to a cinematograph entertainment at a London theatre in 1914; and
had quite a pleasant reception from a thoroughly Philistine
audience. The humour is very nearly of the variety most popular
over here, the psychology is a shade subtler. The Russian novelist
or dramatist takes to psychology as some of his fellow-countrymen
take to drink; in doing this he achieves fame by showing us what we
already know, and at the same time he kills his own creative power.
Chekhov just escaped the tragedy of suicide by introspection, and
was only enabled to do this by the possession of a sense of humour.
That is why we should not regard "The Bear," "The Wedding," or "The
Anniversary" as the work of a merely humorous young man, but as
the saving graces which made perfect "The Cherry Orchard."

"The Three Sisters" (1901) is said to act better than any other of
Chekhov's plays, and should surprise an English audience
exceedingly. It and "The Cherry Orchard" are the tragedies of doing
nothing. The three sisters have only one desire in the world, to go
to Moscow and live there. There is no reason on earth, economic,
sentimental, or other, why they should not pack their bags and take
the next train to Moscow. But they will not do it. They cannot do
it. And we know perfectly well that if they were transplanted
thither miraculously, they would be extremely unhappy as soon as
ever the excitement of the miracle had worn off. In the other play
Mme. Ranevsky can be saved from ruin if she will only consent to a
perfectly simple step--the sale of an estate. She cannot do this,
is ruined, and thrown out into the unsympathetic world. Chekhov is
the dramatist, not of action, but of inaction. The tragedy of
inaction is as overwhelming, when we understand it, as the tragedy
of an Othello, or a Lear, crushed by the wickedness of others. The
former is being enacted daily, but we do not stage it, we do not