THEATRICAL STARS.

West Coast Times, Issue 291, 29 August 1866, Page 3

THEATRICAL STARS.

(to the editob of the west coast times.)

Sic, — Having seen in your contemporary's issue of this date a certain scurrilous letter concerning Miss Mathews, and signed by an unknown " Cameo," I beg permission to crave your indulgence while I reply to the same. " Cameo" has complained because Miss Mathews chose to make a satisfactory and probably remunerative pecuniary engagement -with Mr Bartlett ; but, sir, you must acknowledge that Mr B. is a business man, and one who, from his long association with the Tragic Boards, ought to know the value of an * accomplished actress without being indebted to this Cameo for his voluntary and unsolicited opinion. ,1 have no doubt that the lady in question has had the honor of appearing before more perfect and accomplished critics than Cameo. To assail a lady through the columns of a public journal under a feigned and assumed namcis a habit most censurable . and most unmanly. Miss Mathews is not so I vain as to imagine that she is a biight.particu- \ lar star, yet, nevertheless, it is an admitted *&cfc that in her own line she has been uniqualled and unsurpassed on the Australian boards. Any person who has seen Miss )• Mathews will readily admit that she has all » the finish requisite to the consummation of an accomplished artiste. I am not inclined to - enter into a controversy concerning Miss Eosa Cooper, but allow me to remark that Miss Uosa Cooper's (alias Mrs L. Harding) line, and Miss Mathews 1 are qiu'te opposed, and however much Miss E. C. may excel in her own particular style of acting, still she cannot with any justice be placed on a par, or in any way approaching Miss Matthews. Cameo * has complained most bitterly of Miss Mathew'a playing under her own name, and he has proceeded to enumerate other actresses who appeared not under their maiden but their married names, yet in producing these celebrities, he had, while eulogising Miss Cooper alias Mrs Harding, fallen into the error of which lxe so bitterly complained. Miss Mathews has enrned a reputation long before i she dreamt of visiting Hokitika; which reft putation baa not in any way suffered by her journey to the West Coast. I have not A patience to reply to Cameo's letter af length, would simply content myself (ai he's so and jjiven to advising) to remark " that j^nfovo hi» assert things in the public pvoaa, Ue flwt wswfrta thftt bit fltwmUsviß m

bri-ect ! Dop.s Cauieo.know .that Miss Helen Tree, llolcn Faweotfc, Jenny, i/md, and a score of others, and amongst the number Miss Rbsa Cooper, have appeared under their orlginill theatrical name? Mr Muniford is known by many to be' d thorough gohtleman, and I have iio doiibi that lie is quite as familiar ivith the code honorable as Cameo. I could easily disprove Cameo's asperBionsif I chose, but I shall simply content myself ]by observing that until Cameo chooses to dkcloie his proper* ham'd Iri the public press, I shall certainly decline, and think him unworthy of notice at my hands. However, this is evident, that no gentleman would ever have written of a lady in the manner that he has done. Hoping that Cameo will employ his imaginative powers in some more fruitful field,

I am, Sir,

VERiiii.