 seized upon by the audience and vehemently clapped. 
 Her eye is the finest since the time of Mrs. Siddons. 
 Her voice is full of expression, but unequal. She has 
 not, in fact, what the French call tears in her voice, and 
 consequently was less touching in her tears than in the 
 anguish beyond the power of weeping, which she con- 
 veys with surpassing excellence. 
 
 " It will be the fault of the management if Mrs. Duff 
 does not do great things for Drury Lane Theatre. 
 
90 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 There is no actress in her hne, now on the London 
 stage, with so much intellectual energy ; and though 
 many surpass her in physical force, the former quality, 
 though it may not achieve so quick a fame for her, will se- 
 cure her one of higher value and infinitely more lasting."* 
 It is very probable that ]\Irs. Duff was not at her best 
 on this occasion ; it would indeed have been singular 
 if she had been. An appearance in a strange theatre 
 (enormous in size, and designated by Mrs. Siddons her- 
 self as "the wilderness "), before an unfamiliar audience, 
 and in a foreign land, has usually in it something ap- 
 palling, even to the most self-confident. In Mrs. 
 Duffs case anxiety for the result undoubtedly some- 
 what embarrassed her, and in a measure paralyzed her 
 powers. She wrote to her friend Mrs. Charles Durang 
 that she had never before suffered so much from stage- 
 fright, and that the applause at the conclusion of the 
 play was so tremendous that it entirely unnerved her. 
 In truth the strain upon her nervous system had been 
 so great that she was prostrated under its effects and 
 prevented by illness from making her second appear- 
 ance until the 14th of April, when she again came for- 
 ward in the tragedy of " Adelgitha," supported by John 
 Cooper as Guiscard, Charles Kean as Lothair (in 
 which character he was decidedly condemned), Wallack 
 
 * A similar diversity of opinion among theatrical critics was 
 noticeable during the recent visits to London of Mr. Edwin 
 Booth and Mr. John McCullough; but, as in Mrs. Duff's case, 
 the audience signified approval, and the gentlemen remained 
 long enough to convince even captious critics of their high 
 deserts. 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 91 
 
 as Michael Diicas^ and the lovely Miss Foote, since 
 Countess of Harrington, as Iinina. 
 
 Adelgitha, though a less favorite character with the 
 audience, was admitted to have been better performed 
 than Isabella, and it increased the favorable impression 
 made by the actress. Even the Theatrical Observer, 
 which had previously said that she lacked mind, now 
 acknowledged that she had good sense, understood 
 thoroughly her author, and possessed talents which 
 might be of service to the theatre. 
 
 BelVs Weekly Messenger followed up its previous 
 opinion by saying that Mrs. Duff made the most of the 
 character and displayed talents of no ordinary kind ; 
 that she became a great acquisition to Drury Lane ; 
 and, if not comparable to a Siddons or an O'Neill, was 
 at least superior to the actresses who of late had aspired 
 to the highest rank in her art. 
 
 With these accounts of her favorable reception, and 
 the prospect of increasing success, the theatrical public 
 was soon after astounded to hear of Mrs. Duffs un- 
 expected return to xA.merica. 
 
 Many were the reasons imagined and assigned by 
 the press of America for this sudden change of pro- 
 gramme, — the most general being the determination of 
 the English public to show no favor to American talent 
 or to allow that any good thing could come out of 
 Nazareth; and just retaliation was recommended by 
 certain journals against such English actors as might 
 hereafter seek employment on our shores ! 
 
 The New York Albion took perhaps the most sen- 
 sible view of the subject in its issue of July 5, 1828, 
 
92 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 when it said : ^' It has never been satisfactorily ex- 
 plained why Mrs. Duff left England so precipitately, 
 where a person of her talents is evidently wanted and 
 where her d^but had been so fortunate. Without pre- 
 tending to be in any one's secrets we think we can 
 undertake to declare that all the theories invented by 
 the newspapers for the solution of this are very wide 
 of the mark. It is sufficient for us now to express our 
 gratification that Mrs. Duff has returned and that we 
 are likely to retain so clever a woman among us." 
 
 There were no doubt several reasons combined which 
 induced the determination of a return to America, one 
 of which was probably a disagreement between Stephen 
 Price, — then manager of Drury Lane, — and Mr. Duff 
 regarding Mrs. Duff's salary. For the two nights that 
 she played she received — nothing ! Another was 
 that even with a liberal salary the expenses of a resi- 
 dence in London with their large family would absorb 
 it all. Mr. Duff probably came to the conclusion that 
 although Mrs. Duff's fame might be increased by a 
 London engagement, their general prosperity would be 
 advanced by a return to America, where they were so 
 widely known and highly esteemed. And perhaps the 
 most powerful of all was to be found in Mrs. Duff's 
 family pride, grief, and disappointment. On her ar- 
 rival in England her sister, Mrs. Moore, did not come 
 near her, but sent word from a fashionable watering- 
 place that it would not be convenient to receive her. 
 Her mother and her younger sister were dead, and 
 Mr. Duff's health was in a failing condition. So their 
 visions of the gold and glory that were to be gained on 
 
MKS. DUFF. 
 
 93 
 
 British ground were summarily dispelled ; and on the 
 2oth of May, landing from the ship " Amethyst " at 
 Boston, our voyagers once more set foot upon the 
 shores of America. 
 
 They had scarcely reached the wharf when an en- 
 gagement was concluded with Mrs. Duff by Messrs. 
 Finn and Kilner, of the Federal Street Theatre, for 
 her appearance there on the 2 2d and 30th of May, the 
 only two nights before the close of the season that 
 were unappropriated. On these occasions she played 
 Mrs. Hallcr and Isabella, the parts of the Stranger and 
 Bh'on being assumed by Mr. Finn. The houses were 
 full and fashionable, and her reappearance was greeted 
 in the most enthusiastic manner. 
 
 She was also engaged for one night at the little town 
 of Salem, where she played Isabella to a crowded 
 house. 
 
 On the 17th of June she triumphantly reappeared 
 at the Chatham Garden Theatre, New York, in the 
 character of Mrs. Haller to the Stranger of Mr. 
 Mapvood. Florinda, Eugenia, and Adelgitha followed 
 in succession. 
 
 On the 28th she appeared at the Park Theatre (for 
 the last time) for Mr. Booth's benefit, as Florinda to 
 his Pescara. In return, for Mrs. Duff's benefit at the 
 Chatham, Booth volunteered as jfaffier to her Belvidera 
 in '^ Venice Preserved." She terminated her engage- 
 ment July 3, as Isabella. 
 
 A most admirable company was this season gathered 
 at the Chatham, including Alexander Wilson (who 
 at one period of his career was thought the equal of 
 
SH^SF 
 
 
MI^S. DUFF. 
 
 95 
 
 For the winter season Mr. Duff was employed at 
 the Federal Street Theatre, Boston, and played when 
 his health permitted ; but Mrs. Duff accepted an en- 
 gagement at the new Tremont Theatre, at a salary of 
 fifty dollars per week and four clear benefits during 
 the season. This appears to be the largest salary she^ 
 ever received for her individual services during her 
 entire career, although at the present time it would 
 be thought utterly beneath the notice of any ordinary 
 leading actress. 
 
 Mrs. Duff was to have opened at the Tremont Thea- 
 tre on the 15 th of October but was prevented by sick- 
 ness from appearing until the 29th, when the Tremont 
 bills bore the following heading : — 
 
 "The manager has the pleasure to announce that 
 Mrs. Duff, having recovered from her indisposition, 
 will make her first appearance this evening in the part 
 of Floriuda. In order to gratify the wishes of many 
 individuals that Mrs. Duff would appear in two of her 
 most celebrated characters in conjunction with Mr. 
 Booth, an arrangement has been made with Mr. Booth 
 to prolong his engagement for two nights, for the pur- 
 pose of appearing in the characters oi Pescara in 'The 
 Apostate ' and Orestes in ' The Distrest Mother,' the 
 parts oi Flo7'inda and Hermione by Mrs. Duff." 
 
 This arrangement was carried out with brilliant suc- 
 cess and was followed by the engagement of Mr. Wal- 
 lack, to whose Rolla, Hamlet and Macbeth, Mrs. Duff 
 appeared as Elvira, Ophelia, and Lady Macbeth. 
 
 On the 13th of November she went to the Federal 
 Street Theatre to play Mrs. Haller for her husband's 
 
 a 
 
'96 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 benefit; and on the 19th took her own at the Tremont 
 as Juliet, with Wallack as her Romeo and Cooper as 
 Mercutio, when she ^ was honored with a crowded and 
 fashionable house. /Theatrical etiquette at that time de- 
 manded the announcement of an immediate re-engage- 
 menty^nd on the 24th of November she reappeared 
 as Mrs. Be7!edey to Cooper's Gamester, — and for his 
 benefit, on the 26th, as Calaiiihe to his Damon and 
 Katherine to his Petruchio. On the 28th the present 
 distinguished and unrivalled veteran of Wallack's The- 
 atre, John Gilbert, made his d^but on the stage with 
 entire success as Jaffier — to Alexander Wilson's Pierre 
 and Mrs. Duff's Belvidera — in ''Venice Preserved." 
 A living witness of her extraordinary skill, he has re- 
 cently acknowledged that he never saw her superior. 
 
 On the loth of December Mrs. Duff took her 
 second benefit, as Statira to the beautiful Mrs. Pelby's 
 Roxana and Wilson's Alexander the Great. 
 
 She now made a short excursion to Philadelphia, 
 and it was hoped that her former great popularity 
 would attract a paying house at the Chestnut Street 
 Theatre where dramatic entertainments had become 
 almost totally neglected. The receipts per night some- 
 times did not reach twenty-five dollars ; and a combi- 
 nation of three stars, Henry Hunt, Sophia Phillips, 
 and Clara Fisher, attracted only sixty dollars. She 
 opened there on the 24th of December as Bcllamira 
 to a hundred and forty-one dollars, and followed with 
 Florinda, Mrs. Beve7'ley, Mrs. Hallcr, — and Adelgitha 
 for her benefit, on the 3Tst, when the receipts reached 
 two hundred and twenty-eight dollars. She gave an 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 97 
 
 additional night as Juliet, for the benefit of Mr. South- 
 well who played Roitieo, but only to a fifty-two dollar 
 house ! 
 
 1829. 
 
 On her return to Boston in January, 1829, she 
 supported Mr. Hamblin during an engagement in 
 the course of which she played Qiieeti Elizabeth^ Mrs. 
 Haller^ yane Shore, Calantke, Belvidera, and Helen 
 Macgregor, — the latter for the benefit of the cele- 
 brated Madame Feron, who played Diana Vernon to 
 Horn's Franeis Osbaldistone and Hambhn's Rob Roy. 
 Her ya7ie Shore, in particular, made a deep impres- 
 sion on the nndience, and sent he r hearers weeping 
 to their beds. V Oneauditor said : " The closing scenes 
 had touches which went directly to the heart. We 
 shall long remember the faded face, the melancholy 
 sweetness, the imploring up-turned eye, when asking 
 aid from the cold hand of charity and spurned from 
 the door where once she found a ready welcome. 
 There was dumb eloquence in her grief which mocked 
 all clamorous sorro\\\ ^ 
 
 On f?ie''22d of February Mrs. Duff was again enti- 
 tled to a benefit and produced, for the first time in 
 Boston, Miss Mitford's tragedy of " Rienzi," with 
 Hamblin as the hero, Mr. Archer as Adrian Colonna, 
 Mrs. Pelby as Lady Colonna, and her own assumption 
 of Claudia. The press now called attention to the fact 
 of her husband's illness and the necessity of a liberal 
 patronage, as the support of her large family (seven. 
 children) devolved entirely on her own exertionsj — one 
 paper saying that " the cares and anxieties of her home 
 7 
 
98 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 life, added to the tasks of her stage avocations, would 
 seem sufficient to depress the most active spirit ; and 
 they would of any woman whose genius was not, like 
 Mrs. Duff's, wakened and warmed with something 
 liigher than the mere desire of popular applause." \ 
 
 Mr. Wallack commenced an engagement on the nth 
 of March as Rolla, when, for the first time in several 
 years, Mrs. Duff resumed her original personation of 
 Cora, for that night only. She subsequendy played 
 Desdemona to his Othello, Claudia to his Riejizi, yidiet 
 to his Romeo, — and for his benefit returned to Elvira 
 in " Pizarro," Mrs. Papanti, a favorite vocalist, being 
 substituted as Cora. On the 8th of April her fourth 
 benefit occurred, when she presented J. N. Barker's 
 tragedy of " Superstition," wherein she appeared as 
 Mary for the first time in Boston, and also enacted 
 there for the first time Portia in the Trial scene of 
 "The Merchant of Venice." 
 
 The press was more than usually emphatic in its 
 appeals to the public for its patronage, as the previous 
 benefits had not equalled Mrs. Duff's just expectations. 
 An impression seemed at the time to prevail that Mrs. 
 Duff's name was placed at the head of the bill for 
 the manager's benefit rather than her own, an opinion 
 which was distinctly denied in the following article from 
 the Daily Advoiiser of April 8 : " A report has been 
 very prevalent that the proceeds of this evening are 
 not actually for the benefit of Mrs. Duff; but we have 
 it in our power to state that the actual receipts of 
 money arising from the sale of tickets this night, after 
 deducting the current expenses of the house, are 
 wholly hers." 
 
MRS. DUFF. gg 
 
 The bills of April 1 6 bore the annexed heading : 
 "The performances of Mrs. Duff having received great 
 approbation the public is respectfully informed that 
 she is engaged for the remainder of the season and 
 will appear this evening, for the first time this season, 
 as Therese in ' The Orphan of Geneva.' " 
 
 On the 2 2d she appeared as MathiUe in the first 
 performance of a drama called " The Bohemian 
 Mother " in which she made one of her greatest hits. 
 She repeated it fourteen nights during the balance of 
 the season, and ultimately it was represented by her a 
 greater number of times than any other character. " "" 
 
 Her performance was thus noticed by the Boston 
 Traveller : " The part of Mathilde is peculiarly adapted 
 to the fine, sympathetic powers of Mrs. Duff; and she 
 seems very wisely to seize hold of the advantage and, 
 in the tender and affecting scenes, almost go beyond 
 herself. Its effect upon the audience is striking. They 
 are by degrees attracted to what is passing before 
 them, and insensibly become spellbound, holding a 
 breathless silence until the charm is broken either by 
 the termination of the scene or by the sobbing aloud 
 of some warm-hearted lady who was unable longer to 
 repress her feelings." 
 
 Another drama of a somewhat similar character 
 entitled "Ambrose Gwinett," in which Mrs. Duff 
 represented the heroine, Lucy Fairlove^ also met with 
 marked favor. Sensationalism then, as now, was sure 
 of popular appreciation and applause. 
 
 Mr. Booth, always a favorite in Boston, next had an 
 engagement during which Mrs. Duff appeared as Queen 
 
100 ^^^S. DUFF. 
 
 Elizabeth, Florinda, and Herinione to his Richard, Pes- 
 cara, and Orestes. For her fifth and final benefit, June 
 25, he appeared as the Stranger to her Mrs. Haller. 
 
 Again at the Tremont Theatre, for the regular season 
 of 1829-30. Mrs. Duff opened her engagement on the 
 1 6th of September in her popular character of the 
 Bohe7niaJi Mother. Her attraction was sometimes 
 combined with that of Mademoiselle Celeste, the cele- 
 brated danseuse, then in the first flush of youthful 
 loveliness ; sometimes with that of the charming vo- 
 calist, Mrs. Edward Knight, or the " Mocking-bird 
 Squaw " as an Indian hearer once designated her ; and 
 sometimes with that of Mr. Cooper, for whose benefit 
 on the 3d of October she personated Mrs. Haller to 
 his first performance in Boston of the Stranger. 
 
 In November "The Ethiop," in which she played 
 Cephania, was revived and run six consecutive nights, 
 and in the same month, with Mr. Booth, she again 
 appeared in several popular tragedies.' 
 
 On the 4th of December, for the first time in Boston, 
 Shakespeare's '' Richard II " was performed, with Mr. 
 Booth as Richard, Mr. Wilson 2iS John of Gaimt, Mr. 
 W. H. Smith as Boliiigbroke, Mr. Thayer as Percy, and 
 Mrs. Duff as Queen Isabel, — a part which she does 
 not seem ever to have repeated. 
 
 On the 7th of the month she first undertook Shell's 
 Evadne in the tragedy of that name, and was progress- 
 ing triumphantly with it when Mr. Booth, who was 
 cast for the character of Ludovico, broke down com- 
 pletely in the third act of the play, which was thus 
 brought to an abrupt conclusion. 
 
MRS. DUFF. lOi 
 
 On the 13th Mrs. Duff took her beuefit in a. new- 
 tragedy on the story of Mary Stuart (probably adapted 
 from Schiller's popular drama), in which' she, of eoaisc, 
 assumed the role of the unfortunate queen." Vlis. G. 
 Barrett personated Elizabeth, Tvlr. Scott, Leicester, and 
 Mr. W. H. Smith, Mortimer. It was again announced 
 that all proceeds were for the benefit of Mrs. Duff. 
 
 Mr. Forrest — who was now on the rising tide of popu- 
 larity, and who, despite all adverse criticism, possessed 
 elements of greatness, a freshness and vigor of style 
 combined with a personal grandeur and magnetism, not 
 united in any of his competitors — commenced an 
 engagement on the 28th as Macbeth with Mrs. Duff as 
 Lady Macbeth. On the 30th they appeared as Damon 
 and Calanthe, on the ist of January, 1830, as Rolla and 
 Elvira, on the 4th as Ludovico and Evadne, and on 
 the 6th as William Tell and Efnma. 
 
 1830. 
 
 On the 24th of January Mr. Booth re-appeared in the 
 following admirable representation of " Hamlet " : — 
 
 Hamlet Mr. Booth. 
 
 King Mr. Scott. 
 
 Polonius Mr. Kilner. 
 
 Laertes Mr. W. H. Smith. 
 
 Horatio Mr. G. Jones. 
 
 Osric Mr. Thayer. 
 
 Gravedigger Mr. Hyatt. 
 
 Ghost Mr. Wilson. 
 
 Ophelia Mrs. G. Barrett. 
 
 Queen Gertrude Mrs. Duff. 
 
102 
 
 MRS. BUFF. 
 
 Fc the first' ti.ne, and to oblige Mr. Booth, ^Irs. Duff 
 cGiibentey i6 act the repulsive part of the Queen. 
 
 Tn- this xasf especially noticeable are ]Mrs. Barrett 
 whb, when playing Ophelia a few years later to Charles 
 Kemble's Htwilet, was pronounced by his daughter 
 Fanny the most perfect specimen of female loveliness 
 she had ever looked on ; and also the handsome and 
 promising George Jones who in after life developed 
 such conspicuous eccentricities under the style and 
 title of George the Count Joannes. 
 
 February i Mrs. Duff personated Desdemona to the 
 Othello of Forrest and the lago of Booth, a com- 
 bination of excellence as rare as it was superlatively 
 fine. 
 
 For Mr. Booth's benefit on the 3d she represented 
 Constance to the Faiilconbridge of Forrest and Booth's 
 King John ;* and, soon after, Belvidera to Booth's 
 Pierre and Forrest's y^?^^?-. 
 
 February 15 Stone's well known tragedy of "Meta- 
 mora " was produced for the first time in Boston, and 
 met with the same success that attended its original 
 
 * The cast of ' 
 on record, viz : — 
 
 King John .... 
 Faulconbridge . . 
 King Philip . . . 
 Lewis the Dauphin . 
 Hubert .... Mr. 
 S:ilisbury .... 
 Pembroke .... 
 Archduke of Austria 
 Robert Faulconbridge 
 Cardinal Pandulph . 
 Chaiillon . . . Mr. 
 
 King John " at this date is one of the finest 
 
 . Mr. Booth. 
 . Mr. Forrest. 
 . . Mr. Scott. 
 . Mr. Thayer. 
 W. H. Smith. 
 . Mr. Comer. 
 Mr. B. Blaike. 
 Mr. G. Jones. 
 . Mr. Whiting. 
 Mr. W. Jones. 
 Collingbourne. 
 
 Essex 
 
 James Gurney . . 
 Citizen of Angiers . 
 
 Heralds • • • { 
 
 Prince Henry . . 
 Prince Arthur . . 
 Lady Constance 
 Queen Elinor 
 Lady Faulconbridge 
 Blanch of Castile 
 
 . Mr. Leman. 
 
 Mr. Clements. 
 
 . Mr. Hyatt. 
 Mr. J. S. Jones. 
 Mr. Eberle. 
 
 Miss McBride. 
 Mrs. G. Barrett. 
 
 . . Mrs. Duff. 
 Mrs. W. Jones. 
 
 Mrs. Campbell. 
 Mrs. Papanti. 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 103 
 
 production in New 
 preserving. 
 
 Metamora 
 Lord Fitzarnold 
 Sir Arthur Vaugha 
 Guy of Go da 
 Horatio . 
 Errington . 
 Church 
 Wolfe . . 
 Tramp . . 
 Holyoke . 
 Goodenough 
 Kanshine . 
 Child . . 
 Oceana 
 Nahmeokee 
 
 York. Both casts are well worth 
 
 Park Theatre, New 
 York, 1829. 
 
 Mr. Forrest. 
 
 Mr. Richings. 
 
 Mr. Chapman. 
 
 Mr. Woodhull. 
 
 Mr. Barry. 
 
 Mr. Langton. 
 
 Mr. T. Placide. 
 
 Mr. Nexsen. 
 
 Mr. Povey. 
 
 Mr. Wheatley. 
 
 Mr. . 
 
 Mr. Blakely. 
 
 Miss S. Parker. 
 
 Mrs. Hilson. 
 
 Mrs. Sharpe. 
 
 Tremont Theatre, 
 Boston, 1830. 
 
 Mr. Forrest. 
 
 Mr. Scott. 
 
 Mr. W. Jones. 
 
 Mr. Wilson. 
 
 Mr. W. H. Smith. 
 
 Mr. Comer. 
 
 Mr. G. Jones. 
 
 Mr. B. Blaike. 
 
 Mr. J. S. Jones. 
 
 Mr. Leman, 
 
 Mr. Eberle. 
 
 Mr. Collingbourne. 
 
 Mrs. G. Barrett. 
 Mrs. Duff. 
 
 Mrs. Duff's performance was highly praised for its 
 pathos and truth to nature, and was pronounced a noble 
 counterpart to Forrest's Metamora, whose admirable 
 portraiture of Aboriginal character gave an un waning 
 popularity to the tragedy for more than thirty years. 
 
 On the loth of March Mrs. Duff for the first time 
 played in Mrs. Inchbald's comedy of " Every One Has 
 His Fault " as the discarded daughter and wretched 
 wife and mother, Lady Elinor Irwin, whose sufferings 
 in her hands excited the profoundest sympathy. 
 
 On the 24th she personated Queen Elizabeth to 
 :Mr. Hackett's wonderful imitation of Kean as Richard 
 III, Mr. Hackett was a born comedian. He achieved 
 great success in various departments of humor and 
 was for years the only acknowledged representative of 
 
I04 ^^^S- DUFF. 
 
 Fahtaff, who seems to have died with him ; yet he 
 had a perpetual hankering after the honors of tragedy 
 and, as lately as 1840, during an engagement at the 
 Park Theatre, New York, played Lear three times and 
 Hamlet once or twice, more to the satisfaction of him- 
 self however than of the public. 
 
 In April Mrs. Duff undertook two entirely new 
 characters : Rosiiie in the celebrated Fanny Wright's 
 tragedy of " Altorf ; " and soon after that of Amabel in 
 Miss Mitford's "Julian," but neither added to her fame ; 
 nor has either play, wherever performed, had more 
 than a transient success. For her benefit, she brought 
 out Scott's "House of Aspen," in which she personated 
 Isabella with such success that several repetitions were 
 demanded before the close of the season. 
 
