ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

MONTHLY

MIRROR:

REFLECTING

MEN AND MANNERS.

WITH 1

STRICTURES ON THEIR EPITOME,

The Stage.

To hold as 'twere the MIRROR up to Nature.

VOL XXII.

Embellished with superb Engravings.

London:

PRINTED FOR THE PROPRIETORS,'

By J. Wright, No. 38, St. John's Square, Clerkenwell.

And published by Veruor, Hood,, and Sharpe, in the Poultry;
sold, also, by all the Booksellers in

the United Kingdom.

[merged small][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

MONTHLY MIRROR,

FOR

JULY, 1806.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

MRS. HANNAH COWLEY.

(With a Portrait.)

MRS. HANNAH COWLEY's maiden name was Parkhouse; her father

was a native of Tiverton, in Devonshire, descended in the female line from the family of Mr. Gay. He was originally designed for the church; but, on the death of patrons, or some other disappointment, he commenced bookseller in the place of his nativity. It was in this situation, probably, and from a father so qualified, that Miss Parkhouse had an opportunity of receiving, like her great namesake, as recorded by Mr. Johnson, the kernel without the husk of learning. About the year 1772, she married Mr. Cowley, in the service of the East India Company at Bengal, and brother to Mr. Cowley of Cateaton Street, by whom she has several children. It was not until the year 1776, that Mrs. Cowley appeared as a dramatic writer. At the conclusion of Mr. Garrick's management, "The Runaway" was performed, and was the last drama received before relinquishing the stage both as a performer and manager. To this comedy, which was acted with great success, he contributed an epilogue; and the reception the piece met with, encouraged our dramatist to continue her exertions for the stage. She then pro"Who's the Dupe," a farce, acted at Drury-Lane, 1779; " Albina," a tragedy, 1779. In bringing forward this play, which was acted at the Haymarket, she met with considerable difficulties; and, in her preface, complains of the treatment she received.

his

duced

A paper war between Mrs. Cowley and Mrs. Hannah More took place on account of this tragedy. The latter was suspected of having been admitted, by the managers of Covent Garden, to a sight of the manuscript of Albina, and she was accused in the pub

lic

prints, of having borrowed several of the sentiments and situations, and introduced them into her tragedy of the Fatal Falshood. Mrs. More published a letter in the St. James's Chronicle, in refutation of this charge, and Mrs. Cowley replied to her with considerable spirit. The controversy, which, like most disputes of a similar nature, left the question exactly as it found it, produced the

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »