... . gIR> So the Th&Ltre Frantjais has gone. Weil, it was a veritable fire-trap. But how pre-eminontly famous. It was without doubt the finest school of acting in the world, and throughout all its historical vicissitudes it has preserved its original character, its fine sense of proportion and dignity, and tho maintenance of discipline and balance. Some of your readers may be unaware that during ...

... Sir, I have watched with, considerable interost the correspondence in The Stage with regard to playwrights and tho pro vinces. I am acquainted with one would- be dramatist who submitted his play to a provincial manager and hoard no more of it for fifteen months! After repeated ap plications for the return of his MS., ho received it baok crumpled and torn, and without any letter or apology on ...

... Sir, Many managers have taken advan tage of the railway companies' consideration towards us by carrying four or five times the recognised weight allowed. It is this abuse which has brought the matter to the front. If the railway companies could bo induced to raise the allowance to 3 cwt. per pas senger, limiting the length of scenery to, say, 18 ft., providing one truck for the conveyance of ...

... SIR,--Re Mr. H. B. Irving's letter pleading for the admission of novices into the Actors' Association, I cannot commence this letter better than by quoting THE STAGE of last week:-- 44 1 am afraid th enthusiasts young actor has written more from his heart than from his head. It is not a matter for sentiment, but for stern business. Still, I honour him for his outspoken, if somewhat Quixotic ...

... PLAYWRIGHTS AND THE PROVINCES. Sir, For the encouragement of the budding dramatist who has been crying out his grievances in your columns lately I recommend tho careful normal of tho following correspondence which has passed between a very well-known theatrical agent and an equally well-known dramatic author. The fortunes of the dramatic author has its varied phases, but tho budding dra matist ...

... SIR,--Allow me to join heartily with Mr. Newman Flower in pressing upon the Actors' Association the advisability--nay, the necessity--of providing, as an adjunct to their main sphere of operations, the department of play reading advocated by Mr. Waldron. I need not occupy your space in restating the arguments in favour of such a de parture they aro sufficiently obviou, and have already been ...

... ADMISSION TO THE A. A. SIR,--Permit me to call particular attention to the very valuable and timely reminder contained in Mr. H. B. Irving's plea for the retention of the present conditions of professional employment demanded by the rules and regulations of the Actors' Association--namely, that the society was established for the actor's protection and not for his instruction. lo my mind, ...

... SIR,--Managers when taking tickets for their company on the three-quarter fare system are asked to sign a paper which states that the scenery, etc., is carried at owner's risk. If the manager attempts to evade signing he is informed that it is only a matter of form, etc. One of our managers recently with a pantomime lessly did this, and during the transit tne nxles of the wheels ran hot, ...

... SIR,--It appears to me that the discussion now being carried on in your columns under the title of Playwrights and the Provinces, while bringing to light many real and imaginary grievances, is not likely to be productive of any tangible results; and, for this reason, I beg leave to formulate below a scheme which may possibly yield i a more fruitful field for argument. I do this, sir, with ...

... RAILWAYS AND GOODS. Sib, The Stage deserves the hearty thanks of tho whole of the theatrical pro fession, aotors as well as managers, for railing attention lo a very serious clanger ahead. It is to bo hoped that your warn ing has come in time, for if the railways carry out their threat to hamper touring managers with new charges for baggage and scenery 1 fear the business will bo- rome ...

... CARDIFF ORCHESTRA FUND. SIR,--The committee of tho Empire (Cardiff) Orchestra Fund beg to state to the subscribers and the general public that the subscription list scheme for the relief of the sufferers by the fire of October 31 last has turned out a complete success. Appended is a complete list of the subscriptions, and a statement as to the use made of the money: --Collected by Mr. D. ...

... SIR,--Job and Griselda possessed the virtues of patience, but it is rather an unfashionable merit nowadays, so in the true spirit of modern irritability I must confess my exasperation at the way your correspondents state their just grievances. The question that I ask myself over and over again is, Do they really seek emancipation from the deplorable obscurity that hides them and their works ...