With a Preface by
Sir William S. Gilbert

Published by Grant Richards, London, 1908.

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Dedication To my very good friend Mrs. D'Oyly Carte, to whose consideration and kindly thought for the comfort of all and sundry in her employ, is due the maintenance of the best tradition of the Savoy, that of "A Happy Family." Author's Note I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to Sir William S. Gilbert, not only for his kindness in supplying a Foreword to my book, but also for the self-imposed task of reading the proofs and pointing out certain errors. If it should be my misfortune in the following pages to wound in the slightest degree the feelings of any person I may have alluded to, I humbly implore all such persons to believe that it has been done quite inadvertently.

Foreword

I have been asked by my old friend Mr. Rutland Barrington to write a few words of introduction to his volume of reminiscences. I should have thought that he could do this for himself more effectively than I could do it for him, but perhaps he has formed such a modest estimate of his personal and professional claims to consideration that he is unwilling to draw a bill upon public attention unless his draft is, so to speak, " backed " by one who is in a position to testify to the fact that he is a man of undoubted substance. His action in the matter must be referable either to this motive or to an underlying principle, never to do for himself that which he can induce any one to do for him. Personally, I am
disposed to believe that both of these influences may be involved.

The private identity of a popular actor is, un doubtedly, an object of infinite curiosity to the
general body of playgoers who, having known him for many years under a plurality of physical and moral disguises, are naturally curious to know how he looks, acts, and thinks, when he is playing the leading part in the comedy, drama, tragedy, or farce of his own existence. I was myself the slave of this particular form of curiosity until it was extinguished by familiar intercourse with many distinguished members of the profession. I remember that when I was a boy of thirteen I followed Mr. Tom Barry (the then well-known clown at Astley's Amphitheatre) all the way from Temple Bar to Westminster Bridge, trying to make up my mind to ask him the time. Unfortunately, however, just as I had screwed up my
courage to the sticking point, Mr. Barry baffled me by turning suddenly into a public house of refresh ment, whither I had not the enterprise to follow him. I may state that I have long given up the practice of shadowing clowns.

Mr. Rutland Barrington's claims upon public attention are so numerous and so generally recognized that the incidents of his professional career, his private life, and his personal opinion on men and things, are sure to prove attractive and interesting to that vast body of his admirers who never see him except with a row of footlights between him and them. They know nothing of his performance in one of the best of his parts — certainly the longest — himself; and this volume reveals its many delightful characteristics. His native geniality, good humour, and sense of fun — qualities to which no one can testify more authoritatively than I — find kindred expression in a book which is eloquent both of the
man and his methods.

W. S. GILBERT.