-
Articles/Ads
Article Masonic Obituary. ← Page 2 of 7 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Obituary.
last . Charles Mathews Avas the son of a bookseller , No . 18 , Strand , Avhere he Avas bom on the 28 th of . lime , 1776 . He ivould therefore have attained his 59 th year bad he lived a clay longer . Mr . Mathews Avas apprenticed to his father , but at an early period he imbibed a predilection for the sock and buskin , and his first attempt before an English audience ivas at . the Richmond theatre , where he played Richmond in Richard the Third . Hehoweversoon abandonee ! Melpomene for
, , Thalia , and his first engagement Avas at Dublin , Avhere he appeared in his favourite part of Lingo in tho Agreeuble Surprise . He afterwards joined the York company , under the noted Tate Wilkinson . Mr . Mathews ' s debut on the London boards AVAS on May 15 , 1803 , at the Haymarket theatre , in the character of Jabal , in Cumberland's comedy of The Jew . It AVAS in consequence of some neglect of his poivers by the managers of the large houses that Mr . Mathews undertook a series
of entertainments . at the Old English Opera House , familiarly known by the appellation of "At Home . " His success was immense , and year after year witnessed eroivds of laughter-loving faces to behold the mimic depicter of the manners and characters of the day . Mr . Matheivs took a trip to the United States , where he Avas equall y popular , and the fruits of his voyage Avere afterwards manifested in his Trip to America . It was affirmed that he Avould not dare cross the Atlantic againafter
, his vir'id sketches of our Transatlantic brethren , but he formed a just estimate of his hold over the risible faculties of the Americans . He paid a second visit , and , after a slight opposition , AA'hich he put doAvn at once in a very able and manly address , his career Avas as enthusiastic as heretofore . The change of climate ancl the severity of the voyage out
and home shattered a constitution Aveakened from very arduous exertions , and Ave may say that he but reached the shores AA'hich gave him breath , to go to that ' bourne from whence no traveller returns . ' The disease of AA'hich he died Avas ossification of the heart , under AA'hich he had laboured for years , and which accounted for the nervous irritability of his temperament during his life-time . " ' —Morning Post . Our deceased Brother AA'as an Honorary Member of the Prince of Wales' Lod No . 324 Avhose Meetings he enlivened bthose
pecuge , , y liar qualifications in Avhich he Avas unrivalled . His professional engagements prevented him from attaining the honours of the Craft , but he is one AVIIO will be remembered , as a choice spirit of the age in which he lived . FCAV public characters have afforded greater scope for the collection of anecdote than MatheAvs—the following , however , has been repeated to us since his death , by the party upon whom the joke ivas passed ;
and who , being also a Mason , it may not be without interest . Just prei'ious to Mathews ' s first appearance at the Haymarket , he dined Avith Brother * * * in the Strand . Kate Powell , not the " Lady Randolph " of her clay , but the " Mrs . Malaprop " of Tate Wilkinson ' s
company , from which Mathews had but lately emerged , was ot trie party . The Avine Avas good , and Brother Mathews Avaxed fraternal and facetious . The host retired to superintend the duties of his vocation , while his assistant retired to partake the daily meal . Being left alone with Mrs . A . and Kate , "Kate , " said lie , ( now Kate Powell was unlike most of her sex , and rejoiced in the professional freedom of her friend ) , "I'll put a joke upon our host ; " ( some years after , he Avould have hazarded a Jonathanism , and called it " poking fun . " ) " A good joke is a good thing , " said Kate ; " Ancl if not good , it is
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Obituary.
last . Charles Mathews Avas the son of a bookseller , No . 18 , Strand , Avhere he Avas bom on the 28 th of . lime , 1776 . He ivould therefore have attained his 59 th year bad he lived a clay longer . Mr . Mathews Avas apprenticed to his father , but at an early period he imbibed a predilection for the sock and buskin , and his first attempt before an English audience ivas at . the Richmond theatre , where he played Richmond in Richard the Third . Hehoweversoon abandonee ! Melpomene for
, , Thalia , and his first engagement Avas at Dublin , Avhere he appeared in his favourite part of Lingo in tho Agreeuble Surprise . He afterwards joined the York company , under the noted Tate Wilkinson . Mr . Mathews ' s debut on the London boards AVAS on May 15 , 1803 , at the Haymarket theatre , in the character of Jabal , in Cumberland's comedy of The Jew . It AVAS in consequence of some neglect of his poivers by the managers of the large houses that Mr . Mathews undertook a series
of entertainments . at the Old English Opera House , familiarly known by the appellation of "At Home . " His success was immense , and year after year witnessed eroivds of laughter-loving faces to behold the mimic depicter of the manners and characters of the day . Mr . Matheivs took a trip to the United States , where he Avas equall y popular , and the fruits of his voyage Avere afterwards manifested in his Trip to America . It was affirmed that he Avould not dare cross the Atlantic againafter
, his vir'id sketches of our Transatlantic brethren , but he formed a just estimate of his hold over the risible faculties of the Americans . He paid a second visit , and , after a slight opposition , AA'hich he put doAvn at once in a very able and manly address , his career Avas as enthusiastic as heretofore . The change of climate ancl the severity of the voyage out
and home shattered a constitution Aveakened from very arduous exertions , and Ave may say that he but reached the shores AA'hich gave him breath , to go to that ' bourne from whence no traveller returns . ' The disease of AA'hich he died Avas ossification of the heart , under AA'hich he had laboured for years , and which accounted for the nervous irritability of his temperament during his life-time . " ' —Morning Post . Our deceased Brother AA'as an Honorary Member of the Prince of Wales' Lod No . 324 Avhose Meetings he enlivened bthose
pecuge , , y liar qualifications in Avhich he Avas unrivalled . His professional engagements prevented him from attaining the honours of the Craft , but he is one AVIIO will be remembered , as a choice spirit of the age in which he lived . FCAV public characters have afforded greater scope for the collection of anecdote than MatheAvs—the following , however , has been repeated to us since his death , by the party upon whom the joke ivas passed ;
and who , being also a Mason , it may not be without interest . Just prei'ious to Mathews ' s first appearance at the Haymarket , he dined Avith Brother * * * in the Strand . Kate Powell , not the " Lady Randolph " of her clay , but the " Mrs . Malaprop " of Tate Wilkinson ' s
company , from which Mathews had but lately emerged , was ot trie party . The Avine Avas good , and Brother Mathews Avaxed fraternal and facetious . The host retired to superintend the duties of his vocation , while his assistant retired to partake the daily meal . Being left alone with Mrs . A . and Kate , "Kate , " said lie , ( now Kate Powell was unlike most of her sex , and rejoiced in the professional freedom of her friend ) , "I'll put a joke upon our host ; " ( some years after , he Avould have hazarded a Jonathanism , and called it " poking fun . " ) " A good joke is a good thing , " said Kate ; " Ancl if not good , it is