The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-24
John Uoutcsguicu HcIic,y

Mr. John Mcntesquieu Bellew, whose
elocutionary entertainments gave so mucn
satisfaction in this country recently, died at
his home in Bath, England, on Friday night.
at the age Of 30 years. lie had been in
failing health for some time, and during
his second and last visit here last winter
complained that the climate disagreed with
him great deal. Much sympathy has Of
late been expressed for him, and an appeal
for pecuniary assistance was made to the
English public, Wlkie Collins and some
other prominent literary men taking an ac-
tive part in the procuring Of subs criptons
for a man who thought more of others than
he did OF himself, and who and always
largely devoted the proceeds of his readings
to charitable purposes. He made his firstv
to America in the spring of 1873, and gave
Il series Of readings and lectures in some
of the larger cities, which were received
with great favor by the public. His second
visit was unfortunate in that it followed so
closely the panic, and hence he sustained a
pecuniary disappointment, from the effects
of which he did not recover Mr.. Bellew
was the son of Captain Robert lIiggin,
brother Of the Bishep of Derry, and, on at
tanning his majority, assumed his mothers
maiden name, through whom he is one of
the few remaining descendants Of the senior
branch of the O'Briens, being directly de-
scendcd from Tiege, second brother of
lad ia
Great Earl in Irish history, and brother of
Daniel, first Viscount Clare. Re was en-
tered at St. Mary's hall, Oxford, in 1912,
where he became frequent speaker at the
| Union Debating society and in 1913 he was
| ordained IA curate at St Andrews, Worces.
| ter. In 1851 he became Curntc of Prescott,
| went ont to the east in 1851, and was chap
| lain Of St. Johns cathedral, Calcutta, until
! 1850 when he returned to England, aud
was appointed assistant minister of St
| Philips, Regent street, London. In 1867
| he was appointed to the charge of st.
| Marks, Hamilton terrace, Marylcbone, in
| which Office he continued until 1852, when
| he became incumbent Of Bedford chapel,
| Bloomsbury. He attained his reputation,
however, when he left the ministry and
took to the forum. \ generous impulse, a
| desire to save a suicides orphan from pow
| erty, brought Mr.. Bellew into the reading
| room and shaped his future course. After
| reading and recitaiiuns at Exeter and ST
| James Halls attracted immense audiences.
| and the results induced Mr.. Bellew to at
| once retire from his ministerial duties and
| devote himself To literature and oratory.
| As Il writer and Journalist, Mr.. Bellew held
no mean place in critical estimation.
| "Blount Tempest THE Seven Churches
of Asia Minor" "Shallespeare's Home,
and "Thc Poets Corner are the titles Of
his most popular works. while, as cOntribu-
| tor to the great London dailies and editor
of the Calcutta llurkam, he distinguished
| himself by the accomplishment of hardly
less cXacling tasks than those SET the au-
| thors of books. But il was as 4 reader that
| Mr.. Bellew was most familiar. Some time
since it was said in the London Times that
there were only three persons in England
who, as readers, had made good their
claims to foremost rank. These were
| Charles Dickens in the recitation of his
own writings Fanny Kemble in the inter-
probation of Shakespeare and Mr.. Bellow
in miscellaneous readings from the poets.
dramatists and humorists II is not, per-
haps, generally known that Mr. Bcllcw gave
instructions in the clocutionary art to
Charles Dickens and Charles Fcchter. OF
late years he has been a communicate of
the Romish church.