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ving turned to me； and in his deepest and most tragic Macbeth voice said： 〃God damn his soul to hell！〃 However； he rose to the occasion； and an hour or so afterwards； when everybody else had spoken； not satisfied with his first effort； he arose and made a much better and longer speech。 He was an admirable after…dinner speaker as well as an unusual actor。 His wonderful presentations； not only of Shakespeare's but of other dramas； did very much for the stage both in his own country and in ours。
Those who heard him only in his last year had no conception of him in his prime。 In his later years he fell into the fault； so common with public speakers and actors； of running words together and failing to articulate clearly。 I have known a fine speech and a superior sermon and a great part in a play ruined because of the failure to articulate clearly。 The audience could not follow the speaker and so lost interest。
Sir Henry told me a delightful story about Disraeli。 A young relative of Irving's took orders and became a clergyman in the Established Church。 At the request of Irving； Disraeli appointed this young man one of the curates at Windsor。
One day the clergyman came to Irving in great distress and said： 〃The unexpected has happened。 Every one has dropped out； and I have been ordered to preach on Sunday。〃
Irving took him to see Disraeli for advice。 The prime minister said to the young clergyman： 〃If you preach thirty minutes； Her Majesty will be bored。 If you preach fifteen minutes； Her Majesty will be pleased。 If you preach ten minutes； Her Majesty will be delighted。〃
〃But；〃 said the young clergyman； 〃my lord； what can a preacher possibly say in only ten minutes？〃
〃That；〃 answered the statesman； 〃will be a matter of indifference to Her Majesty。〃
Sir Frederick Leighton； the eminent English artist； and at one time president of the Royal Academy； was one of the most charming men of his time。 His reminiscences were delightful and told with rare dramatic effect。 I remember a vivid description which he gave me of the wedding of one of the British royalties with a German princess。 Sir Frederick was one of the large and distinguished delegation which accompanied the prince。
The principality of the bride's father had been shorn of territory； power； and revenue during the centuries。 Nevertheless； at the time of the wedding he maintained a ministry； the same as in the Middle Ages； and a miniature army。 Palaces； built centuries before； housed the Cabinet。
The minister of foreign affairs came to Sir Frederick and unbosomed himself of his troubles。 He said： 〃According to the usual procedure I ought to give a ball in honor of the union of our house with the royal family of England。 My palace is large enough； but my salary is only eight hundred a year； and the expense would eat up the whole of it。〃
Sir Frederick said： 〃Your Excellency can overcome the difficulty in an original way。 The state band can furnish the music； and that will cost nothing。 When the time comes for the banquet； usher the guests with due ceremony to a repast of beer and pretzels。〃
The minister followed the instructions。 The whole party appreciated the situation； and the minister was accredited with the most brilliant and successful ball the old capital had known for a century。
For several years one of the most interesting men in Europe was the Duke d'Aumale； son of Louis Philippe。 He was a statesman and a soldier of ability and a social factor of the first rank。 He alone of the French royalty was relieved from the decree of perpetual banishment and permitted to return to France and enjoy his estates。 In recognition of this he gave his famous chateau and property at Chantilly to the French Academy。 The gift was valued at ten millions of dollars。 In the chateau at Chantilly is a wonderful collection of works of art。
I remember at one dinner； where the duke was the guest of honor； those present； including the host； were mostly new creations in the British peerage。 After the conversation had continued for some time upon the fact that a majority of the House of Lords had been raised to the peerage during the reign of Queen Victoria； those present began to try and prove that on account of their ancient lineage they were exempt from the rule of parvenu peers。 The duke was very tolerant with this discussion and； as always； the soul of politeness。
The host said： 〃Your Royal Highness； could you oblige us with a sketch of your ancestry？〃
〃Oh； certainly；〃 answered the duke； 〃it is very brief。 My family； the Philippes； are descendants from AEneas of Troy； and AEneas was the son of Venus。〃 The mushrooms seemed smaller than even the garden variety。
The duke was talking to me at one time very interestingly about the visit of his father to America。 At the time of the French Revolution his father had to flee for his life and came to the United States。 He was entertained at Mount Vernon by Washington。 He told me that after his father became King of France； he would often hesitate； or refuse to do something or write something which his ministers desired。 The king's answer always was： 〃When I visited that greatest man of all the world； General Washington； at his home； I asked him at one time： 'General； is it not possible that in your long and wonderful career as a soldier and statesman that you have made mistakes？' The general answered： 'I have never done anything which I cared to recall or said anything which I would not repeat；' and the king would say： 'I cannot do that or sign that； because if I do I cannot say for myself what General Washington said of himself。'〃
The duke asked me to spend a week…end with him at Chantilly； and it is one of the regrets of my life that I was unable to accept。
I happened to be in London on two successive Sundays。 On the first I went to Westminster Abbey to hear Canon Farrar preach。 The sermon was worthy of its wonderful setting。 Westminster Abbey is one of the most inspiring edifices in the world。 The orator has to reach a high plane to be worthy of its pulpit。 I have heard many dull discourses there because the surroundings refuse to harmonize with mediocrity。 The sermon of Canon Farrar was classic。 It could easily have taken a place among the gems of English literature。 It seemed to me to meet whatever criticism the eminent dead； buried in that old mausoleum； might have of these modern utterances。 I left the Abbey spiritually and mentally elated。
The next Sunday I went to hear Charles Spurgeon。 It was a wonderful contrast。 Spurgeon's Metropolitan Tabernacle was a very plain structure of immense proportions but with admirable acoustics。 There was none of the historic enshrining the church； which is the glory of Westminster Abbey； no church vestments or ceremonials。
Mr。 Spurgeon； a plain； stocky…looking man； came out on the platform dressed in an ordinary garb of black coat； vest； and trousers。 It was a vast audience of what might be called middle…class people。 Mr。 Spurgeon's sermon was a plain； direct； and exceedingly forcible appeal to their judgment and emotions。 There was no attempt at rhetoric； but hard； hammerlike blows。 As he rose in his