 A trip to Baltimore followed, where on the 3d of 
 May she opened as Jane Shore. On the loth she 
 appeared for the first time as Ljicy Ashton in " The 
 Bride of Lammermoor," and in her long neglected 
 character of the Coimtess of Lovelaiigh in the comedy 
 of " Rochester." 
 
 During this engagement she played a large number 
 of her favorite characters, with the strong support of 
 Messrs. Cooper, Forrest, Hamblin, Archer, Walton, 
 Mrs. Hamblin (the first), Mrs. Ma>^vood, and others. 
 For the first time she also personated Rebecca in 
 " Ivanhoe." 
 
 On the 9th of June Mrs. Duff commenced an en- 
 gagement at the Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, 
 in the character of Adelgitha, — taking her benefit on 
 the 14th in "The Bohemian Mother " and in part of 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 105 
 
 "The Merchant of Venice." Mr. Duff, who for a long 
 time has been lost sight of, appeared in the afterpiece 
 as Looney McTwolter. The engagement was renewed 
 for a few nights and terminated with another benefit 
 on the 23d, when she played Cordelia with the aid of 
 Mr. Booth as King Lear. Her husband also appeared 
 as Teagiie in " The Honest Thieves." 
 
 It was probably of this performance that the amiable 
 and accurate Mrs. Trollope, in her " Domestic Manners 
 of the Americans," wrote that she went to see Mr. Booth, 
 formerly of Drury Lane, in the character of Lear and 
 a Mrs. Duff in Cordelia, but that she had seen too 
 many Lears and Cordelias to be easily pleased, and 
 thought the whole performance very bad. 
 
 Returning to Boston Mrs. Duff closed the season by 
 appearing as Mrs. LLaller, Lmogine, and Lsabella in 
 "The House of Aspen," the last on the ist of July. 
 During the preceding nine months she had played 
 more than one hundred times, or an average of every 
 alternate play-night. 
 
 In the autumn of 1830 a new theatre was erected 
 in Baltimore for Messrs. Booth and Duff, to which 
 the proprietors gave the name of the Adelphi, but 
 which, in consequence of its poor location, soon 
 gained the unenviable title of the Mud Theatre. 
 Here Mr. and Mrs. Duff appeared on the 4th of 
 October in the tragedy of " Isabella." The house was 
 scarcely ready however for an audience, and on the 
 6th inst. the company, which was a strong one, pre- 
 sented at the Holliday Street Theatre the tragedy of 
 " The Distrest Mother " with Booth, Porter, Mrs. Duff, 
 and Mrs. Hughes in the leading parts. 
 
I06 ^^^^^- DUFF. 
 
 At the Adelphi on the 28th of October Mrs. Duff 
 played Portia to the Shylock of Mr. Charles Kean ; and 
 on another evening she enacted the Queen Mother to his 
 Hamlet, in the extraordinary cast of that tragedy when 
 Mr. Booth played the Second Actor {\) Mr. Warren 
 Polonius, Mr. Archer Laertes, Mr. Duff the Ghost, 
 Mr. John Sefton Osric, ^Ir. Flynn the Gravedigger, 
 and Mrs. Flynn Ophelia. 
 
 It was perhaps for Charles Kean's benefit that Mr. 
 Booth voluntarily assumed this trifling part, for the 
 purpose of attracting a large house by its startling 
 absurdity, and for the enactment of which he was hon- 
 ored with round upon round of enthusiastic applause. 
 Kean, a youthful star at this time, possessed Uttle 
 brilliancy of his own, and had played his engagements 
 in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore to receipts 
 averaging less than the nightly expenses of the theatre. 
 
 The entire month of November was passed by ]Mrs. 
 Duff at the Chestnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, 
 where on the iSth she added the character of Zorayda 
 in '"The East Indian " to her repertory. She received 
 two benefits during this period, at one of which she 
 appeared in ''The Gamester" and "The Maid and 
 Magpie" with Mr. Cooper as Beverley; and at the 
 other, November 29, as Florinda in " The Apostate," 
 when her husband played Make, — probably his last 
 appearance on any stage. 
 
 1831. 
 
 On December 31, 1830, was announced Mrs. Duff's 
 first appearance at the theatre in Charleston, S. C, then 
 
iV/^S. DUFF. 
 
 107 
 
 managed by Mr. Faulkner, her initial character being 
 Isabella. She continued there until the latter part of 
 March, 1831, occasionally supported by Mr. Forrest, 
 occasionally by Mr. Cooper, and on one occasion in 
 "The Distrest Mother" by Frederick Brown, formerly 
 of Boston. It is worthy of notice that in the company 
 at the time was George H. Hill, afterwards known under 
 the popular name of Yankee Hill, who played anything, 
 from the Senthicl in " Pizarro " and Cateshy in " Jane 
 Shore " down to the ruffian Pedro in " Isabella," — or 
 any subordinate part in which he might be cast. 
 
 Mrs. Duff on the 9th of April reappeared at the 
 Chestnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, in the character 
 Q>i Adelgitha — the scholarly Mr. Barton, afterwards the 
 friend and adviser of Miss Cushman, playing Guiscard 
 and Mr. Wood Michael Ducas. 
 
 Augustus Addams, then in his youthful prime and 
 giving promise of a prosperous career as a tragedian, 
 here brought out the tragedy of " Miantonimoh, or the 
 Wept of Wish-ton-wish," which had already been suc- 
 cessfully played in New York. Addams of course 
 represented the hero Cofianchet and Mrs. Duff made 
 a deep impression as the pale-faced Indian maiden 
 Narramattah . 
 
 Mrs^ Duff , was progressing successfully with her 
 engagement \vheii tlie dangerous condition of her hus- 
 band's health caused her retirement. His death occurred 
 on the 28th of April, 1831, at the age of forty-four. 
 Mr. Wood says of him that he always maintained a 
 high reputation with the audience of Philadelphia. 
 He was long an esteemed member of the company, 
 
I08 ^'^^^S. DUFF. 
 
 greatly respected for his gentle and unassuming man- 
 ners and his excellent conduct in his domestic rela- 
 tions. Duff was conspicuous for his gravity and reserve 
 in private life, while in public he seemed all vivacity 
 and spirit. 
 
 A benefit was given to Mrs. Duff on the 14th of 
 May, although she took no part in the performances, 
 which consisted of the romance of " The Ethiop " and 
 the farce of " Love Laughs at Locksmiths." Mr. 
 and Mrs. Wood, Messrs. John Woodhull, Darley, 
 Porter, H. Eberle, \V. B. Chapman, J. Mills Brown, 
 and Charles Green, with Mrs. C. Durang, Miss Ham- 
 ilton, and Miss Caroline Chapman were in the casts. 
 The last, a very talented young lady so highly appre- 
 ciated at Burton's Chambers Street Theatre a few 
 years later, and who now played as Miss Greenwood, 
 enacted Zoe in the play and Lydia in the farce. 
 
 The necessities of her family however required an 
 early resumption of Mrs. Duff's duties, and on the 24th 
 of May she reappeared in Chestnut Street as Mrs. 
 Hallcr to the StraJtger of Mr. A. Addams, terminating 
 her engagement on the 30th as Florinda. 
 
 On the 7th of June she made her first appearance 
 for the season at the Tremont Theatre, Boston, as Mrs. 
 Hallcr, following it with Elvira, Mrs. Beverley, Amelia 
 St. Germaiii in Dunlap's " Fate of a Gamester " (first 
 time), Evadiie, Mathildc, and Lnmalee (first time) in 
 " Melmoth the Wanderer." 
 
 Mrs. Duff next fulfilled a fortnight's engagement in 
 New York, and made her first appearance for four 
 years at the Bowery Theatre on the 22d of June. She 
 
MRS. DUFF. 109 
 
 played J^ane Shore, supported by Mr. Booth as Gloste?-, 
 Mr. Cooper as Hastings, Mr. Hamblin as Dumont, 
 and Mrs. Stone as Alicia, — a cast of unprecedented 
 excellence. Her second appearance was on the 24th 
 as Lady Ra7idolph, with Hamblin as Young Nerval, 
 Booth as Old Norval, and Cooper as Gknalvon. At 
 the bottom of the bill was the announcement that " the 
 tragedy of ' Jane Shore ' having been received by a 
 crowded and brilliant audience with the most thrilling 
 and rapturous applause, Mrs. Duff will make her third 
 appearance these four years on Saturday next in that 
 character, supported by the powerful talents of Messrs. 
 Cooper, Booth, and Hamblin." The Mif-ror spoke 
 of her performance of this part (which she repeated 
 three times) as evincing even more than her usual 
 power and producing an intense impression on her 
 audience. She took her benefit on the 6th of July as 
 Lady Co7istance and Mathilde, Booth personating King 
 John, Hamblin Faiilconbridge, Scott Hubert, and pretty 
 Miss Pelby the persecuted Pri?ice Arthur. 
 
 The next engagement of Mrs. Duff was at the Wal- 
 nut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, where she opened as 
 jfane Shore on the 13th of July. She here again had 
 the brilliant co-operation of Messrs. Booth, Cooper, 
 Hamblin, Barton, Rowbotham, Wemyss, Mrs. May- 
 wood, Mrs. Rowbotham, Miss Riddle, and others. The 
 bill of this performance is given on the following page. 
 
 For her benefit on the 27th she appeared in her still 
 favorite character of jfuliet, Mr. Barton playing Romeo, 
 and Mr. Hamblin Mercutio, each for the first time in 
 America. Her engagement and her labors for the 
 
^\^ALNUT STREET. 
 
 Powerful Attraction! 
 Grand Concentration of 
 
 TALENT. 
 
 T'ne Managers of this Establishment, anxious to gratify their patrons 
 and the lovers of the Drama, have spared neither pains nor expense to 
 render the Theatre worthy of public patronage, and in addition to the 
 Brilliant names of 
 
 COOPER, 
 
 BOOTH, 
 
 AND 
 
 BARTON, 
 
 They have added that favourite Actress, 
 
 MRS. DUFF, 
 
 Who will appear this Evening in the Character of 
 
 JJ^NE SHORE. 
 
 Wednesday Evening, July 13, 1831. 
 
 Will be presented Rowe's celebrated Tragedy of 
 
 JANE SHORE. 
 
 Richard, Duke of Gloster Mr. BOOTH. 
 
 Lord Hastings Mr. COOPER. 
 
 Dumont Mr. BARTON. 
 
 Jane Shore Mrs. DUFF. 
 
 Ahcia Mrs. MAYWOOD. 
 
 After which., [2d time'] the laughable Farce of 
 
 Past 10 o'clock. 
 
 TO-MORROW EVENING, 
 
 Mr. J. R. Smith's Benefit. 
 
MRS. DUFF. Ill 
 
 season ended on the 30th of July, when for the benefit 
 of Mr. Maywood she appeared as Lady Macbeth and 
 Elvira in selections from " Macbeth " and " Pizarro." 
 
 The fall season of 1831 was opened by Mrs. Duff at 
 the x\rch Street Theatre, Philadelphia, September 14, 
 in the character of Jajte Shore, with the celebrated Mrs. 
 Drake — the so-called "Queen of the West" — as 
 Alicia. Messrs. Cooper, Archer, and John R. Scott, 
 a young and popular actor of the Forrest school, were 
 also in the cast. The combination of Mrs. Drake with 
 Mrs. Duff in the same play attracted much attention 
 and afforded a long wished for opportunity of compar- 
 ing their very different yet powerfully exciting styles of 
 acting. 
 
 To Mrs. Drake's passionate Roxana, Mrs. Duff 
 portrayed the tender gentleness of Statira ; to her 
 (dashing worldliness as the fashionable Miss Dorillon, 
 Mrs. Duff exhibited the retiring modesty and conjugal 
 submissiveness of the amiable Lady Priory ; while to 
 her fiery Emilia, Mrs. Duff's touching sweetness and 
 resigned endurance of undeserved suffering as Desde- 
 mona proved a most affecting and harmonious con- 
 trast. 
 
 On one occasion at this period Mrs. Duff played 
 Lady Randolph to the Young Norval of the child- 
 actress Alexina Fisher, afterwards the idol of the Phila- 
 delphia stage, and now the esteemed and popular Mrs. 
 Baker. 
 
 On the 5th of October she was complimented with 
 a house of eight hundred and fifty dollars for her bene- 
 fit (admission to boxes seventy-five cents, to pit thirty- 
 
112 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 seven and one-half cents) , playing Eugenia in " The 
 Foundling of the Forest," and introducing to the stage 
 her eldest daughter Mary as Ej'tiestine in " The Som- 
 nambulist " with entire success. Young, beautiful, and 
 highly accomplished, Mary Duff afterwards became 
 Mrs. A. Addams and, later, Mrs. J. G. Porter ; but 
 few could have anticipated at this period the ultimate 
 unhappiness of her later years. 
 
 Edmund Beauchamp, the hero of " The Somnambu- 
 list," was personated by James E. Murdoch, the gentle- 
 man and scholar, who was then gaining fame in a line 
 of youthful parts, and who has since been highly es- 
 teemed as a genteel comedian and elocutionist.* 
 
 Mrs. Duff next fulfilled a brief engagement at Balti- 
 more, adding there one new character to her list — 
 that of Elspat McTavish in a drama founded on Scott's 
 " Highland Widow." For her benefit she played Lady 
 Elhioi' Irwin, her daughter appearing in " The Som- 
 nambulist," and as in Philadelphia she was honored 
 with a crowded house. 
 
 She was then secured by Richard Russell for the new 
 Richmond Hill Theatre, New York, where she made 
 her first appearance on the 15th of November, 183 1, 
 in the part of Bdvidera. Her engagement was one 
 continued triumph. She played her old characters 
 with renewed success, and added several new ones to 
 her list, in which she won unbounded approbation. 
 
 * Mr. Murdoch, in his recently published work on the stage, 
 alludes to Mrs. Duff as the most excellent tragic actress of the 
 Old School in America, as a woman of great amiability of 
 disposition and exceedingly nervous temperament. 
 
MRS. DUFF. 113 
 
 The daily press was loud in her praise, and frequent 
 astonishment was expressed that her talents should be 
 confined to so small a stage. Extracts from various 
 newspaper articles are herewith given : — 
 
 " Last evening Mrs. Duff made her first appearance. 
 Of this lady, the first in her line in this country, too 
 much cannot be said either of her professional or pri- 
 vate merit." 
 
 " Mrs. Duff and Mr. Cooper performed Beverley and 
 Mrs. Beverley in " The Gamester " with a spirit and 
 effect equal if not superior to any similar performance 
 in this country. He seems to improve with age ; she 
 needs no improvem^t." 
 
 '' Mrs. Duff, at the Richmond Hill, brings white 
 heads — and wise ones too — to enjoy her striking and 
 powerful playing." 
 
 On the occasion of her benefit, December 15, she 
 appeared in " The Bohemian Mother " and for the 
 seventh time as Rose Redland in the new domestic 
 drama of " The Robber's Wife," a part in which Miss 
 Ellen Tree was eminently successful in London. Call- 
 ing attention to this event the Courier and Enquirer 
 remarked : " Mrs. Duff takes her benefit this evening at 
 Richmond Hill. It is a general remark of those who 
 have had the pleasure of witnessing her performances 
 that it is to them a matter of great surprise why the 
 .first female tragedian of this country should not have 
 the doors of the principal theatres open to her under 
 advantageous engagements. We do not pretend to 
 account for such anomalies." xA.gain : "We have 
 seldom if ever beheld a lady capable of arousing and 
 8 
 
114 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 touching the feelings like Mrs. DufF. With a noble 
 person for the stage, and a face full of soul, she ad- 
 dresses herself to the hearts of her hearers in a voice 
 which for plaintive tenderness and thrilling expression 
 we have never known equalled." 
 
 ^ In the latter part of December Mrs. Duff had a brief 
 leave of absence, which she employed in running 
 through a short engagement in Arch Street, Phila- 
 delphia. 
 
 1832. 
 
 She returned to New York in January, 1832, making 
 her re-entree at Richmond Hill on the 2d of the 
 month in her highly popular part of Rose Redland. 
 The critics again sounded forth her praises in terms 
 hke the following : — 
 
 " Richmond Hill really deser\'es a warm patronage. 
 Mrs. Duff shines forth there as she would shine any- 
 where." 
 
 " Mls^DufLJias no superior on the American stage. 
 Her representations are full of the most touching 
 te_nderness and pathos." 
 
 ''Mrs. Duff lias filled the house whenever she 
 performed." 
 
 " Mrs. Duff is at the head of her profession." 
 
 " The^ talented Mrs. Duff takes a benefit this evening 
 at the Richmond Hill. During her short re-engage- 
 ment she has confirmed the impression of the audience 
 that she has no superior in this country." 
 
 The benefit alluded to took place on the 30th of 
 January, and Mrs. Duff appeared as Adelgitka, and as 
 Mary in the new and popular nautical drama of " Will 
 Watch." 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 115 
 
 On the I St of February the bills of Richmond Hill 
 Theatre bore the following heading : — 
 
 " Re-engagement of Mrs. Duff ! ! R. Russell begs 
 most respectfully to announce to his patrons that on 
 Monday evening a general call was made by the audi- 
 ence for a re-engagement with this talented actress. 
 Having succeeded in doing so, Mrs. Duff will have 
 the honor of making her appearance this evening as 
 Elvira r 
 
 On the 4th of February she appeared as Lady 
 Macbeth, supported by Alexander Wilson as the guilty 
 thane. It was this performance that is referred to by 
 Horace Greeley in his '' Recollections of a Busy Life," 
 in the following passage : " At Richmond Hill I saw 
 ^Irs. Duff personate Lady Macbeth better than it has 
 since been done in this city, though she played for 
 thirty dollars per week and others have since received 
 ten times that amount for a single night. I doubt that 
 any woman has since played in our city — and I am 
 thinking of Fanny Kemble — who was the superior of 
 Mrs. Duff in a wide range of tragic characters." 
 
 Mrs. Duff appears to have been the only actress who 
 made a lasting impression on the mind of Horace 
 Greeley. When editor of the New Yorker, about 
 1836 or 1837, he recun-ed to the fact of her recent 
 prolonged absence from New York, and said that he 
 should not cease alluding to the subject till she was 
 again installed upon our stage, — adding that it was a 
 disgrace to the dramatic taste of the city that her ap- 
 pearance had not been called for in terms too decided 
 to be misunderstood. 
 
Il6 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 Mrs. Duff's engagement terminated on the 8th of 
 February, but slie was found to be so attractive that 
 Mr. Russell announced on the 12th that he had in- 
 duced her to relinquish her southern tour and that she 
 was re-engaged for the balance of the season. 
 
 Although she was the undisputed representative of 
 the loftiest characters on our stage, her appearance in 
 minor dramas was found more profitable to the theatre ; 
 and therefore, in addition to parts already mentioned, 
 she was brought forward as Mary the Innkeeper's 
 Daughter, Lissette the Sergeant's Wife, Ella Rosen- 
 berg, Innogen in " Adelmorn the Outlaw," Zelmda in 
 " The Slave," and Victorine in the new drama of that 
 name, — in which she met with the highest popular 
 success and warmest critical approval. She took her 
 final benefit for the season on the 9th of April, when she 
 appeared as Lyieushee Lovell, the Gypsy of Ashlmrn- 
 ham Glen, her daughter Mary making her first appear- 
 ance in New York as Hele7i Worrett in " Man and 
 
 Wii^^J^AJjmiuL^XkZ^^ Dead Shot." 
 , Of Miss Mary Duff the Philadelphia Album had 
 'lately given this description: "With all the elegance, 
 dignity, and purity that characterize the style of her 
 mother's acting, she combines exquisite beauty and 
 grace of carriage. Her voice has much of the melody 
 and pathos of her mother's and in the low and soft 
 tones is peculiarly and touchingly sweet and melting. 
 Her readings are correct and spirited and won her 
 much and merited applause. When time and practice 
 have added fullness and force to her voice and domes- 
 ticated her more completely to the stage, this charming 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 117 
 
 young lady will be found perfectly worthy to wear the 
 mantle of her accomplished motheri 
 
 Mrs. Duff next journeyed-'ToT3oston, where she 
 reappeared at the Tremont Theatre in conjunction 
 with Mr. Forrest, on the ist of May, in the tragedy 
 of " Macbeth." During their engagement, to his 
 uMdfamora, Spartaciis, Pierre, Othello, and Carwm she 
 appeared as Nahmeokee, Senona, Belvidera, Emilia 
 (first time), and Therese, and on her benefit night as 
 Elvira to his Rolla and her daughter's Cora, this 
 being the latter's first appearance in Boston. A very 
 large and fashionable audience collected on this occa- 
 sion to give a token of respect to an old favorite, and 
 to welcome the daughter to the stage that had so long 
 been worthily graced by the mother. 
 
 Mrs. Duff's engagement was renewed, but here as in 
 New York, at so late a period in the season, her most 
 attractive performances were in '"'The Bohemian 
 Mother," " The Robber's Wife," '' The Foundling of 
 the Forest," and a new drama entitled "The Cradle 
 of Liberty," from Cooper's " Lionel Lincoln," in 
 which she represented the character of Crazy Nab. 
 The Boston critics were as earnest and as forcible in 
 her praise as they had ever been. She was still pro- 
 nounced with out a rival in the c ountry, and Jier per- 
 fect enu nciation, propriety of action, and jim pie., dignity 
 ofmanneF were recommended to the ladies of the 
 cityT'^'standards of excellenc e worthy of their closest 
 
 During the preceding nine months Mrs. Duff's name 
 is found attached to one hundred and thirty-eight 
 
I 
 
 Il8 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 characters, the mostjre quenJLsingle perfomvance being 
 that of J^ose J^edland, yxhich. she personated fourteen 
 times. Victoritie was the next in number, having had 
 eleven representations. Belvidera, Mathilde, and Maf-y 
 in '• Will Watch " were each given seven times ; Mrs. 
 Ifaller, Eugefiia, and Lissette in " The Sergeant's 
 Wife," each six times ; and numerous others, five rep- 
 resentations or less. 
 
 Where is the actress now who would submit to such 
 onerous requirements or be able to endure such an 
 immensejiuotmt-of teborkms study? 
 j Upto this period ]\Irs. Duff had had no rival in the 
 tragic line, but a new and brilliant star was soon to 
 appear in the theatrical firmament which threatened 
 to echpse all other contemporar}^ orbs on the eastern 
 borders of our hemisphere ; and the advent of Fanny 
 Kemble, with her youth, beauty, talent, and foreign 
 prestige, left small room for older lights to revolve in. 
 Very wisely therefore Mrs. Duff enlisted under the 
 banner of Messrs. Caldwell and Russell for a campaign 
 in the western and southern sections of our country. 
 She made her first appearance in Cincinnati, October 
 3, 1832, in the character of Adelgitha, and played a 
 round of her most popular parts, terminating on the 
 15th in " The Bohemian Mother." 
 
 Her principal support here was from Messrs. Cald- 
 well, Scott, James Thorne, Russell, Field (father of 
 the distinguished Miss Kate Field of to-day), Gray, 
 Muzzy, Houpt, Mrs. Russell, Mrs. Muzzy, Miss Jane 
 Placide, Mrs. Rowe, Miss Petrie, and ^Irs. Higgins, — 
 some of them well known in our eastern cities, and all 
 of them highly popular in the West. 
 
MRS. DUFF. iiQ 
 
 / Her engagement ended, Mrs. Duff travelled with the 
 icompany towards New Orleans. Either on this or a 
 /subsequent voyage down the Mississippi the Asiatic 
 cholera broke out among the passengers on the steamer 
 with the most fatal results, and here the beauty and 
 sympathetic tenderness of her character shone out 
 with a lustre that gave her more true glory than all her 
 triumphs of art upon the mimic stage. 
 
