Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/224

MATTISON. 19G MATY. General Conference in 1860 to take action against all siave-liolding in the C'huroh ; but, failing in this, he wuhiliew from tliu .MctliodUl Kpiseupal Churth, November 1, 1801, and lietanie pastor of Saint .Jolin's Independent Jletliodist Chiireli, New York City. He returned in ISIi.o to the denomination that he had left, and was appointed to Trinity Methodist Episcopal Cliurch in .Jersey City. The last year of his life he was district secretary of the American and Foreign Christian Union. His books and contributions to the periodical i)ress. both in jjrose and verse, were numerous, including among others: Traclx for the Times (1843) ; an improved edition of Bur- rill's Geography of the lleaeeiis (18.50) ; Hpirit- Rapping Unveiled (1854); Sacred Melodies (185'J); Impending Crisis (1859); Immortality of the iioitl (1860); Resurrection of the Body (I860): Defense of American Methodism (1800); Popular Amusements (1807). He was widely known for his vigorous opposition to political Romanism. Consult his Life, by Van- sanl (New York. 1870). MATTO GROSSO, miit'to grds'so. A western State of r.r^izil, hounded by the States of Ama- zonas and Tar;! on the north. Ooyaz on the east, Sao Paulo, Paranii, and the Republic of Para- guay on the south, and Bolivia on the west. Hs area is estimated at 5:3-2,550 square miles. JIatto Grosso is the second in size among the States of IJrazil and one of the least populated. A con- siderable portion of it is still imcxplored, and little is known about its natural resources. The soutlieni half of the State forms part of the great Brazilian plateau, which falls in several escarpments toward the low fnrest regions in the north, and is cut by deep valleys along the rivers. The rivers "of Matto Grosso rise in the centre of the State and flow in every direction. The chief of tliese are the Xingu. which flows northward and falls into the estuary of the Amazon : the Tapajos, the Araguay.l. tlie Paraguay, and nu- merous affluents of the Madeira, and the Paranfl. Owing to the vast area of the State, the climate shows considerable variation. The low, swampy depressions along the rivers have an extremely hot and luiheallhful cliniiite, while in the elevated plateaus it is more moderate, and the cool winds from the pampas sometimes reduce the tempera- ture even to the freezing point. Agricultural land is found mainly in the valleys, while the plateaus afTiird good grazing. The agricultural production of the State is insignificant. Matf-, rubber, vanilla, and .sarsaparilhi are mostly gath- ered by the abnrigines. The gold and diamond mines of the State, once extensively expbiited, are now abandoned. It is generally believed, how- ever, that the mineral deposits of Matto firosso are still very valuable. The civilized population of the State was in ISflO only 02.827, many of whom were of mixed race, and it is estimat<'d that there are still aViout 25.000 uncivilized In- dians belonging to various tribes. The com- mercial centre of the State is Corumbrt. on the Paraguay, and the capital is Cuyabfl (q.v.), MATTOON'. A city in Coles County. 111.. 56 mile-, we, I .)f Terre Haute, Ind., on the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and Saint T.ouis, the Illinois Central, and the Peoria, Decatur and Kvansvillc railninds (Map: Illinois, D 4). There are a public lil)rarv and reading-room, and the Old Folks' Home of the I. O. O. F. The city is the centre of a broom-corn district, and carries on a considerable trade in broom-corn, grain, live stock, and fruit. Among the industrial plants are the repair shops of the Big Four and Illinois Central railroads, foundries and machine shops, broom factories, brick and tile works, carriage and wagon shops, ttouring mills, grain elevators, and hay press. Settled and incorporated in 1855, Mattoon is governed under a revised charter of 1807, providing for a mayor, elected biennially, and a unicameral council which confirms the executive's nominations to the majority of admin- istrative ollices. Tlie city owns and operates the electric light plant. Population, in 1890, 6833; in 1900. 9022. MATUBIN, mjl'too-ren'. A town of ene- zuela, in the State of Bermudez (Map: Venezuela, E 2). It is situated on a savanna west of the Orinoco delta, and 40 miles inland from the (iulf of Paria. It is connected by a highway with the port of Cuman;!, and is the conuncrcial centre of the plains west of the delta. Its trade is chiefly in cattle and hides. Population, about 10.000. The town was formerly the capital of a State of the same name which was united with Ber- mudez. MATURIN, mat'u-rin, Charles Robebt (1782-1824). An Irish romancer and novelist, born in Dublin, and educated at Trinity College. Maturin took orders in the Anglican Church, became curate of Saint Peter's, and is said to have been an eloquent preacher. He died October 30. 1824. His ncjvcls comprise: The Fatal Ue- venqe (18071 : The Wild Irish Boy (1808) ; The Milesian. Chief (1812); IVoHien (1818); Mel- molh the Wanderer (1820); and Alhigen.ses (1824). In those novels he essayed by turn both the description of manners and the supernatural romance of the Radclill'e school. JIaturin wrote plays, of which Bertram, produced by Kean at Driiry Lane, May 9, 1816, ran for twenty-two nights. The others cither failed or were less successful. Consult Mehnoth, edited with me- moir and bibliography (London, 1892). MATY, ma't. Matthew (1718-76). An F.ng- li^h writer and lil)rarian. born at Montfort, near Utrecht, Holland. May 17, 1718. His father wa.s a Protestant refugee from Provence, who h;id .set- tled at Montfort as minister of the Walloon church there. Matthew was educated at the University of Ueydcn, where he graduated Ph.D. and ^I.D. in 17-40. The next year he came to London and began practice as a physician, but he devoted much time to literature. In 17,50 he started the Journal Brilanniqur (suspended 1750), a bimonthly printed at The Hague, It gave in French an account of English literary news. This periodical brought Maty numerous aeqmiintances anmng men of letters. In 1751 he was elected to the Royal Society, of which he became secretary in 1765. After serving as an uniler-librarian of the British Museiun, he was appointed princijial librarian in 1772. He died .July 2, 1776. Maty helped Gibbon bring out the Easay on the Shiily of Literature, contributed to the I'hilosojihical Transactions of the Royal So- ciety, and published several independent books. His last work was the Memoirs nf the Karl of Chester firhl, completed by his son-in-law, .Tusta- mond, and published with Cliestcrfield's Mis- cellaneous Works (1777),