y remembered. With the careless
mechanicism of human speech, the technicalities of practical mumming
were retained in these productions when they had ceased to be
concerned with the stage at all.

To say, then, in the present case, that a writing in play-shape is
not to be played, is merely another way of stating that such writing
has been done in a form for which there chances to be no brief
definition save one already in use for works that it superficially
but not entirely resembles.

Whether mental performance alone may not eventually be the fate of
all drama other than that of contemporary or frivolous life, is a
kindred question not without interest. The mind naturally flies to
the triumphs of the Hellenic and Elizabethan theatre in exhibiting
scenes laid "far in the Unapparent," and asks why they should not
be repeated. But the meditative world is older, more invidious,
more nervous, more quizzical, than it once was, and being unhappily
perplexed by--

Riddles of Death Thebes never knew,

may be less ready and less able than Hellas and old England were to
look through the insistent, and often grotesque, substance at the
thing signified.

In respect of such plays of poesy and dream a practicable compromise
may conceivably result, taking the shape of a monotonic delivery of
speeches, with dreamy conventional gestures, something in the manner
traditionally maintained by the old Christmas mummers, the curiously
hypnotizing impressiveness of whose automatic style--that of persons
who spoke by no will of their own--may be remembered by all who ever
experienced it. Gauzes or screens to blur outlines might still
further shut off the actual, as has, indeed, already been done in
exceptional cases. But with this branch of the subject we are not
concerned here.

T.H.

September 1903.

CONTENTS.

THE DYNASTS: AN EPIC-DRAMA OF THE WAR WITH NAPOLEON

Preface

PART FIRST

Characters

Fore Scene. The Overworld

Act First:--

Scene I. England. A Ridge in Wessex
" II. Paris. Office of the Minister of Marine
" III. London. The Old House of Commons
" IV. The Harbour of Boulogne
" V. London. The House of a Lady of Quality
" IV. Milan. The Cathedral

Act Second:--

Scene I. The Dockyard, Gibraltar
" II. Off Ferrol
" III. The Camp and Harbour of