Diddler.' Such a contrast seems too abrupt, and is moreover incongruous, as it enfeebles the impressions of the tragic element on the audience, which departs under a feeling that the emotions of the actor cannot have been very poignant, as he could turn so lightly to the grotesque or comic.' It might be said, indeed, that Irving has almost a penchant for these protracted scenes of stormy remorse and guilty retrospect. But they are often apt to impart a sense of monotony, and are not much in favour with audiences. 6 The new season of 1873 began on September 27, with Lord Lytton's 'Richelieu.' It is a tribute to the prowess of that gifted man that his three pieces-the ever-fresh and fair Lady of Lyons,' 'Money,' and 'Richelieu-should be really the only genuine stockpieces of the modern stage. They never seem out of fashion, and are always welcomed. It might be said, indeed, that there is hardly a night on which the 'Lady of Lyons' is not somewhere acted. In In 'Richelieu ' the actor presented a truly picturesque figure—he was aged, tottering, nervous, but rallying to full vigour when the occasion called. The well-known scene, where he invokes "the curse of Rome," produced extra 1 It is curious to note the changes in the form of the night's entertainment which have occurred within so short a time. The performances began at 7.15 with the favourite, 'The Happy Pair,' and concluded with another piece, the old Lottery Ticket.' Now, no first-class West End theatre will open its doors before eight or even half-past eight o'clock. There is scarcely a single theatre which concludes its bill of fare with a light piece, and but very few who begin with one. ordinary enthusiasm, cheers, waving of handkerchiefs, and a general uproar from the pit. It was in this piece that those "mannerisms," which have been so often "girded at," often with much pitilessness, began to attract attention. In this part, as in the first attempt in Macbeth,' there was noted a lack of restraint, something hysterical at times, when control seemed to be set aside. ་ The first performance was thus given under rather trying conditions, and the actor was a little unnerved. The truth is, most of his attempts at this period were naturally experiments, and very different from those deliberate, long-prepared, and well-matured representations he offered under the responsibility of serious management. This piece was succeeded by an original play, 'Philip,' by an agreeable writer who had made a name as a novelist, Mr. Hamilton Aidé,1 a dramatic story of the average pattern, and founded on jealousy. It was produced on February 7, and enjoyed a fair share of success. 1 He had attained to even a more enviable and most difficult source of success, by providing the public with a song which became known everywhere-"The Danube River"—and was heard on every organ and piano in the kingdom. I remember the manager telling me how pleased he was with the painstaking and unwearied efforts of the author. CHAPTER V. 1874. 'HAMLET '- OTHELLO' MACBETH'-DEATH OF BUT now was to be made a serious experiment, on which much was to depend. Hitherto Irving had not travelled out of the regions of conventional drama, or of what might be called romantic melodrama ; but he was now to lay hands on the ark, and attempt the most difficult and arduous of Shakespearian characters, Hamlet. Every actor has some dream of performing the character, and fills up his disengaged moments with speculations as to the interpretation. Again and again he thinks complacently of the effects he can produce in familiar passages. The vitality of this wonderful play is such that it nearly always is a novelty for the audience; because the character is fitfully changeful, and offers innumerable modes of interpretation. A living character, strongly marked and original, presents the same variety to those who are in contact with it; and even in private life, friends will find an inexhaustible interest and equal uncertainty in judging the F esteem. acts and intentions of many whom they know and But in the case of notable public characters this appreciation is ever fluctuating, and there are always new judgments and revisions of judgments. The momentous trial was made on October 31, 1874. It had long and studiously been prepared for: and the actor, in his solitary walks during the days of his provincial servitude, had often pondered over the great drama, and worked out a regular, formal conception of the character. He was prepared with a consistent view. There was much curiosity and expectation; and it was noted that so early as three o'clock in the afternoon a dense crowd had assembled in the long tunnel that leads from the Strand to the pit door. I was present in the audience, and can testify to the entrancing excitement. Nothing I have ever seen on the stage, except perhaps the burst that greeted Sarah Bernhardt's speech in 'Phædre' on the first night of the French Comedy in London, has approached the tumult of the moment when the actor, after the play scene, flung himself into the King's chair. The different judgments of the performance testify to the interest that was excited; the performance, indeed, brought out quite a body of intelligent criticism, and in this way was of benefit in cultivating public taste. I will here give the views of an intelligent, careful, thoughtful critic, Mr. Frederic Wedmore "Most of us have cause to know that heretofore, with all his merits, Mr. Irving has broken now and then into rant. It was the remark of a Frenchwoman, after Saturday's performance, that this was the first Hamlet who never ranted at all. His "As to the mere delivery of Shakespeare's words— apart from action and from facial expression-Mr. Irving's mannerism is far less noticeable than before. In praise of this delivery, we may single out one passage, given with special profundity of meaning. He is anticipating death, and it is impossible to give a greater pregnancy and depth to any words than Mr. Irving gives to these: 'If it be now, 'tis not to come ; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all. With Mr. Irving, the sense at first of his self-questioning and allquestioning temperament, and then of the particular and accidental problems which this always problemhaunted nature is born to solve, is never lost. abstraction is always with him, though not always upon the surface of him. He jests lightly with the players --he can talk of the weather with Osric-he talks of it as naturally as any dull Cockney of to-day. But below his lightness there is always this abstraction, and it is most visible when he is most at home. That is a delicate touch of the actor's which makes him, when Horatio is offended with his 'wild and whirling words,' say, with an indifference too obvious to be permitted save in the presence only of his most chosen intimate, 'I'm sorry they offend you.' It must be quite clear to Horatio that he doesn't care a straw about it. "In the main, the absence of all exaggerated |