_I'm ne'er so well pleas'd, as when I hear thee speak, And listen to the Music of thy Voice._
_Who's he that speaks with a Voice so sweet, As the Shepherd pipes upon the Mountain, When all his little Flock are gath'ring round him?_
Neither she, nor any of the Actors of those Times, had any Tone in their speaking, (too much, lately, in Use.)--In _Tragedy_ she was solemn and august--in _Free Comedy_ alert, easy, and genteel--pleasant in her Face and Action; filling the Stage with Variety of Gesture.--She was Woman to Lady _Shelton_, of _Norfolk_, (my Godmother)--when Lord _Rochester_ took her on the Stage; where for some Time, they could make nothing of her.--She could neither sing, nor dance, no, not in a Country-Dance.
Mrs. _BRACEGIRDLE_, that _Diana_ of the Stage, hath many Places contending for her Birth--The most received Opinion is, that she was the Daughter of a Coachman, Coachmaker, or Letter-out of Coaches, in the Town of _Northampton_.--But I am inclinable to my Father's Opinion, (who had a great Value for her reported Virtue) that she was a distant Relation, and came out of _Staffordshire_, from about _Walsal_ or _Wolverhampton_.--She had many Assailants on her Virtue, as Lord _Lovelace_, Mr. _Congreve_, the last of which had her Company most; but she ever resisted his vicious Attacks, and, yet, was always uneasy at his leaving her; on which Observation he made the following Song:
PIOUS Celinda _goes to Pray'rs, Whene'er I ask the Favour; Yet, the tender Fool's in Tears, When she believes I'll leave her. Wou'd I were free from this Restraint, Or else had Power to win her! Wou'd she cou'd make of me a Saint, Or I of her a Sinner!_
And, as Mr. _Durfey_ alludes to it in his Puppet Song--in _Don Quixot_,
_Since that our Fate intends Our Amity shall be no dearer, Still let us kiss and be Friends, And sigh we shall never come nearer._
She was very shy of Lord _Lovelace's_ Company, as being an engaging Man, who drest well: And as, every Day, his Servant came to her, to ask her how she did, she always return'd her Answer in the most obeisant Words and Behaviour, _That she was indifferent well, she humbly thank'd his Lordship_.--She was of a lovely Height, with dark-brown Hair and Eye-brows, black sparkling Eyes, and a fresh blushy Complexion; and, whenever she exerted herself, had an involuntary Flushing in her Breast, Neck and Face, having continually a chearful Aspect, and a fine Set of even white Teeth; never making an _Exit_, but that she left the Audience in an Imitation of her pleasant Countenance. Genteel Comedy was her chief Essay, and that too when in Men's Cloaths, in which she far surmounted all the Actresses of that and this Age.--Yet she had a Defect scarce perceptible, _viz._ her Right Shoulder a little protended, which, when in Men's Cloaths, was cover'd by a long or Campaign Peruke.--She was finely shap'd, and had very handsome Legs and Feet; and her Gait, or Walk, was free, manlike, and modest, when in Breeches.--Her Virtue had its Reward, both in Applause and _Specie_; for it happen'd, that as the Dukes of _Dorset_ and _Devonshire_, Lord _Hallifax_, and other Nobles, over a Bottle, were all extolling Mrs. _Bracegirdle's_ virtuous Behaviour, Come, says Lord _Hallifax_--_You all commend her Virtue, &c. but why do we not present this incomparable Woman with something worthy her Acceptance?_ His Lordship deposited 200 Guineas, which the rest made up 800, and sent to her, with Encomiums on her Virtue.--She was, when on the _Stage_, diurnally Charitable, going often into _Clare-Market_, and giving Money to the poor unemploy'd Basket-women, insomuch that she could not pass that Neighbourhood without the thankful Acclamations of People of all Degrees; so that, if any Person had affronted her, they would have been in Danger of being kill'd directly; and yet this good Woman was an Actress.--She has been off the Stage these 26 Years or more, but was alive _July 20, 1747_; for I saw her in the _Strand, London_, then--with the Remains of charming _Bracegirdle_.