 Fearless for herself she ministered to the sick and 
 dying with all the devotion of a woman's nature, and 
 whispered words of comfort and Christian hope to 
 many a sinking wretch who before had found few to 
 pity him and none to save. On her arrival at New 
 Orleans the survivors tendered her a vote of thanks, 
 couched in the most eulogistic terms, which was pub- 
 lished in all the papers of the day.; 
 
 1833- 
 
 1 She made her first appearance in New Orleans on 
 the 27th of November, 1832, in her wonderful per- 
 formance of Isabella, and continued to play at intervals 
 until the middle of March, 1833, but was required to 
 study no new part during her engagement. ^^ Mr. Barton 
 was her most efficient support as the heroes of her 
 plays, and with his aid she enacted Mrs. Haller, Mrs. 
 Beverley, Lady Macbeth, Cordelia, and Elvira. 
 
 pWiTinHe^spring IVIfs. "Buff turned her face north- 
 ward, but no record of her movements has JDeen found 
 until late in June, when she was announce^ to appear 
 at the Richmond Hill Thpai-rp^jN^w Yo^k, tRR n under 
 the direction of Moses S.'^^hillips. Her engagement 
 
* 
 
 I20 ^ ' * MRS. DUFF. 
 
 ^?'^^\ I — 
 
 there must have Dcen almost profitless. /.Jheatrical 
 busin.ess,_al\vaxs^ dull at that season of the year, was 
 unusually so in the summer of 1833, Tor TTiF play^ 
 attending public had been over-fed and over-excitedi 
 during the preceding season at the Par k and Bow eryj 
 by the constant attractions of the Kembles, Forrest, 
 Cooper, Booth, Hamblin, Charles Kean, Horn, " Yan- 
 kee " Hill, Mrs. Austin, Miss Hughes, Clara Fisher, 
 Master Burke, Miss Chfton, Miss Vincent, Madame 
 Pedrotti, Fornasari, and the" Daponte opera troupe, 
 and now required a period of repose. Although Mrs. 
 Duff was sustained by a company in which were found 
 the favorite names of Mr. and Mrs. Hilson, Mr. and 
 Mrs. Flynn, Frederick Brown, Charles Young, and 
 other respectable performers, her claims were unheeded 
 and she played her engagement to wretchedly sparse 
 audiences, taking her farewell benefit on the i8th of 
 July in t he characte xnf Kathefine the Shrew. 
 
 >isappointed and disheartened with the result of 
 her year's labors, embarrassed in her pecuniary affairs, 
 involved in debt by the extravagance of her family, 
 and painfully affected by the recklessness of some of 
 its members, Mrs. Duff had now fallen into a state of 
 despondency verging on insanity. 
 
 It was while she was in this melancholy condition 
 that her friends were astounded by the report of her 
 marriage to Mr. Young, then of the Richmond Hill 
 company, and previously well known in all the leading 
 theatres of the country. It appeared that Mr. Young, 
 while escorting her from rehearsal one morning, sug- 
 gested marriage to her, which, after naming certain 
 
MRS. DUFF. 12 1 
 
 Stipulations and reservations, she accepted ; and having 
 invited Mr. and Mrs. Hilson to accompany them as 
 witnesses, the parties went through the nuptial cere- 
 mony according to the ritual both of the Catholic and 
 Episcopal churches. The peculiarity of the affair was 
 that Mrs. Duff immediately disavowed and repudiated 
 the act, never in any way acknowledged Mr. Young as 
 a husband, and the marriage was soon after legally dis- 
 solved. In her petition for its annulment she asserted 
 that she was persuaded to take this step while in a tem- 
 porary alienation of niind produced by opium taken / 
 during a season of illness and severe domesti c sorrow. j J 
 
 Many reasons have been assigned for this most sin- 
 gular marriage, but the following, furnished by her friend 
 Mrs. Charles Durang, is probably the true one : " Mrs. 
 Duff was overwhelmed with debts accumulated by the 
 extravagance of her family. In an unfortunate moment 
 Charles Young beheld her distraction and offered his 
 hand to her to aid her, representing that he had just 
 fallen heir to a large property in England, which he 
 would settle on her children if she would accept him. 
 Maternal affection prevailed, conditions were agreed 
 to, and the ceremony was twice performed. Scarce 
 were the ceremonies over when he confessed the im- 
 position he had practised, that he was not worth a 
 cent, and that the proviso she had made, — Jiot to live 
 with him for three years — was a simple nullity. Her 
 brain could bear no more ; reason gave way, — when 
 Mrs. Ewing went on to New York and brought her 
 to Frankford, Pennsylvania, where she continued to 
 reside till her mind was sufficiently restored for her 
 to resume her profession." 
 
122 ^^^S' DUFF. 
 
 That illness and domestic trouble, combined with 
 professional misfortunes, caused a temporary insanity 
 there can be no doubt, and to the kind attentions of 
 her friends in Frankford she was indebted for her 
 restoration to the stage and to society. 
 
 1834. 
 
 On resuming her labors she is first found at the Chest- 
 nut Street, Philadelphia, where she opened as Adelgitha, 
 on the 13th of January, 1834. During this engage- 
 ment she twice played Lucy Ashton in " The Bride of 
 Lammermoor," and on her benefit night appeared as 
 Elvira to Mr. Murdoch's first performance of Rolla. 
 
 After an engagement at Baltimore she was announced 
 at the Pittsburg Theatre, where she played a number 
 of her prominent parts with Messrs. A. Addams, Oxley, 
 Wemyss, the Sefton brothers, etc. in the cast. On 
 one occasion she personated Nahmeokee to Mr. For- 
 rest's Metajuora, her name being in larger letters on 
 the bill than that of the eminent actor she supported. 
 She took her benefit on the 3d of March as Jane Shore 
 and Rose Redland, but played two additional nights, — 
 on one as Elvii^a and the other as Mathilde. 
 
 The remainder of the month of March she played 
 in Baltimore, but probably with little pecuniary profit, 
 judging from the following pitiful letter written from 
 there to Mrs. Durang in Philadelphia. 
 
 " Dear Madam, — I trust you will pardon my again 
 troubhng you, but Matilda in her last letter again for- 
 got to mention her place of abode. I addressed a 
 
MRS. DUFF. 123 
 
 letter to her last week which is not answered ; I sup- 
 pose it yet lies in the office. ]Mr. Isherwood run off 
 this morning in every one's debt. I wish to return 
 home when it may please my children to let me know 
 where that home is. 
 
 " Give my love to your mother. I hope you and the 
 children are all well. That they may bring you com- 
 fort is the fervent wish of 
 
 Your friend, Mary Ann Duff. 
 
 "There is a Young person here who has had the 
 impudence to sit in the front of the house and look 
 at me. M. A. D. 
 
 " Excuse this wretched scrawl as I am both ill and 
 troubled. I shall be with Wemyss next winter." 
 
 The " young person " alluded to in her note was 
 doubtless her soi-disaiit husband, whom ordinary deli- 
 cacy one would suppose might have kept from obtrud- 
 ing himself so conspicuously upon her. 
 
 In April she had a brief engagement at Washington, 
 D. C, and in July played several nights with her daugh- 
 ter in Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. 
 
 The fall season of 1834 commenced in Baltimore 
 where Mrs. Duff had many ardent friends. The con- 
 clusion of her engagement there was honored \vith a 
 complimentary testimonial on the 8th of December, 
 tendered by eminent residents of the city, and the per- 
 formances were sustained by the voluntary aid of the 
 companies both of the Front Street and Holliday Street 
 theatres. On this occasion Mrs. Duff appeared in her 
 two most popular characters, Madame Clermont and 
 
124 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 Mat/iilde, and delivered a poetical address ^^Titten for 
 her by J. H. Hewitt, Esq. of Baltimore. 
 
 In December she commenced an engagement with 
 Mr. Wemyss in the Walnut Street Theatre, Philadel- 
 phia, playing, on the 29th of the month, Tullia to the 
 Brutus of Mr. J. H. Oxley, one of the numerous 
 meteoric lights then glittering in the theatrical firma- 
 ment, whose attractive brilliancy was soon doomed to 
 be dimmed forever. 
 
 1835. 
 
 On the 2d of January, 1835, ^'^^ played Mrs. Haller 
 to his Stranger, and on the 9th gave her charming 
 personation of Calanthe to the Damon of Mr. A. 
 Addams and the Pythias of Mr. Edmon S. Conner, 
 who then made his first appearance in his native city 
 where he long continued to be greatly liked. The 
 company at this theatre, if not entirely of the highest 
 order of merit, was an exceedingly popular one, com- 
 prising among its members many notable favorites with 
 the audience, — Oxley, Conner, the Seftons (William 
 and John), Mr. and Mrs. Charles Thorne, Mr. and 
 Mrs. W. Kent (the ladies remarkable for personal 
 beauty), Mrs. Frederick Brown, J. Mills Brown, We- 
 myss, W. Jones, J. G. Porter, A. W. Jackson, Mestayer, 
 Thayer, Alexina Fisher, Mrs. Duff and Miss Mary 
 Duff, with the celebrated William Barrymore as stage 
 manager. Mr. Booth frequently appeared here as a 
 star, as did Augustus Addams, who now stood at the 
 summit of his fame ; and when Mrs. Duff gave them 
 her support her name was still announced in capitals 
 as large as theirs. Her beauty of face may have some- 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 125 
 
 what faded, butter dignity -af-persarr^rrd skill in her 
 art__had not^ in the least declined. She was still ad- 
 mired and applaucfedT'an'd was hr every way worthy 
 of being the leading tragedienne of any theatre. In 
 February and early in March she played Queen Eliz- 
 abeth (three times), Florinda, Mrs. Haller, and Queen 
 Gertrude, to Booth's Richard, Pescara, Strafiger, and 
 Hamlet. March 9 she performed Lady Macbeth to 
 A. Addams's Macbeth for her benefit, which yielded 
 her one hundred and fifty-one dollars, her salary being 
 probably still only thirty dollars per week. Booth and 
 Addams combined on the 17th, i8th, and 19th, when 
 she appeared in succession as Belvidera, Portia, and 
 Constance to the former's Jaffier, Cassius,'dJcvA King 
 John and the latter's Pie7're, Brutus, and Faulcon- 
 bridge. She also played Florinda to Booth's Pes car a 
 on the 20th, and Queen Elizabeth to his Richard on 
 the 2ist, his remuneration for the last five nights being 
 five hundred dollars without taking a benefit. 
 
 On the occasion of Miss Mary Duffs benefit, April 
 4, Mrs. Duff for the first and only time appeared as 
 the amiable Mrs. B?'omley to her daughter's Mrs. 
 Simpson in the popular farce of " Simpson and Co." 
 
 On April 1 3 she was again in Baltimore, commencing 
 v/ith Adelgitha and, towards the close of the month, 
 playing for the first time Elizabeth in " The Golden 
 Farmer " to De Camp's Harry Hammer and Hada- 
 way's yemmy Twitcher. Returning to Philadelphia 
 Mrs. Duff made her last appearance on the Chestnut 
 Street boards, June 5, for the benefit of Mrs. W. Jones 
 in the character of Euge?iia in " The Foundling of the 
 
126 ^RS- J^UFF. 
 
 Forest." She also played for Mr. Philip Warren's 
 benefit in Walnut Street, June 23, as Emilia to her 
 daughter's Desdejnona, Addams's Othello, Wood's lago, 
 and Conn er's Cassio. — — 
 
 The autu mn ^C^835 fo und her engaged to Mr. 
 Dinneforoof the new little Franklin Theatre, Chatham 
 Square, New York, where she made her first appear- 
 ance as Mrs. Haller on the 8th of September. 
 \ Her performances were commenced under the hap- 
 piest of auspices and never during her entire career 
 had she achieved a higher artistic succe-ss.- The house 
 was nightly filled to overflowing, and though not the 
 resort of fashion, it regularly found many of the most 
 intellectual and cultivated of New York's citizens within 
 its walls. All were spellbound as of old. Her soul- 
 subduing voice still melted the hearts of tlie sternest 
 listeners, and caused the tears of sympathy to moisten 
 many a man's unwilling cheek. ^ borrow, sickness, and 
 disappointment had not quelled the fire of genius ; and 
 in queenliness of carriage, grace of action,' p urity and 
 force~~6T ^T^p^lf^f»^^^<^r «;w<^pt n et;^ ancL naturalness^^oT 
 colloquial discourse, the withering glance of scorn, tlte 
 crushing tone of indignation, the appeal of tenderness, 
 and in every varying emotion of the soul she was still 
 the pathetic, powerful, brilliant, and impassioned actress 
 whose magnetic quality aroused the enthusiasm of her 
 audiences and sustained their interest in her characters 
 unflagging to the end. ' ^ > 
 
 Mrs. I>u£Mblt6wed her first performance with Elo- 
 rimla, Isabella^ Ailclgifha, Calanthe, Lady Randolph 
 (to the Young Noi'val of Mrs. Hamblin), Lady Priory 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 127 
 
 (to Mr. and Mrs. Blake's Bronzcly and Miss Doril- 
 lofi), Mrs. Beverley (to Blake's Gamester), and Eliza- 
 beth in "The Golden Farmer." 
 
 All were perfect specimens of art; but hejL-most 
 glorious triumph was in Isabella, which she repeated 
 four times, and in which it would seem impossible that 
 she could ever hav e been excelled . \ 
 
 In "The Golden Farmer," first performed here 
 October 5, she had the support of William Sefton 
 as the Farmer, John Sefton as J^emmy Twitcher (an 
 inimitable creation), and of litde Mary Gannon as the 
 child Louisa, — the last to become at Wallack's Thea- 
 tre in after times the most favorite comic actress of 
 her day. 
 
 ^ivirs. UuH tookTei- benefit on the 23d of October 
 in Isabella, and, obtaining a brief leave of absence, 
 went to Philadelphia, where, at Walnut Street on the 
 26th, she opened in the same favorite character. She 
 played Mrs. Beverley on the 27th, Jane Shore on the 
 28th, and for her benefit on the 29th (which was her 
 last appearance on the Philadelphia stage) Adelgitha 
 and Rose Redla?id, — Mr. Conner being her support as 
 Biron, Beverley, Hastings and Alark Redland. The 
 Philadelphia Gazette called attention to her benefit 
 in the following terms : — 
 
 "Mrs. Duff. — This estimable lady and excellent 
 actress takes a benefit at the Walnut Street Theatre 
 to-night, at the close of a very successful engagement. 
 In the whole range of the profession there is not an 
 individual whose claims on public respect and sym- 
 pathy have, precedence to hers. To enumerate them 
 
128 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 would be tedious and altogether unnecessary in a 
 community where her long tried services and domestic 
 worth are so well known )and appreciated. Let her 
 benefit be one in realit y .j 
 
 Mrs. Dun was backm New York on the 2d of 
 November, when she reappeared at the Franklin in 
 "The Golden Farmer." Her succeeding and final 
 characters in New York were Afigela in " The Castle 
 Spectre ; " Lucy Fairlove to Thayer's Ambrose Gwin- 
 ett ; Cahmthe, Imogine, Belvidera, and Desdetnona to 
 David Ingersoll's DamoJi, Bertram, baffler, and 
 Ot/iello ; and Fortia to the Shylock of Mr. Roy, a 
 Southern tragedian. 
 
 Mr. Ingersoll was a most prepossessing and popular 
 young actor of the highest promise, but his abilities 
 were rendered worthless by his unfortunate habits 
 which finally caused his early death. His wife was 
 the youngest daughter of the Philadelphia comedian, 
 Jefferson. 
 
 On the 27th of November a complimentary benefit 
 was given at the Bowery Theatre to its then most 
 favorite comedian, William Gates. Mrs. Duff was 
 selected to deliver the poetical address, and also sus- 
 tained the character of Mrs. Haller in the last two 
 acts of " The Stranger," supported by Mr. A. Addams 
 in the title role. The receipts on this occasion 
 amounted to sixteen hundred dollars. 
 
 On the 30th of November, for the benefit of John 
 Sefton, Mrs. Duff made her last appearance in New 
 York as Elizabeth in the nineteenth representation of 
 "The Golden Farmer." Although the character was 
 
MRS. DUFF. 129 
 
 an affecting one it was short, and subordinate to the 
 comic element of the piece, which was wonderfully- 
 embodied in the ycvimy Tivitchcr of Mr. Sefton, and 
 which proved so attractive to the patrons of the house 
 that Mrs. Duff's services were rendered unnecessary, 
 and the part was thereafter given to a secondary 
 actress. 
 
 The performances of Mrs. Duff were occasionally 
 alluded to in the papers of the day, but without, any 
 attempt at description or analysis. jOne, however, said 
 that " she retained all the vigor, pathos, and energy 
 that characterized her earlier efforts ; " and another, 
 that " she fully sustained her former reputation as an 
 actress." j On the occasion of a wreath being thrown 
 to ner on the stage The Herald pertinently remarked : 
 " A fig for wreaths ; send her bank leaves." 
 
 Mrs. Duff now returned to her desolated home in 
 Philadelphia, followed by an admiring suitor to whom 
 she soon after gave her hand. The gentleman is 
 alluded to in the following letter to Mr. Charles Page, 
 from whom in her distresses she had obtained a loan 
 of money on pledge of personal property. This letter 
 is now in possession of Mr. Toedteberg of Brooklyn, 
 N. Y., to whom we are indebted for a copy. 
 
 " December 10, 1835. 
 " Mr. C. Page : 
 
 " Sir, — The bearer of this, Mr. Seaver, will call on 
 you for the purpose of making an arrangement re- 
 specting my note, which by reason of unexpected ill 
 health I cannot make it quite convenient to take up 
 9 
 
30 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 for a little time, and must request a renewal of it for 
 such further time as Mr. Seaver may agree with you. 
 
 " The moneys which are due me from Mr. J. Jeffer- 
 son,* which you had the collection of, you will please 
 pay over to Mr. Seaver, and his receipt shall be your 
 voucher for the same, 
 
 "It would much please me if it would suit your con- 
 venience to purchase the pianoforte and wardrobe 
 case which you have in your possession, and allow 
 me what they are reasonably worth. The price of the 
 piano was three hundred and fifty dollars, the music 
 stool fifteen dollars, and the green cloth cover twelve 
 dollars ; the wardrobe case was sixty-five dollars, — 
 making four hundred and forty-two dollars, original 
 cost, and the articles are none the worse for wear. 
 
 '•' If you will give me up my note and allow me one 
 hundred and fifty dollars in money you may have the 
 above named articles and conclude the arrangement 
 with Mr, Seaver, who is authorized to effect the sale on 
 such terms if better cannot be had, 
 
 " I am going in a few days to play several engage- 
 ments at the South, and will want all the funds I 
 can command previous to my departure, which is the 
 reason of my desiring the arrangement I have pro- 
 posed. In any event you will be good enough to 
 renew my note as desired, and pay over the moneys 
 collected from the estate of Mr. Jefferson for me to 
 
 * Mr. J. Jefferson, father of the present comedian, for sev- 
 eral seasons manager of the theatre at Washington, D. C, 
 ultimately became bankrupt, and it was probably for her en- 
 gagement there in 1834 that money was owing Mrs, Duff, 
 
MKS. DUFF. J3I 
 
 Mr. Seaver, and in a short time I will be able to remit 
 you the money to take up my note. Your compliance 
 with my request will much oblige 
 
 Yours, with due respect, 
 
 Mary A, Duff." 
 
 1836, 
 
 /\t wh af^prerjsg^ Hate the marriage between Mr.' 
 Seaver and Mrs. Duff took place has not been ascer- 
 tained ; nor is it known whether the engagements 
 alluded to in the preceding letter were ever fulfilled, 
 save one at Washington, D. C, where she gave her last 
 performances in January, 1836, in conjunction with 
 jVIr. William Abbott from Covent Garden, then in 
 the first flush of his x\merican popularity, and where 
 she took her farewell benefit on the ist of February 
 in the characters of yaiie Shore and Portia to Mr. 
 Abbott's Lord Hastings and Shylock. This is the 
 last record discovered of her appearance on the 
 eastern shore of our continent. Very shortly after 
 this Mr. Seaver took his bride to New Orleans, which 
 for nearly twenty years was their usual residence, 
 and where the gentleman is said to have long enjoyed 
 a prosperous and lucrative law practice under the name 
 of Sevier, by which more Southern-sounding appella- 
 tion he chose thereafter to be known. —-"^ 
 
 The newly wedded wife is supposed to have occa- 
 sionally resumed her professional efforts under her 
 former well and widely known name ; but it has been 
 impossible to trace her engagements through the South- 
 ern press, and the first official announcement of her 
 
132 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 reappearance found is in the bills of the St. Louis 
 Theatre, one of which, dated Oct. 13, 1836, bears the 
 following heading : — 
 
 THE CELEBRATED AMERICAN TRAGIC ACTRESS, 
 MRS. DUFF! 
 
 The managers have great pleasure in introducing 
 this lady (who stands at the head of the American 
 stage) to the St. Louis public ; at the same time they 
 cannot but regret that in consequence of the detention 
 on her journey her engagement must now be limited 
 to three nights and a benefit.' 
 
 Her characters here were Adelgitha, Annette, Isa- 
 bella, and (for her benefit) Mrs. Haller. 
 
 The names of the company generally are unfamil- 
 iar to Eastern ears ; but Mr. Ludlow,* one of the 
 managers, was an admired actor of genteel and light 
 comedy, and the other, the celebrated Sol. Smith, was 
 beyond all competition the leading low comedian of 
 the West. His little son Marcus, who on this occasion 
 played the Count's child in " The Stranger," afterwards 
 at Wallack's Theatre became one of New York's most 
 prominent favorites, under the abbreviated name of 
 Mark Smith. 
 
 * Mr. Ludlow, in his lately published " Dramatic Life," 
 speaks of Mrs. Duff's acting as " refined and quiet yet power- 
 ful ; not boisterous but forcible ; graceful in action, and digni- 
 fied without stiffness. Her great personal beauty, added to her 
 talent and amiable qualities as a lad)-, endeared her to all hearts. 
 In Philadelphia she and her husband were frequently spoken 
 of as the haJidsome couple. She was undoubtedly the best tragic 
 actress in the United States." 
 
MRS. DUFF. I-^-, 
 
 1837. 
 
 In April and May, 1837, Mrs. Duff was playing her 
 celebrated characters at the American Theatre, New 
 Orleans, her name being then found on the bills as 
 Isabella, Mrs, Hallcr, Imagine, Lady Macbeth, Portia, 
 Belvidera, jfane Shore, Victori?ie, and Elizabet/^ — her 
 principal support being from Mr. Parsons, the celebra- 
 ted preacher or actor as occasion required. 
 
 On the 3d of June at the St. Charles Theatre for 
 some especial benefit she appeared in the farce of 
 " Frightened to Death " in the character of Emily, — 
 Mrs. Shaw (afterwards Mrs. Hamblin) playing Corinna, 
 and Miss Melton (sister of the late Charles M. Wal- 
 cot) Fatty, a most singular and extraordinary combi- 
 nation in such a piece. 
 
 1838. 
 
 No record of her subsequent appearance has been 
 found until April 21, 1838, when, at the St. Charles 
 Theatre, it was announced that, for the benefit of the 
 Orphan Boys' Asylum of New Orleans, Mrs. Duff had 
 in the kindest manner volunteered her services to per- 
 form the part of Eugenia in " The Foundling of the 
 Forest." 
 
 This is generally supposed to have been her final 
 appearance on the stage, but at the same theatre on 
 the 30th of May she was announced as Florinda in 
 "The Apostate," to the Pescara of Mr. H. G. Pear- 
 son, a young artist of merit, for the benefit of Mrs. 
 Plumer, which probably was in fact her last theatrical 
 appearance. , 
 
134 ' '^^■^'^- ^^''^^■ 
 
 1839-1853. 
 
