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A DRAMATIC CRITIC completely the story of Mr. Irving's later career in England has been repeated in America. Twenty years or more of Lon- don have already been epitomized in a year of New York, Boston, and Chicago. We also now have a small but knowing faction who violently reject and refuse him, denying him even the name of actor; a large and fashionable class who are inclined to demonstrate their culture by taking him as the object of a cult; a great public who accept him, with all his demerits, as an artist of remarkable parts and powers. In other words, Mr. Irving has met with full and hearty recognition in America, and with a remarkable measure of success. And although the voice of fierce dispraise is not and never will be quite silenced, the number of conversions which have been made from the ranks of his early detractors is comically large. The " heretics," who used to go to scoff, already remain, as Mr. Archer says, "not, perhaps, to pray, but [ 198 ]
HENRY IRVING at least to reflect and qualify their un- belief." Let us swiftly, but not carelessly, review the grosser blemishes of Mr. Irving's style. I do not find these so offensive that I can- not endure them for the sake of becoming familiar with his art, though it is an odd experience to subject one's self to a hard- ening process as the condition precedent of sensitiveness and insight ; but, on the other hand, I earnestly protest against any and every attitude of mind in Mr. Irving's auditors which shall result in their disre- garding or tolerating his more atrocious offenses. Mr. Irving, as has been suc- cinctly said, can " neither walk nor talk." Amazing paradox, — of which " the time " now " gives proof," — that the most suc- cessful and cultivated of English actors should not have mastered the rudiments of his art ! Whatever explanation or apology there may be, the fact remains, and its enormity cannot be gainsaid. He [ 199 ]
- Page 175 and 176: TOMMASO SALVINI interpretation of K
- Page 177 and 178: TOMMASO SALVINI Every phase of the
- Page 179 and 180: TOMMASO SALVINI and sobbing; strong
- Page 181 and 182: TOMMASO SALVINI fresh and unconvent
- Page 183 and 184: XVII Adelaide Neilson NO player in
- Page 187 and 188: ADELAIDE NEILSON failing health, sh
- Page 189 and 190: ADELAIDE NEILSON to be much remembe
- Page 191 and 192: ADELAIDE NEILSON ing interview with
- Page 193 and 194: ADELAIDE NEILSON " False to his bed
- Page 195 and 196: ADELAIDE NEILSON remember the beaut
- Page 197 and 198: ADELAIDE NEILSON belongs, and at th
- Page 199 and 200: XVIII Memorable Experiences of Sing
- Page 201 and 202: MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES carded, and t
- Page 203 and 204: MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES mon touch as
- Page 205 and 206: MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES worked less s
- Page 207 and 208: MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES under the nam
- Page 209 and 210: MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES George P. Lat
- Page 211 and 212: XIX An American Theatre Privately E
- Page 213 and 214: AN ENDOWED THEATRE and let the expe
- Page 215 and 216: AN ENDOWED THEATRE for histrionic s
- Page 217 and 218: AN ENDOWED THEATRE direction. I saw
- Page 219 and 220: AN ENDOWED THEATRE will not always
- Page 223 and 224: HENRY IRVING against any lively dis
- Page 225: HENRY IRVING greatest actor of his
- Page 229 and 230: HENRY IRVING have said that he hope
- Page 231 and 232: HENRY IRVING ficial and unessential
- Page 233 and 234: HENRY IRVING the subject of wonder
- Page 235 and 236: HENRY IRVING face is found to be si
- Page 237 and 238: HENRY IRVING grip which he at once
- Page 239 and 240: HENRY IRVING on the stage to the la
- Page 241 and 242: HENRY IRVING superstition, which it
- Page 243 and 244: HENRY IRVING movement of the hands
- Page 245 and 246: HENRY IRVING faculty which is like
- Page 247 and 248: HENRY IRVING that madness with whic
- Page 249 and 250: HENRY IRVING and method to which I
- Page 251 and 252: HENRY IRVING it is the source of th
- Page 253 and 254: HENRY IRVING with beautiful softnes
- Page 255 and 256: HENRY IRVING regal action in mounti
- Page 257 and 258: HENRY IRVING boon to the stage of E
- Page 259 and 260: HENRY IRVING tual with the spectato
- Page 261 and 262: HENRY IRVING courage. Nearly all th
- Page 263 and 264: HENRY IRVING own powers is the chie
- Page 265: INDEX
- Page 268 and 269: Enchanted Beauty, The, 9. Enchanted
- Page 270: ElectrotyPed and printed by H. O. H
A DRAMATIC CRITIC<br />
completely the story of Mr. Irving's later<br />
career in England has been repeated in<br />
America. Twenty years or more of Lon-<br />
don have already been epitomized in a<br />
year of New York, Boston, and Chicago.<br />
We also now have a small but knowing<br />
faction who violently reject and refuse him,<br />
denying him even the name of actor; a<br />
large and fashionable class who are inclined<br />
to demonstrate their culture by taking him<br />
as the object of a cult; a great public who<br />
accept him, with all his demerits, as an<br />
artist of remarkable parts and powers. In<br />
other words, Mr. Irving has met with full<br />
and hearty recognition in America, and<br />
with a remarkable measure of success.<br />
And although the voice of fierce dispraise<br />
is not and never will be quite silenced, the<br />
number of conversions which have been<br />
made from the ranks of his early detractors<br />
is comically large. The " heretics," who<br />
used to go to scoff, already remain, as Mr.<br />
Archer says, "not, perhaps, to pray, but<br />
[ 198 ]
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