The company of Wignell and Reinagle were employed this summer at Annapolis and Baltimore. At the former place Mr. Wm. B. Wood made his first appearance on the stage, to which his talents have been an ornament, and his conduct through life an honour. Of the following biographical sketch of this gentleman he says, "it is positively true, though not flattering. It was drawn up by one of (now) the first men of the country, and at my request, for fear the violent zeal at that moment of Carpenter should make me ridiculous."

The father of Mr. Wood was a respectable goldsmith of New-York. He left his native city when the British took possession of it in the revolution, and retired to Montreal. During his residence there, on the 26th May, 1779, Mr. William B. Wood was born. At four At four years of age he was brought by his father to New-York, and at the early age of eleven years was placed in a countinghouse, not long before the celebrated scrip speculation, which terminated in the failure of many respectable houses, and among others of that to which he was attached. Left to seek his fortune out of trade, young Wood was placed in the office of an attorney, where he remained twelve months. Thus early bustled about from school to countinghouse, and from counting-house to office, it may be expected that our young gentleman was somewhat manly for his years, as he had at least learnt that he must take care of himself. Anxious, therefore, for something like an independence,

he entered again into a merchant's countinghouse as clerk, at a small salary, with little recommendation except integrity and the faculty of writing an excellent hand.

A prospect now opened for a voyage to the West Indies with commercial views, which was gladly embraced; and in the year 1797 Mr. Wood embarked on this expedition. He remained abroad a twelvemonth, and returned extremely poor, somewhat profligate, and very proud. These qualities, as might be expected, brought on difficulty after difficulty, and heaped embarrassment upon embarrassment, until his career was brought up (though still some years short of manhood), by imprisonment for debt in the Philadelphia jail. While in confinement, and revolving the various means of struggling through life, he recollected that he had obtained some premiums and praise for his elocution when at school, and he saw through the bars of his prison an eminence of theatrical fame, which he fancied would readily be attained. As soon as an arrangement could be made with his few creditors, he left this city for Annapolis, where Mr. Wignell was then performing with the Philadelphia company, and presented himself to the manager, full of expectation, and throbbing with the certainty of success. This was in 1798.

This was the dawn of Mr. Wood's theatrical life; and never did a more inauspicious sun arise. He was feeble in health, indolent, little habituated

to theatrical studies, indifferent as to voice, and extremely young. Mr. Wignell, therefore, who was a friend to his father, strenuously advised him to relinquish his idea of a dramatic life, but all in vain-the young gentleman "had heard of battles," and was resolved to be a tragedy hero.

It is somewhat strange that at this time, and for some years afterwards, Mr. Wood never thought of genteel comedy, on which principally his present fame is founded, as a road to reputation; and looked down with ineffable contempt upon every thing but the dagger and the buskin.

After much persuasion, Mr. Wignell, with that goodness of heart which always characterized him, determined to gratify the young man, and George Barnwell was fixed upon as the proper debut of this tragic actor. Wood's figure, albeit not corpulent at best, was reduced to a skeleton by a recent illness, and he appeared more like George Barnwell a year after his execution, than the blooming lover of Milwood. As the manager expected, the performance absolutely failed. Not a ray of merit shone from the character, and our friend Wood since declares, that it was the most execrable thing that ever came before the public. He was, however, not disheartened: baffled in a great attempt, he had at least the consolation of Phaeton-magnis tamen excidit ausis; and he must perforce clip his wings, and content himself for a while with an humble flight. And much more lowly it was indeed, for, during the whole of

that season, at Annapolis and Baltimore, he figured away in the next grade above message-carriers, until his patience, and even his ambition, were nearly exhausted. In Philadelphia, he opened in the part of Plethora, in Secrets worth Knowing, and so miserably meagre was his frame, and so consumptive and sickly his hue, that the audience were at a loss whether to consider the player as performing a part, or exhibiting the unaffected symptoms of disease.

After performing some little time, with no improvement, and of course with miserable prospects, Mr. Wood's father interposed, and insisted upon his quitting the stage. To this he consented, and embarked a second time for the West Indies, with the view of establishing himself permanently there. Prospects were now fair, and a fortune would, probably, have been acquired, but that the climate proved so hostile to his constitution as to force our friend to return to this country. After an eight months' absence, he returned home, and wrung from his father "a slow leave" to resume his occupations on the stage. During his absence, however, Mr. Cain had come forward with eclat, and had given promise of great excellence, so that the place which Wood's ambition had sometimes marked out for him, in its most extravagant moments, was already occupied, and Mr. Wignell received him with greater reluctance than before. He continued to play inferior, very inferior, parts, principally in tragedy, until accident brought to

light some sparks of merit in another line. When the play of The Heir at Law was first got up, the part of Dick Dowlas was allotted to Mr. Blisset. That gentleman, either thinking the character ill adapted to his style of acting, or perhaps really indisposed, gave it up, when of necessity the part fell upon Wood. He appeared after a few hours of hasty study, and gained considerable reputation in the piece, which was a favourite and often repeated. This was the first character that Mr. Wood played really well, and from this time he turned his attention towards genteel comedy, in which now he performs the whole range of firstrate parts. Wignell, in Dr. Pangloss, Warren, in Baron Duberly, and we may add Wood, in Dick Dowlas, rendered The Heir at Law an excellent play.

When Speed the Plough was brought forward, Wood took Bob Hardy, and did it extremely well. From this time forward he began to be tolerated, though still not admired. Mr. Wignell, although from the first he considered him a bad actor, always entertained for him the highest esteem as a man. He therefore, in the year 1799, appointed him treasurer of the theatre, in which station he continued until 1803. When Mr. Cooper went to England, the necessity of filling up a stock play threw Wood into the part of Rolla, which he performed frequently, and always with increasing reputation.

In the month of January, 1803, Mr. Wignell