Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 39.djvu/374

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
Murray
368
Murray

Harrington in James Kenney's 'London Pride, or Living for Appearances.' A benefit was given him at Drury Lane on 27 June 1865, with a view of aiding him in a trip to the south, rendered necessary by failing health. Representations were given by various London actors, the share of Leigh Murray and his wife consisting in the delivery of a duologue written by Shirley Brooks. Murray died 17 Jan. 1870 and was buried in Brompton cemetery.

He played a large range of characters, and was in his time unequalled as Maurice de Saxe, Harry Dornton, Gustave de Grignon in the 'Ladies' Battle,' Captain Darner in the 'Camp at Chobham,' Sir Charles Pomander in 'Masks and Faces,' and Birchall in the 'Vicar of Wakefield.' He also approached excellence as Captain Absolute and Charles Surface. A painstaking and competent actor, but wanting in robustness, he owed his reputation in part to the naturalness and ease of his style, to his avoidance of artifice and convention, and to the absence of mannerism. He was a member of the Garrick Club, and his popularity there, with its attendant temptations, did something to sap his health.

Mrs. Elizabeth Leigh Murray (d. 1892), the second daughter of Henry Lee (1765–1836) [q. v.], dramatist and manager for fifty years of the Taunton circuit, appeared at the age of five in 'Little Pickle,' and played a round of characters in her father's theatres, and in York, Leeds, Hull, &c. She appeared in London at the Olympic under Mme. Vestris, playing Cupid in an extravaganza of that name, and accompanied her manager to Covent Garden, taking part in the opening performance of 'Love's Labour's Lost,' 30 Sept. 1839. She then went to Sadler's Wells, and, after playing in various country towns, reached Edinburgh,where she appeared, under the name of Miss E. Lee, as Lady Staunton in the 'Whistler of the Glen, or the Fate of the Lily of St. Leonards,' an adaptation of the 'Heart of Midlothian,' and in 1841 as Mrs. Leigh. Returning to London, she reappeared at the Lyceum as The Lady in 'A Perplexing Predicament.' As a singer, and in drawing-room or domestic comedy, she won high reputation. Among numerous original parts, in many of which she supported her husband, she was seen as Apollo in Frank Talfourd's 'Diogenes and his Lantern,' Strand, 7 Feb. 1850; Mme. Duchatelet in the 'Marble Heart;' Lady Lavender in Stirling Coyne's 'Love Knot,' Drury Lane, 8 March 1858; Mrs. Burr in the 'Porter's Knot,' Olympic 2 Dec. 1858; Patty in the 'Chimney Corner,' Olympic, 21 Feb. 1861; Mrs. Kinpeck in Robertson's 'Play,' Prince of Wales's, 15 Feb. 1868; Lady Lundie in Wilkie Collins's 'Man and Wife,' Prince of Wales's, 22 Feb. 1873; Mrs. Crumbley in Burnand's ' Proof Positive,' Opera Comique, 16 Oct. 1875; Mrs. Foley in ' Forget me not,' Lyceum, 21 Aug. 1879; Mrs. McTartan in Byron's 'Courtship,' Court, 16 Oct. 1879; Lady Tompkins in Burnand's 'Colonel,' Prince of Wales's, 2 Feb. 1881. She also played in her later years Mrs. Candour and many similar parts. She died 25 May 1892.

Murray's younger brother, Gaston Murray (1826-1889), born in 1826, whose real name was Garstin Parker Wilson, first appeared in London at the Lyceum on 2 March 1855 as Tom Saville in 'Used up,' played in various theatres, and essayed some of his brother's parts. He died 8 Aug. 1889. His wife, Mary Frances (d. 1891), known as Mrs. Gaston Murray, daughter of Henry Hughes, of the Adelphi Theatre, was a capable actress and played intelligently many parts at the Globe, the Court, and St. James's, including Mrs. Penguin in the 'Scrap of Paper.' Her Mrs. Primrose in the 'Vicar of Wakefield' at the Lyceum was excellent. On 24 May 1889, at the opening of the Garrick Theatre by Mr. Hare, she was the original Mrs. Stonehay in Mr. Pinero's 'Profligate.' She died on 15 Jan. 1891.

[Personal knowledge and private information; Tallis's Dramatic Magazine; Theatrical Times, vols. i. and iii.; Scott and Howard's Life and Reminiscences of E. L. Blanchard; Westland Marston's Our Recent Actors; Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft's On and Off the Stage; Dickens's Life of Charles J. Mathews; Pascoe's Dramatic List; Era Almanack, various years; Sunday Times, various years; Era newspaper, 23 Jan. 1870.]

J. K.


MURRAY, HUGH (1779–1846), geographer, born in 1779, was the younger son of Matthew Murray (1735–1791), minister of North Berwick, and grandson of George Murray (d. 1757), who had held the same benefice. His elder brother, George (1772–1822), was also minister of North Berwick from 1795 till his death (Hew Scott, Fasti Eccl. Scot. pt. i. 345). His mother was daughter of John Hill, minister of St. Andrews, and sister of Henry David Hill, professor at St. Andrews. Hugh entered the Edinburgh excise office as a clerk, but from the first devoted his leisure to literary pursuits, publishing 'The Swiss Emigrants,' a tale (anon.), in 1804; two philosophical treatises ('The Morality of Fiction,' 1805, and 'Enquiries respecting the Character of Nations,' 1808); and another romance, 'Corasmin, or the Minister,' in 1814. On 22 Jan. 1816 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, to whose 'Transactions' he con-