eeling of scorn, yet it necessarily contains an awful amount
of truth when theatres are managed under the present mad conditions.
What art has ever made progress under laws dictated by the great
half-washed?

Half-a-dozen of the West End theatres are devoted to musico-dramatic
works which, whatever their merits in other respects, have none as
drama, and certainly have done little for the development of English
music. As a rule several houses are under the management of American
managers and they, putting Mr Frohman aside, rarely prove anything but
the sterility of America drama or their contempt for the taste of our
playgoers who, however, as a rule prefer native to imported
rubbish--hence grumbles in the United States about prejudice and unfair
play. Mr Frohman, as part of his repertory scheme, and otherwise as
well, has done something to help the modern English dramatist. Putting
Shakespeare out of the question, for of course he has nothing to do with
English modern drama, we have little in the ordinary London theatre that
is not the natural result of bad traditions, and the only progress made
is in the direction of increased dexterity in playwriting--unfortunately
increased dexterity as a rule in handling old subjects according to the
old traditions, which leave the stage curiously outside the world of
literature and also of ordinary human life.

On the other hand, thanks to the efforts of many enthusiasts working by
means of societies and clubs, such as the Independent Theatre--the first
of all--the Century Theatre, the (Incorporated) Stage Society, the
Pioneers, the Play Actors and others, and the Play-goers' Club, the O.P.
Club and the Gallery First Nighters, and also thanks to the efforts of
Messrs Vedrenne and Barker, at the Court Theatre, real progress has been
made in London towards the creation of an English modern theatre, and we
now possess a valuable body of dramatists, some to a great extent,
others altogether, neglected by the ordinary theatre. Speaking of these
dramatists collectively, it may fairly be said that their gifts are
greater, their ambitions higher and their theories of drama sounder than
those of their rivals who work for the ordinary theatre; and I should
add that the ordinary theatre is far richer in dramatists of quality
than it was twenty years ago. So we have the playwrights.

Also we have the plays. The publication in book form of the best native
pieces presented by the enthusiasts o