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A DRAMATIC CRITIC
upon a stage fiction, come together in my
mind. It is not uncommon to hear close
observers of the life of cities speak of the
peculiar remoteness and aloofness of the
theatrical profession from other orders of
humanity; but only a very small propor-
tion even of thoughtful persons come near
to realizing how complete is the separa-
tion of the actor and actress from other
men and women. The conditions of mod-
ern life, with the prevailing passion for
publicity, incarnated in the newspaper
reporter, whose necessity knows no law,
and expended with special force upon the
people of the theatre, who often seem to
invite notoriety, have, in fact, accomplished
very little in breaking down the barriers
which divide " the profession " from the
rest of the world. The race of gypsies does
not lead an existence more alien from its
entourage than the order of players. Here
and there, actors or actresses of uncommon
distinction or definite social ambition,
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