--not a drama merely echoing the drama of other
lands--lies inherent in the race. Who knows that they may not induce
that wayward man of genius, J.M. Barrie, to become the parent of Scots
drama by honestly and sincerely using his rare gifts as dramatist in an
effort to express the pathos and the humour, the courage and the
shyness, the shrewdness and the imagination, and also the less agreeable
qualities and characteristics of our brothers across the border.

And England? I have little first-hand knowledge of the provinces, but
with such as I possess, and the aid of the _Era Annual_ and the _Stage
Year Book_, can state unhesitatingly that the position is very
unsatisfactory. Admirable, valuable work is being done bravely by Miss
Horniman at Manchester; Mr F.R. Benson and his company devotedly carry
the banner of Shakespeare through the land; but in the main the
playhouses of the provinces and great cities of England offer little
more than echoes of the London theatres, and such original works as are
produced in them generally are mere experiments made on the dog before a
piece is presented in London. In this respect, the suburbs resemble the
provinces, although Mr J.B. Mulholland courageously makes efforts to
give Hammersmith something new and good. The Coronet has seen some
valuable ventures--perhaps Notting Hill is not a suburb--and at the
moment is devoted to the production of real novelties.

In the West End theatres of London the position at first sight seems
desperate. During the last twenty years, in consequence of the
intervention of middlemen, rents have risen 100 per cent.; owing to the
folly of managers the salaries of the company have increased to a
similar extent; whilst the cost of scenery, costumes and the like also
has grown enormously. Indeed, it is probably an under-statement to
allege that the money spent in running a theatre on the customary
commercial lines is twice as great as it was in 1890. Yet the price of
seats has not been raised. Consequently theatre management has become a
huge gamble, in which there are few prizes, and the amount of money lost
annually is great. Naturally, under such circumstances the principal,
almost the only, aim of the ordinary manager is to please the masses.
Many concessions are made to the wishes of the crowd, and by way of
excuse the phrase "the drama's laws the drama's patrons give" is
quoted. It is painful to think that people can quote Johnson's line
without a f