African Theatricals.
The Times, 1824-07-10T00:00:00

The following letter has been addressed to Mr. Matlews. the comedian by Mr. Hewlett, the chief performer of the Africart Theatre, 'New York:- "My dear Mathevs-The old proverb, 'out of sight out of mind,' although exemplified by you individually, is uot. I am happy to perceive, nation ay for though 1 bave not bsm honoure.l with a line from yoa since You left our i;appy shores, your pocket lined with golden eagles, and your face puckered with smiles, vet I was rejoiced to perceive, by the anti-radical papers, that you had not forgotten that there actually existed such a small spot as the United States of America. From the afore. sa}d papers we have learnt that yoa had been treating Jo'un Bull with a laugh at brother Jonathan, by recitieg your travels in this counttry, doubtless with all that wvit and gaiety thalt whim and humour, that genius and eusto, for which you are so eminently distingiiisbed.Tiiis is all fair. lYou have made the welkin roar by your inimitable hits at John Ball on this side the Atlantic where is the justicein withhold. ing a reciprocal roar at us in good Old England ? But, my dear Ma5- thews, in your new enterainment, I lament to say, you havegiven one- cause of complaint. You hve. I Perceive, by the programme of your performance, ridliculed our A4fricaee Thratre its Afercer-st-ret, and burlesqued me with the rest of the Negmo actors, aq you are pleased tomcall us-mimicked out styles-imitated our dialect-laughedatour anornaliesand lamr,ooned, 0 shame ! our complexions. Was this well for a brother actor ? At your earnest and pressing solicitation I performedseverdl of my best parts; was perfect to a letter; aud, although it was a hazardous experiment, I even attempted your cele- brated MTfai1Coao./h,whicb met with your unquialified approbation.1ma- gine, therefore, my grief, vhen receiving a package of newspapers, iranked, I believe,by my friend Canning (who, by the by, hasmade an elegant speech about African emancipation, 4c), in which we are all unmercifaUv handled and mangled in your new entertainment, called a ' Trip among the Yankees.' I was particularly chagrined at your sneers about the Negro Theatre. W*hy theise reflections on our coloair, my dcar Mathews, so unworthy your genius and hu- manity, yoor justice and generosity? Our immortal bard says (and he is our bard as well as yours ; for we are all descendants of the Plantagencts, the white and the red rose)-our bird, Skakspeare, makes Desdenmona say, " I I saw Othello's zisa,ge in his mind.' "Now, when you was ridiculing ctle 'chief Wick tragPdian,' ant burlesquing the 'real negro melody,' was it ny ' mind,' or mry 'visage,' which should have made an impression upon yoa ? Agaim, nmy dear AMathews, our favourite bard makes Ot4JMo, certainly an. interesting character, speak thus:- - " ' HIepp, for I am black.' This is as amnch as to say, 'tis happy that I am black. 1lere,then,we see a General prouil of his complexion. In our free and happy coun- try, custom and a meridian sun have made some distinctions sad classifications in the order of society reJative to complexions, ' 'tis true, 'tis pity, and pity 'tis, 'tiS true;' but in England, wbere these anomalous distinctions are unknown, nay, where international marriages and blending of colours are isme.imes seen, what warrant can you have for lampooning our complexion ? " Let imie not be considered as censuring Your course of entertain- nients. I am so much the servant of the public, as offire-holders would say, that I ain even proud to be laughed at; and certain I am that no man on earth can raise a laugh at others' expense equal to yourself. In short, you have my entire good wishes; but, my dear lMlathews, rememLer when you next ridicule the ' tincture of the skin,' do not forget the texture of the mtod. I ani always most affectionately and reeoectfullv yolrs, "Chefprfemert' he frian H7WLETT, 'C'hief perfeluer ot't-he Affran Theatre, 1e'ercer-street, which wilU be opened one night only for myv benefit; tailor and roat-sconirer. John-street." AFRICA.N ?TRATRIICALS.