The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-10-01

Bancroft and Irving.
When at Newport on his recent
yachting cruise Henry Irving, accom-
panied by his friend and travelling
companion, j. G. Parkinson, of Lon
don, and other members of the yacht
ingparty, visited the venerable George
Bancroft at his summer home.
When the arrival of the visitors was
announced Mr.. Bancroft came for
ward, says a writer in the New York
Tribune, and greeted Mr.. Irving with
a warmth and sincerity OF n
which touched the heart OF the actor.
Various topics associated with dra-
matte art were touched upon, and tho
memory of Mr.. Bancroft ranging over
SO many years enabled him to enter
tain his guests in a most delightful
way. Finally addressing himself to
Mr.. Irving he said: ~ saw you play
Hamlet, sir, in Washington, withgreat
delight"
The actor bowed his head in &C
acknowledgement of the compliment.
"And right here continued Mr..
Bancroft. 81 will add-aSld the fact
may be OF peculiar interest to your
self personally--that my remembrance
is extremely vivid of the performances
of the same character by Talma, the
great French actor, which / witnessed
sixty-slx years ago."
TO q student like Mr.. Irving, this
unexpected conjunction with the spir-
it OF an artist whose memory he re-
vered might indeed have seemed like
the touch of q vanished hand, and the
effect of the announcement was quick
ly visible upon the expressive counte-
nance OF the actor. 1t was with deep
interest that he listened to Mr.. Ban
croft's minute and at the time criti-
cal description of Talma' 8 styleo Of act
ing.
From the description Of Talma
drifted to q discussion of Shakes
peare as a poet, a dramatist and
q man. Mr.. Bancroft proved him
self thoroughly familiar. with
his subject. He said he had made
Shakespeare a lifelong study and de-
lighted in Analysing his writings, the
better to comprehend his character as
acman. In these he seemed to recog-
nize, he said, certain passages and
thoughts which to his mind revealed q
distinctive individuality, and by link
ing together tie attributes thus effect
ed, be delighted in clothing him with a
personality, and as such holding COM
munion with him. The controversy
respecting the real authorship OF the
plays attributed to Shakespeare was
alluded to, and Mr.. Bancroft spoke
with some severity of that class of
authors who had sought to build up
others by pulling down the noblest
figure in English literature.
The moments passed rapidly to Mr..
Irving, and at last he was forced to
suggest his departure. Mr.. Bancroft
urged him to prolong his visit, but
pressing engagements would not admit
of his doing so. As the party slowly
retired from the drawing-room into
the hall Mr.. Bancroft followed, clasp
ing warmly meanwhile the hand CT
Irving. The party withdrew from the
hall to the porch, whittier the host
accompanied them, and from the
porch he descended the steps to the
earrlageway. Then, with a lingering
grip Of the actors hand. the venera
bic man said:
We'll, 4 suppose you must 60, but
1 should be happy ifyou could remain
only On hour longer that we might
talk further together. However. II
you must 60, may God be with youlp
The words were uttered with a
solemnity that touched all who heard
them. Speaking of this scene d few
days afterwards, Mr.. Irving said:
Yes, | see him now, his noble
face, manly figure and snow-white
head. just as he stood there on the
steps Of his house bidding us farewell,
the wind blowing his Icing white hair
hitler and thither. And his last
words. May God be with youl' will
ever be to me q most touching remem-
brance."