immediately sent away again, and therefore might be termed
"_The-on-and-off-'un_"), and, finally, of even that charming specimen of a
Girton Girl-Lecturer on Philosophy _Hypatia_ herself, well--to adopt HOOD'S
couplet about the Poor in London,--

"Where they goes, or how they fares, Nobody knows and nobody
cares."

The entire interest is centred in _Issachar_, and had the author devised
some strong dramatic climax (such as occurs in that play of SARDOU'S where
SARAH B. stabs PAUL BERTON) with which to finish the piece, when the
Prefect should have been killed either by _Issachar_ or by _Miriam_ (SARDOU
would have made _Issachar's_ daughter the heroine--the SARA BERNHARDT of
the piece) then, in the penultimate Act, anything tragic, or otherwise,
might picturesquely and appropriately have happened to the classic Girton
girl, _Hypatia_, and Master _Phil 'Ammon_, the good young Monk so inclined
to go wrong, to the great contentment of the audience.

Mr. TREE makes a thoroughly oriental type of _Issachar_, and it is within
an ace of being a grand impersonation. What that ace exactly is, it is
somewhat difficult to say, but what _is_ wanting is wanting in his great
scene with his daughter. If the dramatist had given him such another final
chance as I have already suggested, the character might have been
dramatically perfected in Mr. TREE'S hands. As it is, both by author and
actor it is left "to be finished in our next."

Mr. TERRY is good as the amatory Monk, and Miss JULIA NEILSON is
statuesquely graceful as _Hypatia_. If I say "she is making strides in her
profession," I must be taken to allude not to her vast improvement
histrionically, but to the long steps which she takes across the stage.

The costumes are admirable, especially that of _Issachar_, on whose attire
the Messrs. NATHAN as Israel-lights-and-leaders must be considered high
authorities.

[Illustration: From an Ancient Vase found in the Haymarket.]

Mr. ALMA TADEMA, R.A., is responsible for the designs of the scenery by
Messrs. JOHNSTONE, HANN, HALL, and HARKER. [Great chance for 'ARRY 'ere!
"Scenery by 'ANN--a lady artist of course--then 'ALL and then 'ARKER, from
designs by HALMA TADEMA." "I s'pose HALMA'S a artistic shemale," 'ARRY
would say: "cos I know as there's another HALMA on the stage, leastways on
the Music 'All stage, and she's HALMA STANLEY."] Whatever the designing
ALMA may have done, I cannot say much for the reproduction of his fa