This ends the second section of the book. Were it not for the passage on
The Battle Hymn of the Republic, the chapters thus far might be entitled:
"an open letter to Griffith and the producers and actors he has trained."
Contrary to my prudent inclinations, he is the star of the piece, except
on one page where he is the villain. This stardom came about slowly. In
making the final revision, looking up the producers of the important
reels, especially those from the beginning of the photoplay business,
numbers of times the photoplays have turned out to be the work of this
former leading man of Nance O'Neil.

No one can pretend to a full knowledge of the films. They come faster
than rain in April. It would take a man every day of the year, working
day and night, to see all that come to Springfield. But in the photoplay
world, as I understand it, D.W. Griffith is the king-figure.

So far, in this work I have endeavored to keep to the established dogmas
of Art. I hope that the main lines of the argument will appeal to the
people who have classified and related the beautiful works of man that
have preceded the moving pictures. Let the reader make his own essay on
the subject for the local papers and send the clipping to me. The next
photoplay book that may appear from this hand may be construed to meet
his point of view. It will try to agree or disagree in clear language.
Many a controversy must come before a method of criticism is fully
established.

* * * * *

BOOK III

MORE PERSONAL SPECULATIONS AND AFTERTHOUGHTS NOT BROUGHT
FORWARD SO DOGMATICALLY

At this point I climb from the oracular platform and go down through my
own chosen underbrush for haphazard adventure. I renounce the platform.
Whatever it may be that I find, pawpaw or may-apple or spray of willow,
if you do not want it, throw it over the edge of the hill, without ado,
to the birds or squirrels or kine, and do not include it in your
controversial discourse. It is not a part of the dogmatic system of
photoplay criticism.

CHAPTER XIV

THE ORCHESTRA, CONVERSATION, AND THE CENSORSHIP

Whenever the photoplay is mixed in the same programme with vaudeville,
the moving picture part of the show suffers. The film is rushed through,
it is battered, it flickers more than commonly, it is a little out of
focus. The house is not built for it. The owner of the place cannot
manage an art gallery with a circus on his hands.