DEATH OF BRAM STOKER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1461, 8 June 1912, Page 9

DEATH OF BRAM STOKER.

f, The death took place at iC) St. George's Sciuare, London, S.W., on Saturday, April 20, aftcra lon;,' illness, of Mr. Brum Stoker, who for nearly .'io years was the intimato friend of Sir llenvy Irving. Mr. Stoker had been ill since l!!0li. Brain, or baplismally Abraham, Stoker was born in Dublin in 1817, his father Abraham being one of the officials in the Chief Secretary's Department in (ho Castle. He was educated at Trinity College, where he won honours in science, mathematics, oratory, history, and composition, besides distinguishing himself as a sportsman and debater. He was for sonic time in the Irish Civil Service as Inspector of Pelty Sess'.ons, and was engaged in journalism as well, both as editor of an evening paper and as a dramulio critic. How long he would have been content tc play these humble, though miscellaneous parts it is impossible to say; but in IS7U or thereabouts he first enmo into contact with Henry Irving, and two years later he hud permanently thrown in his lot with him as his manager and confidential secretary, and he remained with him until tho end. Few men have played the part of Alius Achates to a great personality with mora gusto. Mr. Stoker must have found his new life thoroughly congenial. lie shared Irving's counsels in all his enterprises; went about with him in the closest relationship of confidential friend end right-hand man; assisted at the many brilliant entertainments which his chief gave during the heyday of the Lyceum; mot and was cordially treated by people of all sorts and conditions; and knew thoroughly the ins and outs of the finan : cjal side of tho riskiest of all professions. I'roni IS7S, the year in which Irving became lessee and manager of the Lyceum, to lflOo, when ho died, the takings, as Stoker tells us, exceeded two millions. When the crash came, Stoker remained loyally «t liis friend's side, during years which would have been fatal to less enduring spirits by the contrast which thev afforded to the dazzling triumphs which had preceded them. After Irvine's death it was not unnatural that Stoker should write his biography; and this task Mr. Stoker performed with his customary enthusiasm. A fluent anil flamboyant writer, with a manner and mannerisms which faithfully reflected the mind which moved the pen. Stoker managed to find limey amid much arduous and distracting work, to write a. good deal. He.was tho master of a particularly lurid ajid creepy kind of fiction, represented bv "Dracuhi' and other novels; ho hr.d also essayed musical comedy, and had of Into years resumed his old connection .with journalism. Hiit his chief literary memorial will he his Knininiscouces of Irving, a book which with all its extravagances and shortcomings—Mr. Stoker was no very acute critic of his elu'ef as an actor—cannot but. remain h valuable record of the workings of genius as (hev appeared to his devoted associate anil admirer.