great and glorious things can be done with processions. . . . In a
real comedy the whole excitement may consist in the nervous curate
dropping his tea-cup; though I do not recommend this incident for the
drama of the drawing-room. But if he were nervous, let us say, about
a thunderstorm, the toy-theatre could hardly represent the
nervousness but it might manage the thunder-storm. It might be quite
sensational and yet entirely simple; for it would largely consist of
darkening the stage and making horrible noises behind the
scenes. . . .

The second and smaller rule, that really follows from this, is that
everything dramatic should depend not on a character's action, but
simply on his appearance. Shakespeare said of actors that they have
their exits and their entrances; but these actors ought really to
have nothing else except exits and entrances. The trick is to so
arrange the tale that the mere appearance of a person tells the
important truth about him. Thus, supposing the drama to be about St.
George let us say, the mere abrupt appearance of the dragon's head
(if of a proper ferocity) will be enough to explain that he intends
to eat people; and it will not be necessary for the dragon to explain
at length, with animated gestures and playful conversation, that his
nature is carnivorous and that he has not merely dropped in to tea.

There is some further discussion on colour effects ("I like very gay
and glaring colours, and I like to give them a good chance to
glare"). The paper concludes on a more serious note:

It is an old story, and for some a sad one, that in a sense these
childish toys are more to us than they can ever be to children. We
never know how much of our after imaginations began with such a
peep-show into paradise. I sometimes think that houses are
interesting because they are so like doll houses and I am sure the
best thing that can be said for many large theatres is that they may
remind us of little theatres. . . .

I do not look back, I look forward to this kind of puppet play; I
look forward to the day when I shall have time to play with it. Some
day when I am too lazy to write anything, or even to read anything, I
shall retire into this box of marvels; and I shall be found still
striving hopefully to get inside a toy-theatre.

Adults as well as children enjoyed this toy and it was often
described by