nces of the horrible
and the trifling comments upon them establish the existence of the
distinction indicated, but they may be of some assistance to those who
endeavour to explore the matter. It is at least pleasant to note that
there is a modern tendency to obtain effects of the horrible by appeals
to the imagination rather than to the senses.

It should be added that Mr F.R. Benson presented a Frankenstein play
written by Mr Stephen Phillips, but the question of the horrible
appearance was discreetly avoided.

The Immorality Play

The summer visit to London of foreign players generally gives birth to
discussions upon several topics. Of course the question as to the
relative merits of French and English acting is raised. Upon this, one
may give a warning to the thoughtless not to accept as universal the
vague proposition that the French are a nation of born actors. Of course
everybody each year points out that it is absurd there should be several
foreign companies at a time in London cutting the throats of one
another, as to which one may say that the matter is far more complicated
than most people suppose.

The point worth nothing is the choice of plays by our visitors. Some of
them no doubt are wise; Bernhardt, for instance, recognizes the fact
that a showy piece with a big part for her is exactly the right thing
provided that it is easily understood by the Berlitzians and
Ollendorffians. There are others, however, such as Madame Rejane, more
ambitious, who in their selection of plays do some disservice to their
country.

The humour of Mr Gilbert's line "The not too French French bean" appeals
irresistibly to the English.

There has long been a vague idea in British bosoms that our neighbours
in sexual matters are far more immoral than ourselves. This is not the
occasion upon which to examine the causes and origin of such a decidedly
erroneous view. One may, however, single out one of them. It is largely
the fault of writers of fiction that we remain in ignorance, or
rather--and this is worse--in error concerning the character of our
amiable neighbours.

In former days, putting aside the naughty farces not supposed to present
a picture of actual life, most French dramas were quite sound in
conventional morality. Augier presented some wicked people, such as
Olympe, concerning whom he invented the phrase _la nostalgie de la
boue_; but he was unequivocably moral in his aims, and preached the
sanctity of marr