nor turn with contempt
from the man whom nature has enriched, though it should have been his
lot to come into the world under the depression of a needy or obscure
parentage.--Persons of liberal hearts, and luminous minds well know that
in the moral world there are natural laws, which like those of
gravitation in the physical, oppose the elevation of all whom chance has
thrown down to the bottom of life, rendering it difficult or rather
indeed utterly impracticable for them to rise, but by means of the most
gigantic powers; and therefore consider those who emerge to the top by
the fair exercise of their natural talents, as the only valuable
levellers--the real and substantial asserters of the equality of men.

No apology therefore can be expected, for offering to the public a short
sketch of the life of John Hodgkinson--a man, who, though dropped, at
his birth, a darkling, into the world, contrived by the exercise of his
personal endowments, without aid, friend, influence, or advantage, save
those which nature in her bounty vouchsafed him, to mount to the highest
rank in his profession--a profession to excel in which, requires more
rich endowments of mind and person jointly, than any of those to which
men have recourse for the acquisition of fame or fortune.

There may be some to whom the history of such a man, and the equitable
adjudication of applause to such talents as he possessed will not be
very palatable. Feeble men, ever jealous, ever envious, sicken at the
praise of greatness, and pride will elevate its supercilious brow in
disdain, at the eulogy of the lowly born. But the former may set their
hearts at rest (if such hearts can have rest) when they are told that in
the present instance truth will qualify the praise so richly deserved,
with some alloy of censure not less so: and the latter, who affect to
despise the stage while they draw from it delight and instruction, will
perhaps forgive the man's endowments in consideration of his calling,
and think the sin of his talents atoned by the penance of being a
player.

The paternal name of this extraordinary actor was Meadowcroft;--but this
he relinquished on a certain necessity that will be mentioned hereafter,
taking in its stead, that of his mother's family, which he continued to
retain long after that necessity had ceased to exist, and bore to the
day of his death. At the time of his birth his father was an humble
husbandman, and lived not far from Mancheste