ly's_ character; and if we may
hope for its continuance into the next generation there seems every
prospect that the children she may bear to _Trotter_ (now released from
_Julia_ and free to marry the right woman) will not have their
development hampered by excess of prudery.

Mr. CHARLES HAWTREY as _Trotter_ played with his old easy skill and
seemed to take a more than usual interest in the play. He was supported
(as they say) by a particularly brilliant cast, including Miss LOTTIE
VENNE as the aunt, Mr. ERIC LEWIS as _Emily's_ father, Mr. FREDERICK
KERR as _Sir Samuel_, Miss HELEN HAYE in the thankless part of _Julia_,
and Mr. NIGEL PLAYFAIR as a self-effacing phantom of a lover. All were
in great form; but, next to Miss GLADYS COOPER, whose natural charm and
ingenuous _espieglerie_ were a perpetual delight, I offer my profoundest
compliments to the short but extraordinarily clever performance of Mr.
H. R. HIGNETT as _Trotter's_ man _Francis_. This is the day of stage
valets, but he was an exceptional treasure. To a quiet taste for
philosophy he added an infinite tact; and by the lies which he poured
into the telephone to cover his master's breach of engagement to _Julia_
he moved _Emily_, herself a gifted artist, to admiration.

The author, Mr. H. M. HARWOOD, must be congratulated on a farce that at
its best was really excellent fun. And he may take it for flattery, if
he likes, when I say that a good deal of his dialogue might be adapted
into the French without offending our gallant Allies on the ground of a
too insular squeamishness. O. S.

* * * * *

THE INDURATION.

Think not, dear love, because my cheek
With grief grows neither grey nor hollow,
Because no pharmacist I seek
In quest of arsenic to swallow,
Because I do not wince and weep
By day and night for cardiac pains,
That my fond passion falls on sleep,
Or, secondly, my worship wanes.

For these are strenuous days of strife
That steel the soul of every Briton;
Sterner and stronger grows our life
Till simple bards become hard-bitten;
So when, each Thursday, I propose
(As usual) to wed my fair,
I frankly find her changeless "No's"
Not half so poignant as they were.

* * * * *

From an almanack of appropriate quotations:--

"JANUARY 27.
Thursday.
_German Emperor born_, 1859.

O welcome, pure-ey'd Faith, wh