rds because her costume does not suit her style, because her figure
is sacrificed for the sake of the frock, because dainty little features
are overwhelmed by gowns of strident colour and overshadowed by terrific
headgear. The coiffeur is often to be blamed. Questions of "make-up"
may be concerned with the case.

The question, like all questions, has another side. These remarks may be
answered with some force by saying that the illusion of the stage would
disappear if all the costumes in a play were harmonious, since no one
could pretend that all the characters are likely to have dressed
themselves in order to agree with the colouring of the scenery, or to
have chosen costumes in order to harmonize with one another.

The cynic would even hint that probably if the dear ladies thought of
the matter at all they would try to chose frocks likely to crush those
of their friends, and that no one going into society would venture to
use subtle shades or tranquil tints for fear of suffering like the
painters of delicate pictures at the hands of the waggish Hanging
Committee of the Royal Academy, which loves to put a work shrieking with
vigorous colour by the side of a placid canvas that appears insipid by
reason of the contrast. The reply to this answer is that we have hardly
reached a degree of truth to life which renders it pertinent--and
probably never will. Certainly there might be a noticeable fault if all
the dresses of ladies of different families obviously showed the design
and _facture_ of one modiste. This could easily be avoided without
prejudice to the point of harmony in colour and congruity of line.

Is it extravagant to hope that some day a dress rehearsal will be a
rehearsal of dresses at which some person of taste--everyone would
accept Mr Wilhelm--will see all the frocks actually worn by the
actresses upon the stage under the ordinary lighting conditions, against
the scenery intended to be employed and then point out what is necessary
to produce a real harmony of colour and also to take full advantage of,
and in some cases enhance, the beauty of face and form possessed by the
ladies who are to appear in the play?

One more point may be touched upon. Stage managers should pay more
attention to suitability of costume and require actresses to make
sacrifices repugnant to their natural and desirable instinct for
coquettishness. One often sees a player in a costume utterly
inconsistent with the poverty of the char