my memories of eighty years-第66部分

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nius　of　Bronson　Howard。

It　developed　afterwards　that　the　actors'　dinner　was　set　for　several　nights　later；　and　that　I　was　not　invited　or　expected　to　this　entertainment；　which　was　given　by　Mr。　Howard　to　my　actor　friend；　but　by　concert　of　action　between　the　playwright　and　the　actor；　the　whole　affair　was　turned　into　a　dinner　to　me。　　Broadway　was　delighted　at　the　joke；　but　did　not　have　a　better　time　over　it　than　I　did。

The　supper　parties　after　the　play　which　Wyndham　gave　were　among　the　most　enjoyable　entertainments　in　London。　　His　guests　represented　the　best　in　society；　government；　art；　literature；　and　drama。　　His　dining…room　was　built　and　furnished　like　the　cabin　of　a　yacht　and　the　illusion　was　so　complete　that　sensitive　guests　said　they　felt　the　rolling　of　the　sea。

One　evening　he　said　to　me：　　〃I　expect　a　countryman　of　yours；　a　charming　fellow；　but；　poor　devil；　he　has　only　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　pounds　a　year。　　He　is　still　young；　and　all　the　managing　mothers　are　after　him　for　their　daughters。〃

When　the　prosperous　American　with　an　income　of　three…quarters　of　a　million　arrived；　I　needed　no　introduction。　　I　knew　him　very　well　and　about　his　affairs。　　He　had　culture；　was　widely　travelled；　was　both　musical　and　artistic；　and　his　fad　was　intimacy　with　prominent　people。　　His　dinners　were　perfection　and　invitations　were　eagerly　sought。　　On　the　plea　of　delicate　health　he　remained　a　brief　period　in　the　height　of　the　season　in　London　and　Paris。　But　during　those　few　weeks　he　gave　all　that　could　be　done　by　lavish　wealth　and　perfect　taste；　and　did　it　on　an　income　of　twenty　thousand　dollars　a　year。

Most　of　the　year　he　lived　modestly　in　the　mountains　of　Switzerland　or　in　Eastern　travel；　but　was　a　welcome　guest　of　the　most　important　people　in　many　lands。　　The　only　deceit　about　it；　if　it　was　a　deceit；　was　that　he　never　went　out　of　his　way　to　deny　his　vast　wealth；　and　as　he　never　asked　for　anything　there　was　no　occasion　to　publish　his　inventory。　　The　pursuing　mothers　and　daughters　never　succeeded；　before　his　flight；　in　leading　him　far　enough　to　ask　for　a　show…down。

Many　times　during　my　visits　to　Europe　I　have　been　besieged　to　know　the　income　of　a　countryman。　　On　account　of　the　belief　over　there　in　the　generality　of　enormous　American　fortunes；　it　is　not　difficult　to　create　the　impression　of　immense　wealth。　　While　the　man　would　have　to　make　a　statement　and　give　references；　the　lady's　story　is　seldom　questioned。　　I　have　known　some　hundreds　and　thousands　of　dollars　become　in　the　credulous　eyes　of　suitors　as　many　millions；　and　a　few　millions　become　multimillions。　　In　several　instances　the　statements　of　the　lady　were　accepted　as　she　achieved　her　ambition。



For　a　tired　man　who　has　grown　stale　with　years　of　unremitting　work　I　know　of　no　relief　and　recuperation　equal　to　taking　a　steamer　and　crossing　the　ocean　to　Europe。　　I　did　this　for　a　few　weeks　in　midsummer　many　times　and　always　with　splendid　and　most　refreshing　results。　　With　fortunate　introductions；　I　became　acquainted　with　many　of　the　leading　men　of　other　countries；　and　this　was　a　liberal　education。

There　is　invariably　a　concert　for　charities　to　help　the　sailors　on　every　ship。　　I　had　many　amusing　experiences　in　presiding　on　these　occasions。　　I　remember　once　we　were　having　a　rough　night　of　it；　and　one　of　our　artists；　a　famous　singer；　who　had　made　a　successful　tour　of　the　United　States；　was　a　little　woman　and　her　husband　a　giant。　　He　came　to　me　during　the　performance　and　said：　　〃My　wife　is　awfully　seasick；　but　she　wants　to　sing；　and　I　want　her　to。　　In　the　intervals　of　her　illness　she　is　in　pretty　good　shape　for　a　little　while。　　If　you　will　stop　everything　when　you　see　me　coming　in　with　her；　she　will　do　her　part。〃

I　saw　him　rushing　into　the　saloon　with　his　wife　in　his　arms；　and　immediately　announced　her　for　the　next　number。　　She　made　a　great　triumph；　but　at　the　proper　moment　was　caught　up　by　her　husband　and　carried　again　to　the　deck。　　He　said　to　me　afterwards：　　〃My　wife　was　not　at　her　best　last　night；　because　there　is　a　peculiarity　about　seasickness　and　singers；　the　lower　notes　in　which　she　is　most　effective　are　not　at　such　times　available　or　in　working　order。〃

Augustin　Daly　did　a　great　service　to　the　theatre　by　his　wonderful　genius　as　a　manager。　　He　discovered　talent　everywhere　and　encouraged　it。　　He　trained　his　company　with　the　skill　of　a　master；　and　produced　in　his　theatres　here　and　in　London　a　series　of　wonderful　plays。　　He　did　not　permit　his　artists　to　take　part；　as　a　rule；　in　these　concerts　on　the　ship；　but　it　so　happened　that　on　one　occasion　we　celebrated　the　Fourth　of　July。　　I　went　to　Mr。　Daly　and　asked　him　if　he　would　not　as　an　American　take　the　management　of　the　whole　celebration。　This　appealed　to　him；　and　he　selected　the　best　talent　from　his　company。　　Among　them　was　Ada　Rehan。　　I　knew　Miss　Rehan　when　she　was　in　the　stock　company　at　Albany　in　her　early　days。　　With　Mr。　Daly；　who　discovered　her；　she　soon　developed　into　a　star　of　the　first　magnitude。

