Abraham Portal (baptised 1726 – 1809) was an English goldsmith and dramatist.
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Life
He was the son of a clergyman, Peter William Portal, of Huguenot origin. He started in life as a goldsmith and jeweller on Ludgate Hill, but lost money both in this trade and as a bookseller, and finished his career as a box-keeper at Drury Lane Theatre. It appears from his Poems that Portal was a close friend of John Langhorne. Other friends were Edmund Cartwright and John Scott of Amwell.
His brother was the Rev. Andrew Portal, headmaster and usher of Abingdon School.
In the spring of 1796 Portal seems to have been living in Castle Street, Holborn.
Works
Portal's writings include:
Olindo and Sophronia: a Tragedy, the story taken from Torquato Tasso, two editions, 1758, London.
The Indiscreet Lover: a Comedy, performed at the Haymarket for the benefit of the British Lying-In Hospital in Brownlow Street; dedicated to the Duke of Portland; two editions, London, 1768. To the printed copies is appended a list of "errata", in which the reader is requested to substitute polite periphrases for coarse expressions in the text.