Autograph Letter Signed ("H Irving") to an unidentified recipient

2 pages 8vo, Lyceum Theatre, [?] May 1893

Henry Irving, most famous actor of the Victorian stage, writes to a "friend" who will be his "guest tomorrow night", adding, "I am greatly looking forward to the pleasure of being with you", and "I am not sure whether your brother is coming, should be delighted if he joined you", assuring the recipient that "I could easily get another ticket". 

Irving was performing in Tennyson's Becket at the time this letter was written.

Irving's characteristic scrawl is evident here (Bram Stoker, Irving's business manager at the Lyceum Theatre, usually wrote his mail for him, and had marginally more legible handwriting). There is one almost-indecipherable word (a name), which looks to be "Pinero": "I put your more than handsome donation upon Pinero's list & we all are very grateful to you." The donation perhaps was for the Actor's Benevolent Fund, which Irving had founded in 1882. He was the President of the Fund until his death in 1905.

Contemporary ink blot above the recipient's name; very slight age-toning to edges, otherwise in good condition.

Stock Code: 239772