... THE ART OF ADVERTISING. SIR,--Your correspondent, Mr. Davis, in his letter on the above subject, remarks, In fit-up towns the agent always gives out his briefs himself, whereas in theatres they have different systems of distributing them in the shape of books, monthly passes, &c., which an agent has no control over. Now this statement which we all know to be correct, suggests the double ...

... THE CHILI WIDOW. SIR,--A very disgraceful and scandalous slander has, we are informed, been circulated by certain members of the Playgoers' Club, and has found its way into print in this week's issue of the St. James's Budget, to the effect that we submitted our manuscript of The Chili Widow to Mr. Clement Scott prior to the production of the play with a reading fee of ten pounds. A more ...

... Sir,-- May I, through the columns of your valuable paper, comment on a remark mado by Mr. Arthur Davis. Ho says that if managers, instead of picking up novices at 30s., were to get a decent man at a good alary it would be much better. Now this is all very well, but allow me to inform Mr.Davis plenty of good agents are working for 35s. and 30s., and if Mr. Davis will put an advertisement in The ...

... LIABILITY OF LESSEES. SIR,--The posting of notices by local managers, disclaiming responsibility as to dressing-rooms, mentioned by Mr. Renaud Lockwood in your last issue, though increasing the temptation to theft, does not, as a matter of fact, divert the lessee of his liability. He provides theatre, stage, and dressing- rooms for the travelling company, and just as he is liable for any ...

... COVENT GARDEN FUND. Str, Thanks are duo to Mr. O. Han- clinge for his letter, published in your lasl issue, respecting the Covent Garden Fund. The question requires thorough recon sideration altogether, and, if need be, a fresh committee appointed. The thing is easily enough dona Select tho societies (and there are not oo manv) that come under the denomination of theatrical and dramatic, and ...

... LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. THE TOURING QUESTION. SIR,--Killing the goose which lays tha golden egg has always beon an enterprise in which mankind has shown remarkable ingenuity. When one looks round at the vast amalgamations of theatres, run by syndicates of business men, one cannot but be forcibly reminded of the truth of tlys assertion. From what other causes have these amalgamations sprung ...

... SIR,--Your laudable efforts to form a Touring Managers' Association will, I hope, be crowned with success, a, though I write in no spirit of antagonism to resident managers of theatres, from whom, as a whole, I meet with fair and in many instances generous treatment, yet there aro many theatres which are carried on in a manner which only requires a few words from your powerful and ...

... PRONUNCIATION. SIR, --The defects and difficulties of English orthoepy considered specially in connection with dramatic elocution, havo been brought under our immediate notice by a letter and a leading article, which it is to be hoped will greatly encourage this branch of study, so long neglected by the vast majority of actors. E. L. O. gave voice to the perplexity and elissatistaction ...

... BOYS' PARTS. Sir, I cannot, as one of an audience, agree with your correspondent Ihcspie the Second that audionces withhold then sympathy from a lx>y actor playing a boy part, and ,4 readily extend it to a^ girl playing a boy's part; neither can 1 agree that a girl plays the part of a boy better. No matter how woll the part be played, il by a female (I cannot say girl, as we Ire- quently see a ...

... SIR,--The proposed scheme for the above at the Lyceum on Friday last, for which you have agitated so long in your columns, ought to meet with the support of every member of the profession who has not only the welfare of the stage at heart as a profession, but who at the same time recognises that, the stage is about to be put on such a basis that it will be lifted permanently on to a level ...

... THE PLAY QUESTION. SIR,--I am extremely glad to see that your Correspondent L. has been brave enough again to broach the idea in your columns of a Society of Dramatic Authors. I am firmly convinced that the only way of raising the dramatic supply out of its present indescribable state of chaos is by the organised co-operation of the playwrights, but, strange to pay, the chief diffloultv ...

... SCENIC ARTIST TROUBLES. SIR,--In your issue of last week, under the heading of Working Staff Notes, a paragraph appears from a stage carpenter on tour, who credits his manager, in response to a refusal to accept a reduction of salary on account of bad business, with saying that in addition to the carpenter's legitimate calling, he could get a man who was a good scenic artist, and would ...