FASCINATION OF THE FOOTLIGHTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8316, 20 December 1906, Page 3

FASCINATION OF THE FOOTLIGHTS.

Ibe frustrated marriage of Prinae . Albreoht of Prussia with the actress Marie Sulzer (Baroness Liebenberg) listhelatest instance of the fashionable fascination the footlights have for the "blue-blooded" young man a fascination farther illustrated re oently bj the marriage of Miss Camille Cli Ford. In Eagluud, indeed, hardly a sea- • son passes without soma popular favourite leaving the stage to adorn her brow with the "strawberry ■ leaves" or the oorouet of a countess. The aristooratio grandparents ate inclined to olasa this fascination under the heading of the evils of the present century. "It was not so in my young days," ia the atook maxim of (he aged. But an re- . gards. tb? marriage of the uristoorat and the actress this is an error. Generations ago men of fashion were clapping their applause of a - "footlight favourite" one moment and asking her hand in matrimony ' the next. Tbe pioneer of stage marriages was, perhaps, one Martin Koikes, an antiquary and a man of fortune. An old magazine, dated November, 1723, gives an account of Follies' wooing, as follows'"The first person among the gentry who ever tooh a wife from the stage was .Martin Foikes, tbe antiquary, wbo in the year of 1713 took to wife liuoretia Brads haw, a performer of tbe sprightly heroines of Faiquhar and Vanbrngh. She has been called 'one of fcte greatest and most promising genii of her time,' and Mr Foikes made her his wife for her exemplary and prudeat conduct. She played suob lively parts as ■ Ooriuna, in 'The Confederacy,' and Angelica, in 'The Constant Couple.' . She is a handsome woman, of good • figure, and but second-rate theatrical talent."

Ths man who next foiliwed this gallant example was the famous Lord Peterboruugb, the hero of the war of the sncoeesion in Spain. Tb° date of his marriage has never been known, as ic was celebrated *in aeoret. A magazine of 1723 gives bo account of tbe soaial sensation when Lord Peterborough publicly acknowledged as his countess the celebrated Anascasia Robinson.

»'a few years after the glamour of the theatre affeoted a lady, of quality. On January Btn, 1739, She magazines announced the marriago of the Lady Henrietta Her belt, vbidow of Lord Edward Herbert, second son of the Marquis of Powis, to John Beard, the singer. Lady Henrietta was a daughter of James Heat Eari of Watdegrave. The marriage ol the famous Elizabeth Parren to Eiward Earl of Derby followed in 1797.

In 1807 the Eail Craven chose bis bride from the stage in the person of the dainty Louisa Brunfcon. In the same year Miss Searle became the wife of Mr Robert Heatb cote, brother of Sir Gilbert tleatboote.

In 1813 Lord Thurlow, nephew .o! the first Lord llinriow, the 'judge, led to the altar the actress, Mary Uatherfne Bolton, better known as "Polly" Bolton. In bourse of time three impoitant marriages in the theatrical world took place. The first of these was when Mr Beaber, a gentleman of fortnne, wedded the celebrated tragio aatress, Miss O'Neil. Later Mr Bradshaw, a of fashion; married Miss Tree, one of the truest of the representatives of ' ShaKespere's heroines. The last onion whs that of the Duke of St. Albans to Mrs Coutts.