"Faust" was abused a good deal--as a pantomime, a distorted caricature of Goethe, and a thoroughly inartistic production. But it proved the greatest of all Henry's financial successes. The Germans who came to see it, oddly enough, did not scorn it nearly as much as the English who were sensitive on behalf of the Germans, and the Goethe Society wrote a tribute to Henry Irving after his death, acknowledging his services to Goethe! It is a curious paradox in the theatre that the play for which every one has a good word is often the play which no one is going to see, while the play which is apparently disliked and run down has crowded houses every night. Our preparations for the production of "Faust" included a delightful "grand tour" of Germany. Henry, with his accustomed royal way of doing things, took a party which included my daughter Edy, Mr. and Mrs. Comyns Carr, and Mr. Hawes Craven, who was to paint the scenery. We bought nearly all the properties used in "Faust" in Nuremberg, and many other things which we did not use, that took Henry's fancy. One beautifully carved escutcheon, the finest armorial device I ever saw, he bought at this time, and presented it in after years to the famous American connoisseur, Mrs. Jack Gardner. It hangs now in one of the rooms of her palace at Boston. It was when we were going in the train along one of the most beautiful stretches of the Rhine that Sally Holland, who accompanied us as my maid, said: "Uncommon pretty scenery, dear, I must say!" When we laughed uncontrollably, she added: "Well, dear, _I_ think so!" [Illustration: _Copyrighted by the London Stereoscopic Co._ HENRY IRVING AS MEPHISTOPHELES IN "FAUST" FROM THE DRAWING BY BERNARD PARTRIDGE] _Irving on Long Runs_ During the run of "Faust" Henry visited Oxford, and gave his address on "Four Actors" (Burbage, Betterton, Garrick, Kean). He met there one of the many people who had recently been attacking him on the ground of too long runs and too much spectacle. He wrote me an amusing account of the duel between them: "I had supper last night at New College after the affair. A. was there, and I had it out with him--to the delight of all. "'_Too much decoration_' etc., etc. "I asked him what there was in Faust in the matter of appointments, etc., that he would like left out. "Answer--nothing. "'Too long runs.' "'You, sir, are a poet,' I said. 'Perhaps it may be my privilege some day to produce a play of yours. Would you like it to have a long run or a short one?' (Roars of laughter.) "Answer: 'Well, er, well, of course, Mr. Irving, you--well--well, a short run, of course, for _art_, but----' "'Now, sir, you're on oath,' said I. 'Suppose that the fees were rolling in L10 and more a night--would you rather the play were a failure or a success?' "'Well, well, as _you_ put it, I must say--er--I would rather my play had a _long_ run!' "A. floored!