■ -. '. • ■ AN INTERVIEW. (M Otffi SPECtAf. HEPOETEE.) Few authors, probably, have revealed iSOre of their personality in their writings than has Max O'Rell, and as all my readers have, of couree, read those charm* mg books of his, they must, equally of course, know a good deal about him. Several hundreds of them heard his "lecture" at the Theatre Royal last night, and several thousands of them will read the report of it, and thereby acquire still more information about him. What, then, can 1, the interviewer, tell them of him? Perhaps I had better remark here that this article no more deserves the title of "An Interview," though I have written it atop, than Max O'Rell's sparkling chat at the: Theatre deserves that of "Lecture'* — •' awful word. Those persons who, misled by the title, began the perusal of this in expectation of being treated to " important statements," Facts, with a capital F, Figures, and Oracular Utterances, such as are generally administered to the public through the medium of an interview, had better stop reading just here — and then go and get a copy of last Saturday's Times, 1 and refresh, themselves with a column or two of wool sales, a capital corrective of the effects of frivolous reading. The' author — Max O'Rell himself— the lecturer — aleo Max O'Rell himself— and the re porter have had their say about my Subject, and have left me nothing but to record the impressions— the reason why I prefer that word to "opinions" will appear farther on, derived from a familiar and very informal chat with M.. Blouet (ia there one of the several thousand readers of the Lyttelton Times who does not know that Max O'Rell's real name is Blouet ?) which I had yesterday after noon. About an hour after the renowned author and humorist arrived in Christ church from Timaru, I was ushered. by the " muoh'travelled " E. S. Smy the into a room at Coker's Hotel. 