| Author: | Merivale, Herman Charles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | 3 Lower King's Road, Kingston on Thames | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | 1887, May, 23 | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (4 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | A word and a blow & thanks for the cheque. The fair American upsets the apple-cart. What was the bargain? He understood Irving held all English rights in Delpit's piece and wanted him to do a version for £250 which she was to take to America to retrieve her fortunes. Merivale did it to please Irving and never dreamed of the Gaiety business and Mr Edwardes altering his play to the lady's satisfaction. He only learned it from the papers and then the lady's acting manager said the Gaiety arrangement was for four months, followed by an American stage where they hold the French rights. They must deal with him. Merivale does not want to argue with Mrs Potter and must settle his arrangement with Irving first. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | This seems to be about Delpit's play 'Mdlle de Bressier' which Irving was still negotiating in June, see Letters 1893-94 and 2422. Cora Brown Potter appeared in it, as Merivale's 'Civil War', at the Gaiety in June 1887. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/31) | ||
| Ref.No: | 2427 | ||
| Author: | Merivale, Herman Charles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Hazard Side, Eastbourne | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | 1882, Dec., 18 Monday | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (3 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | All he proposes to reserve is the author's ordinary rights of which he gives details. Chapman & Hall are publishing his first book of verse called 'White Pilgrim and other poems'. If it is a sin to covet literary honours he is most guilty. He writes of acting rights - if Irving provides the correct jargon he shall have the rights for himself and his heirs for the sum agreed. Irving meant to give £500, Merivale meant to ask £700 - £600 seems a fair settlement. Congratulations on being the first manager who ever made 'Much Ado' run. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | Terms and rights for 'Ravenswood'. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/31) | ||
| Ref.No: | 2407 | ||
| Author: | Merivale, Herman Charles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Hazard Side, Eastbourne | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | 1882, Dec., 20 | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (4 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | He sends and discusses modifications of the agreement for Irving's acceptance. Legally it would be one-sided without them. Things may happen to any of them. He attacks the Americans - the Englishman has no defence against the 90% who are thieves. They often take short hand notes and publish. He tells a story about Genevieve Ward who saw 'Jane Shore' in England and managed to purloin a copy from the [Wilson?] Barretts which she took to America and played. They had no redress. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | The agreement for 'Ravenswood'. | ||
| Document Holder: | BTC (Reference: 2006/0078 (Box 2)) | ||
| Ref.No: | 2419 | ||
| Author: | Merivale, Herman Charles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Hazard Side, Eastbourne | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | 1882, Dec., 21 | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (1 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | Thanks for the cheque. He hopes that 'Edgar and Lucy' [Ravenswood] prospers some day. He wishes all theatrical negotiations were as plain and straightforward. Shall he write 'The Pirate' for Irving to produce in America? Seasons greetings from his wife and self. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | 'The Pirate' is a joke referring also to literary piracy. | ||
| Document Holder: | BTC (Reference: 2006/0078 (Box 2)) | ||
| Ref.No: | 2420 | ||
| Author: | Merivale, Herman Charles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Garrick Club | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | 1887, June, 26(?) | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (4 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | He is annoyed but must put himself straight with Irving. The difficulty with 'Mdlle de Bressier' was the end. He wrote a strong scene which was for Irving's approval only. The Gaiety business began without consulting him and he wanted nothing to do with it, so restored the French ending which was not good enough. A third was not approved either. He felt he must retire and up to that time there had not been one rehearsal with all the company present. Without his knowledge a morning performance has been announced for the next day. He does not know the ending but wishes Irving to know he kept his bargain. He has not received a penny. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | According to Nicoll Merivale's 'Civil War' which is his version of this play, was performed at the Gaiety on 27th June. See Letters 2422, 2427, &c. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/31) | ||
| Ref.No: | 2428 | ||
| Author: | Merivale, Herman Charles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Chiltern Lodge, New Malden | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | 1890, Aug. | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (2 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | He is very ill and wishes he could talk to Irving about the play [Ravenswood]. He suggests 'The Bride of Lammermoor' for the title. If he had been well he would have changed the father into the brother. Irving must add a note about the omission of the Scottish dialect for purposes of tragedy, especially with Caleb. He hopes the Latin hymn will work - the words are entirely his. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | The final revision before the production in September. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/31) | ||
| Ref.No: | 2437 | ||
| Author: | Merivale, Herman Charles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Cockwood, Claygate, Surrey | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | 1889, July, 28 | ||
| Document Type: | Postcard (2 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | He is asking his publishers to send Irving 'The White Pilgrim'. He wishes he could have a matinée of it at T.R.L. [the Lyceum]. 'The White Pilgrim', a lovely woman in idea, has always been done by a man, except on the first night 15 years before when the Pilgrim was drunk. It is interesting to learn from the 'Era' that Irving was in Scotland the day before - good travelling even for Mephisto! | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | Merivale's 'The White Pilgrim; or, Earl Olaf's Vow' was performed at the Court Theatre in February 1874. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/31) | ||
| Ref.No: | 2434 | ||
| Author: | Merivale, Herman Charles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Cockwood, Claygate, Surrey | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | 1889, Nov., 11 | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (4 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | He has fallen in love with Irving's acting since 'Macbeth' and wanted to see 'The Dead Heart' but too late. He asks Irving to condescend like the great John Coleman to answer a letter for once. He wants him to look at 'Edgar & Lucy' [Ravenswood] again. Their agreement ends in 1890 so he will publish it if they cannot agree on acting rights. He has gout and his wife's mother has died but he can have a chat and chop at any time. He notes Irving is to give Toole a banquet, but after one to Pears' Soap it seems absurd. He suggests a burlesque on 'The Dead Heart' and complains that Frank Burnand appropriated his idea for 'Punch' without answering, whilst Toole seriously stated his inability to stage one. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | |||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/31) | ||
| Ref.No: | 2435 | ||
| Author: | Pollock, Frederick | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | 13, Old Square, Lincoln's Inn. | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | 1898, Feb., 23 | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (4 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | A friend living in Paris has shown him a specimen of a translation of 'Cyrano de Bergerac', about which Irving has already heard. The translator is Mme Gladys Thomas. He has compared it with the original and if not ideal (only Swinburne or Meredith could provide that) it is far above average. It is English yet true to the French but not servile. He needs no reply - he would like to see 'Cyrano' produced in England by Irving. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | |||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/34) | ||
| Ref.No: | 2448 | ||
| Author: | Merivale, Herman Charles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address: | Chiltern Lodge, New Malden (Cockwood, Claygate, Surrey crossed through) | ||
| Recipient: | Irving, Henry | ||
| Address: | - | ||
| Date: | 1890, Aug., 26 | ||
| Document Type: | Letter (4 p.) | ||
| Content Summary: | He comments on 'Ravenswood' as the title for his play. He also thinks it a tragedy though "play" is safe if Irving has misgivings. He then lists seven misprints in the working text. | ||
| Published: | - | ||
| Notes: | 'Ravenswood' opened on 20th September. | ||
| Document Holder: | THM (Reference: THM/37/7/31) | ||
| Ref.No: | 2449 | ||