The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-17

| lations got wrong idea Of the real nature
| of the man. In business he was very easily
irritated and took no pains to conceal ms
irritability, but at home he was always kind
| and gentle.
The only sociability he really enjoyed was
in his own home. His greatest pleasure was
| to have his friends call upon him and ENJOY
his hospitality. Nothing panied him so
| much as to be deceived in friend He had
| very few intimates, but when he did form
| an attachment to a man he chung to MIN
] with hooks Of steel.
| He was very trusting in his nature, and l
I think he would rather have given half OF all
| he had than be deceived in a friend, or IN
one that he considered friend. II MI
| Boucicault was cynical by nature, never
| knew him to give way to the disposition.
He was a great believer in human nature,
and l think the most trustful man have
| ever met.
1t has been said that Mr.. Boucicault was
| conceited. A gentleman tells me he once
| asked an actor what Mr.. Boucicault pc
lievad in, and the actor replied: HE pc
| leves first, last and all the time in MIR. Bou-
cicault." Thatwas true, and | am glad that
it was true. His belief in bis own powers
| was
ONE OF THE SECRETS OF HIS SUCCESS.
And it may be said that all men OF any
intellectual stamina believe in themselves
| the world calls it c0nceit, but it is really the
| spirit OF self-relianee which gives them the
nerve to accomplish what they undertake.
| | do not believe there has ever lived great
| man who has not plainly shown that he De-
| leved in himself.
Mr.. Bouccaut was never on particularly
| good terms with the dramatic critics and he
never endeavored to conciliate them or WIN
I their good will.
! II has been said that he was very sensitive
| to newspaper criticism. l may say tnat IL
norant newspaper criticism irritated nm,
| and he knew that the vast amount OF dram
| attic criticism was written by men VINO We're
utterly ignorant of both the history OF the
drama and its technical Interpretation on the
| stage. When such persons attempted to CRU
| clZe his W0Ik he Was naturally very much
| irritated.
Men of literary ability he always admired
| and loved to associate with, but lie had a
very poor opinion Of the ordinary dramatic
| critic.
He was very careless man in business
! matters. Some time since he wanted TO sell
| some OF his plays, but he was so unmethodl-
cal in his habits that he failed to remem-
| Der where he had put the manuscripts,
and they could not be found. A few years
ago, at his request, / sent from his house
| in London his valuable library and other
| personal property.
Subsequently, all this. with other valuables,
| worth, perhaps, from $4,000 TO 100000,
was put in storage warehouse (Morrelrs
stores) in the upper part Of New York CITY;
without penny Of insurance being obtained
| upon it.
| While Mr.. Boucicault was absent from
| the city, Robert Gau his valet, thought to
| himself what a fearful loss would be IN
CURED in case of fire, and, on his own re-
| sponsibility-fearful, too, of the liberty be
| was taklng-he had the property insured Tor
| $4,000 Not long after this the storage
warehouse was burned 10 the ground. The
| loss 10 Mir. BOucicault was irreparable, but
thanks to his thoughtful valet, lie obtained
| $4,000 insurance money, which otherwise
| he would not have had.
Within one month, at another time, he
| lost SlGO,0 In mining speculati0Ds. During
his life he has been the Monte Cristo Of the
dramatic profession. As said before Mr..
! Boucicault was
| A UNIvEBsIrY-BRED MAN.
He was excessively fond of reading and
was one of the best read men OF his time.
He was very partial TO the reading Uf his
| tory. John Stuart Mill was his fayOrite
| philosopher; Goldsmith he preferred TO all
| the poets, and lie enjoyed the writings OF
| Keats and Shelley.
| Mr.. Boucicault possessed the true literary
and esthetie character. He was a man OF
| refined manners and most gentle thoughts,
and Was real lover of the intellectual life.
| In religion he was brought up in the Church
of England, but think, of late years, had
| he made any profession OF his faith he
would have become member oil the Roman
Catholic communion. Though Indifferent to
| the church, he was firm believer III the
| Deity, and his views OF Jesus Christ were
| very similar to those entertained by the new
school of Untarians. He was well versed
in the Bible, and l have often heard HIM
have discussions with his brother William
in regard to The interpretations OF texts
which have been battled over by the theolo-
| gians through ages.-AgneS Robertson B0u-
cicault III the Boston Herald.