MATHEWS, miitleuz. CHARLES (1776-1835). An English comedian, born in London on June 28, 1776. lie was the son of a bookseller, who intended his son to follow the same vocation; but his earl• inclination for the stage overcame parental counsel, and he made his appearance as tin amateur, in the part of Richard at the Richmond Theatre in 1793. As a professional comedian he appeat•ed in the Theatre Royal, Dublin. the following year. His first engagement in London was at the Haymarket, in 18(13; later lie transferred his services to Drury Lane. In ISIS he first introduced in London one of his entertainments, known as 'At !loon's,' such as he repeated for a number of subsequent seasons with immense success. In the course of his career he twice visited America. in 1822 and 1834, and his last appearance upon the stage was made at New York in February, 1835. He had been since 1828 a joint proprietor of the Adelphi Theatre of London. Ilis death occurred
at Plymouth on June 28. 1S35.
Alathews was a wonderful master of im personation and mimicry. The variety of his facial expression was so extraordinary that lie could alter his curious features in an instant and deceive even his friends as to his identity, a peculiarity of which many quaint stories are told. He was extremely sensitive, and the fine ness of his taste and character, as well as his wit., made him a welcome companion of the most distinguished people. Consult the Memoirs of Charles Mathews, Comedian, by Mrs. Math ews (London, 1838-39) ; Anecdotes of Actors, by the sante (London, 1844) ; Matthews and Hutton, Actors and Actresses of Great Britain and the United States, vol. ii. (New York, 1886); Baker, Our Old Actors (London. 1881).