Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 7.djvu/524

 516 NOTES AND QUERIES. [u 8. vn. jcsb as, mis. Mail to India.' As a scene-painter he soon made his mark ; but, while occupied at the theatres, he found time to work for The Illustrated London News, London Journal, and other papers. On the last named he was one of the immediate successors to John Gilbert in 1863. In 1860 he tried a weekly comic paper of his own, The British Lion. In 1862 et seq his " pro-South" cartoons made Fun a good success, and proved, possibly, a thorn in the side of " Abe Lin- coln." Leaving Fun when it passed under the editorship of Tom Hood. Morgan, besides his constant work for the Illus- trated London News, illustrated stories and contributed comic sketches to various papers, grave or gay. In 1860 he rented a small studio in New Inn, Strand, in partnership with Thomas Harrington Wilson (" T. H. Wilson" of Punch, London Journal, Bow Bells, &c.) ; where, I have been told, he had a " shake-down " bed behind a screen, handy for a doze in the event of an " all- night job." I cannot, however, say if this last item was not an exaggeration. In 1867, with the collapse of The Toma- hawk, London became too warm for Matt Morgan ; and, with his departure for the States, he dropped almost completely into oblivion, as regards England. True, his theatrical posters, printed in America, were often displayed in London, but only old admirers like myself troubled to notice the artist's name in the bottom corner. As a chalk artist on stone Matt Morgan did himself more justice than as a wood draughtsman : there was less of the cold, harsh, sometimes almost repellent, manner which caused so many of his " cuts " to lack attractiveness. I cannot say if he died unmarried; certainly he does not seem to have left a Bon to carry on the name in any of the pro- fessions. But some reader of ' N. & Q.' may possess more knowledge on the subject. Herbert B. Clayton. 39, Renfrew Road, Lower Kennington Lane. Matt Morgan who, I believe, was origin- ally a scene-painter, did some very fair cartoons and half-pages for Fun in the early sixties, but his most effective cartoon was ' A Brown Study ' in The Tomahawk (a Saturday Journal of Satire, price 2d.), 10 Aug., 1865. I have it before me now. It is a double-page wood engraving printed in two colours, representing John Brown in full Highland!, costume, leaning grace- fully against the empty throne, with the British lion in the foreground gazing wist- fully at his (the ghillie's) bare knees. This gave a record circulation to the paper, but caused offence in certain quarters. The Savage Club wrote to The Times dis- claiming any connexion with The Toma- hawk, and although various mild attempts were made in future numbers to hedge a bit, it did not last long afterwards. Alfred Masson. Matthew Somerville Morgan, cartoonist for The Tomahawk from No. 1 (11 May. 1867) to No. 160 (28 May, 1870), born at Lambeth, 27 April, 1839. died of lumbago at New York, 2 June, 1890. For further particulars see St. Stephen's Review, 14 June, 1890. p. 9, and The Graphic for the same date, p. 663. T. Shepherd. [Mr. Ralph Thomas, who refers to the notice of Matt Morgan in the ' Modern English BioRraphy,' also thanked for reply.] Storey's Gate Tavern and Coffee- house (11 S. vii. 449).—Storey's Gate coffee-house was in Great George Street, Westminster in 1821—see Bobson's 'Lon- don Commercial Directory,' p. 240, for that year; but the ' Post Office London Directory ' for 1844, in the " Street Direc- tory " section, gives no coffee-house or tavern of this name, only two public houses, the Fleece, and Boyal George. It would appear, therefore, that the recent Storey's Gate Tavern was not a successor of Storey's Gate Coffee-House. Chas. A. Bernau. Botany (11 S. vi. 368, 416. 476; vii. 72, 231).—At the penultimate reference I have unwittingly omitted to mention that some folks hereabout believe in the Yama- jiso (Mosla japonica), an herb of the Labiatse, infallibly growing upon grounds over coal measures. Onions planted with Roses (11 S. vi. 509 ; vii. 232, 357).—Some thirty years ago the people of this province of Kii, which is most noted for its orange culture, were officially instructed to plant onions under each orange tree to protect it from the attack of black moulds. At present I cannot say whether this method was origin- ally of Japanese invention. KUMAGUSU MlNAKATA. Tanabe. Kii, Japan. See the late Prof. Dowden's ' Essays Modern and Elizabethan.' pp. 298-9. where the matter has been extensively threshed out. N. W. Hiix.