The anonymous author of the Biography of the British Stage (1824), who appears to have received his information at first hand, advances, however, 23 October 1783 as the day of her birth.

According to the account obviously supplied by herself or her husband to the authority previously given, her father was an actor named Williamson, belonging to a country company, and her mother was the daughter of General Dillon, of Galway.

Yielding to circumstances, however, she conquered her dislike, and solicited and obtained an engagement from Tate Wilkinson, the famous manager of the York circuit.

The management, finding her engagement unprofitable in consequence of Mrs. Siddons enjoying a monopoly of the characters in which Miss Smith would be of service, sought vainly to get rid of her.

In 1808–9 she played with signal success in Dublin, in which city she recited, for her benefit, a monologue written expressly for her by Thomas Moore.

Leigh Hunt calls her the second tragic actress of her day, and says she possesses 'a strong and singular originality, a genius for the two extremes of histrionic talent (sic), lofty tragedy and low comedy.'

The two characters which led him to believe in her capacity for tragedy and farce are Belvidera in ‘Venice Preserved,’ and Estifania in ‘Rule a Wife and have a Wife.’ Adolphus, in his 'Recollections,’ speaks of her as the only actress before the appearance of Miss O'Neill to succeed Mrs. Siddons.

Donaldson says she 'had a noble and expressive face, full, strong, and melodious voice, capable of any intonation, and an original conception of her author.'