SCENE II.--_Dining-room. Massive and substantial oak furniture. Birch's

statuette of_ THE MODERN MATHEWS _as David Garrick near the window. The walls are covered with exquisite examples of Reamore, Toulmonche, Ethoper, &c., views of Spain, Venice, and all places suggestive of sunshine and dark-eyed maidens, having for companion canvases pictures of English rural life, Scotch cattle, Welsh valleys, and Irish lakes._

THE MODERN MATHEWS (_aside_): M.C.! M.C.! M.C.!

INTERVIEWER: And you never forget your parts?

THE MODERN MATHEWS: Oh! I beg your pardon. Now, if you hadn't spoken I should have found that case in another minute! No, I've never forgotten a part since I was dismissed by Mrs. John Wood in New York in 1864. It was the first time I ever played an important part, and I had a very long speech to make. This speech always frightened me--it was a perpetual nightmare. I used to dream about it, breakfast with it, lunch, tea, dine, and sup with it. When the eventful night came I found myself only thinking of the words instead of their meaning. I had to give a glowing description of a young girl's beauty, crying out: "Drunk with enthusiasm, I exclaimed," etc., etc., etc. I had reached the word "Drunk," when all became a blank. I repeated the word two or three times, and finally went for it with "_Drunk_--I exclaimed--happy the being," etc.! I was dismissed.

(_Barking heard off. Dogs rush on._)

THE MODERN MATHEWS: My dogs! Call them after the characters I play. Come here Davy--that's Garrick. I adopt the same plan with my horses. I've got a parrot upstairs--Cockie. You should see Davy and Cockie fight. Cockie's got a prize-fighter's nose--Davy broke it for him. Come upstairs.

_Again by the same arrangement we are transported to_--