_Spectator._--That is singular! If I did not require this, why should the scene painter take so much pains to draw each line in the most perfect manner, according to the rules of perspective, and represent every object according to its own peculiar perfection? Why waste so much study on the costume? Why spend so much to insure its truth, so that I may be carried back into those times? Why is that player most highly praised who most truly expresses the sentiment, who in speech, gesture, delivery, comes nearest the truth, who persuades me that I behold not an imitation, but the thing itself? _Agent._--You express your feelings admirably well, but it is harder than you may think to have a right comprehension of our feelings. What would you say if I reply that theatrical representations by no means seem really true to you, but rather to have only an appearance of truth? _Spectator._--I should say that you have advanced a subtlety that is little more than a play upon words. _Agent._--And I maintain that when we are speaking of the operations of the soul, no words can be delicate and subtle enough; and that this sort of play upon words indicates a need of the soul, which, not being able adequately to express what passes within us, seeks to work by way of antithesis, to give an answer to each side of the question, and thus, as it were, to find the mean between them. _Spectator._--Very good. Only explain yourself more fully, and, if you will oblige me, by examples. _Agent._--I shall be glad to avail myself of them. For instance, when you are at an opera, do you not experience a lively and complete satisfaction? _Spectator._--Yes, when everything is in harmony, one of the most complete I know. _Agent._--But when the good people there meet and compliment each other with a song, sing from billets that they hold in their hands, sing you their love, their hatred, and all their passions, fight singing, and die singing, can you say that the whole representation, or even any part of it, is true? or, I may say, has even an appearance of truth? _Spectator._--In fact, when I consider, I could not say it had. None of these things seems true. _Agent._--And yet you are completely pleased and satisfied with the exhibition? _Spectator._--Beyond question. I still remember how the opera used to be ridiculed on account of this gross improbability, and how I always received the greatest satisfaction from it, in spite of this, and find more and more pleasure the richer and more complete it becomes. _Agent._--And you do not then at the opera experience a complete deception? _Spectator._--Deception, that is not the proper word,--and yet, yes!--But no-- _Agent._--Here you are in a complete contradiction, which is far worse than a quibble. _Spectator._--Let us proceed quietly; we shall soon see light. _Agent._--As soon as we come into the light, we shall agree. Having reached this point, will you allow me to ask you some questions?