was threatened. Various other papers were contributed by him to the 'Transactions' of the Royal Society of Literature, and to other literary and scientific periodicals.
He died at Llandovery on 29 Oct. 1875, and was buried there on 3 Nov. His collection of antiquities was presented by him to Harrow school in 1864, accompanied with an elaborate catalogue drawn up by himself; a more modern description by Dr. Budge was published by the school authorities in 1887. Other antiques collected by him are in the British Museum.
[Obituary Notices in Journal of Royal Geographical Society and Archæological Journal; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1715-1886; Boase and Courtney's Bibl. Cornub.; Lists of the Royal Society.]
WILKINSON, TATE (1739–1803), actor, the son of the Rev. John Wilkinson, D.D., and his wife, Grace Tate, the daughter of an alderman of Carlisle, was born on 27 Oct. 1739. His father, a chaplain to the Savoy and to Frederick, prince of Wales, was rector of Coyty in Glamorganshire, and had other preferment. Tate Wilkinson was educated at schools kept by a Mr. Bellas in Church Lane, Chelsea, and a Mr. Tempest, near Wandsworth, and in November 1752 was sent to Harrow, where, having previously displayed some skill in mimicry and some taste for the stage—he had indeed, through a chance intimacy, been admitted to rehearsals at Covent Garden—he played Lady Townley and other parts. His father was transported to America in March 1757 for continuing to solemnise marriages at the Savoy by his own license, in defiance of the marriage act of 26 George II, and died at Plymouth, where the vessel had put in during the voyage. A commission offered Tate by influential friends was declined, in spite of the protests of his father's friend, Jonas Hanway [q. v.], and some lessons were taken from John Rich [q. v.], who dismissed the lad as incapable of becoming an actor. His chief enemy was Margaret Woffington, who, irritated by his imitation of her, insisted on his dismissal. The company all but Shuter took the part of the leading lady. Shuter, for his benefit at Covent Garden, on 18 April 1757, brought Wilkinson on as the Fine Gentleman in ‘Lethe,’ when he was announced as ‘a person who had never appeared.’ This part he repeated for Bencraft's benefit on the 29th. On his second appearance he was derided, and did not venture to make another experiment. His aristocratic patrons, who were numerous, got him an engagement for the autumn from Garrick, whom his imitations, especially that of Foote, delighted. Meantime he became a sharing member of a company under Wignell, and opened at Maidstone as Aimwell in the ‘Beaux' Stratagem.’ He played other parts with little success, and on appearing at Drury Lane under Garrick was treated as a supernumerary. Garrick introduced him to Foote, who, after hearing his imitations, took him to Ireland. A fever caught on the journey prevented his appearance for some weeks. He was nursed into convalescence and entertained by friends, and became extremely popular in Dublin. Near the end of 1757 he appeared with Foote at Smock Alley Theatre under Sheridan, playing the pupil in Foote's entertainment ‘Tea.’ His imitations gave great delight, and he obtained with Garrick's leave an engagement at three guineas a week. His imitations of Foote were highly approved. He acted Cadwallader, Foote's part in ‘The Author,’ after Foote's return to London. He then won acceptance as Othello, which he played in the manner of Spranger Barry [q. v.], and gave imitations of Mrs. Woffington, Sparks, and Foote. His manager Sheridan he greatly offended by offering to imitate him. For his benefit, on 25 Feb. 1758, he played Hastings in ‘Jane Shore’ and Queen Dollalolla in ‘Tom Thumb.’ His social and financial successes in Dublin were equally conspicuous, and he returned to London with 130 guineas in his pocket. He was still engaged to Garrick, who refused to pay him for the time he had been away. On 8 May, for a benefit, he played in Bath as Othello and in Foote's ‘Tea.’ Through the influence of fashionable friends he was engaged at Portsmouth, where the fleet was then stationed. Here, in addition to parts already named, he was seen between 9 June and 14 Aug. 1758 as Romeo, Hotspur, Lord Townly, Richard III, Castalio, Horatio, Essex, Lear, Hamlet, Orestes, Osmyn in the ‘Mourning Bride,’ Lord Chalkstone, and Petruchio.
Wilkinson's first appearance under Garrick at Drury Lane took place with Foote on 17 Oct. in Foote's two-act farce, ‘The Diversions of the Morning.’ In this he was Bounce, and gave imitations of Sparks in Capulet, Barry in Alexander, Sheridan in Orestes, and of Foote, and others. These were so successful that Sparks complained. Their withdrawal by managerial order led to a riot. They were then recommenced, Garrick submitting, in order to pacify others, to be himself imitated. Garrick called Foote and Wilkinson at the time ‘the Exotics.’ Wilkinson was generally but unjustly spoken of as Foote's pupil. For his benefit he acted
