1810.] 
Of consumption, in an obscure “dwelling 
in Cross-field, Halifax, and in circumstances 
of extreme distress, Mrs. Standevens, aged 30. 
The short history of this accomplished and 
uniortunate young woman is painfully inte- 
resting 5 but as the lesson which it teaches 
is full of instruction, a few particulars are 
added, in the hope, that, as a warning exam- 
ple to female youth, her sufferings and me- 
lancholy fate may not have happened in vain, 
Eliza Evans was the only child of the Rev. 
Mr. Evans, of Malpas, in Cheshire, domestic 
chaplain to Lord Cholmondeley. His charac- 
ter, as given by one who knew him, was in 
every respect excellent. He was exemplary 
and useful in the discharge of his sacred office, 
noticed and caressed by the rich and the great 
for his acquirements and virtues, and beloved 
by the poor for his piety and charities. Eliza 
lost her mother at the early age of five years; 
and ten years afterwards was bereft of her 
father. ‘fhe interval between these two de- 
privations was spent at the best schools which 
Chester and Shrewsbury afforded. Her at- 
tainments were worthy of the opportunities 
which she enjoyed. In addition to her native 
language, she became mistress of French and 
Jtalian, excelled in music and drawing, and 
attained eminence ina variety of fancy-work ; 
without having neglected the more useful ac- 
guisition of plain-work, She was sent for 
from school to attend the death-bed of her 
father: he left her, at the age of fifteen, 
about SOO]. under the guardianship of Sir 
Thomas Edwards, of Frodesley. To this little 
fortune Lord Cholmondeley added the life- 
interest of the leasehold property possessed 
by ber father, estimated at from 601. to 7@l. 
per annum. Her guardian died soon after his 
curate, and his ward continued to reside with 
Lady Edwards. Some circumstances, which 
at this distance of time it were useless to 
detail, separated her from the protection of 
this family, and she left them, to reside 
with an old servant and housekeeper of her 
father. It is unnecessary to give any parti- 
culars of the early disappointment of her 
hopes.’ Young, accomplished, in some degree 
incependent, separated from any near -con- 
nections, and womanly beyond her years, by 
one imprudent act stie plunged herself into 
embarrassments which ended only with her 
life. At this period ‘she became acquainted 
with Mr. Standevens, a young man of three- 
and-twenty, the hero at that time of the 
Shrewsbury Theatre, and who wore the sock 
and buskin alternately, with equal and no 
mean provincial eelebrity. ‘Whey met at a 
musical party—they were both-musical. At 
sixteen, whilst in mourning for her father, 
she became a wife—at seventeen a mother, 
Her history is now soon told. Her life was 
what may be seen in the green-room of every 
provincial theatre. Her talents were not 
adapted to the stage; her figure was little, 
her voice had lost its sweetness, and in par- 
ticular she could not get the better of a timi- 
Lorkshire. 
637 
dity which made her never feel at home upon 
the stage. She did not rise above very sub- 
ordinate parts in the theatre; and, during 
the greater portion of her career, she was an 
actress, not from choice, but necessity. She 
dressed her face with smiles, and her person 
with finery, to enable her to still the cla- 
morous Craving, and to clothe the nakedness, 
of six poor childven at home: To the wear 
and tear of the first actor in all parts ina 
provincial theatre, Bir. Standevens? constitu- 
tion,” originally robust, fell a sacrifice. Ag 
‘bis health, and perhaps his theatrical fame 
and his powers of entertaining, decreased, hig 
family increased. A long sickness destrim ed 
his only means of helpiny his wife and chil. 
dren, and added to their embarrassments. 
The leasehold property, the gift of Lord 
Cholmondeley, had heen disposed of. About 
two years ago, death removed poor Standevens 
from the contemplation of poverty and suffer~ 
ing, which he could. not alleviate. it ought 
not to be omitted, that when separated from 
hig wife by sickness, whilst she followed with 
part of her family the fortunes of the com- 
pany, this poor man’s letters endeavoured te 
cheer and support her, and breathed unabated 
tenderness and affection for her and her chil- 
dren. Mrs. Standevens endeavoured to retain 
her station on the stage, humble as it was, 
but in vain, -On the expiration of her en- 
gagement, it could not be renewed; her 
strength was unequal even to her subordinate 
parts: the insidious disease to which she fell 
a victim was gradually undermining a consti- 
tution naturally delicate, and her spirit was 
completely broken. On foot with her chii- 
dren, in rags and wretchedness, she travelled 
from Tidswell, in Derbyshire, in search of her 
husband’s parish. About a year ago, whilst 
on this. youte, she arrived at Halifax, and 
entering at night, without any previous inti- 
mation, thé house of a distant female relation 
of her husband, threw herself and her chil- 
dren upen her protection. But the circum- 
stances of this reiative were entirely unequal 
to such a call—she had for many years taken 
care of and educated the oldest boy, and has 
continued her kindness to this unfortunate 
family to the present hour. Mrs. Standevens 
and her children lived some time in a+oom 
in Copper street, and afterwards about three 
months in Cross-field, Here they were sup- 
ported by a smail allowance from her hus- 
band’s parish—by her needle—by her teach- 
ing a few scholars—by the kindness of their 
relation—and by the casual bounty of the 
charitable, Her disease had now nearly run 
its cqurse; its last stage was alleviated, and 
the passage to the grave renuered ensier, by 
edical assistance. A few days belore her 
death, she was admitted a home-patient of the 
Halifax General Dispensary, and was relieved 
from the fund of the Benevolent Society by 
the visitor of the district in whieh she lived. 
She was pertectly aware of her approaching 
dissolution. On the evening on which she 
ied, 
