series. They consisted of a tragedy and a comedy illustrating the passion of jealousy, and a tragedy on the subject of remorse. An interesting circumstance is connected with two of the dramas. It appears that Sir Alexander Johnston, chief justice of Ceylon, being desirous of raising the minds of the inhabitants of that island, and of eradicating their vices by writings directed to that end, turned to the drama as being specially adapted to the purpose. Miss Baillie's 'Martyr' he had already seen and welcomed as an auxiliary, and, in response to his desire for a second drama of the same nature, the author wrote the 'Bride.' Both dramas were translated into the Cingalese language. In the second play the writer endeavoured to set forth the christian principle of the forgiveness of injuries. Of the miscellaneous dramas, two were brought out simultaneously at Covent Garden and Drury Lane respectively; the younger Kemble appearing in the 'Separation' at the former house, and Vandenhoff in the tragedy of 'Henriquez' at the latter. They had but a partial success, and it would have been strange had the result been otherwise, considering the writer's adhesion to her former principles of construction and her lack of knowledge of stage requirements.
Miss Baillie continued to write after she had reached a very advanced age, some of the poems in her new collection of 'Fugitive Verses' having been produced when she was verging upon fourscore years. As the end of life approached she was prepared to meet it. 'On Saturday, the day preceding that of her death, which occurred 23 Feb. 1851, Joanna expressed a strong desire to be released from life. She retired to bed as usual, complained of some uneasiness, and sank till the following afternoon, when, without suffering, in the full possession of her faculties, with sorrowing relations around her, in the act of devotion, she expired' (Prefatory Memoir to Collected Works). 'Joanna Baillie was under the middle size, but not diminutive, and her form was slender. Her countenance indicated high talent, worth, and decision. Her life was characterised by the purest morality.' The prominent features of her character, which impressed all with whom she came in contact, were her consummate integrity, her moral courage, her freedom from affectation, and a never-failing charity in all things.
The faculty of invention displayed in Joanna Baillie's writings is very great. Her blank verse also possesses a notable dignity and sonorousness which rank her works among English classical dramas, although they will never be popular on the stage. Her minor works have much beauty and delicacy. Some of her songs, as, for example, 'Up, quit thy bower,' 'Woo'd, an' married, an' a',' 'It fell on a mornin' when we were thrang,' and 'Saw ye Johnnie comin'? 'will doubtless always live. It has been often remarked of the tragedies of Joanna Baillie, that 'with all their deficiencies' they are probably 'the best ever written by a woman.' Miss Mitford (Recollections) observes of Miss Baillie's tragedies that they 'have a boldness and grasp of mind, a firmness of hand, and resonance of cadence, that scarcely seem within the reach of a female writer; whilst the tenderness and sweetness of her heroines, the grace of the love-scenes, and the trembling outgushings of sensibility, as in Orra, for instance, in the fine tragedy on "Fear"—would seem exclusively feminine if we did not know that a true dramatist—as Shakspeare or Fletcher—has the wonderful power of throwing himself into the character that he portrays.' Sir Walter Scott, when questioned respecting his own dramatic efforts, replied: 'The "Plays on the Passions" have put me entirely out of conceit with my germanized brat (the "House of Aspen"); and should I ever again attempt dramatic composition, I would endeavour after the genuine old English model.' Speaking on another occasion of Miss Baillie's tragedy of 'Fear,' he said that the language was distinguished by a rich variety of fancy which he knew no instance of excepting in Shakespeare, and he paid a very high tribute to its author, 'the immortal Joanna,' in his introduction to the third canto of 'Marmion.'
The various works of Joanna Baillie have been already referred to in their order of publication, with the exception of a poem entitled 'Athalya Baee,' printed originally for private circulation and published posthumously. It deals with a legend concerning the 'wise and good' Indian sovereign who furnishes the title of the poem.
[Dramatic and Poetical Works of Joanna Baillie; Annual Register, 1851; Inchbald's British Theatre; Mitford's Recollections of a Literary Life; Chambers's Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen; Rogers's Modern Scottish Minstrel; Quarterly Review, March 1841.]
BAILLIE, JOHN (1741–1806), divine, was born in 1741, and became in 1767 minister of the Carliol-Street meeting-house (United Secession) at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. His convivial habits having led him into irregularities peculiarly inconsistent with his profession, his connection with this congregation ceased about 1783. He then assisted William Tinwell, the author of a treatise on
