WE acknowledge the receipt of some lines addressed to CLARA, which shall appear in our next Number. Our friends will oblige us by letting us have all such original Communications as early in the Month as possible. In reply to our Correspondent of America-square, who so strenuously requests to know why we discontinue the Music in LA BELLE ASSEMBLEE, we only have to say, that in order to please the versatile tastes of our numerous readers, we find it requisite at times to vary our Embellishments and contributions. London. Printed by and for JOHN BELL, Proprietor of this Magazine, and of the Weekly Messenger, Clare-Court, Drury-Lane. MARCH 1, 1817. LA BELLE ASSEMBLÉE; For FEBRUARY, 1817. A New and Improved Series, BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF ILLUSTRIOUS AND DISTINGUISHED CHARACTERS. The Ninety-fourth _Number. MISS MARIA FOOTE. IN attaching to the dramatic bio-Hampshire; in the Militia of which county graphy of our work the following notice of he held a commission for many years, and the young and beautiful actress whose Porafterwards in a regiment of the line, from trait adorns our present Number, we dis- which he still retains the half pay. Durcharge a duty which, from the time of hering the latter part of the late war, he or first appearance in London, we have contemplated with a feeling of no ordinary pleasure. The public welcome of Miss Foote on the boards of Covent-Garden Theatre, was attended by an enthusiastic and immediate prepossession in her favour, and we may safely assert that her success, as honest as it was decided, stood attributable to herself alone. The usual channels of preparation were in no degree resorted to in her behalf, and it was happily reserved for the new Amanthis to seek and gather her wreath of distinction, uncaukered by the too frequent and flattering evil of sinister support. She was almost unknown to the theatrical people of the day, for she had never performed in any other theatre whatever than the one belonging to her father at Plymouth, and in which she made her first appearance in the character of Juliet, when only twelve years of age. Mr. Foote, her father, is a native of ganized and served in a corps of gentlemen, and Yeomanry Cavalry, in Devon, and occasionally commanded the Grenadier Company of the Royal Cornwall Regiment. His marriage with a young and beautiful lady of respectability and fortune, took place in 1797; and at the time of the birth of Maria (his only child) her father was, by his friend General Orlando || Manly, put in possession of the property of the Plymouth Theatre, where his occasional personations of many principal characters were crowned with very great applause. Mrs. Foote, at that period, had never ventured to step beyond the limit of private life; the developement of her many and eminent claims to public approbation originated in her appearance, for a charitable benefit, at a watering-place, where the regiment Mr. Foote was then serving in, happened to be quartered. Shortly after this, Mr. Foote was again induced to return to Plymouth, in order || to look after his theatric property "left in the care of an unthrifty knave," and this presented an inviting field for the exertion of Mrs. Foote's growing talents for the profession, as well as to the youthful Maria. The former was consequently brought forward in many of the first-rate characters, and in parts of the light and playful kind she was eminently successful. Her features were highly prepossessing, her figure airy and graceful, her vivacity natural, and her accomplishments many. ed, and delicate portraiture which, on that night, she presented to a London audience. Her engagement was consequent on her unequivocal success, and in every part subsequently sustained by this beautiful and interesting girl, her reception has been such as to confirm, in all respects, her just election as a favourite of the public. In Emily Tempest, in the Wheel of Fortune, she was honoured with much and deserved applause; and in the new parts of Lucille and Ulrica, in the Forest of Bondy and The King and the Duke, which shortly after appeared, her execution of the tasks allotted her was followed by the well-earned praises of not only her auditors in general, but of all the dramatic journalists of the day. Her Miranda, in the Tempest, (in which she next appeared,) was unexceptionable, and marked, with traits of delicacy and nature, not to be lost on the nice and critical observer. We adduce particularly the place where Miranda says— "I am a fool "To weep at what I'm glad of;" And, Miss Foote, during the short period she performed at Plymouth, took a range of characters much more diversified than it might well have been expected of so young a female to sustain. Her progress, however, was uniformly attended by testimonies of approbation and increasing patronage, truly honourable to her efforts; and, on her own particular nights, she failed not to receive the most brilliant and popular attendance and support of the numerous inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood. Her advance in musical attain- || ments was considerable, and as an instance "Your tale, Sir, would cure deafness." of this she has been known, in the chaThe manner and expression of Miss racter of Rosina, to execute the arduous Foote's giving the above passages, is a sure song of Light as thistledown moving, in a indication of talent, feeling, and discrimistyle at once so free and graceful, as to call nation, to which it delights us to bear tesforth the most spirited encore. She also timony. We have the greatest pleasure personated the juvenile heroines of ballets in witnessing this young lady's gradual adwith the most pleasing effect: her Cin- vances to maturer celebrity, and rest with derella, and parts of a similar cast, having confidence on the hope that she will not been repeatedly before the public eye, and disappoint us. When the leaf that remuch esteemed. Mrs. and Miss Foote cords this first stage of her career shall no paid their final respects to their Plymouth longer be accounted new,-when its page friends by a farewell address in the Sum- || shall be referred to for its past details by mer of 1813; and in the following May, the inquiring spirits of the succeeding gethe Manager of Covent Garden announced neration, we trust that the attention which Miss Foote's intended appearance in Mrs. is then to pause over her name, will be Inchbald's character of the Child of Na- enabled, on returning itself upon society, ture, which, notwithstanding all the terrors to find her in possession of all the good of her new and momentous undertaking, it can bestow, rich in the blessing of an she supported admirably. Those who wit- enviable fame-the assurance of a wellnessed her debut cannot but retain a de- deserved and still increasing happiness. lightful recollection of the gentle, unaffect |