rformances. By his interest she seems to have been restored
to the stage, and, improving daily in her profession, she soon eclipsed
all her competitors, and in the part of Monimia in "The Orphan"
established her reputation, which was enhanced by her performance as
Belvidera in "Venice Preserved," and as Isabella in "The Fatal
Marriage." "In characters of greatness," says Cibber, "Mrs. Barry had a
presence of elevated dignity, her mien and motion superb, and gracefully
majestic; her voice full, clear, and strong, so that no violence of
passion could be too much for her, and when distress or tenderness
possessed her she subsided into the most affecting melody and softness.
In the art of exciting pity she had a power beyond all the actresses I
have yet seen, or what your imagination can conceive. In scenes of
anger, defiance, or resentment, while she was impetuous and terrible,
she poured out the sentiment with an enchanting harmony.... In tragedy
she was solemn and august, in comedy alert, easy, and genteel, pleasant
in her face and action, filling the stage with a variety of gesture. She
could neither sing nor dance, no not in a country dance. She adhered to
Betterton in all the revolutions of the theatre, which she quitted about
1707, on account of ill-health." She returned, however, for one night
with Mrs. Bracegirdle, April 7, 1709, and performed Mrs. Frail in "Love
for Love" for Betterton's benefit. She died at Acton in 1713. Mrs.
Barry, Mrs. Bracegirdle, Mr. Betterton, and Mr. Varbriggen were sworn as
Comedians in Ordinary to her Majesty, 30th Oct., 2 Anne (1703). On the
3rd March, 1692, Mrs. Barry received L25 for acting in "The Orphan"
before their Majesties, and on the 10th June, 1693, L25 for Caius
Marius. (Lord Chamberlain's Records, Warrant Books, No. 20, p. 151; No.
18, pp. 30, 242.)]

[Footnote 70: Mrs. Anne Bracegirdle was the daughter of Justinian
Bracegirdle, of Northamptonshire. By the imprudence of her father, who
ruined himself by becoming surety for some friends, she was early left
to the care of Betterton and his wife, whose attentions to her she
always acknowledged to be truly paternal. By them she was first
introduced to the stage, and, while very young, performed the page in
"The Orphan." Increasing in years, and in ability, she became the
favourite performer of the times. Cibber describes her in these terms:
"Mrs. Bracegirdle was now but just blooming in her maturity; her
reputation, as an actres