_Milverton_. I think one of the causes sometimes assigned, that reading is more spread, is a true and an important one; but, otherwise, I fancy that the present decline of the drama depends upon very small things which might be remedied. As to a love of the drama going out of the human heart, that is all nonsense. Put it at the lowest, what a great pleasure it is to hear a good play read. And again, as to serious pursuits unfitting men for dramatic entertainments, it is quite the contrary. A man, wearied with care and business, would find more change of ideas with less fatigue, in seeing a good play, than in almost any other way of amusing himself. _Dunsford_. What are the causes then of the decline of the drama? _Milverton_. In England, or rather in London,—for London is England for dramatic purposes; in London, then, theatrical arrangements seem to be framed to drive away people of sense. The noisome atmosphere, the difficult approach, the over-size of the great theatres, the intolerable length of performances. _Ellesmere_. Hear! hear! _Milverton_. The crowding together of theatres in one part of the town, the lateness of the hours— _Ellesmere_. The folly of the audience, who always applaud in the wrong place— _Dunsford_. There is no occasion to say any more; I am quite convinced. _Milverton_. But these annoyances need not be. Build a theatre of moderate dimensions; give it great facility of approach; take care that the performances never exceed three hours; let lions and dwarfs pass by without any endeavour to get them within the walls; lay aside all ambition of making stage waves which may almost equal real Ramsgate waves to our cockney apprehensions. Of course there must be good players and good plays. _Ellesmere_. Now we come to the part of Hamlet. _Milverton_. Good players and good plays are both to be had if there were good demand for them. But, I was going to say, let there be all these things, especially let there be complete ventilation, and the theatre will have the most abundant success. Why, that one thing alone, the villainous atmosphere at most public places, is enough to daunt any sensible man from going to them. _Dunsford_. There should be such a choice of plays—not merely Chamberlain-clipt—as any man or woman could go to. _Milverton_. There should be certainly, but how is such a choice to be made, if the people who could regulate it, for the most part, stay away? It is a dangerous thing, the better classes leaving any great source of amusement and instruction wholly, or greatly, to the less refined classes. _Dunsford_. Yes, I must confess it is. Great part of your arguments apply to musical as well as to theatrical entertainments. Do you find similar results with respect to them? _Milverton_. Why, they are not attended by any means as they would be, or made what they might be, if the objections I mentioned were removed.