The wife of the younger son of the late Sir Henry Irving is an actress with an extremely wide knowledge of the dramatic art. It is now some sixteen years ago since she made her first appearance at the St. James's Theatre, and ultimately she became leading lady with Mr. George Alexander. Years ago she played with the late Sir Henry in "The Bells," and two years before her marriage, in 1903, she was playing with that famous actor at the Lyceum in "Coriolanus," "The Lvons Mail," "The Bells," and "Waterloo." As a matter of fact, she followed Miss Ellen Terry as leading lady with Sir Henry, playing Portia in " The Merchant of Venice," Rosamond in " Becket," and Margaret in " Faust." In spite of her remarkable success, however, she is not inclined to advise girls to go on the stage. "I do not think," she says, " I should recommend any girl I took an interest in to adopt the stage as a profession, especially if she happened to be poor, but if she insisted on doing so, and had money to spend, I would advise her to start work early and stick to it - in the Provinces." Such is sound advice indeed, and coming from one who has achieved success and a commanding position in her chosen profession, should be laid to heart and pondered by all would-be aspirants to histrionic honours. Neither the much vaunted "luck" nor the equally coveted "influence" can have the final word in this or in any other career.

Miss Mabel Hackney Dover Street Studios