Born, a.d. 1791. Died, a.d. 1872

ABOUT the very time when Maria Campion supplicated Hitchcock, the stage-manager of the Dublin Theatre, to allow her to recite before him, another provincial stage-manager—who found it very hard to keep the wolf from the door—was one day saluted with the news that unto him was a child born.

A baby-daughter, born, apparently, to squalor, to indigence, and to that fight for bare existence which was then an attendant upon the career of a strolling player. Moreover, they were troublous times in Ireland at this period, and it can scarcely be supposed that the stage-manager of the little theatre in Drogheda felt particularly rejoiced at the prospect of having another mouth to feed.

Under such circumstances did the future great tragic actress make her first appearance upon the stage of Life. Like her famous contemporary, Kean, she was nursed in indigence. Her education was neglected, for the profits of a provincial actor—never very great—were then very scanty, and she had no opportunity of early and careful training. Often might little Eliza O'Neill be seen running barefoot through the dirty, steep, narrow streets of Drogheda, passing to and from the humble school where she received the only instruction she ever had in her life. She had soon to commence to work for her living. When yet but a very little girl her father used to introduce her in juvenile parts, so that she became early accustomed to appear before the footlights.