+ Boucicault ending.
Act II.--Jefferson.
Act III.--Burke + Jefferson + ending suggested by Shakespeare's
"King Lear."

But, however the credit is distributed, Jefferson alone made the play as
it lives in the memories of those who saw it. It grew by what it fed on,
by accretions of rich imagination. Often times, Jefferson was scored for
his glorification of the drunkard. He and Boucicault were continually
discussing how best to circumvent the disagreeable aspects of _Rip's_
character. Even Winter and J. Rankin Towse are inclined to frown at the
reprobate, especially by the side of Jefferson's interpretation of _Bob
Acres_ or of _Caleb Plummer_. There is no doubt that, in their
collaboration, Boucicault and Jefferson had many arguments about "Rip."
Boucicault has left a record of the encounters:

"Let us return to 1865," he wrote. "Jefferson was anxious to
appear in London. All his pieces had been played there. The
managers would not give him an appearance unless he could offer
them a new play. He had a piece called 'Rip Van Winkle', but when
submitted for their perusal, they rejected it. Still he was so
desirous of playing _Rip_ that I took down Washington Irving's
story and read it over. It was hopelessly undramatic. 'Joe', I
said, 'this old sot is not a pleasant figure. He lacks romance. I
dare say you made a fine sketch of the old beast, but there is no
interest in him. He may be picturesque, but he is not dramatic. I
would prefer to start him in a play as a young scamp, thoughtless,
gay, just such a curly-head, good-humoured fellow as all the
village girls would love, and the children and dogs would run
after'. Jefferson threw up his hands in despair. It was totally
opposed to his artistic preconception. But I insisted, and he
reluctantly conceded. Well, I wrote the play as he plays it now.
It was not much of a literary production, and it was with some
apology that it was handed to him. He read it, and when he met me,
I said: 'It is a poor thing, Joe'. 'Well', he replied, 'it is good
enough for me'. It was produced. Three or four weeks afterward he
called on me, and his first words were: 'You were right about
making _Rip_ a young man. Now I could not conceive and play him in
any other shape'."

When finished, the manuscript was read to Ben Webster, the manager of the
Haymarket Theatre, London, and to Charles Reade