466 
ready, as they know not at what hour the 
Sen of Man cometh. !” 
At his father’s houfe in Portfmouth, J/r. 
Thomas Collins, of Drury-lane theatre. He was 
fon of Mr Collins, proprietor of the theatres at 
Portfmouth, Southampton, Winchetter, and 
Chichetter. At an early age he was put a 
pupil to Mr. Brooks, then leader of the Rath 
theatre, fince leader at Vauxhall, His pro- 
grefs in mufic and finging indicated that fa- 
cility of talent which was afterwards fo con- 
fpicuous in his atting. He feemed, however, 
to have imbibed a fireng if not a very de- 
cided tafte for the ftage. 
his family, he played a part, we believe 
chiefly with a wih to do a kindnefs to a be- 
nefit: The applaufe he received was deci- 
five of his future employment. Sume time 
after, he played Goldfinch in the Road to 
Ruin, as his firft profeifional performance. 
His fuccefsamply fatisfied the youthful hopes 
he had cherifhed, and left no uneafinefs on 
the minds of the moft anxious of his friends. 
He was at this time no more than eighteen. 
Being on a vifit to’ 
Mr. T. Coilins. — Mr. Leigh. 
Many of thofe parts in which he has lately: 
fhone with fuch luitre were then efflayed by 
him with all the dawn of native genius. In 
1302, Mr. Sheridan being at Winchetter, 
and hearing perfons of the beft tafte fpeak 
very highly of Mr. T. Collins, naturally re- 
folved to fee him. A judge more harmo- 
nized to feel the efforts of his genius, or more 
capable of appreciating the relative progrefs 
of his fcience, tle actor could not have 
formed. The refult was imevitable. Mr. 
T. Collins was inftantly engaged for Drury- 
lane theatre, for three years, at four, five, 
and fix pounds per week. He appeared for 
the firt time im London, in Jabal and Ro- 
bin Rough-head, and Mr. Sheridan (who 
faw the performance) voluntarily, that night, 
raifed his falary to fix, feven, and eight 
pounds per week; and at the end of three 
years, he was engaged for three years more 
at ten, twelve, and fourteen pounds per 
week. The town inftantaneoufly felt they 
had made an incalculable acquiiition im T. 
Collins. The firft night he was loudly ap- 
plauded, and his commg on the ftage the te- 
cond night was received with all the raptur- 
ous welcome that could be given toa tried 
friend. Still there was a progrefs in his fa- 
vour with the public. In every new part, 
they found there was fomething new to ad- 
mire. Indeed his richnefs was one of the 
fine qualities of this admirable actor. He 
had the fimplicity, the almoft ftill-but im- 
preflive touch of Wetton; the flow, the fro- 
licfome humour of Shuter and Edwin. 
The impreffion he made in Timothy Quaint, 
and the Sham-Duke, (the only two original 
chara¢ters he had played) will not be for- 
~ gotten while the prefent theatrical amateurs 
xift. In characters where the town remem- 
ered:his great predecefiors, they not only 
-and independent magiftrate. 
[June 1, 
acknowledged his merit but felt it was origie 
nal, He was not the copyift in any degree 
of any actor. His humour was the more ir- 
refiftible in being al] his own. Befides thofe 
he played in town, he had feveral favourite 
parts in the country; of thefe Crack in the 
Turn-pike Gate was one of the moft happy. 
It was exquifitely finifhed and beautiful. To 
{peak of his private character, he was of a 
cheerful temper and polite manners. He 
never degraded himfelf by any low arts or 
conduet. He was extremely amiable, and 
greatly beloved. He had lingered under a 
tedious illnefs, which he bore with becoming 
patience. Ne died in the 32d year of his 
age. His remains were interred in the 
church yard of Portfmouth, in the grave of 
his father-in-law. 
[Further particulars of George Leigh, e/g 
whofe death is noticed at p. 378 of the laft Num- 
ber. Mr. Leigh married Mifs Sufan Trafford, 
daughter of Alderman Trafford, of Liverpool, 
an eminent merchant, and mayor thereof in 
1742; and has furvived her only a few years. 
By her, his only wife, he has left two fons 
and four daughters to lament his lofs, amongit 
a numerous lift of friends. Mir. Leigh wes, 
in his youth, brought up to the law, and 
ftudied in the Temple; in due time he was 
called to the Bar, and made feveral circuits 
with the Judges, but on the death of his fa- 
ther, George L. efq. (who died Sep. 21, 
1761, aged 55), he quitted this proteffion, 
and retired to the enjoyment of his patri- 
mony, and became a moft attive, upright, 
His education 
and knowledge gave him great weight on the 
Bench; and his fteady conduét and judg- 
ment in adminiftering and difpenting juftice 
with impartiality and promptitude, procured 
him great refpect in the county. He was at 
once an ornament to fociety, and extremely 
beneficial to the public, who have, as well 
as his friends, to regret his lofs; they have, 
indeed, for fome time been deprived of thofe 
active fervices he was wont to beftow, owing 
to his fevere: afflictions in the gout. His fa- 
mily is one of the moft antient in the county, 
originally of Weft Hall, and have refided at 
Oughtington, in Chethire, for many genera’ 
tions, between 5 and 400 years. His eldeft 
fon (now living), Trafford Leigh, in 1794 
married Henrietta Broughton, one of the 
daughters of the Rev Sir Thomas B. bart. of 
Doddington caftle, Chefhire; and by her he 
has feveral children. His other fon, the 
Rev. George L. in 1798 married Mifs Eliza- 
beth Philips one of the daughters of John P. 
efq. of Bank, near Stockport, in the fame 
county where he has a living, and has alfe 
iffue. 
his mother’s brother, which took place fome 
years back, became heir to his fortune and 
eftate, and affumed the name and arms of 
the family, viz. Trafford Trafford; he now 
refides 
Mr.. Trafford Leigh, on the death of ~ 
—— 
