Since the publication of the foregoing Memoir
of Edward Askew Sothern, many exceedingly
welcome communications have reached me from
those who, at various stages of his checkered
stage career, knew the gifted comedian whose
life I have endeavoured to narrate. Some of
these are of public interest, and I am glad of
the opportunity that the issue of this edition gives
me to add them to my work.
Of the early Weymouth appearance that called
forth the critical letter from Charles Kean with
which my first chapter opens, Mr. Rowland
Thomas, of Weymouth, writes me —

" You make slight mention of his appearance
at Weymouth, from whence he went to Ports-
mouth. It happened that the box plan of the
Weymouth Theatre was kept at the shop where I



POSTSCRIPT TO THB THIRD EDITION. 309

then carried on my business. * Douglas Stuart *
(Sothem's then nom de thedtre) came a day or two
before the company from Jersey, and being in a
fix about some lodgings that he had taken, I
oflfered him the use of my own rooms until he
could go to them. I mention these matters to
show that I knew him, and always found him
very gentlemanly in all his actions. Now for
the incident that I believe was the cause of his
going to America. One day he said to me that
business was very bad, and asked me if I could
not get him up a * bespeak.' I thought of a Mrs.
