The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-09
IRVING BREAKING DOWN
THE GREAT TRAGEDIAN'S STAGE
DAYS ARE NEARLY ENDED.
Sir Henry Is Said to Have Been Burn
ing the Candle at Both Ends
for Many Years.
London Correspondence St. Louis Globe

London Correspondence ST. Louis Globe
Democrat, Dec. "A.
America has certainly seen the last of
Sir Henry Irving, and it is not unlikely that
the English stage has lost its most famous
actor. Irving himself said yesterday that
he would be in better health than ever in
few weeks and that he would soon be ready
for greater work than ever before. All
he needed now was a little more rest. That,
too is what his physicians say-for publica-
ton. And that is what the London news
papers say. Yet the great tragedan is a
broken-down man-Old at siXty-two, when
Wyndham. for instance. is young at sixty
three-as young almost as John Drew, who
gets from Wyndham the most Of his plays
The beginning of the end was noted by
those who knew Irving best almost year
ago. when the tremendous strain of his Peter
the Great was upon him. His speech be-
came indistinct at times. He mumbled
his words. The physical effort required
was at times manifestly too great for his
strength. Later he bought the English
rights of "Cyrano de Bergerac." and every
one wondered why he did not stage this
play, that was as nearly certain to be
great financial success as you can ever APP
sorts of queer reasons were given, the queer
est being that he was afraid Of comparison
with COquelin. The real reason was that
he kept putting it off in the hope that he
would soon be equal to the physical strain.
1t is safe to say that he will never don the
"Cyrano" nose. He is not so well aware
of his own condition as are those about him,
and is said to be busy making plans for the
future. But even if he ventures on the
stage again it is said that necessarily it can
be for only short time; that his permanent
retirement in the near future is certain IN
less miracle is performed.
The cause of this unhappy condition is the
fact that Sir Henry has been burning his
candle at both ends for years. An actor
has to take better care of himself than any
one in any other business or profession.
Not even a great singer has to be so care
full about what he eats and drinks and
smokes if he wants his powers preserved
past middle age. But. in the first place,
Irving has overworked His personal SUI
pervision of details. which has helped to
make his stage setting and his stage man
agement the most perfect the world ever
saw, has been almost more than one man
could do, to say nothing of acting his own
part. His conscientousness alone would
4AelN0 AlilSh MN III ttiAlS.
Yet that hasn't been the worst of it. The
Garrick Club seems have been his undo
ing chiefly. Every night found him there
after the play, year in and year out, when
he was in town. Ii was his home more than
the rooms he occupies in bachelor solitude
in Old Bond street. He was about the last
man out You could find him there often
as late as 4 or o'clock in the morning.
drinking his Scotch whisky and soda, and
smoking. tie was always the most delight
tul of companions, and there was never a
lack of some one to talk 10. No one ever
saw him under the influence of liquor and
ms life was blameless enough but the
hours he kept were too much for a man
whose work required so much nervous
The disastrous failure of Peter the Great
was a double blow 10 Irving. He had al
most as much to do with the shaping of the
play as his son, Laurence, to whom ii is
credlted. he spent $4,000 i'm mounting it,
and the salary list during it's brief run was
something unprecedented. II was magnih-
the robust cruelty OF lis hero were too SOM
Der for even the British public
The Prince of Wales who is unaffectedly
tond of irving, took an extraordinary step
to save the play, publicly asking to have ii
run another week that he might have op-
portunity 10 see il, although he had been
three or four times already. But even this
mark of royal favor could not rally the
pubhc 10 Peter, and In consequence Irving
IS comparatively poor man 10 .day-pooreT
may be- than the public suspect
But 100 years OF uninterrupted successes
tUhiu never make Henry IRVING n rFdIlV rich
man. Ills generosity has been like that OF
Edwin Booth, both in quality and quantity,
| happen to know of an instance that illus
udlCs this. There was a man in the last
company Irving had in America who had
been with the tTagedian for many years
and had grown old and rusty in the service.
lie had only a few lines to speak and had
never been an important factor In the COM
pany, yet for the sake of the long associa-
ton irving gave him 500 week 10 the day
.! ms uedth ana never let MIN know that
his meager part was worth scarce $40 a
week ana that the rest was charity. His
other benefactions have been large and I'm.
one way even the lavish SETTINGS of bfe
plays might be said to oe benefaction, for
he often spent far more in mounting a play
IMAM was called for from a financial view
point. simply to satisfy his own tastes.
II mas been long time since Irving has
made big financial success in London,
nence ms tours outside sign that London
ISM Z doing as well as it might by an actor,
for he will always stay here II he can. The
fact is, Irving had about exhausted Shaks-
peare-from a box office vewpoint-and
London insisted on seeing MIN in classic
drama; and ne could find naught that would
serve his purpose.
Irving has been one of the most beloved
men on the English stage. by every one,
from his supeTnumeraries up. At rehearsal.
where, according to tradition, the recording
angel passes judgment most lightly on ac-
tor-managers, Irving was wont 10 lie as
courteous al if he were in his own corner
at the Garrick Club You couldn't tell from
his manner and tone whether he was talk
ing TO stage carpenter or 70 a titled visitor
behind the scenes.
young friend of mine, who has no es-
pecial claim on lrVings attention. saws he
happened TO be placed beside the actor at
dinner not long ago, with the important
Duke of Something or Other at Irving
other hand. My friend noted with gratitude
Irving's scrupulous care TO address to his
comparatively unknown neighbor quite as
much OF his conversation as he gave to the
duke. 1t was little matter 10 be sure vet
a genuine sign OF the traSedians unfaline
courtesy and tact.
Irvlngs home is I'm about the last place
YOU would look for iL--over q store I'm a