LA BELLE ASSEMBLÉE; For OCTOBER, 1818. A New and Improved Series. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF ILLUSTRIOUS AND DISTINGUISHED CHARACTERS. Number One Hundred and Fifteen. MISS ELIZABETH WALKER BLANCHARD. || lady whom he expected for the opening of the Haymarket Theatre, to solicit Miss Blanchard's assistance for the first night of the season. The play fixed upon was The Poor Gentleman; Miss Blanchard had never studied Emily Worthington, but undertook it at three days' notice: and in her performance, though her timidity almost overcame her powers, yet she evinced such merit, and was so warmly encouraged by the audience, as to secure an immediate engagement from the managers, upon the most liberal terms. THE young lady whose Portrait embellishes our present Number, is the third and youngest daughter of Mr. William Blanchard, of the Theatre Royal CoventGarden, and is now in her eighteenth year, having been born on the 15th of November, 1800. When our heroine was only six years of age she had the misfortune to lose her mother; from which time her father, to the best of his ability, and with equal justice to his other children, has endeavoured to discharge the anxious duty which devolved to him, by giving her an education suitable to some respectable situation in life, but without any reference to the stage as a profession. Miss Blanchard had, however, it seems, made up her mind to become an actress; and at length, with some difficulty, prevailed upon her father to permit her trying her talents before the We cannot forbear subjoining our meed best judges and most generous public in of praise to that excellent artist, Miss the world: the result was her making her Drummond, who painted the original of debût in Miss Blandford (the only charac- the engraving presented to our readers: a ter she had then attempted to study), in more faithful likeness, we pronounce, was Moreton's comedy of Speed the Plough, on never taken, and the turn of the head, and Friday the 19th of June, 1818, and for Mr. graceful demeanour of the figure altoBlanchard's benefit. The flattering recep-gether, confer the highest honour on the tion she met with, and the evident promise talents of this young and excellent female of future excellence, induced Mr. Colman, || artist. who was just then disappointed of a young Miss Blanchard has since been the representative of Berissa, in The Africans ; Miss Neville, in She Stoops to Conquer ; Zorayda, in The Mountaineers; Jessey Oatland, in A Cure for the Heart Ache; Maria, in X. Y. Z. &c. &c. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. A BRIEF HISTORY OF MUSIC. BEFORE We say more of the state of music under James I. and his immediate successors, we must revert to it as it stood under Queen Elizabeth, who, on her coming to the throne, reckoned music amongst her most favourite amusements, and for many years delighted in the performance of it. Sir James Melvil, when sent on an embassy from Mary Queen of Scots to Elizabeth, gives an account of a curious conversation he had with the latter. Amongst other questions, as which of the two were tallest, which fairest, &c. the English Queen inquired of the Ambassador what were Mary's recreations? Sir James replied, that her Majesty played on the lute and the virginals.-" Does she play well?" asked Elizabeth. -"Reasonably well for a Queen," replied Melvil. The very same day after dinner, in com< pany with Lord Hunsden, Melvil withdrew into a gallery, that he might hear Elizabeth, in a contiguous apartment, play on the virginals. Having listened a while, he ventured to lift up the tapestry that hung before the entrance into her chamber, and seeing the Queen's back was towards the door, he entered, and stood within the chamber, delighted with the excellence of her performance. Turning about, the Queen discovered him, rose, and advanced, and with a badinage half serious, lifted up her hand as if to strike him, telling him that she was not accustomed to play be fore men. The Ambassador, who had resided chiefly in France, knew how to flatter, and excused himself, not particularly on the custom of that country, but that he was drawn thither by the melody that had so ravished his seuses he had forgot all he owed to ceremony and etiquette; but he was willing to endure any punishment her Majesty might be pleased to inflict on his presumption. Elizabeth sat down on a cushion, and Melvil knelt beside her, but the Queen gave him a cushion with her own royal hands to place under his knee. She then inquired which played the best, the Queen of Scots or herself? Melvil declared that he found himself compelled to give the preference to Queen Elizabeth's playing. Melvil was a true courtier, and perhaps was only compelled by the presence of Elizabeth: for Brantome, in enumerating the accomplishments of Mary Stuart, declares that she not only touched the lute with unrivalled skill, but that she bad also talents at composition. A manuscript, however, is preserved of the Virginal Book of Queen Elizabeth; of which Dr. Burney, and other writers on music declare, that if her Majesty was able to perform several of the difficult pieces of music it contains, she must have been a very excellent player indeed. Dr. Burney even goes so far as to say, that it would be hardly possible to find a master in Europe who could play them well after a full month's practice. Elizabeth was also a performer on the violin, and on an instrument called the poliphant, an instrument not unlike the lute, but strung with wire. The chapel establishments of Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth, continued much the same. Camden says, that the Romish religion remained a full month and more after the death of Queen Mary, in the same state as before and certain it is that Elizabeth, who began her reign November 17th, 1558, had a solemn service performed for her sister Mary at Westminster, December 5th, aud another December 20th, for the Emperor Charles V.; and these, as well as her own coronation, were celebrated after the Romish manner. We find in Neale's History of the Puritans, that the service of Elizabeth's chapel was not only sung to organs, but on other instruments, such as cornets, sackbuts, &c. especially on festivals. Under this Queen the Church of Eugland, in 1560, might be regarded as brought to perfection. Music was still retained in divine service, and the most excellent voices, both of men and children, that could be procured, were |