Page:Marie Corelli - the writer and the woman (IA mariecorelliwrit00coat).pdf/358

 neither trouble nor expense in anything that may bring them pleasure or good.

It is well-known that she thinks it regrettable that the Memorial Theatre should be so little used, owing to the high fees asked for it, and that good actors should find it impossible to risk going down to perform there, unless their expenses are guaranteed, particularly as it is the only "self-endowed" theatre in England! She possesses an interesting letter from the late Charles Flower, who gave the largest share of the money required to build the place, in which it is plainly set forth that his idea of the theatre was to let it at a merely "nominal fee," in order that the best actors might go to Stratford and play Shakespeare's works, in the best manner, to the Stratford townspeople, who were only to be asked "popular" prices for admission. But, since that estimable benefactor's death, things have not been exactly on the footing he thus suggested, and for more than half the year the theatre is empty and useless, which seems a pity. "How much better," says Miss Corelli, "it would be to see the theatre full, and the public-houses empty!" In which most people will agree with her. But though her opinions are very strong on these and other points concerning some matters at Stratford, she never interferes or puts forward any suggestions