New Britain herald., 1929-04-01
MATTHEWS, WRITER
 AND CRITIC, DEAD

Eminent Playwright and Muca.
 tor Victim Of Influenza
 New York, April 1 RNBrander Matthews, critic, educator and play wright, died yesterday of influenza and the lingering effects Of a stroke of paralysis he suffered two and a half years ago. He was - years old.
 Born in New Orleans. he was edu- cated at Columbia university and in 1891 became professor of English there. In 1900 he was given the chair of dramatic literature. which he held until his retirement in 1924.
 For 50 years he was noted first nighter. His dramatic works in. cluded "A Gold Mine." "Margery's Lovers," On Probation" and "The Decision of the Court" He also wrote one novel, His Fathers Son." and numerous volumes de- voted to studies of the drama and essays on literary subjects.
 Remaining as memorial to him ing the progress of dramatic meth- ods from the Acropolis to Broad way. This is known as the Brander Matthews Dramatic museum and is housed at Columbia.
 He served as president of the Ma tional Institute of Arts and Letters and was first chairman of the sim plified spelling board.
 Crony Of Twain and Howells
 James Brander Matthews. who dropped his first name early in his literary career, was one of the last of the Eminent Victorians" Of American origin. He was a crony Of Mark Twain and William Dean Towels, friend of Kipling and Roosevelt, and co-worker in Eng land and France with writers and stage folk of the seventies, elegant eighties" and gay nineties."
 Brander Matthews studied for the bar, but abandoned law for litera- lure after two years practice. He was born in New Orleans February 21. 1852, the son of Edward Mat thews, business man, and studied law at Columbia university. New York The young southerner took his academic degree in 1871. his law degree two years later, and in an- other two years departed for Eu- rope and a career in letters.
 After several years in London and Paris writing much, making many friends and reading constantly. he became professor of English at Co., lumbia university. New York. in 1891. professor of literature the fol- lowing year, and was professor Of dramatic literature from 1900 to 1924
 Although for B years teacher of literature and dramaturgy. Mat thews led far from cloistered life. His loves were books, the theater, and writing. and his acquaintance in all three fields was wide in sev- eral countries of the western world. In England he was close friend of Austin Dobson and Andrew Lang, and he served for a time on the Saturday Review.
 When young man. attracted to the theater. he met and married Ada s. Smith. an actress with a traveling English company Togeth- CT they presided at Sunday 'ere- nings" al the Matthews home that were feature Of stage and literary circles of New York for more than A generation.
 The death Of his only daughter. the death of his wife, and his own retirement from Columbia for i'll health in 1924. seemed to presage his desertion Of society However. he suddenly put sorrow behind hiln. began to resume theater going even wrote a book on the current thea fer ''as viewed by a Rip Van Win kle," and went 10 England. where he renewed his acquaintance with kipling and others.
 The author of numerous volumes Of whimsical prose, Matthews also collaborated with various stage folk. including the popular Bronson How. ard, in play writing. He was an au- fhority on French playwrights of the 18th century and on Moliere.
 He was made a member of the. Legion of Honor in 1907 for his study of the French drama. Colum- bia. Yale. the University of the South and Miami university honor- cd him for his literary work.
 The dramatic works Of Brander Matthews include "Margery's Low ers.' "A Gold Mine" ''On Proba- tion," ''The Decision Of the Court" and Peter Stuyvesant. Governor of New Amsterdam" He wrote many works Of fiction and volumes on the stage. play writing. and the short story.
 He helped found several widely known literary organizations, in- cluding the American Copyright league. the Authors and Players clubs. and the Dunlap society. and he served as president of the Ma tional Institute Of Arts and Letters. He was first chairman Of the Sim plified Spelling board and in 1910 uaS nreSilenf of inc Modern Ian.