ot be denied that the
influence of society tended to narrow the outlook of English dramatists
and to trivialize their tone of thought. But this was a passing phase of
development; and cleverly trivial representations of reality are, after
all, to be preferred to brainless concoctions of sheer emptiness.

Quite as important, from the economic point of view, as the
reconciliation of society to the stage, was the reorganization of the
mechanism of theatrical life in the provinces which took place between
1865 and 1875. From the Restoration to the middle of the 19th century
the system of "stock companies" had been universal. Every great town in
the three kingdoms had its established theatre with a resident company,
playing the "legitimate" repertory, and competing, often by illegitimate
means, for the possession of new London successes. The smaller towns,
and even villages, were grouped into local "circuits," each served by
one manager with his troupe of strollers. The "circuits" supplied actors
to the resident stock companies, and the stock companies served as
nurseries to the patent theatres in London. Metropolitan "stars"
travelled from one country theatre to another, generally alone,
sometimes with one or two subordinates in their train, and were
"supported," as the phrase went, by the stock company of each theatre.
Under this system, scenery, costumes and appointments were often
grotesquely inadequate, and performances almost always rough and
unfinished. On the other hand, the constant practice in a great number
and variety of characters afforded valuable training for actors, and
developed many remarkable talents. As a source of revenue to authors,
the provinces were practically negligible. Stageright was unprotected by
law; and even if it had been protected, it is doubtful whether authors
could have got any considerable fees out of country managers, whose
precarious ventures usually left them a small enough margin of profit.

The spread of railways throughout the country gradually put an end to
this system. The "circuits" disappeared early in the 'fifties, the stock
companies survived until about the middle of the 'seventies. As soon as
it was found easy to transport whole companies, and even great
quantities of scenery, from theatre to theatre throughout the length and
breadth of Great Britain, it became apparent that the rough makeshifts
of the stock company system were doomed. Here again we can trace to the
old Pr