Q - "What effect does an academic training have on a person who wishes to become an actor?"

Undoubtedly academic training has a good effect upon the education of an actor, but a great deal must afterwards be learned from practical training.

Q - "Has the decrease in stock companies had a deleterious effect upon acting?"

I do not think it has. The public is now much larger than it used to be, and requires a greater variety. The stock companies used to play many different parts, even opera. Now there are special companies for each, and because they devote more time to them they do them better. Moreover, the best actors in stock companies usually become stars as soon as they achieve their reputation. There is little sense in finding fault and wishing to go back to the old stock companies.

Q - "Is there likely to be a revival of romantic drama similar to the revival of romantic literature which has recently occurred?"

I do not know. If such a revival should take place it might please us, and it might not.

Before closing I wish to speak a few words on the controversy whether Bacon or Shakespeare wrote the plays ascribed to the latter. A well-known critic says that it is extremely improbable that Shakespeare wrote the plays, since not a single scrap of his writing has come down to us. This argument also holds good of Bacon for there is no writing of his to show that he was the author of the plays. If we stick to the argument we shall have Shakespeare, while the critic does not even save his Bacon.

Mr. Jefferson closed his delightful address by reciting a poem which gave full credit of writing the plays to Shakespeare.

After the address a reception was given to Mr. Jefferson at the house of ex-Governor Russell.