Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-10-22
HENRY IRVING.
He Arrives Satisfy In New York
Yesterday.
The Birth, Education and Successes of the
Greatest of Living Actors. What
He Has Done as a
Manager.
Special 10 the Register.

Special TO the Register.
New YORK, October 2l.-Henry Irving
arrived safely in this city yester
day and is now quietly resting
from the fatigues of his voyage
across the ocean. No event in theatrical
circles since Mscready's famous tour in
America thirty years ago has created as
great stir or excited as much interest as
has the contemp lated tour of Irving in
America. For weeks the metropolitan
press have
Sounded the latest 1ldings
in regard to his coming and the desire Of
tie public in general as well as the mPm-
bess Of his own profession TO see him has
been raised to q fever heat. Irving will
first appear in plays OF an inferior character
compared with the Shakespearean and
later on will appear in Hamlet" Rich
ard the Third, etc.
The following sketch of the great actor 8
life Will prove Of interest to the readers ot
The REGISTER:
He was born on February 6, 1883, a.
Kcnton, a small village of Somersetshire.
lie studied for some years at a private
academy in London, his father intending
him to pursue
Sonse Commercial Occupation.
On leaving school at the age of sixteen, he
entered the office OF an East India mer-
chant. lie had had fair opportunities OF
attending the metropolitan playhouses, and
had there acquired a passion for the stage.
So strong was his bent in this direction,
that ii was soon apparent he could be OF
little use as assistant in commercial
house, and he was allowed to have his own
way and become an actor. He made his
tiIst public appearance at Sunderland on
the 2Jth of Sc pten ber, 1896, when little
over eighteen years OF age. His role on
that occasion was that OF Orleans in Rich.
lieu. He
Escaped Harsh Criticism
because his acting was such as to draw no
particular attention to him whatever. HIS
peculiarities were more displayed of the
stage than On il at that time. He soon
made himself remarkable for conscientious
study, not only of the parts assigned him,
but Of everything bearing upon the art to
which he had devoted bimself.
In Irving's case il is particularly true
that genius is an unlimited capacity for hard
work. He secured an engagement at Edin-
TWO years and a half. While there he had
the advantage of appearing on the same
stsge with the
Foremost a etOrs and Actresses
of that time-Denj amin Webster, the
Younger Matthews, George Vandenhof,
Robson, Wright, Helen Faucit, Charlotte
Cushman and many others. In the fall OF
1859 he was offered a metropolitan engage
ment as one OF the company Of the Princess
Theater. His first appearance on the met
ropolitan boards was as DoriCourt, in The
Bellies Strstagem." He remained in Lon
con about three months, showing steady
and rapid Improvement in his art. Before
leaving She metropolis he gave two dram.
atic readings at Crosby Hall, which at
! tracted a good deal OF attention. From
London he went to Glasgow, and SIX
L Cnths later to Manchester.
IN the latter place he remained Tor tolr
YEARS, the
Great Event of His Life
there being his character on the character
! of Hamlet, Which earned for him great
| deal of credit. TIE Davenport Brothers
| Lad al Erclard in state OF wonder and
| mystifcation over their spiritual seance3'
about this time, and Irving joined with
| MaCcabe, the great ventriloquist and chat
| acter actor, in giving a performance to eX'
pose their frauds. He was accorded splen'
| did farewell benefit in Free-trsde Hall on
| leaving Manchester. 1t is evident he ap'
| preciaied the kindness OF his friends in that
! city, for after six months at the Prlnce oil
! Wales Theatre, Liverpool, he returned, he
! and Miss Kate Terry having been engaged
| by Dion BOuCcau.t 20 play the leadlng
| characters in the drama Hunted Down.
After this, once more to London, and there
| he has remained
| From That Time 10 This,
except for occasional starring tours, oi
which this is the most extended. He i'm
proved his reputation materially during
! hrief engagements at ST. James, New
| Queens and Drury Lane theaters. During
| this period of his life he had some fine op
portunities to show his talents TO adyan
| tage, and these he improved Thoroughly
He appeared as Robert Mscaire, Bill Sy ykes
! Harry Dsrnton, Captain Absolute and IN
msny other important roles, each calilne
for talents OF high order, and the whole
demanding perfectly wonderful versatility
His greatest success during this period o.
his career was as NJ. Cheyeuix, the villain
in Uncle Dicks Darling" 1t was durinE
their work together in this and other play
that Toole and Irving cemented the friend
ship which has shown itself so often II
their Joint efforts for the promotion OF th'
Interests OF Actors and Acting.
In May, 1870, Mr.. Irving began to play a
Dieby Grant, in the comedy of The TEt
Roses, and it was almost year before th'
play was withdrawn, Irving appearing 10
three hundred consecutive nights.
His reputation was now national. but n
had created no profound sensation, 6y anI
OF his performances. 1t remained for th
! Lyceum Theatre and the play OF Tn
Bells" 10 draw ou: his wonderful ia lent 10
the vivid portrayal of passion and emo
tion. The play was first presented on No
vember 20, 1871, and the next day lrvini
found bimseli ranked as the foremost acto
in England. HIS acting as Matthias IN
murderer, who. tortured by conscience
finds as swiu! fascination in the sound o
the bells, and though seeking to hiis hi
gullt, is vet driven iTresistioiy to m axe !
known, wss the subject OF the most laT!si
nTaises. This was the beginning OF aserts
Of brilliant performances, which have nsa
Irving's name
A synonym for Carefuiness.
thought. originality and power in acting