Author: Charles James Mathews

Publisher:

Published: 2015-07-06

Total Pages: 40

ISBN-13: 9781330803318

Excerpt from Used Up: A Petit Comedy in Two Acts The present (and only published) edition of the petit comedy of "Used Up," is an excellent adaptation from the French of "L'Homme Blast," by Charles Mathews, Esq., having been translated by that gentleman as well on account of its intrinsic merit, as for its peculiar fitness to his abilities for representing the hero of the piece, Sir Charles Coldstream. It is needless to say, that he acted it to the very life. The character of Sir Charles, excepting that as a matter of course it is somewhat exaggerated, is truthfully and beautifully drawn. The utter ennui of a man, who, having no definite end in view but to kill time, has exhausted every source of pleasure and excitement; his mental inanity; his apparent physical imbecility, notwithstanding that on excitement be proves himself to be no unworthy boaster of being the favourite pupil of the veteran pugilist, Cribb; the voraciousness of his appetite in the second act, when he is compelled to assume the appearance and functions of a plough-boy - are all depicted by the hand of a master. The part of Ironbrace, also, is very effective; whilst that of Mary pourtrays some of the finest qualities that belong to her sex. This piece was first produced in New York at the Olympic Theatre in October, 1846. Mr. Walcot, as Sir Charles, was, in the first act, in his element - Mathews himself could have de-aired nothing better; whilst Nickinson, as Ironbrace, presented a portraiture of exceeding graphic accuracy. "Used Up" can scarcely fail to be one of our most popular afterpieces, now that it has been placed in the hands of the public. For the opportunity to do this, we have to acknowledge our obligations to Mr. Mitchell, to whose kindness we are indebted for the MS. from which this edition is printed. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.