Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/294

258 MATHEWS, Charles, English actor, b. in Lon- don, 28 July, 1776 ; d. in Plymouth, 28 June, 1835. He was the son of a London bookseller and early educated to his father's business, but began to act in 1792 at the Richmond theatre, and, after a long provincial experience, found his way to the Hay- market theatre, London, in 1803. where, on 15 May, he appeared as Jubal in " The Jew." [n 1804 he connected himself with Drury lane theatre. After playing for many years in London and the prov- inces, he became one of the lessees of the Adelphi theatre in 1831. His connection with the London playhouses was varied with entertainments in con- cert-halls, in which he impersonated numerous char- acters. Mathews made two visits to this country, in 1822 and 1834. His first venture, of less than a year's duration, yielded over $50,000 ; the second was less profitable. On 2 Sept., 1822, the actor began at the Holiday street theatre, in Baltimore, as 011a- pod in " The Poor Gentleman," and then in suc- cession he visited Philadelphia, New York, and Bos- ton. On his second visit it was apparent that he had lost much of his former vivacity. His last ef- fort was on 11 Feb., 1835, at the Park theatre in New York city. Dr. Pangloss, in " The Heir-at- Law,"' OUapod, in •' The Poor Gentleman," and Rover, in " Wild Oats," were among his favorite parts. He also gave his " entertainments," of about two hours' duration, entitled " A Trip to Paris," " At Home," " Mail-Coach Adventures," and " Country Cousins." all of which were highly diverting and well received. Mathews was tall and slim, with one leg shorter than the other. His features were cast for comedy, being nervously drawn to sti'ange expressions for the provocation of laughter. He was excellent as an actor of ec- centric characters and most remarkable as a mimic. He was endowed with ready wit, stored with anec- dote, and sang comic songs with unusual effect. His alterations of voice and features and rapid changes of costume were marvels. In this he had no I'ival. — His son, Cliarles James, actor, b. in London in December, 1803 ; d. in Manchester, Eng- land, 24 June, 1878, was educated for the profes- sion of an architect. In 1835 he made his debut at the Olympic theatre, in his native city, and for many years was connected as actor and manager with the British stage. He also appeared on several occasions in connection with the French comedians in Paris, and toward the close of his life visited Australia. Mathews made two visits to this coun- try. The first, in 1837, in company with his wife, formerly Madame Vestris, was unsuccessful on per- sonal grounds. The second, in 1857, yielded him ample returns. He was a finished performer in eccentric genteel comedy parts, which he played with remarkable ease and vivacity.

MATHEWS, Cornelius, author, b. in Portches- ter, N. Y., 28 Oct., 1817; d. in New York city, 25 March, 1889. He was graduated in 1835, and ad- mitted to the bar in 1837, but abandoned his pro- fession for literature, and from 1838 till 1850 was a voluminous writer in a variety of departments, poet- ry, the drama, prose fictiou, satire, and journalism. In 1840-2, with Evert A. Duyckinck, he edited " Arcturus," a monthly magazine, and he was after- ward connected with other similar publications. He was an early, active, and enthusiastic worker in the cause of copyright, and the chief founder in 1843 of the old copyright club, of which William CuUen Bryant was pi-esident. Originality, acute observa- tion, fancy, satirical power, and manliness of sen- timent are to be found in all of his works, but he wants finish and style to make him a popular writer. Some of his most original conceptions are striking studies rather than completed works. He was a life-long friend of Evert A. Duyckinck, and a correspondent of Charles Dickens and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, of whose works he was the first American editor. Margaret Fuller, in her essay on " American Literature." devotes four of twenty- one pages to Mathews's " Poems on Man in the Re- public " and " Witchcraft." Of the latter she writes : " It is a work of strong and majestic lineaments ; a fine originality is shown in the conception." His works include " The Motley Book," a series of tales and sketches (New York, 1838) ; " Behemoth, a Legend of the Mound -Builders" (1839); "The Politicians." a comedy (1840) ; " Puffer Hopkins " (1841) ; " Wakendah," an Indian poem (1841) ; "Poems on Man " (1843) ; " Big Abel and Little Manhattan " (1845) ; " Witchcraft," a tragedy on the Salem delusion, performed at the New York and Philadelphia theatres (1846, reprinted in Lon- don) ; " Jacob Leisler," a drama, of Dutch colonial history, also performed in Philadelphia (1848) ; " Chanticleer : a Thanksgiving Story "' (1850) ; " Moneypenny, or the Heart of the World " (1850) ; "Pen-and-ink Panorama of New York City" (1853); "False Pretences." a comedy ; and "Indian Fairy Tales " (1868). — His cousin, Albert, author, b. in New York city. 8 Sept., 1820, was graduated at Yale in 1842, studied law, and was admitted to the New York bar in May, 1845. He has written under the pen-name of " Paul Siegvolk," and has published " Walter Ashwood ; a Love Story " (New York, 1860) ; and " A Bundle of Papers " (1879).

MATHEWS, George, statesman, b. in Augusta county, Va., in 1739; d. in Augusta, Ga., 30 Aug., 1813. He led a volunteer company against the Indians at the age of twenty-two, took part in the battle of Point Pleasant, 10 Oct., 1774, and at the beginning of the Revolution joined the patriot army, and was placed in command of the 9th Virginia regiment. He was engaged at Brandy- wine and at Germantown, where he was captured, after receiving nine bayonet wounds. He was confined on the prison-ship in New York harbor till his exchange in December, 1781. when he joined Gen. Nathanael Greene's army at the head of the 3d Virginia regiment. He removed with his family to Georgia in 1785, and settled in Oglethorpe county, on Broad river. He represented that state in the first congress, served from 1781 till 1791, and was governor of Georgia in 1798-6. During his occupation of this office the Indians constantly engaged in insurrections which he quelled, but he lost his popularity and excited the animosity of the greater part of his constituents by signing the Yazoo fund bill, by which more than half the state was alienated. Mathews is represented as opposed to this act, and his probity of character clears him from the suspicion of corruption, but he judged that in the passage of the bill the legislature had not transcended its constitutional powers, in which opinion he was sustained by the supreme court of the United States. He was subsequently brigadier-general of militia, and in January, 1811, was authorized by the president to take possession of West Florida, and captured Amelia island. — His son. George, jurist, b. near Staunton, Va., 21 Sept., 1774 ; d. in Bayou Sara, La., 14 Nov., 1836, removed to Georgia in 1785, was admitted to the bar in 1799, and emigrating to Mississippi territory was appointed by President Jefferson judge of the superior court in 1805. The next year he was transferred in the same capacity to New Orleans. On the organization of the Louisiana judiciary he became presiding justice of the supreme court, and held office until