Supernatural Stories (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1868 Excerpt: ...play-goers in this age, can fully conceive the delight of the first audience at the performance of a dramatic piece, graced by the feminine attractions of delicacy and female beauty? It is a curious coincidence, that two of our greatest tragedians should happen to unite as husband and wife. Betterton, and his fair lady, who was one of the two female performers who first appeared on the stage, were acknowledged the greatest to the end of their days; this lady, whose maiden name was Saunders, and Mrs Davenport. These were succeeded by other ladies of celebrity in the histrionic art, of the names of Davies, Long, Gibbs, Norris, Holden, and Jennings; the celebrated Eleanor George, too, was one of the early performers, whose reputation was injurious to the profession of her compeers. It is a circumstance not generally known that, about this period, some plays were performed entirely by women--one in particular, The Parson's Wedding, is said to have drawn large audiences. Queen Henrietta Maria, the wife of Charles I., with the young ladies of the Court, are recorded to have performed characters and danced in the masques got up at the royal palaces. This gave great offence to the Puritans, insomuch that William Prynne, the barrister, wrote a violent philippic against the Queen and her ladies for what he considered in them a gross violation of female decorum; and he abused them in such scandalous terms that he was tried in the Star Chamber for the offence, and most severely punished. He also made a strong attack upon some of the French actresses, who, in 1629, performed for a short season at the Blackfriars' Theatre, when, according to the custom on the Continent, the female parts were played by that sex. This is considered to have been the first attempt made to in...