en considered a man of
great worth, and an estimable gentleman. Having received a good
classical education under the tuition of the reverend Mr. Wilton,
prebendary of Bristol, Mr. Brunton was bound apprentice to a wholesale
grocer in Norwich, and when his time was out, married a Miss Friend, the
daughter of a respectable merchant of that city, soon after which he
went to London, and entered into business, as a tea-dealer and grocer in
Drury-Lane. Here he became acquainted with Mr. Joseph Younger, who was
at the time prompter at Covent Garden theatre, and though no actor
himself, knew stage business as well as any man in England. Mr. Younger,
discerning in Mr. Brunton good talents for an actor, advised him to try
the experiment, and gave him such strong assurances of success, that he
agreed to make the attempt and actually made his first appearance in the
character of Cyrus for his friendly adviser's benefit, sometime in the
year 1774. His reception in this character was so very encouraging that
he again came forward before the end of the season, and played the
character of Hamlet for the benefit of Mr. Kniveton. So completely did
the event justify Mr. Younger's opinion, and evince his discernment that
Mr. Brunton soon found it his interest to abandon commerce, and take
entirely to the stage. At this time his eldest daughter, the subject of
the present memoir, was little more than five years of age. Having
settled his affairs in London, and sold off his stock in trade, Mr.
Brunton returned to the city of Norwich in which he got an engagement,
and met all the encouragement, he could hope for, being considered the
best actor that had ever appeared on that stage. From this he was
invited to Bath and Bristol, where he continued to perform for five
years, and at the end of that time returned to the Norwich theatre of
which he became manager. Mr. B.'s family had now become very numerous;
he had six children,--a charge which in England would be thought to lean
too heavy upon a very large estate--and yet with nothing more than the
income which he derived from his professional industry, did this
exemplary father tenderly rear and genteelly educate that family.

From the circumstances of her father's situation, and from her early
accomplishments and success as an actress, it will be imagined by many,
that Miss Brunton was early initiated in stage business; that she had
seen every play acted, and had studied and imitated the many gr