That Sothern attached great importance to this
step in his professional career is amply proved by
the fact that when, some eleven years later, he
made his first appearance as Lord Dundreary at
the Haymarket, he caused himself to be announced
as " formerly of the Theatre Royal, Birmingham."
" What a diflference," I often heard him say, when
in the days of his fame he revisited the town,
** between the time when I came over from Wol-
verhampton to play Frank Friskley on these
boards, and right thankfully accepted an engage-
ment at thirty shillings a week, and now, when
I turn money away from the doors ! But the
difference is more in the public than in. me. I was
probably as good an actor then as I am now. Like
many other men, I wanted finding out, and I must
confess that I have been very lucky." In those
days Mr. Simpson was the manager of more than
one theatre, and, after a short but satisfactory
engagement in Birmingham, Sothern was told off
to play in Liverpool ; but, disliking this enforced
return in his 'prentice days to his native town, he
gave up the idea of waiting for his opportunity



SOTHERN ON THE STAGE. 11

with Kean, and accepted an oflFer that was made to
him to try his fortune in America.
