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A VERY PRETTY TALE BY ANDERSON.

MY DEAR MR. PUNCH,

In producing _The Winter's Tale_ at the Lyceum, that most charming young
actress, Miss MARY ANDERSON, deserves well, not only of her country (if
she insists upon calling England "abroad," like some of her
compatriots), but also of our country, which, I presume, was furthermore
the country of her ancestors. If the shade of Master WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE
will pardon the liberty, the play is a very good one. It has an
interesting plot, with plenty of scope for good acting, good music, and
last, and not least, good scenery. Why it should not have been revived
before I cannot imagine, unless it be that London theatres have men and
not ladies to manage them. Had it been produced in the IRVING _regime_,
Miss ELLEN TERRY could have played--and played well--the parts of
_Hermione_ and _Perdita_; but I fail to see where the name of the lessee
would have come in. _Leontes_ is not a very prominent personage, and
even had it been coupled with _Autolycus_, still the demands upon Mr.
IRVING'S talent would have been insufficient, not only to please
himself, but also (which is of equal importance) to satisfy the
audience.

[Illustration: A Picture from the Stone.]

However, when Miss ANDERSON takes the reins of stage management in to
her own fair and shapely hands, the necessity of providing for a
tragedian of the first class disappears. The "leading man" of her
company is Mr. FORBES-ROBERTSON--a most talented person. He can paint
pictures, and play remarkably well in certain characters. His _Captain
Absolute_ was far from bad, and his _Romeo_ more than good. As _Leontes_
he has a part rather out of his line; but, all things considered, he
fills it very well. It may be objected that he is rather effeminate, and
that his costume would have been more becoming had he worn what the
ladies (I believe) term "half sleeves;" but for all that, his reading of
the character was entirely conscientious, if not absolutely right. But
naturally the success of Saturday evening was Miss ANDERSON, who was as
matronly dignified as _Hermione_, as she was deliciously girlish as
_Perdita_. She "looked" both parts to perfection. It may be my fancy,
but I imagine she has greatly improved since we saw her last in London.
The bass notes of her silvery voice have mellowed, and her attitudes,
always graceful, are seemingly now more spontaneous, and consequently
more natural. Charming as