 / Her public life may be said to have ended here, 
 but only in one sense ; for, although__she had retired 
 from the mimic stage, a broader field of action now 
 'opened orT^KSi' view, and to its holier duties she de- 
 voted the remainder of her days. Renouncing the 
 Catholic faith in which she had been born and edu- 
 cated, s|;ie entered with an earnest zeal the humbler 
 communion"^ "the Methodist Church. She took an 
 active part in its Sabbath School teachings, joined the 
 Temperance Society, and was a distributer of religious 
 tracts as well as an earnest and eloquent supplicant in 
 the frequent meetings for prayer. She soon became 
 noted for her deeds of charity and mercy, for her 
 loving, gentle spirit (which indeed she had always dis- 
 played during the proudest periods of her theatrical 
 career), for her persuasive entreaties to the sinning, 
 her eloquent exhortations to the repentant, and her 
 kindly ministrations to the sick and suffering. 
 
 In the Northern States her society had been courted 
 by the most cultivated classes ; in New Orleans she 
 was the centre of a religious circle, from whom the 
 bounty of her hand and the comfort of her prayers 
 were never withheld. She avoided j^layers and pla}^- 
 houses, and seemingly strove to forget that she had 
 ever been among them. Her husband, it was said, 
 idolized her and furnished her with every facility for 
 gratifying her generous inclinations. Whatever may 
 have been Mr. Seaver's character, or however differ- 
 ent from her in various points, they were for many 
 
AIRS. DUFF. 
 
 135 
 
 years, it is believed, the happiest of couples, and his 
 only aim was to provide her with every comfort and 
 luxury within his power. They occasionally visited 
 the Northern and Middle States, but Mrs. Seaver's 
 associations with the stage were broken, and her re- 
 tiring habits prevented her from renewing her inter- 
 course with her old companions and fellow-players. 
 In her halcyon days she ever shunned, when possible, 
 miscellaneous or general society, as may be seen from 
 the following note from Mrs. Charles Durang of Phil- 
 adelphia, relative to both Mr. and Mrs. Duff: "Mr. 
 Duff was a pohshed, intelligent gentleman, and much 
 sought for by society from which Mrs. Duff shrank. 
 .... Any lady in the theatrical profession who has a 
 young family to attend to cannot indulge in fashionable 
 society where etiquette has to be observed, but all 
 admired her as a model for mothers as well as a 
 superior and enchanting actress." 
 
 This is confirmed by a communication from Mrs. 
 Elizabeth Fisher (once the distinguished Mrs. Richard- 
 son of the old Park Theatre, and daughter of the 
 renowned comedian of Philadelphia, the elder Jeffer- 
 son) who says that beyond an annual visit to her 
 mother she never knew of Mrs. Duff associating with 
 any other family in Philadelphia. 
 
 In one of Mrs. Seaver's later visits to Baltimore she 
 addressed the following letter to her son Thomas, for 
 many years an actor in New York and elsewhere, and 
 now practising law in Quincy, Illinois, who was then 
 engaged at the theatre in Richmond, Virginia. 
 
36 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 "Baltimore, November 13, 1850. 
 
 " My dear Child, — The arrival of your letter this 
 morning removed the anxiety I had felt for some days 
 lest illness prevented your ^vriting. I am much pleased 
 on account of your favorable reception. 
 
 " You mention, my dear, that M has not been as 
 
 well as you could wish Tell her I am more than 
 
 pleased that she regards me as if I were indeed her 
 mother, and if 'nothing occurs to hinder the kind in- 
 tention of my husband, the spring will place us in a 
 situation where I can prove myself a mother to her. 
 
 " Beheve me, my dear son, your absence is as painful 
 to me as to yourself, but I am comforted in some 
 trifling preparations for a litde darling whom grandpapa 
 says I will spoil ; however, if he does with the expected 
 pet as with the others, the spoiling will be quite as 
 much his as mine. He leaves in a few days and will 
 call to see you. He presents his affectionate regards 
 to both. Write soon, my dear child, and be assured 
 that your spiritual and temporal good is the fond wish 
 and fervent prayer of 
 
 Your affectionate mother, 
 
 Mary x\nn Seaver." 
 
 Alienated as she was from the profession, it would 
 seem that she had not lost her entire interest in it, for 
 she here expresses her pleasure at the kind reception her 
 son had met with from the Richmond audience. 
 
 The retiring character of Mrs. DufPs nature might 
 perhaps be inferred from the following " Impromptu to 
 a Wild Violet," which she wrote at New Orleans in 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 137 
 
 June, 1852. It is not presented as a specimen of 
 poetical excellence, but as an illustration of the delicate 
 and melancholy tenderness of her sentiments. 
 
 " Beautiful violet, child of the shade, 
 O that, like thee, I had been made 
 To dwell in some secluded glade, 
 And there unseen to bloom and fade. 
 
 how I love the forest wild, 
 Where the wood-dove, cooing mild, 
 Mourns no lost nor absent child. 
 She, with her brood and loving mate, 
 Is more blest than queenly state 
 Ever made woman whose fond heart 
 Is forced from all she loves to part. 
 
 1 know one doomed to bear such wound 
 As each succeeding year came round ; 
 
 She lives, if breath gives life, seems cold, is proud, 
 Nor speaks her many griefs and wrongs aloud." 
 
 The personal sorrows of Mrs. Seaver were many and 
 severe at this time. Her two elder sons and her second 
 daughter, Eliza, (Mrs. Von Leer), had recently died, 
 and her daughter Mary, who had made a most unfortu- 
 nate marital alliance which brought great anguish to her 
 mother's heart, soon also sunk into the grave.* 
 
 * Mrs. Duff was the mother of jten children, seven of whom, 
 four sons and three daughters, reached maturity. Mary, the 
 eldest (successively Mrs. A. Addams and Mrs. J. G. Porter) 
 possessed great personal beauty, and in early life was a very 
 spirited and charming actress. She died at Memphis, Tennes- 
 see, in 1852, at the age of forty-t\\'o. 
 
 Eliza, the second daughter, attempted the stage with very 
 slight success. She married Mr. Isaac Von Leer and died 
 young, leaving infant children. 
 
 James Lenville Duff, the eldest son, a remarkably handsome 
 
38 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 In addition to her benevolent and religious occupa- 
 tions she sought to soothe_thg_sadn€ss of her soul by 
 employing her idle hours in hterajry pursuits, and at 
 her death left many manuscripts, — prayers and little 
 poems for her children and grandchildren, numerous 
 letters, comments on passages of Scripture, an elaborate 
 disquisition on the Lord's Prayer, and a rehgious novel 
 said to possess great interest. From numerous scraps 
 in this collection it would seem that other troubles, 
 real or imagined, disturbed her mind. One headed 
 " On the Prospect of being Homeless " reads thus : — 
 
 " Grant me a hut near pastures green 
 Where limpid waters bless the scene, 
 That I my mortal thirst may slake 
 At morning-tide when I awake ; 
 But let thy house, O God, be near, 
 That I the word of truth may hear, 
 And, free from earthly care and strife, 
 Drink the glad waters of eternal life." 
 
 During Mrs. Seaver's residence in New Orleans her 
 old friend James Rees of Philadelphia once called 
 
 man, was in the profession principally at the West. He died 
 unmarried at the age of thirty. 
 
 Thomas Thatcher Duff was also noted for his fine personal 
 appearance, and at one time occupied a creditable position on 
 the stage of the old Broadway Theatre, New York. He has 
 been well known in different theatres of the country both as 
 actor and manager. He left the stage several years ago, and 
 is now practising law at Quincy, Illinois. 
 
 Her daughter Matilda and her sons John and William are 
 not known to have ever trod the stage. 
 
 Thomas Duff is the sole survivor of his mother's children, 
 but there are several living descendants in the second and third 
 generations. 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 39 
 
 upon her, — a visit which he has thus described : " Mr. 
 and Mrs. Seaver resided in a neat cottage situated on 
 Canal Street. It was handsomely furnished, and all 
 its surroundings bore evidence of the taste and judg- 
 ment of its owners. I had a most interesting tetc-d'-tete 
 with the distinguished lady. She had become religious, 
 was a member of the Methodist Church, and the even- 
 ing previous to our interview had exhorted at one of 
 its class meetings. A spirit of holy calm rested upon 
 her features ; a smile as if from heaven, rather than of 
 earthly ^owth, lit them up with a sort of supernatural 
 glow. As we gazed upon them we thought of the time 
 when they were worked up by the frenzied passions of 
 the characters of her once glorious art, when as Isa- 
 bella or Lady Macbeth she drew down rounds of 
 applause from her excited audiences, making the w^lls 
 of "Old Drury " * shake to their very centre. She 
 now sat in her soft cushioned chair, not in the robes 
 which at one time m.ade her look every inch a queen, 
 but in the simple garb of a lady, one no longer of the 
 world, worldly, but with the calm quiet dignity of a 
 follower of Jesus, conscious of her usefulness here and 
 of its reward in the great future. ... In our conversa- 
 tion we alluded to William B. Wood, and the theatres 
 of the period in which Mrs. Duff was the ruling star. 
 Closely we watched her countenance. Her eyes bright- 
 ened, and the soul which had long lain dormant and 
 at peace seemed for a moment aroused. The actress 
 was herself again, and the scenes of the past, her days 
 
 * The Park Theatre, New York, and the Chestnut Street 
 Theatre, Philadelphia, were each known as " Old Drury." 
 
140 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 of triumph, were all gone over, but more like the recital 
 of a dream than the relation of a once mighty reality. 
 It was however but a flash of the former glow of genius. 
 ' 'T is past now ' she said ; ^ that was my worldly life : 
 the present, and I hope the future, my heavenly life ! ' " 
 
 1854- 1857. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Seaver continued to live in New 
 Orleans until the shadow of a heavy cloud settled over 
 their mutual happiness, and until his political opinions 
 rendered him unpopular there. In 1854 they left the 
 city ostensibly for Texas. 
 
 Whether they ever reached the land of the Lone Star 
 or, if so, how long they remained there, has never been 
 disclosed, but for twenty years thereafter no trace of 
 Mrs. Seaver's existence and no certainty of her decease 
 could be discovered by her old friends. At length, in 
 response to numerous and closely pressed inquiries, it 
 transpired that not long after her departure from New 
 Orleans she had arrived in New York in declining 
 health and taken up her abode in the house of her 
 youngest daughter, Madame Reillieux. There she 
 was only known as an earnest Christian who devoted 
 her hfe to acts of charity and goodness ; and the bril- 
 liant company often assembled little dreamed that the 
 calm and quiet lady in a sober- colored silken gown 
 and a simple cambric cap, whom they sometimes met, 
 was the former fascinating actress whose wonderful art- 
 witchery could once control the feelings and command 
 the enthusiastic plaudits of every audience. 
 
 Mrs. Seaver was here soon called to mourn the loss 
 
>f^- 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 141 
 
 of this favorite and last surviving daughter, and, after 
 long and acute suffering from an internal cancer, was 
 herself seized with a hemorrhage which resulted in her 
 death on the 5th of September, 1857, in the sixty-third 
 year of her age. 
 
 From that time until 1874 her grave was unknown to 
 the world and to all her living colaborers of the stage. 
 The secret of her life and death was so well kept that 
 even her nearest relatives, residing out of New York, 
 were unable to name the time or place of her decease. 
 Interred with her beloved daughter in a single nameless 
 grave in Greenwood, none imagined, as they came upon 
 it, that the greatest and grandest actress of her day was 
 sleeping beneath that lowly humble stone bearing the 
 simple inscription Mother and Grandmother ! 
 
 " 'Tis not in mortals to command success," but Mrs. ' 
 Duff did more, — she well deserved it and, in an artistic 
 if not in a pecuniary sense, fully achieved it. Her 
 supremacy of intellectual ability and wealth of personal 
 endowments, her clear conception of character and 
 extraordinary executive facility, were freely and uni- 
 versally admitted to be beyond all contemporaneous 
 competition. Her exg ujsite^ taste and classical cor-^^^^^ 
 rectness in costume also won unlimited admiration, J r i 
 and her dresses were frequently recommended to / 
 the belles of her time as models of elegance and ' 
 propriety. 
 
 Many reasons have been assigned for the compara- 
 tive neglect she experienced in her profession, even 
 
142 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 while she was acknowledged and proclaimed by all 
 American critics to be the first actress of her time. 
 
 In Boston and Philadelphia she had become familiar 
 to the audiences long before she became highly dis- 
 tinguished and the general public of both cities had a 
 stronger craving for novelty than for excellence. In 
 New York, although the desire for novelty was equally 
 strong, dramatic aspirants in her day must bear the 
 stamp of foreign approval ere they could be cordially 
 welcomed to its boards ; and it must be remembered 
 that the theatre-going population then did not amount 
 to much more than one eighth of its present number. 
 It may also be suspected that her art was almost too 
 perfect to be pleasing to persons of quick sensibility, 
 ardent sympathy, and tender feelings, and that the 
 anguish she so closely simulated was by many found 
 too painful to be endured. They extolled as unap- 
 proachable but avoided seeing what they really shud- 
 dered to behold. 
 
 A lady of Boston, widow of a distinguished litterateur, 
 writes that she was always impressed with the idea that 
 Mrs. Duff must have endured great sorrows in her 
 private life, or she never could have been so great in 
 her sphere, and that she was perfect in every tragic 
 character she undertook. 
 
 Popular favor has always been noted for its fickle- 
 ness, and when curiosity had once been fully gratified, 
 litde attention was paid in those times to the encourage- 
 ment or reward of the highest talent. Most of our 
 greatest players have experienced the ebb as well as 
 the flow of public patronage, and some who once 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 143 
 
 claimed the highest honors and emoluments of stars 
 have been glad to obtain any position in a theatre by 
 which they could earn their daily bread. Fortune 
 made Edwin Forrest independent of the stage, but the 
 cruelly empty houses that frowned on his last public 
 efforts must have cut him to the soul.* 
 
 * Even as early as 1833 ^^r- Forrest, who sometimes drew 
 eighteen hundred dollars per night at the Park Theatre, New 
 York, played an engagement there to an average of three hun- 
 dred and fifty-seven and a benefit of four hundred and sixty- 
 eight ; and another in 1840, ten nights of which did not reach 
 three hundred dollars ; and five others were less than four hun- 
 dred dollars per night, — one being as low as one hundred and 
 sixty-three. In 1842 he was forced to play at the National 
 Chatham Theatre, N. Y., with reserved seats at fifty cents each. 
 Madame Celeste, who was one of the most attractive stars ever 
 known here, played and danced at the Park in 1839, sixteen 
 nights, to an average of two hundred and eighty-three dollars, 
 two benefits included. Mr. Vandenhoff (the elder) and his 
 daughter, sterling and popular artists, in March, 1840, at the 
 Park Theatre, drew for nine nights an average of only one 
 hundred and eighty-two dollars, their benefits being five hun- 
 dred and twenty-seven and five hundred and sixty-seven dol- 
 lars in addition. Mr. Hackett in March, 1841, played five 
 nights to an average of one hundred and ten, benefit included ; 
 and Mrs. Maeder who, when Clara Fisher, could command 
 fifteen hundred dollar houses, played many nights in 1841 to 
 less than one hundred. Miss Cushman, on the occasion of her 
 greatest hit in the character of Nancy Sikes, at the Park Theatre 
 in 1839, for the first sixteen performances drew average houses 
 of only one hundred and ninety-six, the largest receipts on any 
 one night being two hundred and eighty-four. Her benefit on 
 the 15th of March, 1840, when she played Lady Teazle, drew 
 only one hundred and fifty-two dollars, about half the expenses 
 of the night. 
 
144 
 
 MRS. DUFF. 
 
 Mrs. Duff unfortunately was not a business woman. 
 She knew not how to turn circumstances to her own 
 advantage, but allowed herself to be governed and con- 
 trolled by them. Nor did she practise those little 
 politic arts so frequently found of service in advancing 
 one's pecuniary interest. She did not seem to be 
 aware of the professional importance of influential per- 
 sonal friends. Unambitious of social distinction, she 
 never courted the acquaintance of the wealthy and 
 fashionable whose patronage would have been the 
 sure means of attracting numerous ready followers. 
 She rehed solely on her own wonderful professional 
 powers as the means of pecuniary success. She is said 
 not to have appreciated her own value, and by accept- 
 ing engagements at minor theatres and at a small 
 salary to have lessened her theatrical repute. More- 
 over it is felt that she was too constantly before the 
 public during each season at one place. All this was 
 probably true ; but the claims of her family rendered 
 an engagement always a necessity, and the youth of its 
 numerous members required her to forego frequent 
 changes of locality. Her managers however knew (if 
 she did not) the importance of her services, for they 
 always announced her in glowing terms and giant types, 
 and never allowed her to sink from her high position 
 into a lower line of business. 
 
 The public imagined it could see Mrs. Duff at any 
 time ; and hence, so far as she was concerned, arose 
 that unjustifiable apathy which frequently attends the 
 progress of those with whom we are most familiar, — 
 because they are familiar to us and not because their 
 
MRS. DUFF. 
 
 145 
 
 superior merit is not fully discerned or appreciated. 
 In New York many of her admirers constantly deferred 
 a visit to her performances till she should be re-engaged 
 at the Park Theatre, or until a more favorable oppor- 
 tunity arrived, neither of which events ever happened 
 to occur. Long after her marriage and retirement 
 there were those who were steadily looking for her 
 return to the Metropolitan stage, and frequent regrets 
 were expressed that previously available occasions to 
 study her strikingly wonderful delineations had not 
 been seized. 
 
 Farewell engagements and farewell benefits were not 
 then advertised to create a factitious excitement. Had 
 Mrs. Duff however announced a series of performances 
 as her last upon the stage, there can be little doubt, 
 judging from the furor her almost unadvertised and 
 critically unnoticed last appearances in a little theatre 
 did create, that even in New York she would have 
 been gratified by the attendance of a succession of 
 brilliant audiences and perhaps a flattering farewell 
 demonstration. But such was not to be her destiny. 
 Her engagements in New York and Philadelphia were 
 probably not intended to be her last, for she was still 
 comparatively young. Time had not dimmed her 
 intellectual brightness, age had not withered nor cus- 
 tom staled her infinite variety of tragical expression ; 
 and many busy years could yet have been numbered 
 before she was to reach an age when her nominal rival, 
 Mrs. Barnes, or her eminent successors, Fanny Kemble, 
 Ellen Tree, or Charlotte Cushman, deemed it advisable 
 for them to seek the quiet pleasures of domestic retire- 
 
a6 
 
 MRS. DUFI' 
 
 ment. But the hopes and aspirations of the new 
 religious life to which her latter days seemed especially 
 attuned, and were so steadfastly devoted, suddenly 
 removed her to a different sphere, where alone she 
 found peace and joy, and which allowed no vain regrets 
 for triumphs she might still have won on the mimic 
 stage. 
 
 Her lengthened absence from the boards of which 
 she was so long the pride and glory, and the honors 
 since paid to many a brilliant and successful star, should 
 not cause us to forget the unparalleled estimation in 
 which she was once held, nor be permitted to dim in 
 the slightest degree the lustre of the crown that long 
 graced her brow, as the legitkoate. and-imdisputed 
 Queen of the American Stage. 
 
APPENDIX L 
 
 A LIST OF CHARACTERS PERFORMED 
 BY MRS. DUFF. 
 
 Adela She Would be a Soldier. 
 
 Adelgitha Adelgitha. 
 
 Adeline Adeline. 
 
 Agatha Friberg Lovers' Vows. 
 
 Aladdin Aladdin, 
 
 Alexina The Exile. 
 
 Alexina Tekeli. 
 
 Almeida Black Beard. 
 
 Almeyda The Renegade. 
 
 Amazaide . Zembucca. 
 
 Amelia The Robbers. 
 
 Amelia Incog. 
 
 Amelia St. Germain The Fate of a Gamester. 
 
 Angela The Castle Spectre. 
 
 Angelina Love Makes a Man. 
 
 Annabel Julian. 
 
 Annabel The Man of Ten Thousand. 
 
 Annette Maid and Magpie. 
 
 Annette Blue Devils. 
 
 Arabella More Ways than One. 
 
 Bellamira Bellamira. 
 
 Belvidera Venice Preserved. 
 
 Bertha The Point of Honor. 
 
 Blanche The Iron Chest. 
 
48 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Countess Adela The Warlock of the Glen. 
 
 Coimtess Loz>elaiigh Rochester. 
 
 Countess Rosalvina The Devil's Bridge. 
 
 Calanthe Damon and Pythias. 
 
 Caroline Dormer The Heir-at-Law. 
 
 Caroline Heartly The Boarding House. 
 
 Celestine The Fortress. 
 
 Cephania The Ethiop. 
 
 Charlotte Love a la Mode. 
 
 Charlotte The Gamester. 
 
 Charlotte Werter. 
 
 Charlotte Riisport The West Indian. 
 
 Christine Tekeli. 
 
 Cicely Homespun The Heir-at-Law. 
 
 Cinderella Cinderella (Pantomime). 
 
 Clara de Clare M arm ion. 
 
 Clari The Maid of Milan. 
 
 Claudia Rienzi. 
 
 Claiidine The Miller and his Men. 
 
 Constantia The Man of the World. 
 
 Cora Columbus. 
 
 Cora Pizarro. 
 
 Cordelia King Lear. 
 
 Crazy Bet Brier Cliff. 
 
 Crazy Nab The Cradle of Liberty. 
 
 Desdemona Othello. 
 
 Do7ina Angelica The Students of Salamanca. 
 
 Donna Leonora The Duel. 
 
 Donna Teresa Remorse. 
 
 Domia Victoria A Bold Stroke for a Hus- 
 band. 
 
 Edmond The Blind Boy. 
 
 Eliza Ratcliff The Jew. 
 
 Elizabeth The Golden Farmer. 
 
 Elizabeth Mazeppa. 
 
 Elizene •• The Forest of Hermanstadt. 
 
 Ella Rosenberg Ella Rosenberg. 
 
APPENDIX. I^g 
 
 Ellen Douglas The Knight of Snowdouru 
 
 Ellen Dotiglas The Lady of the Lake. 
 
 Ellen Enfield The Falls of Clyde. 
 
 Ellen Meredith The Gazette Extraordinary. 
 
 Ellen Vortex ....... A Cure for the Heartache. 
 
 Elspat McTavish The Highland Widow. 
 
 Elvira Pizarro. 
 
 Elvira Bunker Hill. 
 
 Emilia Othello. 
 
 Emily Laugh When You Can. 
 
 Emily Frightened to Death. 
 
 Emily Worthington The Poor Gentleman. 
 
 Emma William Tell. 
 
 Ejnma Somerton Too Late for Dinner. 
 
 Empress Elizabeth The Exile. 
 
 Eugenia The Foundling of the Forest. 
 
 Evadne Evadne. 
 
 Fanny The Clandestine Marriage. 
 
 Fanny Who Wants a Guinea ? 
 
 Floranthe The Mountaineers. 
 
 Florence The Curfew. 
 
 Florinda The Apostate. 
 
 Frances Wharton The Spy. 
 
 Georgiana Folly as it Flies. 
 
 Geraldine The Foundling of the Forest. 
 
 Grace Gaylove The Review. 
 
 Helen Macgregor Rob Roy. 
 
 Helen Mar Wallace. 
 
 Helena di Rosalvi The Hunter of the Alps. 
 
 Hermione The Distrest Mother. 
 
 Immalee Melmoth the Wanderer. 
 
 Imogine Bertram. 
 
 Jjtnogen Adelemorn the Outlaw. 
 
 Irene Blue Beard. 
 
 Irene Barbarossa. 
 
 Isabella Isabella. 
 
 Isabella The House of Aspen. 
 
j^O APPENDIX. 
 
 Isabella The Wonder. 
 
 Jane Tom and Jerry. 
 
 Jane Shore Jane Shore. 
 
 Jeanie Deans The Heart of Mid Lothian. 
 
 Jessy Oatland A Cure for the Heartache. 
 
 Jessy Willis Debtor and Creditor. 
 
