New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-16
MR.. HENRY IRVING.
| THE DINNER TO THE ENGLISH ACTOR AT
ST JANES'S HALL.


pany of gentlemen aud ladies who camo together
to testify their admiration and friendship for Mf.
Henry Irving Their tribute to him took the 10TH
of dinner to which rather moro than tive bundred
gentlemen sat down as hosts, while some four nun
bred ladies looked on from the balconies winch run
round three sides of the room. The place Is won
fitted for a public demonstration: showily decor
ated and lofty hall with broad stage at one emu
on which the so-called table of honor stood tho
view closed by mass Of plants and flowers encir-
cling tall pyramid of ice and half conceallng tne
organ front. The dinner had been organized on
scale of costly spendor The usual price of tickets
was doubled and the large thus obtained enaoied
the committee to indulge in such luxuries an oou-
ouets for the ladies and decorations for the tables
without STINT and many OF her comforts which 1t is
too much the custom here to treat at public dinner
as superfuties So far as the committee was con-
cerned everythin was liberal, handsome and well
arranged.
The spectacle as a whole may well give pause 10
the pious souls IL such there be, who look on the
theatre as an ab0mination, and on all connected
with ii as given over to the evil one The first mag
istrate of England, presiding ovsr dinner TO an
actor hall tlnonged with celebrities. the Prime
Minister, himself aman of austere opinions, sepding
a strong apology for his absence, the Archbishop OF
York doing the same thing, and a Bishop whom
Lord Coleridge extos the greatest living theoio
gian of the Church of England, the Bishop OF Dur
ham, regretting he cannot come, and writing: All
those who are interested In the elevation Oh pubic
morality must sympathize with those who are pay
ing honor to one who has exerted himself so noby
to raise the tone of English dramatic art" IL Is al
ready trIte to say London has seen nothing iiKelt
The banauets TO Kean aud to Macready are recalled
| and you must 90 back generation to find anybody
who remembers them. They were In each case
splendid tributes but the Kean festival was gain
! erine, primarily, of Etonians. and the Macrea"y
dinner was his farewell 10 the stage. Mr. irvings
in the zenith of his career when this magnificent ex
preston of pubic regard is offered him. and u ian
expression In which two nations take part Not tue
least remarkable features of 1t are the presence OF
the American Minister and the frequent reference OF
| all the speakers to America. to the day on when
this event occurs and TO Mr. Irvngs coming slsit
| to what most Englishmen call the States"
Tho choice of Lord Coeridge as chairman was a
happy one. II is not merely that Lord Colerldge N
Lord Chief Justice OF England, and therefore one oil
the distinguished and dgnined persons OF the King
dom. He is known TO everybody as man OF varl-
GUS accomplishments and especially as melifn-
ous speaker. The most beautiful" speaker IN
England, Mr.. Bright once called him. IL is not
necessary 10 enter upon comparison, but he proved
appointed him. What lie said in proposing the
toast TO the American Republic and the President
of the United Estates is enough to endear him to
Americans Possibly 10 may surprise some TO find
an Englishman speaking cordially OF the Fourth OF
July as the day when the Americans rejected the
woke which the Ministers of George the Third at
tempted to impose upon the necks Of frcemen. But
the English have perhaps outgrown unpleasant
memories and old antiquities faster than we our
selves have Every allusion 10 America Is cheered;
none more heartily than when Lord Coleridge e1-
pressed his hope that 1t may not be an unbecoming
or an unwelcome tribute TO great and friendly ma
ton that on this lite birthday we should drink It's
health. So whom he opened to his hearers glimpse
into the future OF America aud the yet more mag
nifcent development which 10 has In store for the
limited States So, above all when he referred TO
President Arthur as the friend Of the Queen. and
the succossor of a man whose life pure, whose
aims were noble whose death bound together In
the ties OF a common horror and common sorrow
the hearts of America and England. THIS was not
the only allusion to Garfield during the evening,
and IL was curious 20 contrast the profound cord-
Atty of the audience 70 the memory OF the martyr
President with its utter indifference TO the mention
of Gen Grant. So again when Dir. Lowell was
spoken Of and still moro when he rose TO
spsak He had by far the heartiest greeting OF tho
had occurred at ordinary public meeting. one
vould have rejoiced. But the friendly enthusiasm
shown for America is the more significant aud the
moro gratifying coming ~ IL does from an assem-
bly, peculiarly and widely representative in char
aeter At the upper table sit Peers. and Ministers.
and Judpss and Members of Parliament while here
| aud there and scattered about tho hall scores
| of msu whose names are household words IN their
var,ous professions. Scores OF them are almost as
well known 10 the general public. Artists like Mr.
| Milais Mr. Alma Tadema, and Mr.. Boehm; DR.. Iyn-
dali as spokesman for sciences the navy In the person
Of Admiral Keppe the learned professions sending,
besides Judges some Of thebes known Queens coun-
sel the unlcarned profession OF journalism not so
much represented as present In mass; present, mt
any rate in the personalities Of almost every one OF
the more brilliant ana popular editors critics, and
| leader writer's on the London press The actors
came In crowds to the beginning OF the dinner To
| abow their sympathy with their brother actor.
| mauy having to get away speedily to DO In time
| for their evenings work. Mr.. Tooe, who is per-
baps Mr. Irving's most intimate. friend. heroicaly
| closed lis house for the evening and closed tho
evening by proposing the health OF the chairman In
a speech equally notable for its humor and deep
| feeling OF affection for Mr. Irving.
Lord Coleridge abundantly justified his reputation
"a an orator in the speech which no devoted to the
| toast OF the evening, "The health Of Mr.. Irving"
Few men would 80 successfully have carried such
| audience with them during the whole course OF an
dinner address, which finished and studied
10 the point of elaboratensss at tmos he was even
| academic The whole range of dramatic history
| was laid under contribution. but tho touch was IN
| each case swift, and If the Greek and Roman ira
gsdians and actors for moment appalled, that part
| of the audience to whom their names were impsr-
| fectly known more modern heroes of the sock and
buskin relieved almost Mt the strain upon their
attention. Lord Colsrdge stated with iattering pre-
L al h. a h.as. al