ΤΟ ALFRED J. DAVIES, Esq., Attorney-General to the Sette. (Vice-President, 1881; Secretary, 1884; President, 1887.) DEAR BROTHER DAVIES. During our long friendship you have rendered me many services, but none for which I feel more grateful than that you proposed me for election to the Sette of Odd Volumes. The best compliment I can offer in return is to dedicate my first opusculum to you. "Mutual Admiration" is the Odd Volume motto. then, admire each other. Let us, You are thoroughly imbued with the fine fleur of O. V. sentiment; you have filled every office in the Sette, winning golden opinions in each, and I dedicate this little sketch to you hoping that some of its imperfections may be pardoned on account of the esteem in which you are held by all the Brethren, and by none more than Your faithful friend, ELLARBEE, CLAPHAM COMMON, 1890. The Parodist. YOUR ODDSHIP, BRETHREN, AND GUESTS. T is almost exactly six years since Brother Frank Ireson, B.A., Artificer to the Sette, read a paper at the Freemasons' Tavern (January 9, 1884), entitled "A Sketch of the Pre-Shakespearian Drama," and I propose to resume the subject where he left off, and bring it down to the present day. Like Brother Ireson, I am content to call my paper a "sketch," for you will readily understand how superficial my notes must be when dealing with the momentous history of the English stage for the past three hundred years. What memories crowd upon the mind when we pause to consider how vast a field lies before us in this one topic, embracing as it does the literature of the Drama, Music, and Poetry; Scene Painting and Stage Decorations; Acting, Dancing, and Singing; History and Archæology for its Architecture and Costumes; Machinery and Printing; with artificial Illumination advancing by easy stages from the humble links and torches, to candles, thence to gas, and finally to the resplendent, if uncertain, beauty of the Electric Light." From the date of the production of the first English comedies, Ralph Roister-Doister, and Gammer Gurton's Needle, until Shakespeare's finest comedies were written, but a few short years intervened, and yet how immense was the progress made between the latter piece in which the simple plot consisted in the hunt for Dame Gurton's needle, to the highly wrought fancy and exquisite humour to be found in The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Much Ado about Nothing. I purposely instance these two plays, not only as two of Shakespeare's finest comedies, but also because I consider them eminently typical of his genius, and probably the most original of his dramatic works. Except in so far as it may be necessary to illustrate my subject, I do not intend to allude to Dramatic Literature, but propose to confine my attention to the Theatre itself, and the various arrangements made for the spectators; scenery, decorations, costumes, prices, playbills, and other details which relate more to the comfort of the public, than to their intellectual recreation. In the early days of the reign of Elizabeth the country swarmed with travelling actors, and mummers, and the common people were diverted by their rude and simple representations not only of the events of everyday life, but also by performances of the most solemn scriptural subjects. Elizabeth's ministers put these strolling players under some restraint, and a settled guild, or company, was formed, under Court patronage. Twelve of the leading players of the time were termed "Her Majesty's Comedians and Ser |