.BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 227
No. XCIV.
MR. MOSS,
IN THE CHARACTER OF '' CALEB."
THE fist notice of this comedian which we have been able to discover
occurs in the year 1773, when he is announced as performing at the Theatre-
Royal, Edinburgh. Gibbet, the first grave-digger in Hadet-Alonzo, in The
Tempest-and Justice Shallow, are the principal characters we find noted,
as personated by him, in the newspapers of that time.
After a lapse of nine years, during which period history or tradition say not
how or where he was employed, he returned to the Edinburgh boards ; and, immediately
after his benefit, the following advertisement occupied a conspicuous
place in the columns of the Evening Courant :-
" Mr. Moss takes the earliest opportunity of returning his sincere thanks,
and expressing his warmest gratitude to the public, for the uncommon favour
shown to him at his benefit on Monday night last [April 71. The great overflow
from every part of the theatre is a new proof that the liberal and generous
spirit of the inhabitants of this city never overlooks the smallest endeavours to
please them ; and their kindness, shown to a stranger, evinces that that hospitality
for which Scotland was ever renowned still flourishes in its pristine
vigour. He begs leave to add, that such a distinguished mark of approbation
will constantly stimulate him to increase his endeavours to contribute all in his
power to the entertainment of the public.-cANONGATE, 12th April 1783."
The play appears to have been a " comedy, never performed here, called
The School fur Mirth; or, Woman's a Riddle,"-in which be acted Aspen,
with the additional attraction of Miss Farren being cast for the part of Miranda.
The afterpiece was The Agreeable Surprke,-in which Moss played Lingo.
The next season was also passed in Edinburgh ; and, on the night of his
benefit (19th April 1784), Moss acted the part of Croaker, in Goldsmith's very
excellent, and, in our opinion, best comedy? The Good-natured Man, which,
in the advertisement, is stated never to have been before acted in Edinburgh.
Not content with the title conferred on it by the author-and perhaps, with
the view of rendering it still more attractive-it was styled, " or, The Whimsieul
Alarm."
Between the play and farce was produced a new comic interlude, called The
Good Woman without a Head;: or, Dhrmugh M'Finnan's Voyage to Am&+
the Good Woman without a Head, Mr. Moss. To which was added, for that
night only, a new musical farce, called Lingo's Wedding; being a sequel to
The song of " I'm the Daudy, 0," was written, as stated on the engraving, by R. T. Crosfield,
then a student of physic at the University, and first sung by Mr. Moss on the Edinburgh stage.