Mr。　Daly　persisted　on　my　presiding　and　introducing　the　artists；　and　also　delivering　the　Fourth　of　July　oration。　　The　celebration　was　so　successful　in　the　saloon　that　Mr。　Daly　had　it　repeated　the　next　night　in　the　second　cabin；　and　the　night　after　that　in　the　steerage。　　The　steerage　did　its　best；　and　was　clothed　in　the　finest　things　which　it　was　carrying　back　to　astonish　the　old　folks　in　the　old　country；　and　its　enthusiasm　was　greater；　if　possible；　than　the　welcome　which　had　greeted　the　artists　among　the　first　and　second　cabin　passengers。

After　Miss　Rehan　had　recited　her　part　and　been　encored　and　encored；　I　found　her　in　tears。　　I　said：　　〃Miss　Rehan；　your　triumph　has　been　so　great　that　it　should　be　laughter。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃but　it　is　so　pathetic　to　see　these　people　who　probably　never　before　met　with　the　highest　art。〃



Among　the　many　eminent　English　men　of　letters　who　at　one　time　came　to　the　United　States　was　Matthew　Arnold。　　The　American　lecture　promoters　were　active　in　securing　these　gentlemen；　and　the　American　audiences　were　most　appreciative。　　Many　came　with　letters　of　introduction　to　me。

Mr。　Arnold　was　a　great　poet；　critic；　and　writer；　and　an　eminent　professor　at　Oxford　University　and　well…known　to　our　people。　His　first　address　was　at　Chickering　Hall　to　a　crowded　house。　Beyond　the　first　few　rows　no　one　could　hear　him。　　Explaining　this　he　said　to　me：　　〃My　trouble　is　that　my　lectures　at　the　university　are　given　in　small　halls　and　to　limited　audiences。〃　　I　advised　him　that　before　going　any　farther　he　should　secure　an　elocutionist　and　accustom　himself　to　large　halls；　otherwise　his　tour　would　be　a　disappointment。

He　gave　me　an　amusing　account　of　his　instructor　selecting　Chickering　Hall；　where　he　had　failed；　and　making　him　repeat　his　lecture；　while　the　instructor　kept　a　progressive　movement　farther　and　farther　from　the　stage　until　he　reached　the　rear　seats；　when　he　said　he　was　satisfied。　　It　is　a　tribute　to　the　versatility　of　this　great　author　that　he　learned　his　lesson　so　well　that　his　subsequent　lectures　in　different　parts　of　the　country　were　very　successful。

Once　Mr。　Arnold　said　to　me：　　〃The　lectures　which　I　have　prepared　are　for　university　audiences；　to　which　I　am　accustomed。　　I　have　asked　my　American　manager　to　put　me　only　in　university　towns；　but　I　wish　you　would　look　over　my　engagements。〃

Having　done　this；　I　remarked：　　〃Managers　are　looking　for　large　and　profitable　audiences。　　There　is　no　university　or　college　in　any　of　these　towns；　though　one　of　them　has　an　inebriate　home　and　another　an　insane　asylum。　　However；　both　of　these　cities　have　a　cultured　population。　　Your　noisiest　and　probably　most　appreciative　audience　will　be　at　the　one　which　is　a　large　railroad　terminal。　Our　railroad　people　are　up…to…date。〃

I　saw　Mr。　Arnold　on　his　return　from　his　tour。　　The　description　he　gave　of　his　adventures　was　very　picturesque　and　the　income　had　been　exceedingly　satisfactory　and　beyond　expectation。

Describing　the　peculiarities　of　the　chairmen　who　introduced　him；　he　mentioned　one　of　them　who　said：　　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　next　week　we　will　have　in　our　course　the　most　famous　magician　there　is　in　the　world；　and　the　week　after；　I　am　happy　to　say；　we　shall　be　honored　by　the　presence　of　a　great　opera…singer；　a　wonderful　artist。　　For　this　evening　it　is　my　pleasure　to　introduce　to　you　that　distinguished　English　journalist　Mr。　Edwin　Arnold。〃　　Mr。　Arnold　began　his　lecture　with　a　vigorous　denial　that　he　was　Edwin　Arnold；　whom　I　judged　he　did　not　consider　in　his　class。

Mr。　Arnold　received　in　New　York　and　in　the　larger　cities　which　he　visited　the　highest　social　attention　from　the　leading　families。　I　met　him　several　times　and　found　that　he　never　could　be　reconciled　to　our　two　most　famous　dishesterrapin　and　canvasback　duckthe　duck　nearly　raw。　　He　said　indignantly　to　one　hostess；　who　chided　him　for　his　neglect　of　the　canvasback：　　〃Madam；　when　your　ancestors　left　England　two　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago；　the　English　of　that　time　were　accustomed　to　eat　their　meat　raw；　now　they　cook　it。〃　To　which　the　lady　answered：　　〃I　am　not　familiar　with　the　customs　of　my　ancestors；　but　I　know　that　I　pay　my　chef；　who　cooked　the　duck；　three　hundred　dollars　a　month。〃

We　were　all　very　fond　of　Thackeray。　　He　did　not　have　the　general　po