The author foresees that some opinions advanced will be met with prejudice and disfavor, perhaps with angry abuse. But as he has written in disinterested loyalty to truth and humanity, attacking no entrenched notion and advocating no revolutionary one except from a sense of duty and in the hope of doing a service, he will calmly accept whatever odium the firm statement of his honest convictions may bring. Society in the present phase of civilization is full of tyrannical errors and wrongs against which most persons are afraid even so much as to whisper. To remove these obstructive evils, and exert an influence to hasten the period of universal justice and good will for which the world sighs, men of a free and enlightened spirit must fearlessly express their thoughts and breathe their philanthropic desires into the atmosphere. If their motives are pure and their views correct, however much a prejudiced public opinion may be offended and stung to assail them, after a little while their valor will be applauded and their names shine out untarnished by the passing breath of obloquy. It is, Goethe said, with true opinions courageously uttered as with pawns first advanced on the chess-board: they may be beaten, but they have inaugurated a game which must be won. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE PRELUDE 13 CHAPTER II. PARENTAGE AND FAMILY 32 CHAPTER III. BOYHOOD AND YOUTH 55 CHAPTER IV. PSYCHOLOGICAL ORIGIN, VARIETY, AND PERSONAL USES OF THE DRAMATIC ART 76 CHAPTER V. THE DRAMATIC APPRENTICE AND STROLLING PLAYER 96 CHAPTER VI. LIFE IN NEW ORLEANS.--CRITICAL PERIOD OF EXPERIENCE 113 CHAPTER VII. BREAKING THE WAY TO FAME AND FORTUNE 140 CHAPTER VIII. GROWTH AND FRESHNESS OF PROFESSIONAL GLORY: INVIDIOUS ATTACKS AND THEIR CAUSES 156 CHAPTER IX. SENSATIONAL AND ARTISTIC ACTING.--CHARACTERS OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REALISM.--ROLLA.--TELL.--DAMON.--BRUTUS.--VIRGINIUS. --SPARTACUS.--METAMORA 193 CHAPTER X. TWO YEARS OF RECREATION AND STUDY IN THE OLD WORLD 262 CHAPTER XI. PROFESSIONAL TOUR IN GREAT BRITAIN 294 CHAPTER XII. MERIDIAN OF SUCCESS AND REPUTATION.--NEW ROLES OF FEBRO, MELNOTTE, AND JACK CADE 323 CHAPTER XIII. SECOND PROFESSIONAL TOUR IN GREAT BRITAIN, AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. --THE MACREADY CONTROVERSY AND RIOT 387 CHAPTER XIV.