I played in comparatively few amateur theatrical performances--half a dozen, at the outside. I played John Chodd, jun., in _Society_, at the old Gallery of Illustration, in 1868; and, singularly enough, one of my critics was Mr. W. S. Gilbert, who, under the heading of "The Theatrical Lounger," in _The Illustrated Times_, said: "Mr. Grossmith has comic powers of no mean order; and his idea of John Chodd, carefully modelled on Mr. Clarke, had, nevertheless, an amusing originality of its own." The after-piece was a burlesque on _No Thoroughfare_, written by my father, in which I danced and sang more than I acted. This performance was repeated once. I then essayed the part of Paul Pry, in Poole's comedy of that name, at the Gallery of Illustration, in 1870, and played in the afternoon a burlesque of which I was part author. These performances went off very well, and we were very much complimented (as all amateurs are), and declared our attempts to have eclipsed our neighbours (as all amateurs do). But such a thought as going on the stage never entered my head for a moment; I refused several offers, including a good one from Mr. E. P. Hingston to appear in the comic opera _La Branche Cassee_, at the Opera Comique, the very theatre at which I was destined to make my _debut_. After entertaining all over the country for seven years, I made a rather important discovery; viz., that my income was as rapidly _de_creasing each year as my family and household expenses were _in_creasing. I disliked being away so long from London; for there is nothing so valuable to any public singer or actor as the constant appearance of his name in the entertainments or theatrical columns of the metropolitan daily papers. I had begun my autumn and winter tour with my father for 1877-8, when, in the November of 1877, I received the following letter: "Beefsteak Club, "King William Street, W.C. "Tuesday Night. "Dear Mr. Grossmith,--Are you inclined to go on the stage for a time? There is a part in the new piece I am doing with Gilbert which I think you would play admirably. I can't find a good man for it. Let me have a line, or come to 9 Albert Mansions to-morrow after 4, or Thursday before 2.30. "Yours sincerely, "ARTHUR SULLIVAN." The great compliment which I considered the letter conveyed filled me with more delight than I ever could express. I think I read the letter over twenty times. I was not thinking of the offer of the engagement, for I was immediately under the impression that I should decline it. My father never had a good opinion of my amateur acting, and I valued his judgment so highly that his opinion was in a great measure shared by me.