AT AN early age Charles Lamb was taken to his first play and his
interest in the theatre persisted through life. His devotion to the
stage was not merely a passive enjoyment of the play as per-
formed, but was really a satisfaction of impulses in him that
resulted in his writing memorable pieces of criticism of plays
and actors, essays on principles of the drama and the theatre and
other creative work of an original nature. Besides, there were
the prologues and epilogues which he furnished for plays writ-
ten by others, his own personal criticism of many contemporary
plays, published and unpublished, and perhaps best of all, the
intimate association with many actors and actresses which bore
fruit in memorable conversations and numerous delightful
stories.

The period was not a proud one in the production of new
plays, but it was a golden age of acting and it may well be said
that the glamour of London was its theatre. Covent Garden and
Drury Lane -- these were the names to charm. Around each of
these two bright spots there were the darkness and the lowness
of London's poor and criminal life but once over the threshold
into the fairyland of these theatres, the drab world outside was
soon forgotten. The sights and sounds of the city seemed to
come to their finest expression in these two theatres. What they
must have been to many a charmed enthusiast has been lovingly
described by Charles Lamb in his Elia essay, "My First Play."

"At the north end of Cross-court there yet stands a portal,

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