TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: —Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected. HENRY IRVING’S IMPRESSIONS OF AMERICA NARRATED IN A SERIES OF _SKETCHES, CHRONICLES, AND CONVERSATIONS_ BY JOSEPH HATTON AUTHOR OF “CLYTIE,” “CRUEL LONDON,” “THREE RECRUITS,” “TO-DAY IN AMERICA,” ETC. [Illustration: LOGO] BOSTON JAMES R. OSGOOD AND COMPANY 1884 Copyright, 1884 JAMES R. OSGOOD AND COMPANY _All rights reserved_ Press of Rockwell and Churchill, 39 Arch St. TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. THIS book is the outcome of a desire to chronicle, in a lasting form, some of the events of a tour which your kindness has made a delight to Ellen Terry and myself. Before leaving London I ventured upon a prophecy that in journeying to America we were going amongst friends. That prophecy has been fulfilled. In the history of the stage the Lyceum Company is the first complete organization which has crossed the Atlantic with the entire equipment of a theatre. As the tour is, I believe, unique, so also is this record of it; and I particularly desire to emphasize a fact concerning its authorship. I am, myself, only responsible for my share in the conversations and dialogues that are set down, everything else being the work of my friend, Joseph Hatton, well known to you as the author of “To-day in America.” I can but trust that I have not erred in expressing, for publication, some passing thoughts about a country which has excited my profound admiration, and which has the highest claims upon my gratitude. HENRY IRVING. NEW YORK, April 30, 1884. CONTENTS. I.—AT HOME. PAGE Talking of America—Warned against the Interviewer— “Travellers’ Tales”—Good-by to London—International Gossip—A Mythical Palace on the Thames—Reports from “A Little English Friend”—The Grange—A Grafton Street Interior—Souvenirs and Portraits—An Actor on His Audiences—Hamlet at the Lyceum—Critics and Public Opinion—The Final Verdict—First Nights—Anonymous Letters—Notable Gifts—The Character of Louis XI.—“A Poor Mother who had Lost Her Son”—Scene Calls—Stories of a “Dresser”—Behind the Scenes—“Waking Up”—The Original Beefsteak Club Room—Host and Guests 1 II.—NEW YORK.