position and his misfortunes, to
be entitled to a respectful notice; I mean Mr. CONWAY. He was said
to be the illegitimate offspring of a distinguished nobleman; but
whether his own pride prevented his making advances, and he was
resolved to lay the foundation of his own fame and fortune, or
whether he met with a check upon his natural feelings from one who
was bound to support him, I know not; but, gifted as he was with a
commanding person, a most gentlemanlike deportment, and advantages
peculiarly adapted for the stage, it is no wonder that the
histrionic art held forth inducements and hopes of obtaining a
brighter position than any other career open to him, without the
aid of pecuniary means, and the patronage which was withheld from
him. He made his appearance in 1813, the season previous to KEAN,
in the character of 'Alexander the Great.' He met with a very
flattering reception, and produced a great effect upon the fair
sex. Indeed, the actors, who are upon these occasions lynx-eyed,
could not avoid their remarks upon a certain Duchess, who never
missed one of his performances, and appeared to take the deepest
interest in his success. CONWAY was upward of six feet in height.
He was deficient in strong intellectual expression, yet he had the
reputation of being very handsome. His head was too small for his
frame, and his complexion too light and sanguine for the profound
and varied emotions of deep tragedy. There was a tinge of
affectation in his deportment, which had the effect of creating
among many a strong feeling of prejudice against him. His bearing
was always gentlemanly, and with the exception of a slight
superciliousness of manner, amiable to every body; and his talent,
though not of the highest order, was still sufficiently prominent
to enable him to maintain a distinguished position. And yet this
man, with so little to justify spleen, was literally, from an
unaccountable prejudice, driven from the stage by one of the
leading weekly journals, edited by a gentleman whose biting satire
was death to those who had the misfortune to come under his lash.
In complete disgust, he retired from the boards, and filled the
humble situation of prompter at the Haymarket-Theatre, but
afterward left for the United States, where he became a great
favorite. But the canker was at his