Dictionary.net

An American critic and essayist; born in New Orleans, La., Feb. 21, 1852. He graduated from Columbia College in 1871, and from Columbia Law School in 1873, being admitted to the bar the same year. He soon turned to literature, taking especial interest in the drama, and made himself an authority upon French dramatic literature; has also written several clever comedies. In fiction he has steadily gained in art and reputation, his short studies of New York city life in the realistic vein being among the very best of their kind. He has also written a strong novel of New York life, "His Father's Son". He is one of the founders of the Authors' Club of New York, and did valuable work in organizing the American Copyright League. Mr. Matthews is a frequent and acceptable contributor of essays and fiction to periodicals. Of his many writings the following books are the more important: "The Theatres of France"; "French Dramatists of the Ninteenth Century"; "Margery's Lovers, a Comedy"; "The Last Meeting, a Story"; "The Secret of the Sea, and Other Stories"; "A Family Tree, and Other Stories"; "The Story of a Story"; "Tom Paulding"; "Studies of the Stage"; "Americanisms and Briticisms"; "Vignettes of Manhattan"; "Introduction to the Study of American Literature"; "The Royal Marine"; "Tales of Fantasy and Fact"; and "Development of the Drama".