the skull in his hand: Shakespeare
here suggests the words 'Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him well--'"

"Yes, yes!" we interrupted, in spite of ourself, "'a fellow of infinite
jest--'"

"Your intonation is awful," said the Actor. "But listen. In my
interpretation I use no words at all. I merely carry the skull quietly
in my hand, very slowly, across the stage. There I lean against a pillar
at the side, with the skull in the palm of my hand, and look at it in
silence."

"Wonderful!" we said.

"I then cross over to the right of the stage, very impressively, and
seat myself on a plain wooden bench, and remain for some time, looking
at the skull."

"Marvellous!"

"I then pass to the back of the stage and lie down on my stomach, still
holding the skull before my eyes. After holding this posture for some
time, I crawl slowly forward, portraying by the movement of my legs and
stomach the whole sad history of Yorick. Finally I turn my back on the
audience, still holding the skull, and convey through the spasmodic
movements of my back Hamlet's passionate grief at the loss of his
friend."

"Why!" we exclaimed, beside ourself with excitement, "this is not merely
a revolution, it is a revelation."

"Call it both," said the Great Actor.

"The meaning of it is," we went on, "that you practically don't need
Shakespeare at all."

"Exactly, I do not. I could do better without him. Shakespeare cramps
me. What I really mean to convey is not Shakespeare, but something
greater, larger--how shall I express it--bigger." The Great Actor paused
and we waited, our pencil poised in the air. Then he murmured, as his
eyes lifted in an expression of something like rapture. "In fact--ME."

He remained thus, motionless, without moving. We slipped gently to our
hands and knees and crawled quietly to the door, and so down the stairs,
our notebook in our teeth.

III WITH OUR GREATEST SCIENTIST

As seen in any of our College Laboratories

It was among the retorts and test-tubes of his physical laboratory
that we were privileged to interview the Great Scientist. His back was
towards us when we entered. With characteristic modesty he kept it so
for some time after our entry. Even when he turned round and saw us his
face did not react off us as we should have expected.

He seemed to look at us, if such a thing were possible, without seeing
us, or, at least, without wishing to see us.

We handed him our card.

He took it, read it, d