g of revulsion if any of the actresses who have made
history--in the Divorce Court--were chosen for the part of the Virgin
Mary.

This is said without for one moment suggesting that the players are one
whit the worse in their way of living than the rest of us, or that
managers of theatres are wickeder or more unscrupulously commercial than
anyone else. Yet, speaking of the managers, one is forced to admit that
the majority consult the taste of the majority, that many are willing
enough to pander to vulgar cravings, and it is not imaginable that,
unless our stage can be put upon a new basis, a freedom to produce
religious or Scriptural drama would fail to cause great scandals.

As the matter stands, the attitude of the Censor, though not logical, is
not wholly unsatisfactory; it is ludicrous enough that he should have
adopted an ostrich policy towards Mr Jerome's piece, yet no harm has
been done by the production of this sincere and respectful drama.
Indeed, some good may have come from it. In an ideal world, no doubt, we
should all be severely logical; in England we are radically illogical,
and we carry out most of our affairs on a basis of compromises.

If you do not call your leading character Christ in the theatre you may
call him Christ outside, seems the proposition implied in the licence
for _The Passing of the Third Floor Back_, but the very basis of the
authority of the Lord Chamberlain is such that one cannot apply logic to
his decrees and say that because he has permitted this he must sanction
that. Some of these remarks may seem to suggest that it is advisable the
office should be retained, which is not the case. We pay too high a
price for it since it tends to paralyse the drama; on the other hand it
is to be hoped that so long as the office exists the holders of it will
be very careful concerning any efforts to exploit the Scriptures for the
profit of the theatres.

The success of the St James's play will cause a rush of people, anxious
to go "one better"--or worse--than Mr Jerome. No harm--possibly some
good--may come from the present piece, but the circumstances should be
regarded as exceptional. We have few playwrights so earnest as Mr
Jerome, few actors or managers with such high ideals as those of Mr
Forbes Robertson. It seems permissible and advisable to add that this
article is not written from the point of view of one who professes to be
"on the side of the angels," but merely as a protest agains