of more than ordinary merit which undoubtedly have a claim to be admitted into the repertory of a National Theatre, and with which they individually were specially identified. But while I appreciate the wisdom and justice of inviting those gentlemen who have hitherto borne the burden of theatrical management to contribute the best of their talent to the stage of a National Theatre, I fail to see the advantage of their help on the executive. However eminent as an expert a man may be, his use on the executive entirely depends on the confidence he inspires among his fellow-councillors, and it is only necessary to read the names of those who constitute the executive to realize that there is no possibility of any one personality dominating the council. As a consequence, the committee breaks up into groups whose aims are more political than practical. The second urgent matter for consideration by the executive was the provincial Repertory Theatre. Where is the advantage of a National Theatre in London unless there are existing at least six Repertory Theatres in the provinces which may serve as training grounds for actors and for the experiments of dramatists? Every encouragement, then, should have been given to our leading municipalities to interest themselves in raising money to endow local Repertory Theatres, and the executive of the London Memorial would be doing more good to the cause of drama by spending the interest of its capital in helping these local theatres to come into existence than by wasting their money in the way they are doing at the present time. Indeed, it seems as if the only hope of a National Theatre becoming a reality will consist in the assurance that the capital already raised shall be set apart for the endowment fund, and that only the interest of this capital shall be available for expenditure by the executive committee. INDEX Acheson, Mr. Arthur, on "Troilus and Cressida," 100 Act-drop, the, 119 Acting and stage illusion, 7; rapid delivery, 17; Heywood on, 19; as a business, 217; character acting, 219 _et seq._ Actors: Elizabethan, 8, 9, 20, 21; prosperity and position of, 22; apprentices, 24; qualities of, 24; in double parts, 25; relations between authors and, 44; hired players, 45; Elizabethan, and the construction of Shakespeare's plays, 51, 53; elocution of, 56 Actors, English: and English tragedy, 177; personality of, 219 Agincourt, representation of, 48 "All is True," 87 Alleyne, Edward, 79 Apprentices, actors', 24 Archer, Mr. William, and popular taste in drama, 193 _et seq._ Bacon and the writing of drama, 39 Bacon-Shakespeare controversy, 38 Badger, Mr. Richard, 229 Barker, Mr. Granville, 194, 202 Barrie, Mr. J. M., 195 Bell's edition of Shakespeare, 51, 58 Blackfriars Theatre, 45, 68, 115, 208 Boy actors in women's parts, 9 Boyle, Robert, and "Henry VIII.," 93 Brandram, Samuel, 166