New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-10
A LYCEUM DINNER.
Mr. HENRY IRVING AND HIS GUESTS.

sormapce of Romeo aud Juliet" at the Lyceum
Theatre by a dinner yesterday evening-Sunday
evening in fact. hope the choice OF Sunday for
dinner party does not shock body In Mr. lrvings
Gaze il is not matter of choice. As he acts every
other night in the week he must ask his friends to
dinner Sunday not at all. And Sunday, VIII
add is night when dinners at private houses are
common enough in London The givers OF them nave
very probably been to church in the morning, and
do not for that reason think Sunday dinners the
more wicked. Mr.. Irving has perhaps borrowed MS
custom--for with him it has already become Gus
tom-of dinner giving on such an occasion from the
French. II is the French author, however, VINO
commentaries his dramatic success by banquet
and the banquet In his case is given to the ar'stS
who have helped hun achieve it. Mr. irving IN MS
Quality of manager replaces the author wituao'an
tage because the author of I" Romeo and Juliet Is
no longer IN direct personal communication with
either artists or public.
His guests on this occasion were chosen wholly
OF mainly outside the Lyceum Theatre, bot were
with hardly an exception Mr. Irvng's personal
friends The Prince of Wales 1t was hoped, would
be ono of the company, but the Prince was unable
70 come He was replaced by an ex-Viceroy, the
Earl of Lytton. 1t would certainly have aston
isbed our French friends to note that Lord Lytton
had the seat of honor Dir. 1rvings night
while on his left sat the Lord Mayor OF Lon
dom who is always understood to rank, IN Conu-
mental opinion, next after the Queen and some
times before her. The Lord Mayor wore that
ancient. historical, and all but priceless oaose
or decoration in diamonds. without whicn no
ia never seen in public, and not often IN
prya,e Lord Lytton resplendent In the broad
red ribbon of the Bath. with the Grand Cross OF
the Bath. and the Grand Cross of the Star of In
dis. He was not perhaps strictly Obliged to wear
either but 1 am always grateful to an eminent
man who embelhshes his costume with color anu
the sparkle Of precious stones
OF the ninety other guests at least half were men
whose names are representative names In various
professions or known widely in London 1or
ono good reason or another. Some OF tnem
are known the world over, and some
of them in worlds where few are known.
CAPTAIN Richard Burton. for example. TO my mind
heroic figure with that Scared rugged strong iace'
avery line of which denotes the iron will and con-
temntuous courage which have led him into and
through perils by the side Of which the dangers OF
battle are nothing. He has arrived from his con-
eular post at Trieste by way of the Gold Coast WIN
n fever in his veins and copy of Camoens III MS
pocket translatng the latter in the intervals oil the
former But most of the men about the taDlo are
neither amateur statesmen. like Lord Lytton, nor
adventurous explorers like Captain Burton MI
Irving is not q man to invite celebrities be-
friends they happen to be celebrities aiso'
as happens pretty often, why, well and
rood Mr. George Augustus Sala is seated be-
fween the Lord Mayor the one hand and Mt
Philip Currie, q celebrity and elegant oil the r. w.
on the other Mr.. Barnum is opposite tantalizing
his British hearers with stories OF Jumbo and with
other good stories which of his neighbors half
enyiously declares to be good for dinner-party
apiece Mr. Booth. who was expected. had TO SEND
an apology, but another eminent tragedian II MI
Booth will pardon me for repeating Mr.. lrvngs STOKE,
Al, Toole is there and trying as hard ever to
take life seriously. The irrepressbe laugh you hear
from the next table is Mr.. Whistlers and the echo
of it on the opposite side of the room IS from the
company to whom DR.. Quain is narrating anecdotes'
MIR. Alma-Tadema is exchanging repartees with Mr.
C,eorge Lewis the most learned painter and the
nost artistic lawyer of the day. little way OH is
Mr. Escott of whom You have just heard as success
to Mr. John Morley in the editorshp OF the most
radical of the monthles, and whom everybody
knows as among the most versatile and brlliiant
of journalists Other journalists brilliant and YER
satile ALI of them are Mr. Frank Hill, MIR. Dicey,
Mr. Yates DR. Russell Mr.. Clement Scott, Mr.
Knight and must not forget to mention the enter
prisng American theatrical agent TO wnoin you
will owe Mr. lrvings visit next year. MIR. Abbey
The impression about MIR. Abbey in London is that
Chr Alien Act ought 10 be applied TO him before he
has swept London clean of all its fsvorltes Mr..
Irving Mrs. Langtry, Nine. Nilsson. all under con-
tract with Mr. Abbey for " the States" and people
are asking Who nextf But Mr.. Abbey will not tell.
We dine on the stage of the Lyorun. Some two
vsars ago Mr. Irving astonished the town by a
crimson plush curtan-a piece of theatrical mag
p;icence costing some thousands OF dollars-whch
soon paid for itself in advertising. Nothing was ever
more talked about. Tonight 1t Is hung at the DacK
of the stage. The wings are hld behind broad cur
tains of brocade; the front Is open except Tor a
scresn of trees through which CLEAN the soft red
lamps of the dimly lighted house beyond This DIM
ner is so far public affair that one may be per
znitted to say how elegant It's appointments are
whether of stage decoration rare flowers, OF
whatever else goes to the perfection OF such les
tival
There were speeches of course. That ninety OF a
hnndred Engshmen should meet and dine and
separate without toasts and responses to toasts
would be quite out of the question Lord Lytton pro-
posed Mr. Irviugs health and dscoursed upon the
drama II was discourse carefully prepared elab
CRATE rhetorical embroidered with elegant concerts
and picked phrases, not without ingenuity OF view
Lord Lytton is of opinion that Romeo and Juhet
IA the least dramatic of Shakespeares plays; that II
Is essentially poetic drama, and that the business
of a competent manager is therefore 10 produce
AZ in such manner shall most picturesquely pre-
sent to the spectator this poetic quahty. critic
might say that Lord Lytton desired the play to be
not so much acted dressed and that he was prais
ing Mr. Irving the manager at the expense oil Mr.
Irving the actor. But this is not moment when
the critic has any business to intrude his opinions
It is enough that Lord Lyiton's speech pleased ms
audience An Earl who has been Governor-Genera
of India and written verses and is son to prolific
novelist must speak very badly indeed not please
his audience. But Lord Lytton's speech wonid have
e. oiayor IL IL nd coma from the liDs of MIR