other hand, at any rate when Miss Farr’s or Miss Allgood’s music is used, be sung or spoken with minute passionate understanding. I have rehearsed the part of the Angel in the _Hour-Glass_ with recorded notes throughout, and believe this is the right way; but in practice, owing to the difficulty of finding a player who did not sing too much the moment the notes were written down, have left it to the player’s own unrecorded inspiration, except at the ‘exit,’ where it is well for the player to go nearer to ordinary song. I have not yet put Miss Farr’s _Deirdre_ music to the test of performances, but, as she and I have worked out all this art of spoken song together, I have little doubt but I shall find it all I would have it. Mr. Darley’s music was used at the first production of the play and at its revival last spring, and was dramatically effective. I could hear the words perfectly, and I think they must have been audible to anyone hearing the play for the first or second time. They had not, however, the full animation of speech, as one heard it in the dirge at the end of the play set by Miss Allgood herself, who played the principal musician. It is very difficult for a musician who is not a speaker to do exactly what I want. Mr. Darley has written for singers not for speakers. His music is, perhaps, too elaborate, simple though it is. I have not had sufficient opportunity to experiment with the play to find out the exact distance from ordinary speech necessary in the first two lyrics, which must prolong the mood of the dialogue while being a rest from its passions. Miss Farr’s music will be used at the next revival of the play. Mr. Darley’s music for _Shadowy Waters_ was supposed to be played upon Forgael’s magic harp, and it accompanied words of Dectora’s and Aibric’s. It was played in reality upon a violin, always pizzicato, and gave the effect of harp playing, at any rate of a magic harp. The ‘cues’ are all given and the words are printed under the music. The violinist followed the voice, except in the case of the ‘O’, where it was the actress that had to follow. W. B. YEATS. _March, 1908._ THE KING’S THRESHOLD. _THE FOUR RIVERS._ FLORENCE FARR. The four rivers that run there, Through well-mown level ground Have come out of a blessed well That is all bound and wound By the great roots of an apple, And all fowls of the air Have gathered in the wide branches And Keep singing there. ON BAILE’S STRAND. _THE FOOL’S SONG._ FLORENCE FARR. Cuchulain has killed kings, Kings and sons of kings, Dragons out of the water and witches out of the air, Banachas and Bonachas and people of the woods. Witches that steal the milk, Fomor that steal the children, Hags that have heads like hares, Hares that have claws like witches, All riding a-cock-horse, Out of the very bottom of the bitter black north.