, 1881-05-22
A COMPARISON.

| 4e'4 10 ~''
J
- Ac1A1 ANAoON'
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1:Ar. Eo" hootn nnd aar. kAenry r.
Wing ID otneiIo-tArcuH1sfan noes under
winch tue EnSitsh: and American
| Vf2Scu1ans appear 1o@ethcr.
Special Correspondence .! Tie ehtcaSo Tribune.
LONDON, Eng, .'aS S5.-Ed"ln ttootn anu henry
irving appeared together on the stage OF the
Lvceum last evening In the characters, respec-
lively OF CF'4tto and tdo, amid u1nnffesta tions
of approval and enthusiasm such rs are rarely,
| 1t ever witnessed In any theatre. The audience
wns choice aud prlllant' nothing 1t not critical
Ut course. but magnanimous 'sithat: showing
n" l'artaty 10 IT'S Rreellng OF the TWO chtef act
ors,-or rather, peFhaps, melting oht q little eS-
tfa applause 10 The Stranger so as 10 DC hand
sonels sure OF nor making all unnospitaole
dls1lncuon.- dls sNoetiency tue unatea States
Minister aat In Il box, IN company with the wife
OF the editor Of one Of our great
aatlles. and others. The critics we're present IN
fuh force ar. saia being one OF the nrst to
fake bis seat in the STALLS, and Edmund Yates the
very iast. IN snort, as the conceited phrase IS
everybody who Is auyhody WIS there. All this,
ind more YOUR cable dIspHtches will have cou1-
mnn,ca1ed' b,,t the t.yenr " one ,rh1cn viii hear
'''o"'SAeo' o"1 lug e'out 20 o'.e "u'su ~ 'eas ~
sometnng more oe'ng sa'a hoout u. Even II
the performance had been less remarkable than
il was land it was highly spiced and dainty dtsh'
sign OF International amenlty, and an instance
b, asns,s Of oonost KIND ota
u 10 aqa ~ h;s ncen
stance will certainly do SO.
There is yet another reason prompting me to
send you a letter On this subject. There will be
Hauch eriuc'sn OF taese performances atfo tae
inevitable comparisons will be drawn. Ench
actor will be measured against the other. and a
1s,.noo ,x, h. orr,,o,- n, fa,or ~ ono.of tha;,,
,r,s'. ~, 49, 800 ,~o,, ,a,.auaaS - 49,
This VIII be done BY men wen qualihed FOR the
n,t when newspaper critics ure On terms Of
Intimacy u,tb ACTORS as is nowad,va tha r,,lo
..5 VIZ a.so .s - .,n au"auss us .u
1t or not, are in danger Of receiving a bias. AS
Co,oukl Chaos says In the fnrce. ~ n,nvr be-
wong hnr tha1,s nv oninion. t. IN human
nature 10 lean to"atus our own.
Now, though Mr. Booth is in the house Of his
friends here, Mr.. Irving Is indeed at home. His
eosnt 10 n.s P.o'esson. me gen.ien'an On @ my
Of this SO ponnieritv " as "a fanasicism Ltkine 1
for the man, as well Rs admiration OF the actor.
III doubt enters largely into 1t; and on both
One rcnson of bis popularity IS hls loyalty to
tho public; and thore IS an instance OF
this loyalty ana Of hanosome dealing towards
sale Of stats for these joint appearances began,
some two months nEo applied At the oox-o.hce.
seats TOR the first performance Even then
III! seats hnd already been disposed
of, ana m tnls stralt wrote to
lr. irving. suggesting tnat lew rows or the plI
be reserved at special rates Tor the opening per-
ony 70 f aa myself aa oth D.
return Of post received Il reply from his secre-
tary. intn,atlng Mr. Irvtng's objection to en-.
croach upon nat are hcld to BE- the @ riShts M sol OF
a courteous promise TO provide for me
in some other wayif opportunity offered And, In
short. TO Ut IrvsnEs bounty am indebted TOR g
good seat last night, which my money had failed
to procure for me. NO wonder Henry Irving
is popnlar! 1t Is hard to preserve IN
equal mind when intimacy Or interest
exert5 its sunslon. Most men yield: lew. Pc
cuiiarly constituted. lean to tho other side in