In this play, which, he could
tell them on the best authority in the world, his own, was a work of
surpassing genius, the Irish Question, which had baffled statesmen and
philosophers for centuries, is settled once and for all by the wisdom
and presence of mind of a Kerry kitchenmaid.
The Chairman said that perhaps the meeting might as well proceed with
its discussion, since there was always the possibility that the run
of Mr. SHAW'S play might not equal that of his last, which, he
understood, had just been produced in New York and had come off almost
at once.
Mr. HENRY ARTHUR JONES said that if any branch of art could effect
social transformations it was the drama. Personally he looked upon the
stage as only one degree less powerful than the Senate and vastly more
serious than the Church. Its first duty was to instruct, elevate and
reform; to amuse was never its true function. Hence, if the dramatists
of the country cared to take up the task of remedying the servant
shortage, the matter would be quickly settled. But only, added the
speaker with extreme gravity, if the authors of the pernicious rubbish
known as _revue_ were first gagged and bound.
Mr. MAX PEMBERTON said that, although he had given up _revue_ writing
in favour of transforming farcical plays, he felt that he might make
an appeal to the authors of _revue_ (who often exceeded the audience
in number) to join in this very laudable campaign. Speaking as one of
the two-and-twenty Hippodromios, although no longer in that capacity,
he would appeal to his successors to paint life below stairs in such
resplendent hues that the desire instantly to take service would be
implanted in every female bosom.
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