presenting women of high rank, and
expressed their sentiments in a manner so easy, natural, and flowing,
that they appeared to be of her own genuine utterance." Pray, sir,
what is there so remarkable about that? Had not Anne as gentle blood
as that which coursed through the veins of many a lady of rank?

[Footnote A: The Lady Townleys of later years included Mrs. Spranger
Barry and the imposing Mistress Yates.]

But the triumphs of the first Lady Townley were fast drawing to a
close; the curtain would soon be rung down for ever upon that radiant
face, with its angelic smile and dancing eyes, and the stage, whether
Drury Lane or mother earth would see her no more. Ill health began to
follow in her once careless path, and there were times when the duties
of acting seemed almost unbearable. Yet she was a brave woman, and
kept a merry front to the audience, although she was obliged, on
occasions, to turn away from the house, that it might not see the
tears of pain flowing down her cheek. Here was a combination of comedy
and tragedy, with a vengeance!

Still Nance went on, delighting the town as of yore, and putting into
her last original role, that of Sophonisba, a fire which breathed not
of sickness nor failing powers. At last there came a day when she
played her final part, and left Drury Lane only to be driven tenderly
home to her death-bed. Think of the pathos of this last performance,
this giving up of all that was most alluring in life, and let none of
us poor moderns presume to analyse the heart-broken woman's feelings
as she said good-bye to the dear old theatre. Anne worshipped art, and
the public, in turn, worshipped her; she had acted her many parts,
laughed, cried, sinned, and waxed exceeding happy--and now she was to
be cast out into the darkness. Must she not have shivered when she
entered her house in Lower Grosvenor Street for the last time? Poor
lovable creature! There could be for her now neither lights, nor
laughter, nor applause; all would be gloom and weariness to the end.

During the weeks which followed, the invalid received the untiring
attentions of Mistress Saunders, who once upon a time played bouncing
chambermaids, but who had, for ten years past, acted as a feminine
_valet de chambre_ and general factotum for Mrs. Oldfield. And if ever
she played well, 'twas in thus ministering to the dying wants of one
who in health had been ever helpful and generous. Pope, who hated the
great comedienne in