| Citation |
MG-A(G.769.024
20 Apr 1769:601 (1232)
You will perhaps be surprised, that a female should attempt
to reform those whom some of the other sex have attempted,
but without success--- I must not draw a sword, and the
tongue, our chief weapon, will not, in this case, work a
reformation--- I will therefore draw my pen.
I live some miles from Annapolis, but the delight I take in
seeing a Play, has drawn me frequently to your Theatre---
The money I expend in that way justly entitles me to some
amusement, and when I am disgusted, I think I have a right
to complain, it being the duty of every actor to exert his
utmost abilities to render his performance agreeable to the
audience. I never was in England--- nor did I ever see a
Play anywhere but in Annapolis, consequently my judgement is
formed by such conceptions as nature has pointed out. And,
before I mention those things that have shock'd me, I will
here acknowledge the great pleasure I felt in Mrs. Osborne's
performance of Juliet-- Her feeling manner of acting, in my
opinion, made amends for a number of incidents that were
exceptionable, during the representation of the Play-- I
staid in town to go to the Constant Couple-- and, tho' this
lady charmed me by her acting, I own she struck my
admiration still more, to find that it was in the power of
the same woman, to express the delicate sensibility of a
Juliet-- and the levity of a Sir Harry Wildair-- but all her
merit,-- had it been ten times greater, could not divest me
of resentment, when I observed a violation of all decorum,
committed by one of the actors.
. . . [4 paragraphs on objectionable actions by the actors
upon being hissed, and by overacting or inserting their own
words into the play]
[signed] Clarinda.
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