Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 39.djvu/358

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Murray
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Murray

first appearance in London took place on 30 Sept. as Shylock, with, it is said, Bagatelle in the 'Poor Soldier.' He was found interesting rather than great, and suited for secondary parts rather than primary. Murray had a good presence and bad tricks of pronunciation, and never attained a foremost position. Alcanor in 'Mahomet,' King in 'First Part of King Henry IV,' King Henry in 'King Richard III,' the King in 'Philaster,' Heartley in the 'Guardian,' Cassio, Lusignan, Strickland in the 'Suspicious Husband,' Dr. Caius, Manly in the 'Provoked Husband,' and many other parts were played in his first season. For his benefit, on 12 May 1798, he was Polixenes, Miss Murray making, as Perdita, her first appearance in London. He was on 11 Oct. 1798 the original Baron Wildenhaim in Mrs. Inchbald's Lovers' Vows.' On 10 May 1799 he was, for his benefit, Friar Lawrence to the Juliet of his daughter, Mrs. Murray making, as the Nurse, her first appearance at Covent Garden. From this time Miss Murray played ingénue parts, and on 13 Sept. 1802 appeared as Mrs. H. Siddons [q. v.] Murray's last appearance at Covent Garden appears to have been on 17 July 1817 as Brabantio to the Othello of Young, the lago of Booth, and the Desdemona of Miss O'Neill. During this season he had been on 3 May 1817 the original Alvarez in Shiel's 'Apostate,' and took part in John Philip Kemble's retiring performances, ending 23 June with Coriolanus. The 'Theatrical Inquisitor' of February 1817, x. 147, speaks of Murray as a veteran, and makes ungracious reference to his infirmities. Threatened with paralysis he withdrew to Edinburgh to be near his children, Mrs. Henry Siddons and William Henry Murray [q. v.], and died there on 8 Nov. 1821. The 'Georgian Era' credits him, in error, with being the manager of the Edinburgh Theatre, a post held by his son.

Murray was especially commended for the dignity of his old men. Portraits of him by Dupont as Baron Wildenhaim in 'Lovers' Vows,' and by De Wilde as Tobias in the 'Stranger,' are in the Mathews collection at the Garrick Club.

[Books cited; Genest's Account of the English Stage; Gilliland's Dramatic Mirror; Thespian Dict.; Georgian Era; Dibdin's Edinburgh Stage; Penley's Bath Stage; Notes and Queries, 8th ser. ii. 391.]

J. K.


MURRAY, DANIEL (1768–1852), archbishop of Dublin, born on 18 April 1768 at Sheepwalk, near Arklow, co. Wicklow, was the son of a farmer. He studied at Dublin and Salamanca, and on receiving ordination as a priest of the Roman catholic church, he was employed as a curate at Dublin and Arklow. Apprehensive of violence from disorderly troops in the latter district, he removed to Dublin, and acquired the esteem of the archbishop of that see, John Thomas Troy. Murray was consecrated in 1809 Troy's coadjutor, under the title of archbishop of Hierapolis 'in partibus infidelium.' Murray acted for a time as president of the Roman catholic college at Maynooth, and earnestly opposed the projected arrangement with government designated the 'veto.' On the death of Archbishop Troy in 1823 Murray succeeded to the see of Dublin. He enjoyed the confidence of successive popes, and was held in high respect by the British government. Pusey had an interview with him in 1841, and bore testimony to his moderation, and Newman had some correspondence with him before 1845 (Liddon, Life of Pusey, ii. 246-7; J. B. Mozlet, Letters, p. 122). A seat in the privy council at Dublin, officially offered to him in 1846, was not accepted. His life was mainly devoted to ecclesiastical affairs, the establishment and organisation of religious associations for the education and relief of the poor. Among these was the order of the 'Sisters of Charity,' for the constitution of which he obtained papal confirmation. As a preacher Murray is stated to have been ' pre-eminently captivating and effective,' especially in appeals for charitable objects. Murray took part in the synod of the Roman catholic clergy at Thurles in 1850, and died at Dublin on 26 Feb. 1852. He was interred in the pro-cathedral, Dublin, where a marble statue of him has been erected in connection with a monument to his memory, executed by James Farrell, president of the Royal Hibernian Academy of Fine Arts. The only published works of Murray are pastoral letters, sermons, and religious discourses. Two volumes of his sermons appeared at Dublin in 1859, extending to nearly fourteen hundred pages, 8vo, with his portrait prefixed from a painting by Crowley in 1844. A marble bust of Archbishop Murray is in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin.

[Notices of Archbishop Murray, by the Rev. W. Meagher, Dublin, 1853; Dalton's Archbishops of Dublin, 1838; Madden's United Irishmen, 1858; Brady's Episcopal Succession, 1876; Life of M. Aikenhead, by S. Atkinson, Dublin, 1882.]

J. T. G.


MURRAY, Sir DAVID (1567–1629), of Gorthy, poet, born in 1567, was the second son of Robert Murray of Abercairny, Perthshire, by a daughter of Murray of Tullibardine, Perthshire. In August 1600 he appears to