ig in the ascendant just now. No fower than three first-class houses have the Bard of Avon in their programmes. Sir Henry Irving has revived the Merchant of Venice at the Lyceum; Mr. Alexander has produced "Much Ado about Nothing at the St. James's, and Mr. Tree is still playing Julius Cuesar at Her Majesty's. Yesterday afternoon Mr. 'Tree gave a private porformance. and filled his house with actors and actresses and dramatists and critics. Tt was a most enthusiastic house, for nobody enjoys playgoing like' the actors; and on every side one heard between the acts expressions of surprise and delight at the wonderful state management of the crowds. Those who remember the visit of the Suxe-Meiningen Company a few years ago, and the praises which were shoirered on them for their all-round excellence, have to admit that Mr. Beerbohm Tree has nothing to learn from Germany. There is no stroke of genius in his rendering of Mark Antony, but it is a highly praiseworthy performance, and the same may be said of every one of the prominent parts in the play.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.