swer, that all of us at times are in peril
of undervaluing the efforts of the player by suggesting that he has not
got full measure out of his part. Perhaps we do occasionally some
injustice in this respect; we may imagine that a character ought to act
better than it is acted when in fact the author has failed to carry out
his intentions, and it is impossible for the player to make the part
seem other than that of a dummy. Even in cases where we make such a
mistake there may be grounds for the opinion expressed. It cannot be
shown _a priori_ that our opinion is unjust, though a failure afterwards
by several actors of incontestable excellence to give life to the part
might prove that we were wrong. In other words, the criticism upon the
face of it is fair, and here is its distinction from what is being
blamed. Possibly it looks as if the whole matter were one of form; even
if this be so, the fact is no answer. In some aspects of life it is more
important to seem just than to be just. It is of real moment that
nothing should be done to diminish the by no means extravagant weight of
dramatic criticism either in the opinion of the public or that of
authors and players.

His Honesty

A little while ago there was a meeting of creditors. The debtor was a
dramatic critic. There was a great deal of talking. The assets were in
inverse ratio to the debts and one creditor, registered under the
Moneylenders Act, was very wrathful. Time after time he kept making his
suggestion that the debtor was able to get something from his friends
wherewith to pay his enemies; and at last, under some pressure, he spoke
clearly.

He suggested that as the debtor was still the dramatic critic of an
important paper he ought to go and see some of the leading managers and
get assistance from them. The speaker was confident that they would
gladly advance a substantial sum to a man in the debtor's position
without any expectation of direct repayment. What happened after this,
of course, was a matter of no importance; but it was interesting and
surprising to find a man of business believing that the dramatic critics
are easily corruptible, corrupt and corrupted. We are very honest,
without being entitled to boast of our honesty; we are like the ladies
who from time to time on the stage are bitterly attacked by a heroine
with a past. We are ferociously virtuous because we have not been
sufficiently charming to be tempted. The phrase "chicken and cha