Mrs, daughter of a clergyman of the name of Moore, was a lady as remarkable for her virtue and suavity of manners as for her great literary accomplishments. Her first performance, which introduced her to the notice and consequent esteem of the public, was Julia Mandeville; a work concerning which there were various opinions, but which every body read with eagerness. It has been often wished that she had made the catastrophe less melancholy; and we believe that she afterwards was of the same opinion, but the thought it beneath her character to alter it. She soon afterwards went to Canada with her husband, who was chaplain to the garrison at Quebec; and here she saw and loved those romantic characters and scenes which gave birth to Emily Montague, a work most deservedly in universal esteem, which has passed through several editions, and which is now not easily met with. On her return to England, accident introduced her, and congenial sentiments attracted her, to Mrs Yates; and an intimacy was formed which terminated only with the life of that lady. Mrs Brooke, in consequence of this connexion, formed an acquaintance with Mr Garrick, and wrote some pieces for the stage. She had, however, great reason to be dissatisfied with his behaviour as a manager; and she made the The Excursion, a novel which she wrote at this time, the vehicle by which she exhibited to the public her complaints and anger against the king of Drury. Her anger, we believe, was just, but the retribution was too severe. She herself afterwards thought so, for she lamented and retracted it. Her first dramatic performance was the tragedy of Virginia, 1756. Her next effort in that line was, The Siege of Synope, a tragedy, introduced by Mr Harris, and written principally with a view of placing Mrs Yates in a conspicuous character. This did not altogether fail, but it did not become popular; it wanted energy, and it had not much originality; there was little to disapprove, but there was nothing to admire.

Her next and most popular production was Rosina, which, in a most liberal manner, she presented to Mr. Harris. Few modern pieces have been equally successful. Her last musical piece, entitled Marian, which was introduced by Shield, continued for some time to be occasionally exhibited. Mrs. Brooke was also the translator of various books from the French. She was esteemed by Dr. Johnson, valued by Miss Seward, and her company courted by all the first characters of her time. She died in January 1789, two days after her husband. Her husband enjoyed the rectory of Colney in Norfolk, to which he had been preferred after his arrival from America.