among ourselves, when people go to the play for light recreation, or
to be shocked. So various was the genius of Tennyson, that had he
devoted himself early to the stage, and had he been backed by a
manager with the enterprise and intelligence of Sir Henry Irving, it
is impossible to say how much he might have done to restore the
serious drama. But we cannot regret that he was occupied in his
prime with other things, nor can we expect to find his noblest and
most enduring work in the dramatic experiments of his latest years.
It is notable that, in his opinion, "the conditions of the dramatic
art are much more complex than they were." For example, we have "the
star system," which tends to allot what is, or was, technically
styled "the fat," to one or two popular players. Now, a poet like
Tennyson will inevitably distribute large quantities of what is most
excellent to many characters, and the consequent difficulties may be
appreciated by students of our fallen nature. The poet added that to
be a first-rate historical playwright means much more work than
formerly, seeing that "exact history" has taken the part of the
"chance chronicle."

This is a misfortune. The dramas of the Attic stage, with one or two
exceptions, are based on myth and legend, not on history, and even in
the Persae, grounded on contemporary events, AEschylus introduced the
ghost of Darius, not vouched for by "exact history." Let us conceive
Shakespeare writing Macbeth in an age of "exact history." Hardly any
of the play would be left. Fleance and Banquo must go. Duncan
becomes a young man, and far from "gracious." Macbeth appears as the
defender of the legitimist prince, Lulach, against Duncan, a usurper.
Lady Macbeth is a pattern to her sex, and her lord is a clement and
sagacious ruler. The witches are ruled out of the piece.
Difficulties arise about the English aid to Malcolm. History, in