 Julia The Rivals. 
 
 Julia Cleveland The Votary of Wealth. 
 
 Julia Faulkner The Way to get Married. 
 
 Julia Tarragon The School of Reform. 
 
 Juliajia The Honeymoon. 
 
 Jidiet Romeo and Juliet. 
 
 Julio Deaf and Dumb. 
 
 Katherine Katherine and Petruchio. 
 
 Lady Amaranth Wild Oats. 
 
 Lady Anne Richard HI. 
 
 Lady Constance King John. 
 
 Lady Cranberry Exchange no Robbery. 
 
 Lady Elinor L-win Every One Has His Fault. 
 
 Lady Elizabeth Freelove .... The Day after the Wedding. 
 
 Lady Frances Touchwood . . . The Belle's Stratagem. 
 
 Lady Grace The Provoked Husband. 
 
 Lady Jane Know Your Own Mind. 
 
 Lady Lucretia Ladies at Home. 
 
 Lady Macbeth Macbeth. 
 
 Lady Margaret The Vampire. 
 
 Lady Melmoth Folly as it Flies. 
 
 Lady Percy Henry IV. 
 
 Lady Priory Wives as they Were. 
 
 Lady Randolph Douglas. 
 
 Lady Rodolpha The Man of the World. 
 
 Lady Squander The Green Man. 
 
 Lady Traffic Riches. 
 
 Lady Truemati The Drummer. 
 
 Leonora The Revenge. 
 
 Lissette The Sergeant's Wife. 
 
 Louisa The Duenna. 
 
APPENDIX. I ^ I 
 
 Louisa Dudley The West Indian. 
 
 Lucy Ashton The Bride of Lammermoor. 
 
 Lucy Bertram Guy Manner ing. 
 
 Lucy FairlcrJe Ambrose Gwinett. 
 
 Lyieushee Lovell Lyieushee Lovell. 
 
 Madame Clermont Adrian and Orilla. 
 
 Madame D'Anglade Accusation. 
 
 Mrs. Beverley The Gamester. 
 
 Mrs. Bromley Simpson and Co. 
 
 Mrs. Cornflower The Farmer's Wife. 
 
 Mrs. Ferment The School of Reform. 
 
 Mrs. Fitzedward Sons of Erin. 
 
 Mrs. Greville Secrets Worth Knowing. 
 
 Mrs. Haller The Stranger. 
 
 Mrs. Malfort The Soldier's Daughter. 
 
 Mrs. Mortimer Laugh When You Can. 
 
 Mrs. Woodville The Wheel of Fortune. 
 
 Miss Blandford Speed the Plough. 
 
 Miss Hardcastle She Stoops to Conquer. 
 
 Malvina Oscar and Malvina. 
 
 Maria George Barnwell. 
 
 Maria The School for Scandal. 
 
 Marianjte The Dramatist. 
 
 Mary The Innkeeper's Daughter. 
 
 JUary Superstition. 
 
 ^Mary Will Watch. 
 
 Alary Glastonbury Mary Glastonbury. 
 
 Mary Stuart Mary Stuart. 
 
 Mary Thornberry John Bull. 
 
 Mathilde The Bohemian Mother. 
 
 Matilda The Curfew. 
 
 Matilda Edgar. 
 
 Meg Merrilies Guy Mannering. 
 
 Mhtna Troil The Pirate. 
 
 Miranda The Busy Body. 
 
 Miranda The Tempest. 
 
 Morgiana The Forty Thieves. 
 
152 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Myrtillo The Broken Sword. 
 
 Nahmeokee Metamora. 
 
 Narramattah Miantonimoh. 
 
 Nelti Columbus. 
 
 Olympia Ugolino. 
 
 Ophelia Hamlet. 
 
 Orasmyn The Ethiop. 
 
 Oriana The Conquest of Taranto. 
 
 Orilla Adrian and Orilla. 
 
 Portia Julius Caesar. 
 
 Portia The Merchant of Venice. 
 
 Princess Badralbadour .... Aladdin. 
 
 Queen Elizabeth Richard III. 
 
 Queen Elizabeth Kenilworth. 
 
 Queen Gertrude Hamlet. 
 
 Queen Isabel Richard II. 
 
 Queefi Katherine Henry VIII. 
 
 Rebecca Ivanhoe. 
 
 Rosabella Brazen Mask. 
 
 Rosalie Somers Town and Country. 
 
 Rosalind As You Like It. 
 
 Rosamunda Abaellino. 
 
 Rose Redland The Robber's Wife. 
 
 Rose Sidney Secrets Worth Knowing. 
 
 Rosine Altorf. 
 
 Rosine Villars Education. 
 
 Rosolia Zorinski. 
 
 Roxa7ia Alexander the Great. 
 
 Seliina Tamerlane. 
 
 Selima Timour the Tartar. 
 
 Selina The Tale of Mystery. 
 
 Senona The Gladiator. 
 
 Sigismonda Tancred and Sigismonda. 
 
 Statira Alexander the Great. 
 
 Susan Ashfield Speed the Plough. 
 
 Tarquinia ........ Brutus. 
 
 Therese Therese. 
 
APPENDIX. I^^ 
 
 ThiHia Brutus. 
 
 Variella The Weathercock. 
 
 Victoria Manuel. 
 
 Victo)-ine Victorine. 
 
 Virginia Virginius. 
 
 Voliirnnia Coriolanus. 
 
 Widow Bdmore The Way to Keep Him. 
 
 Zamora The Honeymoon. 
 
 Zelinda The Slave. 
 
 Zorayda The Mountaineers. 
 
 Zorayda The East Indian. 
 
 Zidieka The Bride of Abydos. 
 
 Perhaps a few secondary parts performed by Mrs. Duff dur- 
 ing her long novitiate at Boston and Philadelphia may not be 
 found in the above list, but it is supposed to contain all her 
 prominent characters, many of which may have had many more 
 repetitions than any available sources of information now dis- 
 close. She doubtless played engagements at the South and 
 West of which particulars are not to be obtained. 
 
 Of the characters of which records have been found, the one 
 that had the most repetitions is Mathilde in " The Bohemian 
 Mother," for which she was announced fifty-two times. Mrs. 
 Haller stands next in the list with forty-six personations. Ca- 
 lanthe has forty ; Elvira thirty-nine ; Eugenia thirty-eight ; 
 Jane Shore and Belvidera thirty-six ; Isabella thirty-three ; Ellen 
 Douglas thirty-two ; Florinda and Zidieka thirty-one ; Madame 
 Clennont thirty ; Qiceeii Elizabeth twenty-nine ; Mrs. Beverley 
 twenty-six; C^fra and Cordelia twenty-five; y«//>/ twenty-four ; 
 Lady Rajidolph and Adelgitha twenty-three ; Rose Redland 
 twenty-one ; Lady Macbeth twenty ; Desdejno7ta, Imogine, and 
 Therese nineteen ; Hermione and Statira eighteen ; Portia seven- 
 teen ; Ajinette sixteen ; Ophelia fifteen ; Katheri>ie fourteen ; 
 and many others of inferior importance from five to twenty-five 
 representations each. 
 
APPENDIX IL 
 
 A LIST OF CHARACTERS PERFORMED 
 BY MR. DUFF. 
 
 Ahcellino Abaellino. 
 
 Abenazack Aladdin. 
 
 Aben Hamet The Conquest of Taranto. 
 
 Adelmorn Adelmorn the Outlaw. 
 
 Adolph (TAnglade Accusation. 
 
 Adrian Adrian and Orilla. 
 
 Alexander the Great .... Alexander the Great. 
 
 Alfonso Alfonso, King of Castile. 
 
 Alfred Highflyer A Roland for an Oliver. 
 
 Alfred Leslie Brier Cliff 
 
 Anderson The American Captive. 
 
 Antonio The Merchant of Venice. 
 
 Apollo Midas. 
 
 Appius Claudius Virginius. 
 
 Baron Hohendahl Alasco. 
 
 Baron Toraldi The Devil's Bridge. 
 
 Baron Willinghurst .... Of Age To-morrow. 
 
 Banquo Macbeth. 
 
 Belcour The West Indian. 
 
 Bellair More Ways than One. 
 
 Belmour The Prodigal. 
 
 Benducar Durazzo. 
 
 Benedick Much Ado About Nothing. 
 
10 APPENDIX. 
 
 Bertratid The Foundling of the Forest. 
 
 Beverley The Gamester. 
 
 Biron Isabella. 
 
 Black Knight, The .... Ivanhoe. 
 
 Bob Handy Speed the Plough. 
 
 Bolhnan La Fayette. 
 
 Bronzely Wives as They Were, and 
 
 Maids as They Are. 
 
 Brutus Julius Caesar. 
 
 Count Belino The Devil's Bridge. 
 
 Count de Croissy The Wandering Boys. 
 
 Couftt de Salviati The Castle of Paluzzi. 
 
 Count de Valmont The Foundling of the Forest. 
 
 Count Evarard ...... The Fortress. 
 
 Coicnt Olmedo The Kiss. 
 
 Count Romaldi The Tale of Mystery. 
 
 Count Valentia The Child of Nature. 
 
 Count Villars Education. 
 
 Col. Cohenberg The Siege of Belgrade. 
 
 Col. Freelove The Day after the Wedding. 
 
 Col. Singleto7t The Spy. 
 
 Capt. Beldare Love Laughs at Locksmiths. 
 
 Capt. Blumenftlt How to Die for Love. 
 
 Capt. Crevelt He Would be a Soldier. 
 
 Capt. Faulkner The Way to get Married. 
 
 Capt. Irwifi Every One has his Fault. 
 
 Capt. Plume The Recruiting Officer. 
 
 Carlos The Revenge. 
 
 Carrol Oscar and Malvina. 
 
 Carwin Therese. 
 
 Cassius Julius Cassar. 
 
 Charles Austeiicotirt .... Man and Wife. 
 
 Charles Fervor Yes or No. 
 
 Charles Surface The School for Scandal. 
 
 Clodio Love Makes a Man. 
 
 Colonna Evadne. 
 
 Columbus Columbus. 
 
APPENDIX. 157 
 
 Coriolanus Coriolanus. 
 
 Crackley The Green Man. 
 
 Duke Aranza The Honeymoon. 
 
 Duke of Buckingham .... Richard III. 
 
 Duke of Buckinghatn . . . . Henry VIII. 
 
 Dtcke of Gloster Jane Shore. 
 
 Don Alphonso The Duel. 
 
 Don Felix The Wonder. 
 
 Don Julio A Bold Stroke for a Husband. 
 
 Don Ordonio Remorse. 
 
 Daran . - The Exile. 
 
 Dashzvould Know Your Own Mind. 
 
 De Camoral Joan of Arc. 
 
 Dennis Brulgruddery . . . John Bull. 
 
 Dick The Apprentice. 
 
 Dick Dowlas The Heir-at-Law. 
 
 Dirck Hatteraick Guy Mannering. 
 
 Doricourt The Belle's Stratagem. 
 
 Dorlin Adeline. 
 
 Dorrington The Man of Ten Thousand. 
 
 Dupely The Maid of the Oaks. 
 
 Earl Dotiglas Wallace. 
 
 Earl Osmond The Castle Spectre. 
 
 Earl of Richmond Richard III. 
 
 Earl of Rochester Rochester. 
 
 Edgar King Lear. 
 
 Edmund King Lear. 
 
 Egerton The Man of the World. 
 
 Estruan The Broken Sword. 
 
 The Ethiop The Ethiop. 
 
 Eugene de Biron Henri Quatre. 
 
 Evarard Maid and Magpie. 
 
 Father Philip The Castle Spectre. 
 
 Faulconbridge King John. 
 
 Falkland The Rivals. 
 
 Faidkner Man and Wife. 
 
 Felix The Hunter of the Alps. 
 
158 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Ferment The School of Reform. 
 
 Fitz Eckuard The Sons of Erin. 
 
 Fitzhardi7ig The Curfew. 
 
 Florian The Foundling of the Forest. 
 
 Florid My Uncle. 
 
 Floriville The Dramatist. 
 
 Ford The Merry Wives of Windsor. 
 
 Foster A Woman Never Vext. 
 
 Francis de Moor The Robbers. 
 
 Frayik Heartall The Soldier's Daughter. 
 
 Frank Poppleton Too Late for Dinner. 
 
 Frederick The Poor Gentleman. 
 
 Frederick Bertram .... The Jew. 
 
 Gambia The Slave. 
 
 George Bay-nwell George Barnwell. 
 
 Gesler William Tell. 
 
 Ghost of Hamlef s Father . . Plamlet. 
 
 Ghost of Jerry Ha-wthorn . . Death of Life in London. 
 
 Giaffier The Bride of Abydos. 
 
 Glenalvon Douglas. 
 
 Goldfinch The Road to Ruin. 
 
 Gossamer Laugh When You Can. 
 
 Gratiano The Merchant of Venice. 
 
 Grindoff The Miller and his Men. 
 
 Guide Mirandola. 
 
 Guiscard Adelgitha. 
 
 Gustavus Vasa The Hero of the North. 
 
 Hamlet Hamlet. 
 
 Harry Dornton The Road to Ruin. 
 
 Harry Herbert Columbus. 
 
 Hassarac The Forty Thieves. 
 
 Heartwell Riches. 
 
 Hemeya The Apostate. 
 
 Henry Morton The Battle of Bothwell Brig. 
 
 Horatio Hamlet. 
 
 Hotspur Henry IV., First Part. 
 
 Howard The Will. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 59 
 
 lago Othello. 
 
 Indian Chief She Would be a Soldier. 
 
 Ivanhoe Ivanhoe. 
 
 Jacques As You Like It. 
 
 JaJJier Venice Preserved. 
 
 Jean Calas The Fate of Galas. 
 
 Jeremy Diddler Raising the Wind. 
 
 Jerry Haiothorn Tom and Jerry. 
 
 Joe Standfast The Turnpike Gate. 
 
 Joseph Surface The School for Scandal. 
 
 King Heiiry IV. Henry IV., Second Part. 
 
 King Lear Kiiig Lear. 
 
 King Philip of France . . . King John. 
 
 King Richard III. .... Richard IIL 
 
 Kalig The Blind Boy. 
 
 Kenrick The Heir-at-Lavv. 
 
 Kilinallock The Mountaineers. 
 
 Kilrooney The Ninth Statue. 
 
 Korac Zembucca. 
 
 Lord Dnke's Servant .... High Life Below Stairs. 
 
 Lord Glenhrd' The Pastor's Daughter. 
 
 Lord Hastings Jane Shore. 
 
 Lord Henry Personation. 
 
 Lord Maclean The Lady of the Rock. 
 
 Lord Townly The Provoked Husband. 
 
 Lord Trinket The Jealous Wife. 
 
 La Motte Fontainville Forest. 
 
 Lenox She Would be a Soldier. 
 
 Leon Rule a Wife and Have a Wife. 
 
 Lothair Adelgitha. 
 
 Looney Mc Twolter The Review. 
 
 Marquis Calatrava .... The Caravan. 
 
 Marquis Delancy The Midnight Hour. 
 
 Alarqiiis de Serassi .... Ugolino. 
 
 Major 0' Flaherty The West Indian. 
 
 Mr. Oakley The Jealous Wife. 
 
 Macaire The Forest of Bondy. 
 
l5o APPENDIX. 
 
 Macbeth Macbeth. 
 
 Macduff Macbeth. 
 
 MacScrape Netley Abbey. 
 
 Malcolm The Falls of Clyde. 
 
 Malec The Apostate. 
 
 Manuel Manuel. 
 
 Marc Antony Julius Caesar. 
 
 Marmion Marmion. 
 
 Marplot The Busy Body. 
 
 Matthew The Warlock of the Glen. 
 
 Mazeppa Payne's Mazeppa. 
 
 Megrim Blue Devils. 
 
 Mercutio Romeo and Juliet. 
 
 Mertoun, Senior The Pirate. 
 
 Michael William Tell. 
 
 Michael Dncas Adelgitha. 
 
 Michael Perez Rule a Wife and Have a Wife. 
 
 Milligan Returned Killed. 
 
 Moneses Tamerlane. 
 
 Montalto . Bell ami ra. 
 
 Montgomeri The Carmelite. 
 
 Morde7it The Steward. 
 
 Moritz Is He a Prince. 
 
 Mountford Reformation. 
 
 Murtoch Delany The Irishman in London. 
 
 Nathaniel Barton The Deed of Gift. 
 
 Neville Right and Wrong. 
 
 Octavian The Mountaineers. 
 
 Opimius Caius Gracchus. 
 
 Orestes The Distrest Mother. 
 
 Oroonoko Oroonoko. 
 
 Orozembo Pizarro. 
 
 Orsino Alfonso. 
 
 Orson Valentine and Orson. 
 
 Osbert Edgar. 
 
 Oscar Oscar and Malvina. 
 
 Osmond Tancred and Sigismonda. 
 
APPENDIX. l6i 
 
 Othello Othello. 
 
 Prince Altenberg Adrian and Orilla. 
 
 Patrick The Poor Soldier. 
 
 Penriiddock The Wheel of Fortune. 
 
 Peregrine John Bull. 
 
 Peter the Great Peter the Great. 
 
 Petriichio Katherine and Petruchio. 
 
 Phantom Frightened to Death. 
 
 Phocion The Grecian Daughter. 
 
 Pierre . Venice Preserved. 
 
 Pizarro Pizarro. 
 
 Priiili Venice Preserved. 
 
 Prospero The Tempest. 
 
 Puff The Critic. 
 
 Pyrrhics The Distrest Mother. 
 
 Pythias Damon and Pythias. 
 
 Patio Helpless Animals. 
 
 Rattan The Bee Hive. 
 
 Reuben Glenroy . . . . Town and Country. 
 
 Richard The Innkeeper's Daughter. 
 
 Rinaldo The Voice of Nature. 
 
 Rob Roy Rob Roy. 
 
 Robert The Vampire. 
 
 Robinson Crnsoe Robinson Crusoe. 
 
 Roderick Dim The Knight of Snowdoun. 
 
 Roderick Dhu The Lady of the Lake. 
 
 Rolamo Clari. 
 
 Roldan Columbus. 
 
 Rolla Pizarro. 
 
 Romeo Romeo and Juliet. 
 
 Rosenberg Ella Rosenberg. 
 
 Rostrnm Secrets Worth Knowing. 
 
 R(yver Wild Oats. 
 
 Sir Brian de Boisgtdlbert . . Ivanhoe. 
 
 Sir Callaghan O'Brallaghan . Love a la Mode. 
 
 Sir Charles Rackett .... Three Weeks after Marriage. 
 
 Sir Edxvard Mortimer . . . The Iron Chest. 
 
1 52 APPENDIX. 
 
 Sir George Staunton .... The Heart of Mid Lothian. 
 
 Sir George Touchwood . . . The Belle's Stratagem. 
 
 Sir Harry Aspen The Gazette Extraordinary. 
 
 Sir Harry Stormont .... The Poor Lodger. 
 
 Sir John Melville The Clandestine Marriage. 
 
 Sir John Restless All in the Wrong. 
 
 Sir Larry McMiirra^h . . . Who Wants a Guinea ? 
 
 Sir Lenox Leinsfer .... Exchange no Robbery. 
 
 Sir Lucius O' Trigger . . . The Rivals. 
 
 Sir Robert Ramble .... Every One has his Fault. 
 
 Squire Groom Love a la Mode. 
 
 St. Franc The Point of Honor. 
 
 Sanguinbeck Cherry and Fair Star. 
 
 Scout The Village Lawyer. 
 
 Sebastien The Renegade. 
 
 Selim Barbarossa. 
 
 Shacabac . • Blue Beard. 
 
 Sharpset The Votary of Wealth. 
 
 Shylock The Merchant of Venice. 
 
 Singles, The Three .... Three and the Deuce. 
 
 Sparkish The Country Girl. 
 
 Spatterdash The Young Quaker. 
 
 Sponge Where Shall I Dine ? 
 
 Stephenoff Benyowski. 
 
 Stranger, The The Stranger. 
 
 Storm Ella Rosenberg. 
 
 Stukely The Gamester. 
 
 Sydenham The Wheel of Fortune. 
 
 Sylvester Daggerwood . . . . Sylvester Daggerwood. 
 
 Tattgent The Way to Get Married. 
 
 Teague The Honest Thieves. 
 
 Tekeli Tekeli. 
 
 Terry O'Rourke The Irish Tutor. 
 
 Timour Timour the Tartar. 
 
 Tinsel The Drummer. 
 
 Titus Brutus. 
 
 Tom Tom and Jerry. 
 
APPENDIX. 163 
 
 Tom Shiijfleton John Bull. 
 
 Tom Tick Folly as it Flies. 
 
 Tristram Fickle The Weathercock. 
 
 Tullus Aiifidius Coriolanus. 
 
 Unknown, The Superstition. 
 
 Valcoicr The Point of Honor. 
 
 Valentine Valentine and Orson. 
 
 Valerius Brutus. 
 
 Vapid The Dramatist. 
 
 Walter The Children in the Wood. 
 
 Welford Darkness Visible. 
 
 Wellborn A New Way to Pay Old Debts. 
 
 Werter Charlotte and Werter. 
 
 Wildlove The Lady and the Devil. 
 
 William Tell The Archers. 
 
 Willowear To Marry or Not to Marry. 
 
 Young Marlow She Stoops to Conquer. 
 
 Young Norval Douglas. 
 
 Young Rapid A Cure for the Heartache. 
 
 Zorinski Zorinski. 
 
NOTE OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT. 
 
 The writer is indebted for courteous replies to letters of 
 inquiry concerning the fate of Mrs. Duff, to Mr. Henry Ashley, 
 Mr. Edwin Adams,* Mrs. W. R. Blake,* Mr. William War- 
 ren, Dr. J. Baldwin Duff, Mr. Thomas T. Duff, Mrs. Alexina 
 F. Baker, Mrs. John Drew, Mr. James Rees, Hon. Thurlow 
 Weed, Mrs. George Stevenson, Mr. Joel Munsell,* Mrs. George 
 Farren, Hon. John B. Rice,* Hon. A. Oakey Hall, Mr. Thomas 
 Barry,* Mrs. Thomas Barry, Mr. James Lawson,* Mr. Henry 
 Isherwood, Mr. John Gilbert, Hon. John K. Hackett,* 
 Miss Emily Mestayer, Mrs. J. W. Wallack, Jr.,* Gen.'c. W. 
 Sandford,* Mr. Cornelius Mathews, Mr. George Rowe, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Walworth D. Crane, Mrs. William F. Duff, Mr. F. 
 W. Byrdsall, Hon. W. B. Maclay,* Mrs. Elizabeth Jefferson 
 Fisher, Mr. H. D. Stone, Hon. E. Salomon, Mr. J. A. J. 
 Neafie, Mr. Benjamin W. Seaver, Mr. Abraham Luria, Mr. 
 A. A. Senior, Col. James Page,* Rt. Hon.. Earl Russell,* Mrs. 
 Charles Durang,* Mr. N. M. Ludlow, Mr. W. W. Clapp, Mrs. 
 J. B. Rice, Mrs. S. Haynes Jenks, Dr. Samuel T. Hubbard, 
 and Mr. J. H. Hewitt. Most of these ladies and gentlemen 
 had been brought into personal contact with Mrs. Duff, or 
 distinctly remembered her theatrical career. Many of them 
 referred to her distinguished standing in the profession ; but, 
 with few exceptions, all regretted their inability to give any 
 positive information concerning her death or latter years. In- 
 deed, the fact of her death was generally unknown. 
 
