home in New York and a summer home, "Herne Oaks," near Southampton, L. I.

A distinguished English dramatic critic--probably the most thoughtful and scholarly of all English critics--in writing a series upon the condition of the drama in America, declares that one of Mr. Herne's plays was the most artistic theatrical production he saw in America, adding: "Mr. Herne is an unique actor and undoubtedly a very great stage manager."

Many years ago I called on Mr. Herne when he was in Lexington, Ky., and had a talk with him as to his genealogy and was satisfied (and he was too) he belonged to our Anglo-Norman family of Hearne, treated of in this work. I have lately endeavored to obtain from his family something more about him, but did not succeed. A few years ago, when he was in Kansas City, there was much in the newspapers about his being a Christian man, and on one Sunday morning he delivered an address at 11 o'clock from the pulpit of a prominent Disciples Church, that made a most profound impression, and the people generally accounted him a sincere Christian. And he more than this once filled the pulpit of some liberal church. He delivered the dedicatory address at Ford's Theater, Washington, D. C., in which President A. Lincoln was afterwards assassinated Apr., 1861.

In 1866 he married Helen Western and succeeded E. L. Davenport as leading man for his sister-in-law, Lucille Western, with "Margaret Fleming," which was first done in Boston. 1888 began Mr. Herne's fight against theatricism. The play dealt with the social problem, presented a naturalistic view of life and contained a great but daring situation. It was in advance of its time and provoked a great discussion and narrowly missed success. For twenty years he carried out his ideas of realism, which became with him a fad. He aimed in his plays to reproduce every lowly detail of the life he thought to suggest. He dealt with humble types, represented them among humble surroundings, avoided false theatrical climaxes and conventional conclusions. He delighted in his plays to draw pictures of home life, surround them with the atmosphere of love and contentment and portray the commonplace incidents of such existence. If he represented his characters at a Christmas dinner, the turkey was served hot, from the kitchen oven, and the aroma, escaped over the footlights into the nostrils of the audience. As a

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Thanks to Catherine Bradford for transcribing this page.