Mr. Charles Reade is a great deal too sensitive. He
recently pro- duced a drama called " Shilly Shelly," founded on Mr. Trollope's novel, "Ralph the Heir," and as there are vulgar people in it, he makes them use vulgar sayings. None of them, as reported, are really gross, though of course an actor can make anything gross he pleases ; but Mr. Lee, a critic on the Advertiser, was extremely shocked, chiefly, it would seem, at one of the oldest proverbs in the language, "He must marry her in her smock." He accordingly called the play indecent, and Mr. Reade, who has rather a mania on the subject of "prurient prudes," suspects " combinations " against him, and does not understand the genuine Philistine, brought an action for libel. The jury gave him a verdict, which was right, and 2200, which was a good deal too much, as after all, critics ought to be allowed to be over-nice and squeamish, if they like. That is a failure of the intellect rather than an offence. A member of the Croydon School Board the other day denounced a proposal for hanging up the Com- mandments in the school-rooms, on the ground that the Seventh was so improper and suggested such bad ideas. Would Mr. Reade, in Mr. Spottiswoode's place, have indicted him for libel, or have let him alone, as a man too stupid to be worth notice.
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