Punch or the London Charivari, Vol. 147, November 25, 1914

aff is the central obsession by a printed quotation from the words of "That Wise Ruler Queen Elizabeth of England," where she says: "'Tis simple mirth keepeth high courage alive." But yet he does not convince me that he has chosen wisely here. For in the first place we are not closely interested in civil war, as we came near to being in the dim Ulster period; and patriotism, which it is his object to encourage, is like to remain unaffected by a play in which our sympathies are fairly distributed between rebel and royalist. In the second place I cannot believe that the glorification of drunkenness and braggadocio in the person of Falstaff can directly assist the cause (which at this moment needs all the help it can get) of sobriety and self-respect.

[Illustration: The King (Mr. BASIL GILL) reclaims young Harry (Mr. OWEN NARES) from old Harry (the Devil).]

Having made this protest I have little but praise for the performance itself, though I think Sir HERBE