playwright has not found himself at one time
or another hampered by the necessity of weaving
a love-intrigue into a plot which left no room
for it, breaking up a serious drama with inter-
ludes of farce,- or elaborating into dispropor-
'^Z^*" tionate prominence a part for the manager or
oiiivion. for the leading actress ? Our theatre would
offer a sort of safety-valve for the relief of this
pressure. Subjects naturally suited for five-
hundred-night triumphs, with star parts, female
interest, and comic relief complete, would still
be treated after the received managerial recipe
for the ordinary commercial theatres ; themes
which do not offer all these advantages would
be handled according to their inherent capa-
bilities with a view to more modest success on
a stage which should have no room for five-
hundred-night triumphs. A hundred nights of
popular success are sometimes gained by the
sacrifice of qualities which might have secured
a hundred years of genuine vitality.
