1827.] 



Biographical Memoirs of Eminent Persons. 



555 



the noble Marquess expired at 9 o'clock on 

 the following morning. 



His Lordship, by whose death a blue rib- 

 band \vus vacated, is succeeded in his title 

 and estates by his eldest son. This noble- 

 man was born on the 17th of January, 

 1792. He married, in 1812, Caroline, se- 

 cond daughter of Lieutenant General Collin 

 Campbell, Lieutenant Governor of Gibral- 

 tar; but by her Ladyship, who died in 18 1 5, 

 he had no issue. His Lordship was called up 

 to the House of Peers on the 27th of De- 

 cember, 1821, and placed in his father's 

 " Barony of New burgh. 



CHARLES DIGNUM. 



This once popular singer is said to have 

 been born at Rotherhithe. Subsequently, his 

 father was a respectable, but not affluent 

 master tailor, in Wild-street, Lincoln's-inn 

 Fields ; and to the tailoring business young 

 Dignum was at first devoted, and, we are 

 told, became an early proficient in the art. 

 His parents being of the Roman Catholic 

 church, he sang in the choir when a boy, at 

 the Sardinian ambassador's chapel. At that 

 time, his voice was admired by the frequenters 

 of the chapel for its melody and power; so 

 much so, that Mr. Samuel Webb, a man 

 of fortune, extremely well known in the mu- 

 1 sical world, remarked his talents, and gave 



him instruction. The youth, however, though 

 he had n soul above a button, entertained 

 no idea of adopting music as a profession ; he 



wished rather to dedicate himself to the ser- 

 ' vice of religion, and importuned his father to 



send him to the college at Douay, to com- 

 plete his education, and fit him for taking 

 holy orders. This plan was relinquished, in 

 consequence, we believe, of the pecuniary 

 "embarrassments of his father; and Charles 

 Dignum was placed on trial under the care of 

 a carver and gilder, named Egglesoe, who 

 was at the head of that branch in the great 

 establishments of Messrs. Seddon, in Alders- 

 gate-street. He remained nine months in 

 this situation, and was on the point of being 

 regularly articled, when a quarrel between 

 his father and Egglesoe dissolved the con- 

 nexion. Chance now operated in his favour : 

 whilst doubting what occupation he should 

 follow, he was introduced to the celebrated 

 Mr. Linley, who perceived his talents, and 

 gave him flattering hopes of becoming an 

 acquisition to the stage. Dignum, in con- 

 sequence, articled himself to Linley for 

 seven years; and, it is said, that during his 

 musical probation, he was often obliged to 

 take a lesson as a breakfast, and to sing a 

 song instead of eating a dinner. However, 

 at a subsequent period of his lii'e, he would, 

 to compensate for his early losses in the way 

 of eating, take a mutton chop in the forenoon 

 at one house, a bason of soup at a second, 

 and a beef-steak at a third. When wanted 

 at rehearsal, he was sure to be found in some 

 chop-house, near Covent- garden, reasoning 

 with the cook-maid, or contemplating the 

 beauties of the larder. Corpulence was the 



consequence of this indulgence. But, we are 

 anticipating. 



Linley bestowed the most indefatigable 

 attentions on his pupil, and would not permit 

 him to sing in public till his judgment was 

 sufficiently matured. It was in the year 

 1764, that Charles Dignum made his debut 

 in the character of Young Meadows, in the 

 comic opera of Love in a Village. His 

 figure was rather unfavourable for the part, 

 but his voice was so clear and full-toned, 

 and his manner of singing so judicious, that 

 he was received with great applause. Upon 

 this occasion, however, the desire of Sir 

 William Meadows that his son should go and 

 plant cabbages and cucumbers, was regarded 

 as a palpable hit against the singer's early 

 occupation, and produced an effect upon the 

 audience more risible than had ever been 

 contemplated by the author. Altogether, his 

 success was such as to give the opera a run 

 of several nights. 



Dignum next appeared in Cymon, and 

 again experienced the most flattering appro- 

 bation. On the removal of the elder Bannis- 

 ter to the Royalty Theatre, he succeeded to 

 a caste of parts more suited to his person 

 and his voice, which was a fine tenor. 

 Amongst other characters, those of Haw- 

 thorn and Giles particularly suited him : in- 

 deed he was thought superior in them to 

 any actor that had appeared since the days 

 of Beard, their original representative. 



Dignum was decidedly a bad actor, or 

 rather no actor at all ; yet, from his vocal 

 powers he, for many years, held a respectable 

 situation at the theatre. At Vauxhall, at 

 concerts, and at public dinners, he was also 

 exeedingiy popular. Of his intellectual supe- 

 riority, brilliant wit, and splendid conversa- 

 tional talent, many highly amusing anec- 

 dotes might be gleaned. Amongst others, 

 it has been mentioned, that, when he found 

 his body growing very bulky, he observed to 

 some of his professional brethren, that it was 

 troublesome to be always placing his ri^ht 

 hand upon his heart, and wished to know, 

 whether, if his heart wese occasionally em- 

 ployed in a similar service, it would not do 

 as well ! 



Dignum, amidst all his ludicrous eccen- 

 tricities, was an amiable, good-natured, jolly 

 fellow. He married, many years a^o, Miss 

 Rennet, the daughter of an attorney, with 

 whom he received a considerable accession 

 of fortune. After her death, so greatly did 

 her loss prey upon his rnind, he was for some 

 time in a state of mental derangement. 

 Another of his family distresses proved, for a 

 time, very severe. A married daughter of 

 his we cannot recollect the lady's name 

 who lived in the neighbourhood of Islington, 

 had her infant son carried off in an extraor- 

 dinary manner, by a Mr. Rennet, a relation, 

 by her mother's side. The child was ulti- 

 mately recovered ; and Rennet was appre- 

 hended, tried, convicted, and transported for 

 the offence. 



Dignum had long retired from the stage, 



2 B 2 



