DICTIONARY
OF
NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY
ROBINSON, ANASTASIA, afterwards
Countess of Peterborough (d. 1755), singer, was eldest daughter of Thomas Robinson, portrait-painter, who was descended from a good family in Leicestershire. According to Lord Oxford (Harl. MS. 7684, f. 44), her mother was a member of the Roman catholic family of Lane which sheltered Charles II
(Boscobel Tracts, ed. J. Hughes, p. 391); but, according to other accounts, Miss Lane was Thomas Robinson’s second wife and Anastasia Robinson's stepmother.
Thomas Robinson went to Italy to study soon after his marriage, and he became proficient in both the language and music of country. His eldest daughter, Anastasia, who was born in Italy, developed an excellent voice and showed a love for music. Her father taught her Italian, and on his return to England sent her to Dr. Croft for lessons in singing. When an affection of the eye resulted in blindness, Robinson was compelled to utilise his daughter's talents, and she forthwith adopted singing as a profession. Pursuing her studies under the Italian singing-master Sandoni and an opera-singer called the Baroness, Anastasia Robinson first appeared at concerts in York Buildings and elsewhere in London, accompanying herself on the harpsichord. Her voice, originally a soprano, sank to a contralto after an illness, and its charm, together with the singer's good character and sweetness of disposition, made her a general favourite. Her father took a house in Golden Square, and weekly concerts and assemblies there attracted fashionable society.
Miss Robinson soon transferred her attentions to the stage, where she first appeared, 27 Jan. 1714, in the opera of ‘Creso.' In her second performance she took the part of Ismina in 'Arminio,’ and theneeforth, for nearly ten years, she reigned as prima donna, with a salary of 1,000l., besides benefits and presents worth nearly as much. Burney thinks that Handel did not place much trust in her voice, But in 1717, at Miss Robinson's benefit, Handel introduced an additional scene into ‘Amadigi’ (Hist. of Music, iv. 257, 276, 283). Among her admirers was General Hamilton, who was rejected in spite of her father’s advice. But, after a long period of uncertain attentions, Miss Robinson accepted the advances of Lord Peterborough [see Mordaunt, Charles], then about sixty years of age. Peterborough was finally conquered by seeing the lady as Griselda in Buononcini's opera in the spring of 1722. Soon afterwards they were secretly married, though, as the marriage was not acknowledged for thirteen years, many doubted whether it had been celebrated. We are told, however, that Lady Oxford was present at the ceremony, and that that lady and her daughter, the Duchess of Portland, besides many others, visited Anastasia. In July 1722 Mrs. Delany wrote regretting the absence of ‘Mrs. Robinson' from a water-party, which ‘otherwise had been perfect.’ In September 1723 Arbuthnot dined and supped with Peterborough and ‘the Mrs. Robinsons’ (Anastasia and her sisters). After Thomas Robinson’s death about 1722, Peterborough took a house for the ladies near his own villa at Parson’s Green. Hawkins and Burney differ as to whether Peterborough and Miss Robinson lived under the same roof before 1734; Burney, who is the more trustworthy, said she did not. At Parson's Green Miss Robinson held a sort of musical academy, where Buononcini and others often performed. She was grateful to Buononcini, who had written songs suited to her voice, and she obtained
