200 THE REV. J. G. WOOD. 



In spite of the extreme severity of the weather, 

 however, so different from that to which all his life he 

 had been accustomed, my father suffered hut little, and 

 really did not take cold more often than he would pro- 

 bably have done during an ordinary winter in England. 

 Throughout his transatlantic visit, in fact, his health 

 was excellent, the constant travelling did not produce 

 its usual bad effect upon him, and almost all that he 

 complains of was the enforced irregularity of meals, 

 especially during the long railway journeys, with occa- 

 sional remarks upon the weak points of American 

 cookery. 



While staying in Boston he made the acquaintance 

 of Mr. Henry Irving, who was then touring in the States 

 with the entire Lyceum company. And very much he 

 seems to have appreciated his friendship, which took the 

 pleasant form of complimentary tickets for the theatre, 

 and invitations to supper afterwards. Here is one of 

 his notes upon the subject : 



Yesterday, just as I had sat down to luncheon, H. Irving sent 

 his carriage for me, saying that a box was at my service for The 

 Merchant of Venice. Of course the luncheon was let alone. I tried 



to find the S s, but they were not to be seen, and I had to go 



off alone ; so I had the box to myself, and felt horribly selfish. 



Fancy the S s' feelings when I told them at dinner ! They 



propose to wait in the dining-room all day, in case another offer 

 should be made. 



There was one most impressive scene. Shy lock's house is on a 

 canal, and just beyond it is a bridge, under which gondolas pass 

 continually. After Jessica has robbed her father under cover of the 

 masquerade, the revellers rush and dance across the stage. Just 

 after the disappearance of the last masquerader, Shylock is seen, 



