THE COKNEBSTONES OF MODEKN DEAMA 721 



that we shall march to it. But if there is to be any stability and 

 permanence in the movement, it must be a national one. We must 

 engage the sympathies and co-operation of all classes. We have many 

 schisms and sects in religion; let us have none in the Drama. 



I have taken much time, and, I fear, I have taxed your patience 

 in thus clearing the ground. But having cleared the ground, we can 

 begin to lay the cornerstones. I have already told you what seem 

 to me to be the cornerstones of any school of Drama worthy to be 

 called national in such countries as America and England. Perhaps 

 I may here repeat them in the order of their importance. They are 

 these : 



I. The recognition of the Drama as the highest and most difficult 

 form of Literature; the establishment of definite and continuous 

 relations between the Drama and Literature. 



II. The acknowledged right of the dramatist to deal with the seri- 

 ous problems of life, with the passions of men and women in the 

 spirit of the broad, wise, sane, searching morality of the Bible and 

 Shakespeare, his release from the hypocritical fiction that his fellow- 

 creatures are large wax-dolls stuffed with the sawdust of sentimen- 

 tality and impossible self-sacrifice. To sum up, the establishment of 

 definite and continuous relations between the Drama and reality. 



III. The severance of the Drama from popular entertainment ; the 

 recognition of it as a fine art' which, though its lower ranges must 

 always compound with mere popular entertainment, and be confused 

 with it, is yet essentially something different from popular enter- 

 tainment, transcends it, and in its higher ranges is in marked and 

 eternal antagonism to popular entertainment. To sum up, the 

 establishment of definite and continuous relations between the Drama 

 and her sister Arts. 



IV. The establishment of those relations between actor and author 

 which shall best aid the development of the Drama; the recognition 

 by the public that there is an art of the Drama as well as an art of 

 Acting; the assignment of their due place and functions, and oppor- 

 tunities to each; the breaking down, so far as may be possible, of the 

 present deadening system of long runs; the provision of training 

 schools for actors so that they may get constant practice and experi- 

 ence in varied roles, so that the auxiliary arts of the Drama and 

 the Theatre may keep pace and tune with each other; so that the art 

 of Acting may not languish for lack of new plays, and that the art 

 of the Drama may not languish from the lack of competent and 

 serious actors. To sum up, the establishment of rigidly definite rela- 

 tions and well-marked boundaries between the art of the Drama and 

 the art of Acting, to the benefit and advancement of both actor and 

 author. 



These seem to me to be the four cornerstones upon which we must 



