(Barton), a famous English actor, born in Lancashire in 1681, and educated in Westminster School under the celebrated Dr Bulhby, where his success in the Latin plays customarily performed by the scholars gave him an inclination for the stage. He was intended for the church; but running away from school to Dublin, he there commenced actor. His first appearance was in the part of Oroonoko, in which he came off with every testimonial of approbation from the audience. From this time he continued daily improving; and, after two successful campaigns in that kingdom, conceived thoughts of returning to his native country, and making a trial of his abilities on the English stage. To this end, he first, by letter, reconciled himself to his friends; and then, as a farther step towards insuring his success, obtained a recommendation from Lord Fitzhardinge (one of the lords of the bedchamber to prince George of Denmark) to Mr Betterton, who with great candour and good-nature took him under his care, and gave him all the assistance in his power. The first part Mr Booth appeared in at London was that of Maximus in Lord Rochester's Valentine, his reception in which exceeded even his most sanguine expectations; and very soon after his performance of Artaban, in Rowe's Ambitious Stepmother, which was a new tragedy, established his reputation, as second at least to his great instructor. Pyrrhus, in the Distressed Mother, was another part in which he shone without a rival. But he was indebted to a happy coincidence of merit and chance, for that height of fame which he at length attained in the character of Cato, as drawn by Mr Addison, in 1712. For this play being considered as a party one, the Whigs, in favour of whose principles it was apparently written, thought it their duty strongly to support it, while at the same time the Tories, who had too much sense to appear to consider it as a reflection on their administration, were still more vehement in their approbation of it, which they carried to such an height, as even to make a collection of 50 guineas in the boxes during the performance, and present them to Mr Booth, with this compliment, "That it was a slight acknowledgement for his honest opposition to a perpetual dictator, and his dying to bravely in the cause of liberty." Besides this, he had a present of an equal sum from the managers, in consideration of the great success of the play, which they attributed in a good measure to his extraordinary merit in the performance; and certain it is, that no one since that time has ever equalled, or even nearly approached, his excellence in that character.—But these were not the only advantages which were to accrue to Mr Booth from his success in this part; for Lord Bolingbroke, then one of the principal secretaries of state, in a little time after procured a special licence from queen Anne, recalling all the former ones, and nominating Mr Booth as joint manager with Wilks, Cibber, and Dogget; none of whom were pleased at it; but the last especially took such disgust as to withdraw himself from any further share in the management. In 1704, Mr Booth had married a daughter of Sir William Barkham Bart. who died in 1710, without issue. Being now established in the management, he once more turned his thoughts towards matrimony; and in the year 1719 united himself to the celebrated Miss Hester Santlow, a woman of a most amiable disposition, whose great merit as an actress, added to the utmost discretion and prudential economy, had enabled her to save up a considerable fortune. During the 20 years in which Mr Booth continued a manager, the theatre was in the greatest credit; and his illness and death, which happened on the 10th of May 1733, contributed not a little to its decline.

Mr Booth wrote a dramatic entertainment called Dido and Æneas; but his masterpiece was a Latin inscription. scription to the memory of Mr William Smith, a celebrated actor, who died while he was young.—As an actor, his excellency lay wholly in tragedy, not being able to endure such parts as had not strong passion to inspire him. And even in this walk, dignity rather than complacency, rage rather than tenderness, seemed to be his taste. For a particular idea of his abilities, we must refer to the description Mr Cibber has given of him in his Apology; and the admirable character drawn of him by that excellent judge of dramatic perfection, Aaron Hill, Esq; in a political paper published by him called the Prompter, which may be seen at length in Theophilus Cibber's Lives of the Poets, and Chetwood's History of the Stage.—His character as a man was adorned with many amiable qualities, among which, a goodness of heart, the basis of every virtue, was remarkably conspicuous; and so particularly was he distinguished and caressed, and his company sought by the great, that, as Chetwood relates of him, not one nobleman in the kingdom had so many sets of horses at command as he had.