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creditors, who had been his school-fellow, and to this hour professes to be his friend. We should not touch on this fact, but for the share Mrs. Robinson took in her husband's misfortunes. She lived fifteen months with Mr. Robinson in a prison; the threshold of which she never passed but once or twice, when she visited the Duchess of Devonshire, who generously patronized an attempt Mrs. Robinson made with her pen, to relieve their wants in prison. In this melancholy situation, her muse made its earliest efforts, and she published a small volume of poems, which are now scarcely known, there being at the time, we believe, only a few copies printed for the persons who took them at the recommendation of her noble patroness. But an accumulation of difficulties induced Mrs. Robinson to think of something less temporary and casual, as a resource from absolute penury. She cast her eyes towards the stage, and, on receiving some encouragement from Mr. Garrick, she turned her thoughts more immediately to the subject. Under the patronage of the Duchess of Devonshire, she made her first appearance at Drury-Lane, on the 10th of December, 1776, in the character of Juliet; and, in the course of three following seasons, performed, with general applause, the characters of Lady Macbeth, Imogen, Rosalind, Cordelia, Ophelia, Viola, Palmira, the Irish Widow, Perdita (in The Winter's Tale), &c. &c.

In the character of Perdita, in the last of the two seasons during which she was on the stage, her uncommon beauty captivated the heart of the heir apparent of a throne. It is not for us to apologise for the engagements of Mrs. Robinson with that prince. The circumstances that would extenuate the error, whether of attraction in the rank and personal accomplishments of that illustrious personage, or of disgust in the indiscretions of a hus

band, and the deserted state of the wife, or any thing beside that can be added to them, are not of weight to excuse the fault; while, on the other hand, they will not be overlooked in the estimate made by the most rigid, of this transaction. Mrs. Robinson herself, at leisure, repented of the offence; and we may close this part of her life by observing that, during the short period of her favour with the prince, which was little more than two years, Mrs. Robinson's house and table were distinguished for the talents even more than the rank of her visitors; and that she was less the object of envy in that delicate situation, than of universal esteem. The name of the great orator and statesman who stood between Mrs. Robinson and the Prince, when a provision for her was proposed by the latter, is in itself a proof in what honourable regard Mrs. Robinson was held; and the noble manner in which she cancelled a bond for 20,000l. from his highness, previous to that settlement, and even without any stipulation for an equivalent, will be witnessed by that great character we have alluded to, now that his evidence in her behalf has ceased to be, what it was, one of the sources of her sincerest pleasures.

The prince settled 500l. per annum on Mrs. Robinson, for her life; and 200l. per annum on her daughter for life, to commence at the decease of Mrs. Robinson. This yonng lady, who is still living, is the daughter of Mr. Robinson; but the noble minded person already alluded to, who was in fact the sole arbiter of this matter, was quick to perceive what would be the helpless condition of Miss Robinson, if she should survive her mother, without provision from his highness, and it is to the honour of all the parties that this arrangement was adopted, but most of all to the arbiter with whom it originated.

Mrs. Robinson had passed through the sunshine of her worldly grandeur, with unrivalled praise for her beauty and manners. And, in truth, she was calculated to move in a higher sphere. She was endowed with a genius of the finest mould. It is true, her talents were, to that moment, little cultivated. But she possessed a rich and powerful imagination; a rectitude and vivacity of moral feeling; and an early acquired, or, as it is termed, a natural taste; that were the best of tutors for literary pursuits, and the surest of preparations for the enjoyment of intellectual and rational delights.

Besides the foregoing, Mrs. Robinson has written a beautiful poem. entitled Ainsi va la Monde; a Monody to the memory of the late Queen of France; a Monody to the Memory of Sir Joshua Reynolds; Sappho and Phaon, in a series of legitimate sonnets; Modern Manners; Poems, in two volumes, 8vo.; the Sicilian Lover, a tragedy; Vancenza, a romance, 2 vols.; The Widow, a novel, 2 vols; Angelina, a novel, 3 vols.; Hubert de Sevrac, a romance of the present century; Walsingham, a novel, 4 vols.; The Natural Daughter, a novel, 2 vols.; The False Friend, a novel, 4 vols. Several popular pamphlets, also, have proceeded from the pen of this lady, beside many small poems in the newspapers and other periodical publications, under the various signatures of Laura Maria, Julia, Laura, Oberon, &c. &c. and just before her death she published a volume of Lyrical Tales, of which it may justly be said, that the imagery and sentiment are poetical and just, the versification spirited and harmonious ; and that some of them very pleasingly remind us of our most celebrated ancient poets. Her novels have been justly said to exhibit "great power of imagination, knowledge of human nature, acuteness of research, and skill in the delineation of character, as well as a vein of humour in describing

scenes of a whimsical and ludicrous kind, that can hardly be conceived to exist in the same mind.

Besides the annuity of 50òl. Mrs. Robinson possessed jewels to the amount of 8000l. and, although the whole of her property, at this moment, was not adequate to splendid appearances, it was fully equal to ease and competence; especially when added to Mrs. Robinson's power of earning an income by literary labours, which have, in fact, since yielded her nearly as much as her annuity. But these happy powers, this happy disposition, and this fair prospect, were all partially blighted by an unfortunate attachment. The gentleman who was the object, without any thing grossly faulty in his character, and with a great deal that was excellent in his disposition, was, nevertheless, infinitely below Mrs. Robinson in understanding, and had no relish for any but the obvious pleasures of life. Mrs. Robinson's attachment was blind; and she plunged headlong into an expensive mode of living, in which he was the chief participator. We do not write the defence, but the story, of a most extraordinary woman, who, uniformly, we believe, paid the extreme forfeiture of all her mistakes. Yet, here we may be permitted to say, that the generosity of her temper a little sanc tioned the folly, we have just mentioned. The person here alluded to had resolved to go abroad; and the immediate occasion of his resolution was the want of 8ool. Mrs. Robinson had no property on which she could instantly raise the amount, and the affair admitted of no delay. She addressed a note to the person who had been arbiter of her fortune in the settlement made by the prince, to request the loan of 800l. Her messenger returned with 300l. and a note, saying, Mrs. Robinson might depend on receiving the remainder on the following morning. This was at night. Mrs. Ro

binson had been at the opera; and the Duke de Biron, and an English nobleman of the highest rank had returned with her from that place to supper. Not having seen at the opera, where he had promised to join her, nor finding him at her house, she sent to every quarter in search of him; and as no intelligence of him arrived, she concluded he had departed without having taken his leave, because she had insisted on going with him if he was driven to that extremity, which he had properly declined, having only zol. at his command. With the passion and zeal of generous minds, Mrs. Robinson, between one and two o'clock in the morning, threw herself into a postchaise to follow him, without sufficient precautions of dress against the cold, although it was the depth of winter, and the weather was very severe. She was agitated and heated by her apprehensions; and let down the glasses of the chaise; and in that situation fell asleep. At the first stage, she was obliged to be carried into the inn, almost frozen; and from that hour, never recovered the entire use of her limbs. For a long time the joints of her fingers were contracted; but they were afterwards partially restored, and she could even write with great facility. But from the time of that accident, she could never walk, nor even stand; and was always carried from one room to another, and to and from her carriage. Mrs. Robinson consoled herself with having effected the service she proposed by this unfortunate journey; and never once was known peevishly to lament the irreparable consequences.

Not long after this, Mrs. Robinson went abroad for the benefit of her health, and remained five years on the continent. She took with her her daughter, whom she tenderly loved; and her mother, to whom she was always most affectionate

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