“2 Egerton Place, S.W.
“May 29 1906.
“My dear Bram,
“I do not remember the exact year in which Hunted Down was played at the St. James’s. It must have been somewhere about 1866. But I have a vivid recollection of the fact owing to the impression which Irving’s performance made upon me father. He was greatly struck by it. It seemed to appeal at once to his artistic and dramatic sense:
“‘Mark my words: that man will be a great actor.’
“I should not like to pledge myself to the exact words, but that is the substance of what he said after the performance.
“He also saw Irving in The Lancashire Lass, when he had been much impressed by his acting though not to the same extent.
“I do not suppose any man was more competent to give an opinion than my father. He was himself, as you know, a great actor. The fever of the footlights was always with him. He had a large number of friends in the dramatic profession, amongst them Macready and Fechter, the two greatest actors of his time.
“What a pity he did not live long enough to add Irving’s name to that brilliant list!
“Irving was certainly one of the most striking personalities I ever met, besides being, beyond all question, the most loyal and delightful of friends as I and those who are dear to me have good reason to know.