This biographical account, written in the late 19th century, sheds light on the life and career of the renowned actor Henry Irving. The work traces Irving’s journey from obscurity to fame and his significant influence on the theater world, all seen from the personal perspective of Bram Stoker, who was his close friend for nearly 30 years. Stoker provides insights into Irving's artistry, character, and the friendships he built over the years. The memoir opens with a recollection of Stoker’s first encounter with Irving at the Theatre Royal in Dublin in 1867, where Stoker vividly describes the outstanding quality of Irving's performance as Captain Absolute. As the narrative progresses, it reveals both Irving’s artistic growth and the evolution of Stoker’s critical perspective, exploring the transformative power of performance and the challenges faced by artists in a rapidly changing theatrical landscape. Blending personal memories with critical reflection, this memoir vividly unfolds Irving’s rich professional life and the profound impact he had on his peers and the theater industry.
PREFACE
I. EARLIEST RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY IRVING
I
II
II. THE OLD SCHOOL AND THE NEW
I
II
III. FRIENDSHIP
I
II
III
IV. HONOURS FROM DUBLIN UNIVERSITY
V. CONVERGING STREAMS
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VI. JOINING FORCES
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VII. LYCEUM PRODUCTIONS
VIII. IRVING BEGINS MANAGEMENT
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
IX. SHAKESPEARE PLAYS?I
I
II
III
X. SHAKESPEARE PLAYS?II
I
II
III
IV
V
XI. SHAKESPEARE PLAYS?III
I
II
III
XII. SHAKESPEARE PLAYS?IV
I
II
III
IV
V
VXIII. IRVING’S METHOD
I
II
III
IV
V
XIV. ART-SENSE
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
XV. STAGE EFFECTS
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
XVI. THE VALUE OF EXPERIMENT
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
XVII. THE PULSE OF THE PUBLIC
I
II
III
XVIII. TENNYSON AND HIS PLAYS?I
I
II
III
IV
XIX. TENNYSON AND HIS PLAYS?II
I
II
III
XX. TENNYSON AND HIS PLAYS?III
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
XXI. TENNYSON AND HIS PLAYS?IV
I
II
III
IV
XXII. “WATERLOO”?“KING ARTHUR”?“DON QUIXOTE”
I
II
III
IV
V
XXIII. ART AND HAZARD
I
II
III
IV
XXIV. VANDENHOFF
XXV. CHARLES MATHEWS
XXVI. CHARLES DICKENS AND HENRY IRVING
XXVII. MR. J. M. LEVY
XXVIII. VISITS TO AMERICA
I
II
III
IV
XXIX. WILLIAM WINTER
XXX. PERFORMANCE AT WEST POINT
XXXI. AMERICAN REPORTERS
I
II
XXXII. TOURS-DE-FORCE
I
II
XXXIII. CHRISTMAS
I
II
XXXIV. IRVING AS A SOCIAL FORCE
XXXV. VISITS OF FOREIGN WARSHIPS
I
II
III
XXXVI. IRVING’S LAST RECEPTION AT THE LYCEUM
I
II
III
XXXVII. THE VOICE OF ENGLAND
XXXVIII. RIVAL TOWNS
XXXIX. TWO STORIES
I
II
III
XL. SIR RICHARD BURTON
I
II
III
IV
V
XLI. SIR HENRY MORTON STANLEY
I
II
III
XLII. ARMINIUS VAMBERY
XLIII.
LIST OF FINES
XLIV. IRVING’S PHILOSOPHY OF HIS ART
I
II
III
IV CHARACTER
A.?Its Essence
B.?Reticence
C.?Art and Truth
V THE PLAY
VI STAGE PERSPECTIVE
VII DUAL CONSCIOUSNESS
VIII INDIVIDUALITY, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF IT
IX
XLV. THE RIGHT HON. WILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE
I
II
III
IV
V
XLVI. THE EARL OF BEACONSFIELD
I
II
III
IV
V
XLVII. SIR WILLIAM PEARCE, BART.
I
II
III
IV
XLVIII. STEPNIAK
I
II
III
IV
XLIX. E. ONSLOW FORD, R.A.
L. SIR LAURENCE ALMA-TADEMA, R.A.
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
LI. SIR EDWARD BURNE-JONES, BART.
I
II
III
IV
LII. EDWIN A. ABBEY, R.A.
I
II
III
IV
V
LIII. J. BERNARD PARTRIDGE
LIV. ROBERT BROWNING
LV. WALT WHITMAN
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
LVI. JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY
LVII. ERNEST RENAN
LVIII. HALL CAINE
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
LIX. IRVING AND DRAMATISTS
I
II
III
LX. MUSICIANS
I
II BOITO
III PADEREWSKI
IV GEORG HENSCHEL
V HANS RICHTER
VI THE ABBE FRANZ LISZT
VII GOUNOD
VIII SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE
LXI. LUDWIG BARNAY
I
II
III
IV
LXII. CONSTANT COQUELIN (AINE)
LXIII. SARAH BERNHARDT
LXIV. GENEVIEVE WARD
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
LXV. JOHN LAWRENCE TOOLE
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
LXVI. ELLEN TERRY
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
LXVII. FRESH HONOURS IN DUBLIN
LXVIII. PERFORMANCES AT SANDRINGHAM AND WINDSOR
I SANDRINGHAM, 1889.
II WINDSOR, 1893.
III SANDRINGHAM, 1902
LXIX. PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES
I
II
III
IV
LXX. KNIGHTHOOD
I
II
III
IV
V
LXXI. HENRY IRVING AND UNIVERSITIES
I DUBLIN
II CAMBRIDGE
III GLASGOW
IV OXFORD
V VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER
VI HARVARD
a
b
VII COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
VIII CHICAGO UNIVERSITY
IX PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
X LEARNED BODIES AND INSTITUTIONS
LXXII. ADVENTURES
I OVER A MINE-BED
II FIRES
a
b
c
d
e
III FLOODS
a
b
IV TRAIN ACCIDENTS
a
b
c
d
e
V STORMS AT SEA
a
b
VI FALLING SCENERY
VII
LXXIII. BURNING OF THE LYCEUM STORAGE
LXXIV. FINANCE
I
II
III
LXXV. THE TURN OF THE TIDE
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII
XIII
XIV
a
b
