Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 4).djvu/287

 of one of Mr. Irving's dearest friends brought many a happy reminiscence to mind.

"Ah!" said Mr. Irving, as he looked at the picture, "the brilliancy and exquisite style of Mathews have never been excelled. In my early days Mathews was a true friend to me—yes, and in the later days too. I remember when I first went to the St. James's Theatre; I went as stage manager, and there were a lot of old actors there—amongst them Frank Matthews and Walter Lacy. I was a young man amongst these old stagers. I admit to feeling nervous, and was fearful lest I might do something which the older men might resent. The first day came. All went very nicely, and we were just commencing to rehearse 'The Belle's Stratagem,' when who should skip on to the stage but Charles Mathews! Stopping the rehearsal for the moment, he rushed up to Frank Matthews and Walter Lacy.

Ah! Frank, my boy—Walter! One moment. My young friend, Irving—Frank, Walter. Be kind to him. Good-bye. God bless you!' And he was gone.

"Mathews had a tender heart. Here is another kindness of Mathews. I once played a part in London, and was very much cut up by the Press. Mathews was round at my rooms almost as soon as the papers were out. He talked to me for over an hour, cheered me up, and did more for me in that hour than I can tell. I heard afterwards that as soon as he read the notices in the papers at his breakfast, he got up there and then, left his meal unfinished, and hurried away.

"Mathews and I were one day looking through an album, and came across a drawing of the back of a man.

Lafont!' I cried.

"Mathews cried out, 'What do you know about Lafont?'

I've seen him act,' I replied.

"Mathews turned to me very quietly, and said: 'To that