Page:Eminent women of the age.djvu/500

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EMINENT WOMEN OF THE AGE.


already in the profession, — one, Mrs. Maria Bradshaw, as a singer, at Covent Garden, and the other, Mrs. Quin, as adancer, at Drury Lane. Their influence, of course, favored their young relative, and an affectionate mother protected, cheered, and encouraged her. In 1827 she was engaged as a member of the Drury Lane company, and in that theatre she made her first conspicuous successes. Her range of characters, even then, was wide. She played Lady Teazle^ and she also played Jane Shore^ thus touching the antipodes of comedy and tragedy, la that same j'^ear, and at that same theatre, Charles Kean made his first professional appearance ; and it is probable that the acquaintance then and there com- menced, which was afterwards to ripen into love and marriage between these two distinguished artists. At that time, and for several subsequent years, theatrical business appears to have been uncertain and unprofitable in London ; and, as a matter of prudence no less than enterprise, Ellen Tree ya* ricd her metropolitan engagements with various provincial tours, visiting and playing in the principal cities of Kngland, Ireland, and Scotland. Success, in every respect, continu- ally attended her footsteps. She played by turns all the ac- cepted leading parts in the legitimate drama, and her profes- sional reputation was steadily augmented. One of her eminent successes was her personation of Clemanthe^ in Tal- fourd'd classic and beautiful tragedy, which was first acted at Covent Garden, May 26th, 1836. With Jon, too, one of the purest and brightest of all the denizens of the world of fancy, her name is identified. In 1836, she visited the United States, and made a starring tour of this country, which lasted three years. Her success here was very great, and she found the warmest favor, not merely with the general multitude of theatre-goers, but with the best educated and most refined classes in American society. Years afterwards, in 1865, when, after a long absence, she reappeared in Now