 Transcripts of important play-bills, issued during Mrs. Duff's 
 engagements, and newspaper notices of her performances, were 
 kindly furnished by the librarians of the Massachusetts His- 
 
 * Since deceased. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 i6s 
 
 torical Society, the Public Library of Boston, the Providence 
 Athenaeum, the State Library at Albany, the Mercantile Li- 
 brary of Baltimore, the Charleston Library Society of S. C, 
 the Mercantile Libraries of St. Louis and Cincinnati, and 
 the City Library of New Orleans; while free access to the 
 shelves of the Philadelphia Library, the New York Society 
 Library, and the Historical Society of New York, was gener- 
 ously accorded by their officials. To Mr. Augustus Toedte- 
 berg of Brooklyn, N. Y., special thanks are due for valuable 
 assistance. 
 
INDEX, 
 
 "Ab^lltno," 152, 155. 
 Abbott, Wm., 131. 
 "Accusation," 151, 155. 
 Adaj?is, Edwin, 164. 
 Addams, Augustus A., 107,168, 
 
 122, 124, 125, 126, 128. 
 Addams, Mrs. Augustus A., 
 
 (Mrs. J. G. Porter). See 
 
 Mary Duff. 
 Addison, Joseph, 14. 
 " Adelgitha," 76, 85, 90, 147, 1 58, 
 
 159, 160. 
 "Adeline," 34, 69, 147, 157. 
 "Adelmorn the Outlaw," 116, 
 
 149. 155- 
 Adelphi Theatre, Baltimore, 
 
 (Mud Theatre), 105, 106. 
 " Adrian and Orilla," 14, 42, 44, 
 
 64,65, 75-76, 83, 151, 152, 
 
 155, 161. 
 Advertiser (Boston), 98. 
 Age (London), 88. 
 "Aladdin," 22, 147, 152, 155. 
 " Alasco," 155. 
 Albany, New York, 20, 58, 59, 
 
 164. 
 Albany Theatre (N. Y.), 20. 
 Albion (New York), 37, 39, 43, 
 
 56, 65, 76, 78, 91. 
 
 Album (Philadelphia), 116. 
 "Alexander the Great," 39, 
 
 152,155- 
 
 "Alfonso, King of Castile." 
 155, 160. 
 
 Allen, Mrs. Clarissa (Mrs. La- 
 combe), 43. 
 
 "All in the Wrong," 162. 
 
 "Altorf," 104, 152. 
 
 "Ambrose Gwinette," 99, 151. 
 
 American (New York), 38. 
 
 "American Captive," 155. 
 
 American Theatre, New Or- 
 leans, 133. 
 
 Anderson, James, 55. 
 
 Anderson, Mrs. (Ophelia Pei- 
 by), 109. 
 
 Andrews, George, 94. 
 
 " Andromaque," 26. 
 
 Anthon, John, 68, 71. 
 
 " Apostate, The," 36, 39, 42, 95, 
 106, 133, 149, 158, 160. 
 
 " Apprentice, The," 157. 
 
 Archer, Thos., 97, 104, 106, iii. 
 
 "Archers, The," 163. 
 
 Arch-Street Theatre, Philadel- 
 phia, III, 114. 
 
 Ashley, Henry, 164. 
 
 "As You Like It," 152, 159. 
 
1 68 
 
 INDEX, 
 
 Athenaeum (Providence, R. I.), 
 
 165. 
 Atlas (London), %Z. 
 Aurora (Philadelphia), 19. 
 Austin, Mrs. Elizabeth (Mrs. 
 
 Berkeley), 120. 
 
 Baker, Alexina Fisher, hi, 
 124, 164. 
 
 Baldwin Charlotte (Mrs. Simp- 
 son, Mrs. J. W. Walstein), 
 
 43. 55» 56, 58- 
 
 Baltimore, Md., 16, 23, 24, 35, 
 36, 40, 42, 46, 48, 58, 61, 
 104, 105, 106, 112, 122, 123, 
 124, 125, 135, 136. 
 
 Baltimore Mercantile Library, 
 165. 
 
 Baltimore Theatre, 16. 
 
 Bannister, Mrs. (Mrs. Legge, 
 Mrs. Stone), 109 
 
 " Barbarossa," 149, 162. 
 
 Barker, J. N., 18, 41, 98. 
 
 Barnes, John, 10, 27, 28, 74, 83. 
 
 Barnes, Mrs. John (Miss Simp- 
 son, Miss Greenhill), 10, 
 27, 28, 40, 74, 81, 145. 
 
 Barnes, Air. (of Boston), 10. 
 
 Barnes, Mrs. (of Boston), (Miss 
 Bates), ID, 12, 21, 27, 28. 
 
 Barrett, Mrs. Giles Leonard, 19. 
 
 Barrett, George Norton, 19, 43, 
 60, 61, 62, ^T„ 76, 94. 
 
 Barrett, Mrs. Geo. H. (Ann Jane 
 Henry, Miss Stockweli, 
 Mrs. W C. Drummond), 
 10, 21, 43, 60, 64, 76, 94, 
 loi, 102, 102 note, 103. 
 
 Barriere, Hypolite, 42. 
 
 Barry, Mrs. Spranger (Mrs. 
 Dancer, Mrs. Crawford), 52. 
 
 Barry, Thos., 17 note, 103, 164. 
 
 Barry, Mrs. Thomas (Clara S. 
 Biddies), 164. 
 
 Barry more, Wm., 124. 
 
 Bartley, Geo., 23. 
 
 Bartley, Mrs. Geo. (Miss Wil- 
 liamson, Miss Smith), 23, 
 42. 
 
 Barton, Mr., T07, 109, no, 119. 
 
 " Battle of Bothwell-Brig," 158. 
 
 Becher, Lady (Miss O'Neill), 
 6, 47, 61, 65, 91, 94. 
 
 Becher, Sir Wm. Wrixon, 6. 
 
 "Bee-Hive, The," 161. 
 
 " Bellamira," 58, 96, 147, 160. 
 
 " Belle's Stratagem, The," 150, 
 157, 162. 
 
 Bell's Weekly Messenger, 88, 
 91. 
 
 "Benyowski," 162. 
 
 Berkeley, Elizabeth (Mrs. Aus- 
 tin), 120. 
 
 Bernard, John, 10, ii, 12, 21, 
 24. 
 
 Bernard, Mr. (" Bernard, Jr."), 
 61, 64. 
 
 " Bertram," 39, 78, 79, 148, 149. 
 
 Betterton, Miss (Mrs. Glover), 
 24. 
 
 Betterton, Thos. W., 24. 
 
 Bibby G Oliver neiir S., 20. 
 
 Biddies Clara S. (Mrs. Thos. 
 Barry), 164. 
 
 " Black Beard," 147. 
 
 Blaike, B., 102 note, 103. 
 
 Blake, Wm. R., 58, 75, 76, 94, 
 127, 164. 
 
 Blake, Mrs. Wm. R. (Caroline 
 Placide, Mrs. Waring), 43, 
 55, 56, 76, 127, 164. 
 
 Blakeley, Thos. H., 103. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 169 
 
 Blanc hard, Elizabeth (Mrs. 
 
 Charles, Mrs. Hamblin), 
 
 49, 104, 126. 
 "Blind Boy, The," 14, 18, 148, 
 
 159- 
 
 Blissett, Francis, 19. 
 
 " Blue Beard," 22, 149, 162. 
 
 "Blue Devils," 147, 160. 
 
 " Boarding-House," 148. 
 
 " Bohemian Mother, The," 99, 
 100, 104, 113, 117, 118, 151. 
 
 " Bold Stroke for a Husband," 
 13, 14S, 157. 
 
 Booth, Edwin, 90 note. 
 
 Booth, Junius Brutus, 3, 33, 35, 
 36, yj^ 40. 41, 42, 45» 46- 
 47, 48, 66, 93, 95, 99, 100, 
 loi, 102, 105, 106,109, no, 
 
 120, 124, 125. 
 
 Boston, Mass., 2, 8, 9, 13, 14, 
 15, 16, 17 note, 19, 20, 22, 
 23, 24, 25, 31, 32, 34, 35, 
 40, 43, 44, 45. 74, 79, 83, 
 85, 86, 93, 94, 95, 97, 98, 
 99, 100, 102, 103, 105, 107, 
 108, 117, 141, 142, 164. 
 
 Boston Advertiser, 98. 
 
 Boston Centinel (Columbian 
 Centinel), 9, 23, 29. 
 
 Boston Courier, 85. 
 
 Boston Gazette, 9, 15, 30, 44, 
 83, 84. 
 
 Boston Polyanthus, 17 note. 
 
 Boston Public Library, 165. 
 
 Boston Theatre, 8, 21, 22, 26, 
 32, 37- 
 
 Boston Traveller, 84, 85, 99. 
 
 Bourbonic Museum, Naples, 82. 
 
 Bowery Theatre, N. Y, 40, 60, 
 61,63,64,65, 71,72,74,75, 
 76, 77, 108, 120, 128. 
 
 Bray, John, 21, 27. 
 
 " Brazen Mask," 11, 152. 
 
 Brazier, Mrs., 64. 
 
 Brevoort, Mrs. (Miss Leesugg, 
 
 Eliza Sharpe), 103. 
 " Brian Boroihme," 74. 
 "Bride of Abydos, The," 26, 
 
 41,47, 153, 158. 
 " Bride of Lammermoor, The," 
 
 104, 122, 151. 
 "Brier-Cliff," 55, 148, 155. 
 Brighton, Eng., 67. 
 Brighton Theatre (Eng.), Z-j. 
 Broadway Theatre, New York, 
 
 138 note. 
 " Broken Sword, The," 22, 152, 
 
 157. 
 Brooklyn, N. Y., 129, 165. 
 Brow7t, Frederick, 21, 27, 32,40, 
 
 107, 120. 
 Brown, Mrs. Frederick (Sophia 
 
 Decamp), 21, 124. 
 Brown, J. Mills, ToS, T24. 
 " Brutus" (Payne's), 41, 49, 51, 
 
 152, 153, 162,163. 
 Buckingham. J. T., 1-] note. 
 " Bunker Hill," 149. 
 Burke, Joseph (" Master 
 
 Burke "), 120. 
 Burke, Airs. (Cornelia Frances 
 
 Thomas, Mrs. Joseph Jef- 
 ferson), 58. 
 Burroughs Francis Watkins, 
 
 48, 49, 57, 58. 
 Btirton, Wm. E., 21. 
 Burton's Theatre (Chambers 
 
 Street), 108. 
 "Busy-Body, The," 11, 151, 
 
 160. 
 Butler, Mrs. P. (Fanny Kem- 
 
 ble), 102, 115, 118, 120, 145. 
 
i;o 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Byrdsall, F. IV., 164. 
 
 " Caius Gracchus," 160. 
 Caldwell, Javier H., 118. 
 Caldxoell aiid Russell, 1 18. 
 CaDipbell, Mrs. Maria (Mrs. 
 
 John Gilbert), 102 note. 
 "Caravan, The," 159. 
 " Carmelite, The," 160. 
 *' Castle of Paluzzi," 156. 
 "Castle Spectre, The," 17, 51, 
 
 78, 128, 147, 157- 
 Celeste, Mine. (Mile. Lenghis, 
 
 Mrs. H. Elliott), 18, 100, 
 
 143 note. 
 Centinel (Columbian), 9, 23, 
 
 29. 
 Chapvian, Caroline (Miss 
 
 Greenwood), 108. 
 Chapman, Mrs. Richardson 
 
 Fisher (Elizabeth Jeffer- 
 son), 135, 164. 
 Chapman, Wm. (elder), 103. 
 Chapman, Wm. B., loS. 
 Charles, Mrs. (Mrs. Thos. 
 
 Hamblin), 49, 104, 126. 
 Charleston, S. C, 58, 86, 106, 
 
 165. 
 Charleston Library Society of 
 
 South Carolina, 165. 
 "Charlotte and Werter," 163. 
 Chatham Garden Theatre, New 
 
 York, 42, 54-56, 57, 58, 66, 
 
 68,69,70,71,72,73,74, 75, 
 
 93- 
 
 " Cherry and Fair-Star," 162. 
 
 Chestnut Street Theatre, Phil- 
 adelphia, 35, 66, 96, 106, 
 107, i«38-i22, 123, 125, 139 
 note. 
 
 "Child of Nature, The," 156. 
 
 " Children in the Wood, The," 
 
 41, 163. 
 Cibber, Susanna Maria (Mrs. 
 
 Theophilus Cibber), 2. 
 Cincinnati, Ohio, 118, 165. 
 Cincinnati Mercantile Library, 
 
 165. 
 Cincinnati Theatre, 118. 
 "Cinderella," 15, 148. 
 City Library, New Orleans, 
 
 165. 
 City Theatre (Washington 
 
 Gardens), Boston, 12^. 
 " Clandestine Marriage, The," 
 
 149, 162. 
 Clapp, IVm. IV., 164. 
 
 on Mrs. Duff's acting, ii. 
 " Clari," 94, 161. 
 Clark, Mr. (Kilner and Clark), 
 
 32- 
 Clarke, J. H., 37. 
 Claxton, Kate, 19. 
 Clenient, Mr., 102 note. 
 Clifton, Josephine, 120. 
 Collin gbotc7-ne, Wm. E., 102 
 
 note, 103. 
 Collins, Wm., 12, 31. 
 Columbian Centinel (Boston 
 
 Centinel), 9, 23, 29. 
 "Columbus," 78, 148, 152, 156, 
 
 158, 161. 
 " Comedy of Errors," 83. 
 Comer, Thos., 102 note, 103. 
 Cone, Spencer H., 19. 
 Conner, EdmonS., 124, 126, 127. 
 "Conquest of Taranto," 152, 
 
 155- 
 Conway, Wm. A., 3, 46, 49, 54, 
 
 56, 61, 62, 63, 67, 74, 86. 
 Cooke, George Frederick, 11, 14, 
 
 17, 20, 33. 
 
IXDEX. 
 
 171 
 
 Cooper^ J. Feunimore, 117. 
 
 Cooper, Johti, 87, 90. 
 
 Cooper, Thomas Abthorp, 3, 8, 
 20, 21, 22, 24, 27, 29, 38, 
 39. 41, 47> 48, 49. 82, 87, 
 96, 100, 104, 106, 107, 109, 
 no, III, 113, 120. 
 
 "Coriolanus,"6, 17,64, 153, 157, 
 163. 
 
 "Country Girl," 163. 
 
 Courier and Enquirer (New 
 York), 113. 
 
 Courier (Boston), 85. 
 
 Covent Garden Theatre, Lon- 
 don, 42, 46, 131. 
 
 Cowley, Mrs. Hannah, 13. 
 
 " Cradle of Liberty," 117, 148. 
 
 Cramer, Miss (Mrs. Plumer), 
 
 Crane, Walworth D., 164. 
 
 Crane, Mrs. Walworth D., 164. 
 
 Crichton, Jatties (" The Admi- 
 rable Crichton"), 8. 
 
 "Critic, The," 161. 
 
 Crooke, Mr., 94. 
 
 Crooke, Mrs. (Mrs. Mason, Mrs. 
 Entwistle), 18, 19, 43. 
 
 " Cure for the Heartache," 149, 
 150,163. 
 
 "Curfew, The," 149, 151, 158. 
 
 Cushmati, Charlotte, 2, 107, 143 
 note, 145. 
 
 "Damon and Pythias," 38, 
 51, 148, i6r. 
 
 Daponte, Lorefizo, 120. 
 
 " Darkness Visible," 163. 
 
 Darley, Felix O. C, lO. 
 
 Darley, John, ID, 12, 108. 
 
 Darley, Mrs. John (Ellen West- 
 ray), 12, 13. 
 
 D* Anisviont Mme. (Fanny 
 
 Wright), 104. 
 " Day After the Wedding," 1 50, 
 
 156. 
 "Dead Shot, The," 116. 
 "Deaf and Dumb," 18, 150. 
 Dean, Julia, 10. 
 Dean, Nicholas, 75. 
 " Death of Life in London," 
 
 158. 
 "Debtor and Creditor," 150. 
 DeCamp, Maria Theresa (Mrs. 
 
 Chas. Kemble), 18, 21. 
 DeCamp, Plncent, 125. 
 "Deed of Gift," 160. 
 D*Egville, James, 5. 
 Dennis, Heiiry, 66. 
 Denjiy, Miss (Mrs. Alex. 
 
 Drake), iii. 
 "Devil's Bridge," 24, 25, 148, 
 
 155. 156- 
 
 Dibdin, Charles, 23. 
 
 Dickijison, James A. (or Dick- 
 son), 8, 12, 20. 
 
 Dickson, Jaj)ies A. (or Dickin- 
 son), 8, 12, 20. 
 
 Dimond, Wm., 14, 31, 42. 
 
 Dinneford, Wm., 126. 
 
 "Distrest Mother, The," 26, 
 28, 30-31, 37, 44. 78, 83, 
 95, 105, 107, 149, 160, 161. 
 
 Doige, Mrs., 12. 
 
 " Douglas," 28, 51, 150, 158, 163. 
 
 Drake, Mrs. Alex. (Miss Den- 
 ny), III 
 
 Drake, Samuel, 10, 12. 
 
 Drake, Mrs. Samuel, 10. 
 
 "Dramatist, The," 14, 24, 151, 
 158, 163. 
 
 Drezv, Mrs. John (Louisa Lane, 
 Mrs. Henry Hunt), 87, 164. 
 
J2 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 " Drummer, The," 14, 150, 
 
 162. 
 Driivi77iond, W. C, 21. 
 Drum77iond, Mrs. W. C. See 
 
 Mrs. Geo. H. Barrett. 
 Drury Lane Theatre, London, 
 
 87, 89-90, 91, 92, 105. 
 Dublin, Ireland, 5, 6, 7, 8, 24, 
 
 25, 87. 
 Dublin Theatre, 5, 8, 87. 
 "Duel, The," 148, 157. 
 "Duenna, The," 23, 150. 
 Duff, Eliza (Mrs. Von Leer), 
 
 137, 137 note. 
 Duff, yanies Lenville, 137 
 
 note. 
 Duff, Dr. y. Baldzvin, 164. 
 Duff, John R. : 
 his early career, 8. 
 his marriage, 8. 
 his American debut, 8. 
 his versatility, 9, 15. 
 his position on the stage, 9. 
 his decline in power and at- 
 tractiveness, 45, 60. 
 his quarrel with Henry Wal- 
 
 lack 58, 66 et seq. 
 his visit to England, 86 ^"^ seq- 
 his death, 107. 
 his private character, 108. 
 his list of parts, 155-163. 
 his Cou7it Beli7io in " The 
 
 Devil's Bridge," 24-25. 
 his Ha77ilct, 9. 
 his Mar77iio7i, 18. 
 his Three S'mgles in " Three 
 
 and the Deuce," 13. 
 Boston Centinel on his act- 
 ing, 9. 
 Boston Gazette on his acting, 
 9. 15- 
 
 Duff, JohTt R. : 
 
 Philadelphia Aurora on his 
 
 acting, 19. 
 Wm. Wood on his acting, 17, 
 
 107. 
 Diff, Joh7i, Jr., 138 note. 
 Duff, Mrs. (Mary Ann Dyke) : 
 her birth, 5. 
 her theatrical debut, 5. 
 her association with Thos. 
 
 Moore, 6-7. 
 her marriage to Jno.R.Duff, 8. 
 her American debut, 10. 
 her first benefit, 12. 
 her quarrel with Henry Wal- 
 
 lack, 57, 66 et seq. 
 her visit to England, S6-93. 
 her marriage to Charles 
 
 Young, 120 et seq. 
 her marriage to Joel G. Sea- 
 
 ver, 131 ^/ seq. 
 her last appearance on the 
 
 stage, 133-134. 
 her death and burial, 141. 
 her position on the stage, i- 
 
 3. 55' 67, 74, 79-82, 114, 
 
 117, 132, 141, et seq. 
 her personal appearance, 1,50. 
 her religious belief, 4, 134, 
 
 138-140. 
 her poems, 137, 138. 
 her personal character, 4, 65, 
 
 119,134. 
 her children, 137 note, 
 her list of parts, 147-153. 
 her A7igela in " Castle Spec- 
 tre," 51. 
 her BelviJe7'a in " Venice 
 
 Preserved," 42-43, 63. 
 her Cala7ithe in " Damon and 
 
 Pythias," 38, 51. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 173 
 
 Duff, Mrs. : 
 
 her Cordelia in " King Lear," 
 105. 
 
 her Countess of Loz'elaugk in 
 " Rochester," 27. 
 
 her Desdefuotia in " Othello," 
 III. 
 
 her Ellen Douglas in "The 
 Knight of Snowdoun," 53. 
 
 her Emma in " Wm. Tell," 50. 
 
 her Florinda in " The Apos- 
 tate," 36, 42. 
 
 her Helen Macgregor'wv " Rob 
 
 Roy," 77- 
 her Hermione in "The Dis- 
 
 trest Mother," 26, 28, 30- 
 
 31,37,44,78,83. 
 her Imogine in " Bertram," 
 
 39. 79- 
 
 her Isabella in " Isabella," 36, 
 46, 48, 84, 88-90, 119, 127. 
 
 her Jane Shore, 61, 94, 97, 
 109. 
 
 her Juliet in " Romeo and 
 Juliet," II, 52-53, 54. 
 
 her Katheriiie in "Taming 
 of the Shrew," 34. 
 
 her Lady Macbeth, 3, 39, 1 1 5. 
 
 her Lady Randolph in " Doug- 
 las," 28, 51. 
 
 her Mary in " Superstition," 
 41,98. 
 
 her Mathilde in " The Bohe- 
 mian Mother," 99. 
 
 her Meg Merrilies in " Guy 
 Mannering," 36. 
 
 her Mme. Clermont in *' Adri- 
 an and Orilla," 42, 44, 65, 
 75. 76, 83. 
 
 her Mrs. Beverley in " The 
 Gamester," 39, 53, 62. 
 
 Duff, Mrs. : 
 
 her Airs. Haller in "The 
 
 Stranger," 34. 
 her N'ahmeokee in " Metamo- 
 
 ra," 103, 122. 
 her Ophelia in " Hamlet," 28, 
 
 29. 31. ZZ- 
 
 her Queen Katherine in 
 " Henry VHL," 63. 
 
 her Rosalind, 33. 
 
 her Roxana in " Alexander 
 the Great," 39. 
 
 her Sigismonda in " Tancred 
 and Sigismonda," 18, 31, 
 
 32- 
 
 her Tidlia in "Brutus," 51. 
 
 Bell's Messenger on her act- 
 ing, 88, 91. 
 
 J. B. Booth (elder) on her 
 acting, z-^. 
 
 Boston Advertiser on her 
 acting, 98. 
 
 Boston (Columbian) Centinel 
 on her acting, 23, 29. 
 
 Boston Courier on her act- 
 ing, 85. 
 
 Boston Gazette on her acting, 
 30, 44, 83, 84. 
 
 Boston Traveller on her act- 
 ing, 84, 85, 99. 
 
 W.W.Clapp on her acting, 1 1 . 
 
 John Gilbert on her acting, 
 3»96- 
 
 Wm. Gowans on her acting, 
 65. 
 
 Horace Greeley on her act- 
 ing, 3. "S- 
 
 "Jacques" in U. S. Gazette, 
 on her acting, 50-53. 
 
 Edmund Kean on her acting, 
 3,29,42, 75. 
 
174 
 
 INDEX, 
 
 D24J, Mrs. : 
 
 London Age on her acting, 
 8S. 
 
 London Atlas on her acting, 
 88. 
 
 London Gazette on her act- 
 ing, 88. 
 
 London Theatrical Observer 
 on her acting, 8S, 91. 
 
 '• Marcus " on her acting. 54. 
 
 New York Albion on her 
 acting, 27, 39, 56, 65, 76, 
 
 78, 91- 
 
 New York American on her 
 acting, 38. 
 
 New York Courier and En- 
 quirer on her acting, 113. 
 
 New York Emerald on her 
 acting, 42. 
 
 New York Enquirer on her 
 acting, 75. 
 
 New York Evening Post on 
 her acting, 37, 61, 75. 
 
 New York Herald on her 
 acting, 129. 
 
 New York Mirror on her act- 
 ing, 38. 55. 77, 78, 79. 109. 
 
