' Portrait of Elizabeth Farren ( detail) 1759-1829. Thomas Lawrence (English 1769-1830) Oil on canvas , circa before 1791. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York .

Elizabeth (née Farren ), Countess of Derby (1759-1829) , Actress , second wife of Edward Smith Stanley , 12th Earl of Derby.

Called the Queen of Comedy by Horace Walpole, Elizabeth Farren was the star of Drury Lane for twenty years until her marriage to the 12th Earl of Derby in 1797. Noted for her vivacity and style , she took leading roles in plays by Colman , Sheridan and other contemporary authors.