was thrillingly effective; and the whole five acts went very well from beginning to end, the audience being preternaturally quiet,--which disconcerted me until my theatrical mentor praised the silence of that vast crowd, as the best possible sign of success: they were held enthralled as one man till the end came, and then came thunder.

Not thinking of what was expected of me in the way of thanks for the ovation their concluding cheers assailed me with, I got out of the theatre as quick as I could, and was half way to my hotel when two or three excited supers rushed after me with a "Good God, Mr.
Tupper, come back, come back, or the place will be torn down!" so of course I hurried to the front--to encounter a tumult of applause; although I must have looked rather ridiculous too, crossing the stage in my American cloak and brandishing an umbrella! However, no one but myself seemed to notice the incongruity, and as I had humbly obeyed the people's will, they generously condoned my first transgression.

I ought to record that my heroine Bertha was charmingly acted by Miss Henrietta Hodgson, now Mrs.Labouchere, who will quite recollect her early triumph in Martin Tupper's first play.

My best compliments and kindly remembrance I here venture to offer to her.
The second play, "Raleigh," is very differently constructed; for whereas the time of action in "Alfred" was three days,--that of "Raleigh" was sixty years: in fact with the former I dramatised a single conquest, with the latter the varied battles of a long life.

I have several times read all my plays before audiences at my readings, and know the points that tell.