 Philadelphia Gazette on her 
 acting, 127. 
 
 Wm. M. Price on her acting, 
 3.67- 
 
 Mrs. Trollope on her acting, 
 105. 
 
 F. C. \Vemyss on her acting, 
 41. 
 
 Wm. Wood on her acting, 17, 
 
 35, 41. 
 Z>!(f, Mary C IV. (younger), 
 (Mrs. Augustus A. Ad- 
 dams, Mrs. J. G. Porter) : 
 her debut, 112. 
 
 Duf, Mary : 
 
 her first appearance in New 
 
 York, 116. 
 her first appearance in Bos- 
 ton, 117. 
 sketch of her career, 137 note. 
 Philadelphia Album on her 
 
 acting, 116. 
 mention, 124, 125, 126, 137. 
 
 Duff, Matilda (Mme. Reillieux), 
 122, 138 note, 140, 141 note. 
 
 Dziff, Thomas Thatcher, 135, 164. 
 sketch of, 138 note. 
 
 Diff, Wm. F., 138 note. 
 
 Duff, Mrs. Wm. F., 164. 
 
 Dimlap, Wm., 108. 
 
 Durand, A. B., 18. 
 
 Durang, Charles, 25, 34, 43, 55. 
 
 Durang, Mrs. Charles (Mary 
 White), 34, 43,90, 108, 121, 
 122, 135, 164. 
 
 " Durazzo," 155. 
 
 Dyke, Ann (Mrs. Wm. Mur- 
 ray), 6, 8, 92. 
 
 Dyke, Elizabeth (Mrs. Thos. 
 Moore), 6, 7, 92. 
 
 Dyke, Mary Attn. See Mrs- 
 Duff. 
 
 Dyke, Mrs. (mother of Mrs. 
 Duff), 5, 92. 
 
 Dykes, Wm., 21. 
 
 " East Indian, The," 106, 153. 
 Eberle, Elizabeth (Mrs. Wm. 
 
 Kent), 124. 
 Eberle, H., loS. 
 Eberle, Mr. (of Boston). 102 
 
 note, 103. 
 "Edgar," 33, 151, 160. 
 Edinburgh, Scotland, 8. 
 " Education," 152, 156. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 175 
 
 " Ella Rosenberg," 149, 161, 162. 
 Ellistoir, Robert IV., 9. 
 Emerald (New York), 42. 
 Enquirer, New York, 75. 
 Entwisfle, James , 10, 12. 
 Ent-wistle, Mrs. (Mrs. Mason, 
 
 Mrs. Crooke), 18 19, 43- 
 " Ethiop, The," 22,42, 100, 108, 
 
 148, 152, 157. 
 Eustap/iieve, Mr., 67, 68, 70. 
 "Evadne," 100, 149, 156. 
 Evening Post (New York), 37, 
 
 58,61, 75. 
 "Every One Has his Faults," 
 
 103, 150, 156, 162. 
 Ewiiig, Mrs., 121. 
 "Exchange no Robbery," 150, 
 
 162. 
 "Exile, The," 14, 15, 49, i47> 
 
 148, 157. 
 Eyre, Edmond Jo/m, 16. 
 
 "Falls of Clyde," 23, 149, 
 160. 
 
 "Farmer's Wife," 23, 151. 
 
 Farren, Mrs. Geo., 164. 
 
 " Fate of a Gamester," 108, 147. 
 
 "Fate of Galas," 159. 
 
 Faulkner, Thos. (" Irish Faulk- 
 ner"), 61, 64, 107. 
 
 Federal Street Theatre, Bos- 
 ton, 8, 83, 93, 95. 
 
 Fir on, Mme., 97. 
 
 Field, J.M., 118. 
 
 Field, Mrs. J. M. (Eliza Rid- 
 dle), 109. 
 
 Field, Kate, 118. 
 
 Fielding, Hej^ry, 81. 
 
 Fielding, Mr. (of Philadelphia), 
 48. 
 
 Finriy Henry James, 44, 93. 
 
 Finn and Kilner, 93. 
 
 Fisher, Alexina (Mrs. Baker), 
 III, 124, 164. 
 
 Fisher, Amelia, 94. 
 
 Fisher, Clara (Mrs. Maeder), 
 96, 120, 143 note, 
 her first engagement in New 
 York, 82. 
 
 Fisher, Jane M. (Mrs. Vernon), 
 94. 
 
 Fisher, Mr. (of Boston), 10, 12. 
 
 Fisher, Mrs. (Mrs. Elizabeth 
 Ghapman - Richardson -Jef- 
 ferson), 135, 164. 
 
 Flynn, Thos., 106, 120. 
 
 Flynn, Mrs. Thos., 106, 120. 
 
 " Folly as it Flies," 48, 149, 150, 
 163. 
 
 " Fontainville Forest," 159. 
 
 Foote, Maria (Countess of Har- 
 rington), 91. 
 
 "Forest of Bondy, The," 159. 
 
 '^ Forest of Hermanstadt, The," 
 23, 148. 
 
 Foj-nasari, Signor, 120. 
 
 Forrest, Edwin, 3, 25, 49, d^^^ 
 64, 65, 78, 79, 84, 85, 94, 
 loi, 102, 103, 104, 107, III, 
 117, 120, 122, 143. 
 
 " Fortress, The," 148, 156. 
 
 " Fortune's Frolic," 6. 
 
 " Forty Thieves, The," 13, 151, 
 158. 
 
 Foster, Rebecca (Mrs. Gharles 
 Young), 60, 64. 
 
 " Foundling of the Forest,The," 
 31,40, 49, 54-55' "2, 117, 
 125, 133' 149' 156, 158- 
 
 Francis, VVm., 19. 
 
 Frajuis, Mrs. IVm., 19. 
 
 Frankford, Pa., 121, 122. 
 
176 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Franklin Theatre, New York, 
 126, 128. 
 
 French, Rosalie (Mrs. Wm. Pel- 
 by), 27, 58, 96, 97. 
 
 " Frightened to Death," 133, 
 149, 161. 
 
 Front Street Theatre, Balti- 
 more, 123. 
 
 " Gamester, The," 39, 43, 53, 
 
 54, 56, 61, 62,106,113,148, 
 
 151, 156, 162. 
 Gannon, Mary, 127. 
 Gates, Wm. F., 128. 
 Gazette (Boston), 9, 15, 30, 44, 
 
 83, 84. 
 " Gazette Extraordinary," 149, 
 
 162, 
 Gazette (London), 88. 
 Gazette (Philadelphia), 127. 
 Gazette (United States), 50. 
 Geneste, Rev. Mr., 47. 
 "George Barnwell," 151, 158. 
 Gibso7i, Dr., 47. 
 Gilbert, John, 3, 164. 
 
 his debut, 96. 
 Gilfert, Charles Afitonio, 58-60, 
 
 77. I 
 
 his legal battle on account of ! 
 
 Mrs. Duff, 66 et seq. \ 
 
 Gilfert, Mrs. Chas. A. (Miss 
 
 Holman), 20, 60, 61. 
 "Gladiator, The," 152. 
 Glover, yT/rj. (Miss Betterton), 
 
 24. 
 " Golden Farmer, The," 125, 
 
 127, 128, 148. 
 Goldsmith, Oliver, 81. 
 Gowans, Wm., his opinion of 
 
 Mrs. Duff, 65. 
 
 Graham, David, 71, 73. 
 Graham, John, 10, 12. 
 Graup7ier, Mrs. (Mrs. Heelyer), 
 
 12. 
 Gray, "jfackson, 118. 
 " Grecian Daughter, The," 161. 
 Greeley Horace, 3, 115. 
 Green, Charles, 108. 
 " Green Man, The," 150, 157. 
 Green, Wm., 21. 
 Green, Mrs. Wm. (Miss Wil- 
 
 lems), 19. 
 Greenwood Cemetery, 141. 
 Gree?twood, Miss (Caroline 
 
 Chapman), 108. 
 " Guy Mannering," 36, 151, 157. 
 
 Hackett, James H., 83, 103- 
 
 104, 143 note. 
 Hackett, Jno. K., 164. 
 Hadaway, Thos. H, 125. 
 Hall, A. Oakey, 164. 
 Hamblin, Thos. S., 49, 63, 64, 
 
 97, 104, 109, 120. 
 Hamblin, Mrs. Thomas S. 
 
 (Elizabeth Blanchard, Mrs. 
 
 Charles), 49, 104, 126. 
 Hamblin, Mrs. Thos. S. (Mrs. 
 
 Shaw), 133. 
 Hamilton, Esther (Mrs. Young, 
 
 Mrs. Hughes), 21, 60, 61, 
 
 94, 105. 
 Hamilton, Miss, 108. 
 " Hamlet," 9, 15, 22, 28, -^^i, 41, 
 
 loi, 106, 152, 158. 
 Harrington, Countess of ( Maria 
 
 Foote), 91. 
 Hatfield, Richard, 67. 
 " Heart of Mid Lothian, The," 
 
 27. 57, iSo> 162. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 77 
 
 Ileelyer, Mrs. (Mrs. Graupner), 
 
 " Heir-at-Law, The," 148, 157, 
 
 159- 
 
 " Helpless Animals," 161. 
 
 " Henri IV.," 150, 158, 159. 
 
 "Henri Quatre," 157. 
 
 Henry, A?tn Jane (Mrs. Geo. H. 
 Barrett), 10, 43, 60, 64, 76? 
 94, loi, 102, 102 note, 103- 
 
 Henry, Mr., 10. 
 
 " Henry VHI.," 63, 152, 157. 
 
 Herald (New York), 129. 
 
 " Hero of Scotland, The," 29. 
 
 " Hero of the North, The," 158. 
 
 " He Would be a Soldier," 156. 
 
 Higgins, Mrs., 118. 
 
 "Highland Widow, The," 112, 
 149. 
 
 " High Life Below Stairs," 159. 
 
 Hill, George Handel {"Y2Ln]^Qt 
 Hill "), 107, 120. 
 
 Hilson, Thos., 120, 121. 
 
 Hilson,Mrs. T^^^j. (Ellen John- 
 son), 34, 37, 103, 120, 121. 
 
 Historical Society of New 
 York, 165. 
 
 Hodgkinson, John, 9. 
 
 Holla?id, George, 33. 
 
 Holliday Street Theatre, Bal- 
 timore, 105, 123. 
 
 Holnian, Joseph G., 20. 
 
 Holnian, Miss (Mrs. Charles A. 
 Gilfert), 20, 60, 61. 
 
 Hobnan, Mrs. (Mrs. C. W. 
 Sandford), 34. 
 
 " Honest Thieves, The," 105, 
 162. 
 
 "Honeymoon, The," 12, 16, 
 22,34, 150, 153, 157. 
 
 Horace, 78. 
 
 Horn, Charles E., 97, 120. 
 Hoiipt, Charles J., 118. 
 "House of Aspen," 104, 105,149. 
 " How to Die for Love," 156. 
 Hubbard, Dr. Sanmel T., 164. 
 Hughes, Elizabeth, 120. 
 Hughes, Walter, 21, 43. 
 Hughes, Mrs. Walter (Esther 
 
 Hamilton, Mrs. Young), 
 
 21, 60, 61, 94, 105. 
 Hunt, Henry, 96. 
 " Hunter of the Alps, The," 
 
 149, 157. 
 Hyatt, George P., 61, 64, 78, loi, 
 
 102 note. 
 
 Inchbald, Mrs. Elizabeth, 
 
 103. 
 " Incog," 147. 
 Ingersoll, David, 128. 
 Ingersoll, Mrs. David (Mary 
 
 Ann Jefferson), 128. 
 " Innkeeper's Daughter, The," 
 
 2, 24, 151, 161. 
 " Irishman in London, The," 
 
 160. 
 "Irish Tutor, The," 162. 
 "Iron Chest, The," 147, 161. 
 Irving, Judge Johti T., 3, 66, 
 
 71,75- 
 " Isabella," 36, 84, 87, 88, 105, 
 
 149, 156. 
 " Is He a Prince ? " 160. 
 Ishenuood, Henry, 164. 
 Isherwood, Wm., 123. 
 " Ivanhoe," 104, 152, 156, 159, 
 
 161. 
 
 Jackson, Abraham W., 124. 
 
 " Jane Shore," 13, 6r, 82, 94, 97, 
 
 109, no, 150, 157, 159. 
 
178 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 "Jealous Wife, The," 159. 
 
 Jefferson, Elizabeth (Mrs. Chap- 
 man - Richardson - Fisher), 
 135, 164. 
 
 Jefferson, John, 43. 
 
 Jefferson, Joseph (first Ameri- 
 can Jefferson), 19, 48, 128, 
 
 135- 
 
 Jefferson, Mrs. Joseph (Euphe- 
 mia Fortune), wife of 
 above, 19. 
 
 Jefferson, Joseph (second Amer- 
 ican Jefferson), 130. 
 
 Jefferso7i, Mrs. Joseph (Corne- 
 lia Frances Thomas, Mrs. 
 Burke), wife of above, 58. 
 
 Jefferson, Joseph ("Rip Van 
 Winkle "), 19, 22, 130 note. 
 
 Jefferson, Mary Anne (Mrs. 
 David IngersoU), 128. 
 
 Je7iks, Mrs. S. Haynes, 164. 
 
 "Jew, The," II, 148, 158. 
 
 Joannes, Comif (Geo. Jones), 
 loi, 102, 102 note, 103. 
 
 "Joan of Arc," 157. 
 
 "John Bull," 151, 157, 161, 163. 
 
 Johnso7i, Ellen (Mrs. Hilson), 
 34, 37, 103, 120, 121. 
 
 Jones Fanny ( Mrs. Henry Wal- 
 lack), 43, 55. 
 
 Jones, George ('' Count Joan- 
 nes "), Id, 102, 102 note, 
 103. 
 
 Jones, J. S., 102 note, 103. 
 
 Jones, Mrs. Charles, 87. 
 
 Jones, Wm., 102 note, 103, 124. 
 
 Jones, Mrs. Wm., 102 note, 125. 
 
 "Julian," 104, 147. 
 
 "Julius Ccesar," 56, 152, 156, 
 160. 
 
 " Katherine and Petru- 
 
 CHio," 34, 148, 150, 161. 
 Kean, Charles, 90, 106, 120. 
 Kean, Mrs. Charles (Ellen 
 
 Tree), 113, 145. 
 Kean, Edmund, 17, 28, 45, 49, 
 
 80, 81, 84, 103. 
 his association with Mrs. 
 
 Duff, 3, 30; 32, 42. 
 his opinion of her acting, 3, 
 
 29, 42, 75. 
 Keene, Arthur F., 58, 76. 
 Kemble, Charles, 46, 102, 120. 
 Kemble, Mrs. Charles (Maria 
 
 Theresa DeCamp), 18, 21. 
 Kemble, Elizabeth (Mrs. C. E. 
 
 Whitelock), 20. 
 Kemble, Fanny (Mrs. P. But- 
 ler), 102, 115, 118, 120, 
 
 145. 
 "Kenilworth," 42, 152. 
 Kent, Wm., 124. 
 Ke7it, Mrs.'Wm. (Elizabeth Eb- 
 
 erle), 124. 
 Kilkenny, Ireland, 5. 
 Kilner and Clark, 32. 
 Kilner, Thos., 32, 43, 93, 94, 
 
 loi, 103. 
 Kilner, Mrs. Thos., 43. 
 " King John," 40, 102 note, 150, 
 
 157, 159- 
 "King Lear," 64, 105, 148, 147, 
 
 159- 
 
 King's Theatre, London (Op- 
 era House, Haj-market), 5. 
 
 "Kiss, The," 156. 
 
 Knight, Mrs. Edward (Mary 
 Ann Povey), 100. 
 
 " Knight of Snowdoun, The," 
 
 IS. 53. 149. 161. 
 
 Knowles, James Sheridan, 48. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 179 
 
 " Know Your Own Mind," yi^, 
 ISO, 157- 
 
 Lacombe, Mrs. CClarissa Al- 
 len), 43. 
 " Ladies at Home," 1 50. 
 " Lady and the Devil, The," 160. 
 "Lady of the Lake, The," 15, 
 
 53, 74, 149, 161. 
 "Lady of the Rock, The," 159. 
 " LaFayette," 156. 
 Lafayette Theatre, New York, 
 
 57-58. 69, 70. 
 Lane, Louisa (Mrs. Henry Hunt, 
 
 Mrs. John Drew), 87, 164. 
 Langton, Mr., 103. 
 " Laugh When You Can," 14, 
 
 44, 149, 151, 158. 
 Law son, Jatnes, 164. 
 Leesugg, Eliza (Mrs. Brevoort, 
 
 Mrs. Sharpe), 103. 
 Legge, Mrs. (Mrs. Bannister, 
 
 Mrs. Stone), 109. 
 Leman, Walter M., io2note,i03. 
 Liverpool, England, 86. 
 Locke, Miss, 6. 
 Logan, Celia, 61. 
 Logan, Cornelius A., 61. 
 Logan, Eliza, 61. 
 Loga7t, Olive, 61. 
 London, England, 5, 7, 9, 18, 
 
 24. 30, 33» 47. 86, 87, 88, 
 
 90, 92, 113. 
 London Age, 88. 
 London Atlas, 88. 
 London Gazette, 88. 
 London Theatrical Observer, 
 
 88, 91. 
 Longacre, Jas. B. (engraver), 
 
 42. 
 " Love a la Mode," 161, 162. 
 
 " Love Laughs at Locksmiths," 
 
 108, 156. 
 
 " Love Makes a Man," 147, 156. 
 "Lovers' Vows," 48, 147. 
 Lopez and Wemyss, 42. 
 Lopez, IV., 42. 
 Ludlozu, N. M., 132, 164. 
 Luria, Abraham, 164. 
 "Lyieushee Lovell," 151. 
 
 "Macbeth," 3, 15, 16, 21, 39, 
 
 56, III, 115, 117, 150, 155, 
 
 160. 
 Maclay, Wm. B., 164. 
 Macready, Wm. C, 47, 84, 87. 
 Maeder, Mrs. James G. (Clara 
 
 Fisher), 82, 96, 120, 143 
 
 note. 
 "Maid and Magpie, The," 2, 
 
 23,79, 106, 147, 157- 
 " Maid of Milan, The," 94, 148. 
 " Maid of the Oaks, The," 157. 
 " Man and Wife," 116, 156, 157. 
 " Man of Ten Thousand, The," 
 
 147, 157- 
 " Man of the World, The," 148, 
 
 150. 157. 
 " Manuel," 153, 160. 
 "Marmion," 18, 148, 160, 
 "Mary Glastonbury," 151. 
 "Mary Stuart," loi, 151. 
 Mason, Mrs. (Mrs. Entwistle), 
 
 18, 19, 43- 
 Mass. Historical Society, 164. 
 Mathews, Charles (elder), 17. 
 Mathews, Cornelius, 164. 
 Maywood, Robert C, 25, 39, 45, 
 
 58, 77,93, III. 
 Maywood, Mrs. R. C. (Mrs. H. 
 
 A. Williams), 60, 64, 104, 
 
 109, no. 
 
i8o 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 " Mazeppa" (Payne's), 14, 148, 
 
 160. 
 Mc Bride, Cecilia, 102 note. 
 McCidlough, John, 90 note. 
 McKee, Tlwvias J., 58. 
 "Melmoththe Wanderer," 108, 
 
 149. 
 Melton, Miss, 133. 
 Memphis, Tenn., 137. 
 Mercantile Library, Baltimore, 
 
 165. 
 Mercantile Library, Cincin- 
 nati, 165. 
 Mercantile Library, St. Louis, 
 
 165. 
 "Merchant of Venice, The," 
 
 98, 105, 152, 155,158,162. 
 "Merry Wives of Windsor, 
 
 The," 158. 
 Mestayer, Anna Maria (Mrs. 
 
 Chas. R. Thorne, Sr.), 124. 
 Mestayer, Emily, 164. 
 Mestayer, Mr., 124. 
 "Metamora," 25, 61, 102, 103, 
 
 122, 152. 
 " Miantonimoh," 107, 152. 
 "Midas," 155. 
 
 "Midnight Hour, The," 159. 
 "Miller and His Men, The," 
 
 14S, 158. 
 "Mirandola," 158. 
 Mirror (New York), 38, 55, -]-], 
 
 78, 79, 109. 
 Mitford, Mary Russell, 97, 104. 
 Moore, Thomas, 8. 
 
 his love for Mary Ann Dyke 
 
 (Mrs. Duff), 6-7. 
 his marriage to Elizabeth 
 
 Dyke, 6. 
 his poem to Mary Ann Dyke, 
 
 6-7. 
 
 Moore, Mrs. TJios. (Elizabeth 
 
 Dyke), 6, 7, 92. 
 Moreland, Henry George, 34, 
 
 43- 
 " More Ways than One," 147. 
 Morris, George P., 55. 
 Morton, Thomas, 15, 16, 20. 
 " Mountaineers, The," 8, 149, 
 
 153. 159, 160. 
 "Much Ado About Nothing," 
 
 155- 
 
 Mude Mr., 87. 
 
 Mud Theatre (Adelphi), Balti- 
 more, 105, 106. 
 
 Munsel, Joel, 164. 
 
 Murdoch, Jas. E., 112, 122. 
 
 Mia-phy, Arthur, y^. 
 
 Mtcrray, Miss (Mrs. Henry Sid- 
 dons), 8. 
 
 Murray, Wm., 8. 
 
 Murray, Mrs. Wm. (Miss Ann 
 Dyke), 6, 8, 92. 
 
 Muzzy, Charles E., 118. 
 
 Muzzy, Mrs. Charles E., 1 18. 
 
 "My Uncle," 158. 
 
 Naples, Italy, 82. 
 
 National Chatham Theatre, 
 
 N. Y., 143 note. 
 Neajie, J. A. J., 164. 
 N'eagle, John, iS, 41. 
 " Netley Abbey," 160. 
 New City Theatre, Boston, 
 
 (Washington Gardens), 
 
 33- 
 New Orleans, La., 119, 131, 
 
 133. 134, 136, 138. 140, 
 165. 
 " New Way to Pay Old Debts," 
 163. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 8l 
 
 New York, 2, 3, 17 note, 18, 
 19, 20, 21, 25, 32, 34, 37, 
 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 54, 
 56, 57, 58, 60, 64, 65, 66, 
 72, 79, 82, 93, 103, 105, 106, 
 107, 108, 112, 114, 115, 116, 
 117, 119, 121, 126, 128, 132, 
 135, 140, 141, 142, 145- 
 
 New York Albion, y], 39, 43, 
 56, 65, 76, 78, 91. 
 
 New York American, 38. 
 
 New York Courier and En- 
 quirer, 113. 
 
 New York Emerald, 42. 
 
 New York Enquirer, 75. 
 
 New Yorker, 115. 
 
 New York Evening Post, 37, 
 58, 61, 75- 
 
 New York Herald, 129. 
 
 New York Historical Society, 
 165. 
 
 New York Mirror, 38, 55, 77, 
 78, 79, 109. 
 
 New York Society Library, 165. 
 
 New York Theatre (Bowery 
 Theatre), 40, 60, 61, 63, 64, 
 65, 68, 71, 72, 74, 75, -](>, 
 77, 108, 120, 128. 
 
 Nexsen, Gilbert, 103. 
 
 "Ninth Statue, The," 159. 
 
 Noah, M. M., 25. 
 
 " Of Age Tomorrow," 8, 155. 
 O'Neill, Miss (Lady Becher), 
 
 6, 47, 61, 65, 91, 94. 
 " Oroonoko," 160. 
 Orphan Boys' Asylum, New 
 
 Orleans, 133. 
 " Orphan of Geneva, The," ^iZ^ 
 
 99. 
 
 "Oscar and Malvina," 11, 12, 
 
 16, 151, 156, 160. 
 " Othello," 13, 22, 102, III, 148, 
 
 149, 159, 161. 
 Otivay, Thomas, 62. 
 Oxley, John H., 122, 124. 
 
