Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 33.djvu/197

 

LEWIS, LEOPOLD DAVID (1828–1890), dramatist, eldest son of David Lewis of Middlesex, physician, was born in London in 1828, was educated at King's College School, was admitted a solicitor in 1850, and practised at 4 Skinner's Place, Sise Lane, London, till 1875. A drama called ‘The Bells,’ which he had adapted from ‘Le Juif Polonais,’ by MM. Erckmann-Chatrian, was produced at the Lyceum Theatre 25 Nov. 1871, and was rendered notable by Mr. Henry Irving's striking impersonation of the leading character, Mathias, the conscience-stricken burgomaster. This was published as No. 97 of Lacy's series of acting editions. Lewis's other dramas were the ‘Wandering Jew,’ Adelphi Theatre, 14 April 1873; ‘Give a Dog a Bad Name,’ Adelphi, 18 Nov. 1876; and the ‘Foundlings,’ Sadler's Wells, 8 Oct. 1881. From February to December 1868 Lewis and Mr. Alfred Thompson conducted a monthly periodical entitled ‘The Mask, a Humorous and Fantastic Review.’ Lewis and Mr. Thompson wrote all the articles, and the latter supplied all the illustrations. Despite its cleverness, the work met with little favour from the public. Lewis also wrote a series of tales in three volumes entitled ‘A Peal of Merry Bells,’ published in 1880. He died in the Royal Free Hospital, Gray's Inn Road, London, on 23 Feb. 1890, and was buried at Kensal Green.



LEWIS, MARIA THERESA, (1803–1865), biographer, was only daughter of George Villiers, third son of Thomas Villiers, first earl of Clarendon, by his wife, Theresa Parker, daughter of the first Lord Boringdon. , fourth earl of Clarendon [q. v.], the well-known statesman, was her brother, and she was granted the precedence of an earl's daughter February 1839. She was born on 8 March 1803, and married for the first time, on 6 Nov. 1830, [q. v.], who died in 1842. On 26 Oct. 1844 she married her second husband, Sir, bart. [q. v.] Lady Theresa had a taste for literature. She was descended in the female line from Edward Hyde, the great earl of Clarendon, whose life was written by her first husband, and in 1852 she published in three volumes ‘The Lives of the Friends and Contemporaries of Lord Chancellor Clarendon;’ the book gives biographies of most of the people whose portraits were to be found in the Clarendon gallery at The Grove, Watford, which had descended successively to her father and brother; the lives of Lord Falkland, Lord Capel, and the Marquis of Hertford occupy the greater part of the volumes. Miss [q. v.] was so well impressed with the undertaking that she bequeathed her papers to Sir Thomas Frankland Lewis, Lady Theresa's father-in-law, with the proviso that in the event of his death they were to go to Lady Theresa. Accordingly, in 1865 was published in three volumes ‘Extracts of the Journals and Correspondence of Miss Berry from the year 1783 to 1852,’ edited by Lady Theresa Lewis. The work is judiciously done. Lady Lewis also edited a novel by the Hon. Emily Eden, and dramatised two fairy tales for juvenile performers. She survived her husband two years, and died 9 Nov. 1865, at the principal's lodgings, Brasenose College, Oxford.



LEWIS, MARK (fl. 1678), financial and miscellaneous writer, was apparently in 1670 a master in a school conducted on improved principles by A. Bret at Tottenham High Cross, Middlesex. His method of teaching so pleased the Earl of Anglesey, then lord privy seal, that he placed his grandsons at the school, and secured Lewis's rights to the invention by letters patent. About 1676 Lewis devoted himself to the concoction of various quackish schemes for the reduction of taxation, the increase of trade, and the establishment of banks. In 1677 he affixed the letters ‘D.D.’ to his name.

His writings are:  ‘An Essay to facilitate the Education of Youth by bringing down the Rudiments of Grammar to the Sense of Seeing,’ 8vo (London, 1670?).  ‘[Rudimenta?] Grammaticæ Puerilis, or the Rudiments of the Latin and Greek Tongues, &c. (an Apologie for a Grammar printed about twenty years since, … and reprinted for the use of a private school, &c.),’ 8vo, London [1671].  ‘Plain and Short Rules for pointing Periods and reading Sentences grammatically,’ 8vo (London, 1675?).  ‘Vestibulum Technicum, or an Artificial Vestibulum. Wherein the sense of Janua Linguarum is contained and most of the leading Words are compiled into Plain and Short Sentences,’ &c., 8vo, London, 1675.  ‘A Model for a School for the better Education of Youth,’ 8vo, London 