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218 I have never heard of a Duchess riding in a four-wheeled cab. I consider such a state of things impossible. I do not profess to be a judge of metaphysics, because I do not know what metaphysics are. I consider very likely that I am a judge of metaphysics without knowing it. I am in the habit of hissing a play as soon as I am bored. I consider it quite likely that I might be bored by scenes with which other people might be pleased. There is no accounting for tastes. I do not know whether hissing a dull scene at the commencement of a play would or would not be likely to disconcert the actors and render them unfit to do justice to their parts. I consider that that is their look out.

—I was a member of the audience to-night. I was heartily bored by the Prisoner's play. I saw nothing to complain of in the scenes dealing with High Life, but I consider the scene in the grocer's back parlour, ridiculously impossible.

Cross-examined.—I am an officer in the Grenadier Guards. I have had some experience of stage-plays. I believe that nothing is easier than to write a good stage-play. I have written one myself. I found it extremely easy. Mounting guard was an intellectual exercise not to be mentioned in the same breath with it. My play has not been produced—not yet. I have shown it to several managers—they hesitate to produce it, on the ground that it is too intellectual. I had no objection to bring it down to the comprehension of the