 Page, Charles, 129. 
 
 Page, Col. James, 164. 
 
 Fapanii, Mrs. (Miss Trazetta, 
 Mrs. Gray), 98, 102 note. 
 
 Parker, Sarah, 103. 
 
 Park Theatre, New York, 3, 
 17 note, 34, 27, 38. 40, 82, 
 93, 103, 120, 135, 139 note, 
 143 note, 145. 
 
 Parsons, Charles B., 133. 
 
 " Pastor's Daughter, The," 159. 
 
 Payne, John Howard, 14, 15, 33, 
 34, 94, 160. 
 
 Pearman, Wm., 41. 
 
 Pearson, H. G , 133. 
 
 Pedrotti, Signora, 120. 
 
 Pelby, Ophelia (Mrs. Anderson), 
 109. 
 
 Pelby, Wm., 21, 27, 48. 
 
 Pelby, Mrs. Wm. (Rosalie 
 French), 27, 58, 96, 97. 
 
 "Personation," 159. 
 
 "Peter the Great," 161. 
 
 Petrie, Eliza (Mrs. Place), 118. 
 
 Philadelphia, Pa., 2, 15, 16, 17, 
 18,19,20,22, 24, 25,34,40, 
 41, 47, 49, 54, 66, 72, 74, 
 79, 96, 106, 107, III, 112, 
 114, 116, 122, 123, 124, 125, 
 127, 129, 132 note, 135, 138, 
 141, 142, 145. 
 
 Philadelphia Album, 116. 
 
 Philadelphia Aurora, 19. 
 
 Philadelphia Gazette, 127. 
 
I82 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Philadelphia Library, 165. 
 Philadelphia Theatre, 15. 
 Philipps, Thos.y 24, 25. 
 Phillips, Moses S., 1 1 9. 
 Phillips, Sophia, 96. 
 "Pirate, The," 151, 160. 
 Pittsburg, Pa., 122. 
 Pittsburg Theatre, 122. 
 "Pizarro," 14, 22, 98, iii, 148, 
 
 149, 160, 161. 
 Place, Mrs. (Eliza Petrie), 118. 
 Placide, Caroline (Mrs. W. R. 
 
 Blake), 43, 55, 56,76, 127, 
 
 164. 
 Placide, Jane, 44, 118. 
 Placide, Thomas, 103. 
 Plumer, Mrs. (Miss Cramer), 
 
 133- 
 " Point of Honor," 24, 147, 162, 
 
 163. 
 
 Polyanthos (Boston), 17 note. 
 
 Ponsonby, Hon. George, 6. 
 
 "Poor Gentleman, The," 149, 
 158. 
 
 "Poor Lodger, The," 162. 
 
 " Poor Soldier, The," 161. 
 
 Porter, Charles, 49, 105, 108. 
 
 Porter, J. C, 124. 
 
 Porter, Mrs. J. G. (Mrs. A. A. 
 Addams). See Mary Duff. 
 
 Povey, John. 103. 
 
 Povey, Mary Ann (Mrs. Ed- 
 ward Knight), 100. 
 
 Powell, Snelling, 8, 20. 
 
 Powell, Mrs. Snelling, 12, 16, 
 22, 32. 
 
 Powell and Dickson, 8, 20. 
 
 Power, R., 6. 
 
 Price, Stephen, 3, 40, 92. 
 
 Price, Wm. M., 3, 67, 71. 
 
 " Prodigal, The," 155. 
 
 Providence, R. I., 13, 20, 22, 
 
 24, 26, 94. 
 Providence Athenaeum, 165. 
 Providence Theatre, 13, 20, 22, 
 
 24, 26, 94. 
 "Provoked Husband, The," 
 
 150, 159. 
 Public Library, Boston, 165. 
 
 QuiNCY, III., 135, 138 note. 
 
 Rachel, Mlle., i. 
 
 Racine, 26, 31, 54. 
 
 " Raising the Wind," 159. 
 
 " Recruiting Officer, The," 156. 
 
 Rees, James, 138, 164. 
 
 " Reformation," 160. 
 
 Reillieiix, Mme. (Matilda Duff), 
 
 122, 138 note, 140, 141. 
 " Remorse," 148, 157. 
 " Renegade, The," 147, 162. 
 " Returned Killed," 75, 160. 
 "Revenge," 15, 150, 156. 
 "Review, The," 14, 16, 56, 149, 
 
 159 
 Reynolds, Frederick, 14. 
 Rice, John B., 164. 
 Rice, Mrs. John B., 164. 
 "Richard II.," 100, 152. 
 "Richard ni.,"ii, 17, 32, zz^ 
 
 49, 64, 103, 150, 152, 157, 
 
 159- 
 Richardson, Mrs. ( Elizabeth 
 
 Jefferson, Mrs. Chapman, 
 
 Mrs. Fisher), 135, 164. 
 " Riches," 150. 
 Richiugs, Peter, 103. 
 Richmond, Va., 135, 136. 
 Richmond Hill Theatre, New 
 
 York, 112, 113, 114, 115, 
 
 119, 120. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 183 
 
 Richmond Theatre (Va.), 19, 
 
 136. 
 Riddle, Eliza (Mrs. J. M. 
 
 Field), 109. 
 Riddle, Sarah (Mrs. W. H. 
 
 Smith), 56. 
 " Rienzi," 97, 148. 
 " Right or Wrong," 160. 
 Ristori, Mt?ie., i. 
 " Rivals, The," 22, 27, 150, 157, 
 
 162. 
 " Road to Ruin, The," 60, 158. 
 " Robbers, The," 42, i47i 158. 
 "Robber's Wife, The," 113, 
 
 117, 152. 
 Roberts, James, 27, 55, 56, 58, 
 
 61, 64, 71, 74, 76, 94- 
 Roberts, Mrs. James, 71. 
 Roberts, Mr. (of Boston), 12. 
 Robertson, IV/n., 10, 12. 
 " Robinson Crusoe," 161. 
 "Rob Roy," 76-78, 149, 161. 
 "Rochester," 27, 104, 148, 157. 
 " Roland for an Oliver," 155. 
 " Romeo and Juliet," 10, 11, 22, 
 
 35.52, 53, 54,150,160,161. 
 Ross, Sarah (Mrs. Frederick 
 
 Wheatley), 21. 
 Rowbotham, H. H., 109. 
 Roivbotham, Mrs. H. H., 109. 
 Rowe, George, 164. 
 Rowe, Mrs. George ( Louisa Sey- 
 mour), 118. 
 Rowe, Nicholas, 82, no. 
 Roy, Mr., 128. 
 " Rule a Wife and Have a 
 
 Wife," 16, 159, 160. 
 Russell, Earl, 7, 164. 
 Russell, J., 87. 
 
 Russell, Richard, 112, 1 1 5, 1 1 6. 
 Russell, Mrs. Richard, 118. 
 
 Salem, Mass, 93. 
 
 Salem Theatre, 93. 
 
 Salomon, E., 164. 
 
 Sandford, Charles W., 57, 70, 
 
 164. 
 Sandford, Mrs. C. W. (Mrs. 
 
 J. G. Holman, Miss Lat- 
 
 mer), 34. 
 Savannah, Ga., 86. 
 Schiller, loi. 
 " School for Scandal, The," 21, 
 
 151, 156, 159. 
 " School of Reform, The," 150, 
 
 151, 158. 
 Scott, Jajnes M. (" Long Tom 
 
 Coffin"), 55, 56, 94, loi, 
 
 102 note, 103, 104, 109, 118. 
 Scott, John R., III. 
 Scott, Sir Walter, 15, 18, 104, 
 
 112. 
 Seaver, Benj. W., 164. 
 Seaver{ox^t.-\\tx), JoelG., 129- 
 
 131, 134- 
 
 Seaver, Mrs. Joel G. See Mrs. 
 
 Duff. 
 " Secrets Worth Knowing," 
 
 16, 44, 151, 152, t6i. 
 Sefton, John, 106, 122, 124, 127, 
 
 128-129. 
 Seft07i, W?n., 122, 124, 127. 
 Sefton, Airs. Wm. (Ann Duff 
 
 Waring, Mrs. J. W. Wal- 
 
 lack, Jr.), 164, 
 Senior, A. A., 164. 
 "Sergeant's Wife, The," 118, 
 
 150. 
 Sevier (or Seaver), Joel G., 129- 
 
 131, 134- 
 Seymour, Louisa (Mrs. George 
 Rowe), 118. 
 
1 84 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Shakespeare, lo, 22, 33, 54, 63, 
 
 64, 100. 
 Sharpe, Mrs. Eliza (Miss Lee- 
 
 sugg, Mrs. Brevoort), 103. 
 Shaw, Mrs. (Eliza Marian Tre- 
 
 war, Mrs. Thos. S. Ham- 
 
 blin), 133. 
 " She Stoops to Conquer/' 151, 
 
 163. 
 "She Would be a Soldier," 
 
 25, 147, 159. 
 Shell, Richard Lalor, 46, 58, 
 
 100. 
 Sheridan, Richard B., 22, 23, 
 
 27. 
 Siddons, Mrs. Henry (Miss 
 
 Murray), 8. 
 Siddons, Sarah, I, 20, 22, 25, 57, 
 
 61, 84, 89, 90, 91, 94. 
 " Siege of Belgrade, The," 156. 
 Simpson, Alex., 43. 
 Simpson, Edmund, 38, 39, 40. 
 " Simpson and Co.,"' 125, 151. 
 Simpson, Mrs. (Charlotte Bald- 
 win, Mrs. J. W. Walstein), 
 
 43. 55. 56, 58- 
 
 "Slave, The," 116, 153,158. 
 
 Smith, J. R. (scene painter), 
 no. 
 
 Smith, Mark, 132. 
 
 Smith, Sol (elder), 132. 
 
 Smith, Thos. L., 67. 
 
 Stnith, IVm. H., 100, lOI, 102 
 note, 103. 
 
 Smith, Mrs. W. H. (Sarah Rid- 
 dle), 56. 
 
 Society Library, New York, 
 165. 
 
 "Soldier's Daughter, The," 151, 
 158. 
 
 Somerville, Mr., 43. 
 
 "Somnambulist, The," 112. 
 " Sons of Erin, The," 151, 158, 
 Southern, Thos., 89. 
 Southwell, Henry, 97. 
 "Speed the Plough," 151, 152, 
 
 156. 
 Spiller, Mr., 43. 
 "Spy, The," 149, 156. 
 State Library, Albany, N. Y., 
 
 164. 
 St. Charles Theatre, New Or- 
 leans, 133, 
 Stevenson, George, 55. 
 Stez'ensoji, Mrs. George, 164. 
 Stez'enson, Jonathati D., 70, 73. 
 "Steward, The," 160. 
 St. John's Cemetery, New 
 
 York, 60. 
 St. Louis, Mo., 132, 165. 
 St. Louis Mercantile Library, 
 
 165. 
 St. Louis Theatre (Mo.), 132. 
 Stockivell,Mr., 12. 
 Stone, H. D., 164. 
 Stojie, John Augustus, 43, 61, 
 
 102. 
 Stone, Mrs. (Mrs. Legge, Mrs. 
 
 Bannister), 109. 
 "Stranger, The," 34, 100, 128, 
 
 132, 151, 162. 
 Stuart, Mary (Queen of Scots), 
 
 lor. 
 " Students of Salamanca, The," 
 
 14S. 
 " Superstition," 41,98, 151, 163. 
 Swinbourne, Mrs. (Miss E. 
 
 Vandenhoff), 143 note. 
 "Sylvester Daggerwood," 162. 
 
 " Tale of Mystery, The," 
 152, 156. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 185 
 
 "Tamerlane," 152, 160. 
 
 " Taming of the Shrew, The," 
 
 34, 148. 
 •' Tancred and Sigismonda," 1 5, 
 
 31, 152, 160. 
 "Tekeli," 147. 148, 162. 
 "Tempest, The," 151, 161. 
 Thayer, Edward, 31, 33. 55' 5^, 
 57, 58, 100, loi, 102 note, 
 124, 128. 
 Theatre Royal, Dublin, 87. 
 Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, 8. 
 Adelphi Theatre, Baltimore 
 
 (Mud Theatre), 105, 106. 
 Albany Theatre, 20. 
 American Theatre, New Or- 
 leans, 133. 
 Arch Street Theatre, Phila- 
 delphia, III, 114. 
 Baltimore Theatre, 16. 
 Boston Theatre, 8, 21, 22, 
 
 26, 32, 37. 
 
 Bowery Theatre, New York, 
 
 40, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 71, 
 
 72, 74, 75. 76, 77, 108, 120, 
 
 128. 
 
 Brighton Theatre (Eng.), 87. 
 
 Broadway Theatre, New 
 
 York, 138 note. 
 Burton's Theatre (Chambers 
 
 Street), New York, 108. 
 Chatham Garden Theatre, 
 New York, 42, 54-56, 57, 
 58,66,68,69, 70,71,72, 73, 
 
 74,75,93- 
 
 Chestnut St. Theatre, Phila- 
 delphia, 35, 66, 96, 106, I07; 
 108, 122, 123, 125, 139 note. 
 
 Cincinnati Theatre, 118. 
 
 City Theatre (Washington 
 Gardens), Boston, 33. 
 
 Theatres r 
 
 Covent Garden Theatre, Lon- 
 don, 42, 46, 131. 
 
 Drury Lane Theatre, Lon- 
 don, 87, 89-90, 91, 92, 105. 
 
 Dublin Theatre, 5, 8, 87. 
 
 Federal Street Theatre, Bos- 
 ton, 8, 83, 93, 95. 
 
 Franklin Theatre, New York, 
 126, 128. 
 
 Front Street Theatre, Balti- 
 more, 123. 
 
 Holliday Street Theatre, Bal- 
 timore, 105, 123. 
 
 King's Theatre, London (Op- 
 era House, Haymarket), 5. 
 
 Lafayette theatre, New York, 
 57-58, 69, 70. 
 
 Mud Theatre (Adelphi), Bal- 
 timore, 105, 106. 
 
 National Chatham Theatre, 
 New York, 143 note. 
 
 New City Theatre, Boston 
 (Washington Gardens), 33. 
 
 New York Theatre (Bowery 
 Theatre), 40, 60, 61, 63, 
 64, 65, 68, 71, 72, 74, 7S> 
 76, 77, 108, 120, 128. 
 
 Park Theatre, New York, 3, 
 17 note, 34, 37, 38, 40, 82, 
 93, 103, 120, 135, 139 note, 
 143 note, 145. 
 
 Philadelphia Theatre, 15. 
 
 Pittsburg Theatre, 122. 
 
 Providence Theatre, 13, 20, 
 22, 24, 26, 94. 
 
 Richmond Hill Theatre, 
 New York, 112, 113, 114, 
 115, 119, 120. 
 Richmond Theatre (Va.), 19, 
 136. 
 
86 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Theatres : 
 
 Salem Theatre, 93. 
 
 St. Charles Theatre, New 
 
 Orleans, 133. 
 St Louis Theatre, 132. 
 Theatre Royal, Dublin, 87. 
 Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, 8. 
 Tremont Theatre, Boston, 
 
 95, 96, 100, 103, 108, 117. 
 Wallack's Theatre (Broad- 
 way and Broome Street), 
 New York, 94, 127, 132. 
 Wallack's Theatre (Broad- 
 way and Thirteenth St.), 
 New York, 94, 127, 132. 
 Wallack's Theatre (Broad- 
 way and Thirtieth Street), 
 New York, 96. 
 Walnut Street Theatre, Phil- 
 adelphia, 104, 109, no, 124, 
 126, 127. 
 Washington Gardens (City 
 Theatre), Boston, 33. 
 Theatrical Observer (London), 
 
 88, 91. 
 " Therese," 33, 99, 152, 156. 
 Thomson, James, 15. 
 Thome, Charles, R. (elder), 
 
 124. 
 Thome, Mrs. Chas. R. (Ann Ma- 
 ria Mestayer, Mrs. French), 
 124. 
 Thome, James, 118. 
 "Three and the Deuce," 12, 
 
 13, 42, 43, 54, 162. 
 "Three Weeks After Mar- 
 riage," 161. 
 " Timor the Tartar," 152, 162. 
 Tobin, John, 22. 
 Toedteben;;, Augtistiis, 1 29, 1 65. 
 " Tom and Jerry," 1 50, 1 59, 162. 
 
 " To Marry or Not To Marry," 
 
 163, 
 " Too Late for Dinner," 149, 
 
 158. 
 "Town and Country," 20, 152, 
 
 i6r. 
 Tradesmen's Bank, New York, 
 
 69, 74- 
 Traveller (Boston), 84, 85, 99. 
 Tree, Ellen (Mrs. Charles 
 
 Kean), 113, 145, 
 Tremont Theatre, Boston, 95, 
 
 96, 100, 103, 108, 117. 
 Trewar, Eliza Marian (Mrs. 
 
 Shaw, Mrs. T. S. Ham- 
 
 blin), 133. 
 Trinity College, Dublin, 8. 
 Trollope, Mrs. Frances, 105. 
 Turner, Mrs. Wm. , 95. 
 " Turnpike Gate, The," 159. 
 
 "Ugolino," 48, 152, 159. 
 United States Gazette, 50. 
 
 " Valentine and Orson," 
 
 160, 163. 
 "Vampire, The," 27, 150, 161. 
 Vandenhoff, John, 143 note. 
 Vandenhoff, Miss E, (Mrs. 
 
 Swinbourne), 143 note. 
 VaKghan, Mr., 10, 12. 
 " Venice Preserved," 32, 42, 62, 
 
 63.82,93,96,147,159, 161. 
 Vernon, Mrs. George (Jar;C 
 
 Marchant Fisher), 94. 
 " Victorine," 153. 
 "Village Lawyer, The," 162. 
 Vincent, Naomi, 120. 
 " Virginius,"4i, 153, 155. 
 " Voice of Nature, The," 161. 
 Von Leer, Isaac, 137 note. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 187 
 
 Von Leer, Mrs. Isaac (Eliza 
 Duff), 137, 137 note. 
 
 "Votary of Wealth, The," 150, 
 162. 
 
 Walcot, Charles M., 133. 
 
 Walker, LieutenaJtf, R. N., 6. 
 
 "Wallace," 149, 157. 
 
 Wallack and Gilfert, 66 et seq. 
 
 Wallack, Henry, 36, 41, 42, 43, 
 45. 48, 54, 56, 57, 58, 66, 
 76, 77- 
 
 Wallack, Mrs, Henry (Fanny 
 Jones), 43, 55. 
 
 Wallack, James William (el- 
 der), 21, 22, 23, 26, 45, 87, 
 90, 95, 96, 98, 
 
 Wallack, J. W. (younger), 36 
 note. 
 
 Wallack, Mrs. J. W. (younger) 
 (Ann Waring, Mrs. Sef- 
 ton), 164. 
 
 Wallack's Theatre (Broadway 
 and Broome Streets), New 
 York, 94, 127, 132. 
 
 Wallack's Theatre (Broadway 
 and Thirteenth St.), New 
 York, 94, 127, 132. 
 
 Wallack's Theatre (Broadway 
 and Thirtieth Street), New 
 Yorlc, 96. 
 
 Walnut Street Theatre, Phila- 
 delphia, 104, 109, no, 124, 
 126, 127. 
 
 Wahtein, Miss, 6. 
 
 Walstein, Mrs. J. W. (Char- 
 lotte Baldwin, Mrs. Simp- 
 son), 43, 55, 56, 58. 
 
 Walton, Thomas. 94, 104. 
 
 " Wandering Boys, The," 156. 
 
 Waring,Ann (Mrs. Sefton,Mrs. 
 
 J. W. Wallack, Jr.), 164. 
 Waring, Mrs. (Caroline Pla- 
 
 cide, Mrs. W. R. Blake), 
 
 43. 55, 56, 76, 127, 164. 
 " Warlock of the Glen, The," 
 
 29, 44, 46, 148, 160. 
 Warren and Wood, 16, 19, 35, 
 
 40, 54. 
 Warren, Philip, 126. 
 Warren, William (elder), 16, 
 
 19. 35. 40. 48, 106. 
 Warren, ^f^w. (younger), 19, 164. 
 Washington, D. C, 16, 36, ■}j'j, 
 
 123, 130 note, 131. 
 Washington Gardens (City 
 
 Theatre), Boston, 33, 
 " Way to Keep Him, The," 33, 
 
 153- 
 " Weathercock, The," 153, 163. 
 Weed, Thurlow, 164. 
 Wemyss, Francis C, 41, 42, 109, 
 
 122, 123, 124. 
 " Werter," 148. 
 " West Indian, The," 9, 24, 148, 
 
 151. 155. 159- 
 
 Westray, Ellen (Mrs. John 
 Darley), 12, 13. 
 
 Westray, Juliana (Mrs. Wm. 
 B. Wood), 18, 19, 35, 41, 
 48, 108. 
 
 Wheatlcy, Frederick, 21, 25 
 note, 103. 
 
 Wheatley, Mrs. Frederick (Sa- 
 rah Ross), 21. 
 
 Wheatley, I., 25. 
 
 Wheatley, S., 21, 25 note. 
 
 nheatley Mrs. S. (Mrs. Wil- 
 liams), 21. 
 
 IVheatley, Wm., 25 note. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 " Wheel of Fortune, The," 151, 
 
 161, 162. 
 "Where Shall I Dine?" 162. 
 Whitelock, Mrs. C. E. (Eliza- 
 beth Kemble), 20. 
 White, Mary (Mrs. Charles 
 
 Durang), 34, 43, 90, 108, 
 
 121, 122, 135, 164. 
 Whitiftg, David, 102 note. 
 " Who Wants a Guinea ? " 149, 
 
 162, 
 "Wild Oats," 26, 150, 161. 
 "Will, The," 158. 
 Willems, Miss (Mrs. W. Green), 
 
 19. 
 Williams, Mrs. H. A. (Mrs. 
 
 Ma\-wood), 60, 64, 104, no. 
 Williams, Mrs. (Mrs. S. Wheat- 
 ley), 21. 
 Williamso7i, Mr. (vocalist), 43. 
 " William Tell," 48, 50, 149, 
 
 158, 160. 
 "Will Watch," 114, 118, 151. 
 Wilson, Alexander, 35, 78, 93, 
 
 96, 100, loi, 103, 115. 
 "Wives As They Were," 14, 
 
 150, 156. 
 " Woman Xever Vext, A," 158. 
 "Wonder, The," 150, 157. 
 Wood, Wm. B., 16, 18, 19, 35, 
 
 40, 41, 47, 48, 107, loS, 126, 
 
 139- 
 
 Wood, Wm. B. : 
 
 on Mr. Duff's acting, 17, 35. 
 Wood, Mrs. Win. B. (Juliana 
 
 Westray), 18, 19, 35, 41, 
 
 48, 108. 
 Woodhull, Jacob, 34, 37, 103. 
 Woodhull, John, 108. 
 Woodworth, Samuel, 65. 
 Worrall, Miss, 10. 
 Wright, Fanfty (Mme. D'Arus- 
 
 mont), 104. 
 
 " Yes or Xo," 156. 
 
 Young, Charles (of London), 46. 
 
 Young, Charles, 60, 61, 63, 64, 
 
 76, 120, 123. 
 his marriage to Mrs. Duff, 
 
 1 20 et scq. 
 You7ig, Mrs. Charles (Rebecca 
 
 Foster), 60, 64. 
 Young, Dr. Edivard, 15. 
 Young, Mrs. Esther (Mrs. 
 
 Hughes), 21, 60, 61, 94, 
 
 105. 
 " Young Quaker, The," 162. 
 Youfige, Richard, 87. 
 
 "Zembucca," 24, 147, 159. 
 "Zorinski," 152, 163. 
 
 University Press: John Wilson & Son, Cambridge. 
 
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