something almost of a scandalous
character to warrant interference," says Mr. Donne. "If you sift the
matter to the very dross, two-thirds of the plays of any period in the
history of the stage must be condemned. Where there is an obvious
intention, or a very strong suspicion of an intention to make wrong
appear right or right appear wrong, those are the cases in which I
interfere, or those in which there is any open scandal, or any
inducement to do wrong is offered; but stage morality is--the morality
of the stage, and generally, quite as good as the morality of the
literature of fiction." This does not define the Examiner's principle
of action very clearly. As instances of his procedure, it may be
stated that upon religious grounds he has forbidden such operas as the
"Nabuco" of Verdi and the "Mose in Egitto" of Rossini, allowing them
to be presented, however, when their names were changed to "Nino" and
"Zora" or "Pietro l'Eremita" respectively. On the other hand, while
prohibiting "La Dame aux Camelias"[1] of M. Alexandre Dumas fils, he
has sanctioned its performance as the opera "La Traviata." "I think,"
explained Mr. Donne, "that if there is a musical version of a piece it
makes a difference, for the story is then subsidiary to the music and
singing." Prohibiting "Jack Sheppard" he yet licensed for
representation an adaptation of a French version of the same piece.
Madame Ristori was not allowed to appear in the tragedy of "Myrrha,"
and the dramas which French companies of players visiting this country
from time to time have designed to produce, have been severely dealt
with, the Examiner forgetting, apparently, that such works should
rather be judged by a foreign than a native standard of "good manners
and decorum." As a result, we have the strange fact of the Examiner
stepping between the English public and what have been judged to be
the masterpieces of the French stage.

[1] "La Dame aux Camelias" obtained a license at last, and was
played for the first time in England at the Gaiety Theatre, on
the 11th June, 1881, with Mdlle. Sarah Bernhardt as the
representative of the leading character.

The Chamberlain has also held it to be a part of his duty to interfere
in regard to certain of the costumes of the theatre, when these seemed
to be more scanty than seemliness required, and from time to time he
has addressed expostulations to the managers upon the subject. It must
not be concluded, howe