lives and memoirs—marvellous in their completeness—of Edmund Kean, Garrick, and Macready here also find their place.
Edmund Kean's boots, sword and purse.
From a Photo. by Elliott & Fry.
The memoirs of Kean filled a quarter of the room when laid out on the floor. Mr. Irving bought up the innumerable sheets, engravings, and what not, including priceless letters and the like, pasted eight and nine of them on top of one another on a single sheet. It was an unwieldy mass of hidden treasure, and Mr. Irving requested an obliging friend to "amuse himself" with sorting them out, whilst he was in America. On his return the thing was done.
A small case contains the russet boots which Edmund Kean wore as Richard III., and the sword he used as Coriolanus. A companion cabinet is in the drawing-room. One by one the treasures are taken out and talked about. Here is David Garrick's ring, which he gave to his brother on his death-bed. The Baroness Burdett-Coutts presented it to Mr. Irving. Two watches are here. One is the gold timekeeper of John Philip Kemble, the other a silver one which formerly belonged to Edwin Forest. As I held the latter in my hand, Mr. Irving said quietly:—
"Do you notice the time by it?"
It was thirty-eight minutes past five.
"That watch stopped at the very moment Forest breathed his last!" said Mr. Irving, as he gently replaced it.
But the treasures of the case are not exhausted. You can handle the silver dagger worn by Lord Byron, a pair of old sandals worn by Edmund Kean, a pin with a picture of Shakespeare, once the property of Garrick, an ivory tablet which belonged to Charles Mathews. Do not overlook this little purse of fine green silk thread and silver band. It was found in the pocket of Edmund Kean when he died. There was not a sixpence in it! It was given to Henry Irving by Robert Browning.
There are some fine pictures in the drawing-room. A bust of Miss Ellen Terry is in the far corner. The silver shield which was presented to John Kemble in Edinburgh hangs on the wall. It is still surrounded with the wreath of laurel leaves—now faded—which Mr. Irving had thrown to him the last night of the season.
Then the name of Toole is mentioned. If you want an example of friendships, "Partners for Life," link the names of Irving and Toole together. Their companionship is just as real as it is delightful. John L. Toole's delight is to surprise his friend Irving. On a table stands a fine silver-gilt trophy presented to John Philip Kemble on his retirement from the stage. A part of its inscription reads: "Bought from Robert Tait, Esq., and presented to Henry Irving, Esq., by his old friend J. L. Toole, 5th July, 1884."
Scene—Grafton Street. Time—morning. Enter Mr. Toole, meeting Mr. Irving.
Mr. Toole: "I've found something that will interest you, Irving. A vase presented to Kemble. Fine piece of plate designed by Flaxman. Come to Messrs. Blanks and look at it."
