New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-17
MR.. HENRY IRVING.
r,uAr DUBLIN HAS BEEN SAYING TO
THE ACTOR-A REMARKABLE SCENE
IN THE GAIETY THEATRE AN
IRISH TRIBUTE 70 ART.

London. December g.
Tho enthusiasm Of the Irish for Mr.. Henry
,.,,ne and Miss Ellen Terry reached what may
..or, 10 be- but perhaps is not. Its eliminating
.,,t in Dublin on Saturday. What other wells
"a wel-springs of enthusiasm the Irish breast
,sv contain within itself is known to the Irish
nreast alone. This latest overflow of it will. at
any rate be thought elsewhere than In Dublin.
o,a probably in Dublin. also a very remark
h,e effervescence of very genuine hero-worship.
Mr. Irving has been for a very long time
~.oot favorite in the Irish capital. He has had
rsnv proofs of popularity. The students OF
rrnitv College have poured out their hearts to
him Trinity College herself gave him the de-
cree of LII. d. He is admired In about the
.ame degree though probably for somewhat diff
,.rsnt reasons. by the masses and the classes,
~ those who throng the gallery and by those
.ho sit In what Mr. Gladstone would call cush-
,oned ease in the boxes and stalls. Literature
and Society compete for me wel-pad privi-
,ere of Witnessing his performances. 1t was
,nv the other day that a highly respectable
ooh broke the box-offce to pieces in their COM
,stve eagerness to buy tickets a month In
sdvance He has achieved the wonderful feat
NJ bringing Dublin Castle and the Council Room
=, tho municipality together. On Saturday at
tho
large party occupied the vice-regal box The
Lord Mayor with another large party occupied
tho other stage box opposite The National
Anthem was played and seems not to have been
h,ssed The Fellows and Professors OF Trinity
College and other eminent persons filled the
,,aus: and as much Of Dublin could get in
crowded all the rest Of the theatre.
When the plays had beeh played out to the
n,audits Of this vast company. and Mr.. Irving
had then recited The Dream Of Eugene Aram.
,ba curtain fell. 1t rose again on stage filled
nv the foremost citizens of the city of Dublin.
The Lord Mayor advanced to the footghts and
hssan BY declaring that he stood there as the
representative of ali classes and parties. 1t
takes ones breath away to read IT, He is the
came Lord Mayor who only few weeks since
n-esi3ed over meeting Of the City Council
xhich nassed a tremendous resolution condemn
,,e in terms that can only be called Irish. the
ousen's Government for refusing to turn loose
AGAIN upon society the Irish dynamiters now
,argushing in British dungeons. The Queens
.,.,rasentative the Viceroy of Ireland was now In
The house and almost by the side of the censor 81
,he Oueen's Government. All parties and classes
were there Loyalists and Rebels, Cn'onists and
Dsunionists Parnellites and ant-Parnetes'
Radmondites. McCarthyites Healyites. Diilonites.
phy.ca-force men. hill-siders-for aught l
know. moonghters. a marvellous spectacle, IN
deed Who shall deny that art. IN one form or
another is the great instrument OF civilization
and refinement. and Of peace on earth ana gooo
will to men as we'll: All the discordant elements
in Ireland were for one moment in concord to DO
honor TO two artists, male and female-Mr. nv
ing and Miss Ellen Terry.
Your fame" said the address read by the
Lord Mayor TO Mr.. Irving the common delight
which you have given on each side of the Al
lantic has linked the lovers OF art In two
hemispheres" That may be taken as a graceiu!
recognition Of the sympathies which bind ireland
10 America and America to Ireland. The ad-
dress proceeds in the usual grooves OF panegyric
but there is somehow in this instance note OF
sincerity not always heard on such occasions
Nhau!te true to say OF Mr. Irving, no matter
Who saws it, that his dramatic work mas peeh
that of intellect and scholarly study. That is
meant l presume. to inciude-at any RATE IL
does include-his managerial. work as we'll as his
acting There is an Imaginative and a very
truthful touch in the remark that "Our Lear
upon the heath has also teen our Hamlet ios'
IN the mysteries OF meditation" The writer OF
this address has taken survey OF Mr.. irving
M, glimpse. merely He sees that the re-
for himself only; nor even for himself and Miss
rrsn Terry: but as scene for large coabora-
ton and for a complex unity. When ne turns
N Miss Terry there is a certain want or temper
anca in the eulogy If you say OF Miss Terry
"Work SO exquisite as hers cannot htiy De
characterized In words" what have you left TO
saw Of Rachel or Of Nine. Sarah Bernhard,
whose genius II IT scars less high than RacheTs'
takes wider sweep? The eulogst has. however.
criticised himself saying: Her genius Is lata' u
criticism for it transforms critics into lovers.
II Is possible nevertheless. to appreciate Mss
Terry and to praise her. and yet to remain
critical
Mr. Irving replied in terms which showed that
he had not bathed in the waters OF the LiHeS
for nothing ] hope this will not be taken hter-
srv bv any one who knows what the Liney Is
like Even the metaphor will seem Voieh' u
him who has looked on that muddy stream or
had to inhale it's doors What / mean Is mat
Mr. Irvings reply has some OF the exuperahce
Of Irish rhetoric He could not well heip H.
The cup Of the players honor was. as ne sa'''
full 70 the brim. And he said. not iess sface-
fully tina, throughout his working life the QUICK
and subtle sympathy OF the irish race mao oee'
20 him both an incentive ana re"au' "'
asked his hearers. In behalf Of Miss Terry. TO
accept tho mute thanks OF an oVer""e''''"s
emotion II must be admitted that Mr.. irving
mas a very pretty turn Of phrase. This, pre-
sume as bohtted so great an occasion. was IN
writing But l have often heard Mr. irving
speak when he had had no opportunity for writ
ing or for preparation Of any KIND. lie Is al
ways apt, felicitous easy. and effective
1t was. | suppose. against etiquette Tor 'ne
Vlceroy 20 be present during these addresses
and speeches do rot understand why Out
know that viceregal etiquette Is Of the most I'M
bending kind. When little OF real authority eA-
lists it Is the more vital to cling to cerenoiious
observances Lord Houghton and his sian came
upon the stage after the oratory was over anu
amid the cheers Of the audience" says Inc deep