This book contains a collection of speeches made by Henry Irving. He was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility (supervision of sets, lighting, direction, casting, as well as playing the leading roles) for season after season at the West End's Lyceum Theatre, establishing himself and his company as representative of English classical theater. Later, he became the first actor to be awarded a knighthood, indicating full acceptance into the higher circles of British society.