We pass from Florentine to Neapolitan, and find just
the same flimsy love-story, just the same yoimg man who
is hoping to marry a little below his position. Of the



THE DIALECT THEATRE 273

slightness of the stories and scenes, I will give two
instances. In the last play which I saw of the Neapolitan
Company, the whole of the last act consisted simply of
the return of the company from a wedding, and the
leave-taking of the young people. Take another instance
— a whole play, this time. Theme, the attempt and failure
of a young Florentine butcher to cut a figure in the
world. In Act I. he is going off to Milan, and there
are affectionate leave-takings. Act II. is occupied by
speculations as to why his letters have ceased to come.
In Act III. he returns, once more in a butcher's frock, and
they all fall on his neck. The play is entitled ' Home,
Sweet Home.' It would make a very pretty short story
for ' Home Notes ' ! ^

I pass on to the second consideration — one that has
frequently been suggested against me in argument. But
since shortness of time ajid the presence of pre-conceived
ideas had usually been the obstacles to developing an
argument in reply, let us take our revenge now.
They ' hold up the mirror to Nature.' In what does
this consist ? The argument that can be put to an English-
maji in a way that would not be possible to an Italian.
