Irish blood was easily made to surge through her veins in waves of
passion, although, when not indulging in a fit of temper, she was
bright, vivacious, witty, and entertaining to a degree. Arthur Murphy,
in his _Life of Garrick_, says: "Forgive her one female error, and it
might fairly be said of her that she was adorned with every virtue;
honour, truth, benevolence, and charity were her distinguishing
qualities." This much said for the weakness of her character, we can
concern ourselves altogether with the strength of her genius. The
circumstances of her birth were not fortunate, nor was there anything
in them to predicate the distinguished place she was to fill in the
public eye. The year of her birth is variously given. It was probably
in 1714 that she first saw the light, in a miserable slum of the city
of Dublin. Her father was a bricklayer, and died when she was but
five years old. At that early age she had to take her part of the home
responsibilities and earn money to aid in the support of her family;
this she did by serving as a water carrier. The advent of a French
dancer into Dublin at about this time marked an epoch in the life of
Peggy. She brought with her a troupe of acrobats and rope dancers,
and the exhibition she offered attracted large audiences. In order
to afford a novel feature, which should at the same time affect local
interest, Madame Violante, the head of the amusement company, arranged
for an operatic presentation which should be participated in by some
of the bright Irish children to whom she had been drawn. The _Beggars'
Opera_ was then in the height of its popularity, and this was the play
she fixed upon. Little Peggy Woffington, not quite ten years old,
had the chief female part. From this simple introduction to the
amusement-loving public started the train of development in the
life of this young Irish girl, which was to make her the captivating
actress, the beautiful and witty woman, who bewitched Garrick and
Sheridan.

The novelty of the conception attracted much notice, and the opera was
given before large houses. Other plays and farces were staged in the
same way. While Peggy played principal parts on the stage, her mother
sold oranges to the patrons at the entrance to the theatre. Matters
continued this way until Peggy Woffington was sixteen years of age,
by which time she had become noted for ease and grace as a dancer,
although her coarseness of voice and pronounced brogue debarre