SECOND PLAYS

by A.A. MILNE

New York

ALFRED A. KNOPF

Printed in Great Britain by R. & R. Clark, Limited,Edinburgh.

TO

D.M.

SO LITTLE IN RETURN FOR SO MUCH

CONTENTS

MAKE-BELIEVE
MR. PIM PASSES BY
THE CAMBERLEY TRIANGLE
THE ROMANTIC AGE
THE STEPMOTHER

INTRODUCTION

Encouraged by the reviewer who announced that the Introductionto my previous collection of plays was the best part of the book, Iventure to introduce this collection in a similar manner. But Ishall be careful not to overdo it this time, in the hope that I maywin from my critic some such tribute as, "Mr. Milne has certainlyimproved as a dramatist, in that his plays are now slightly betterthan his Introduction."

Since, then, I am trying to make this preface as distasteful aspossible, in order that the plays may shine out the morepleasantly, I shall begin (how better?) with an attack on thedramatic critics. I will relate a little conversation which tookplace, shortly after the publication of "First Plays," betweenmyself and a very much more eminent dramatist.

EMINENT DRAMATIST (kindly) Your book seems to have beenwell reviewed.

MYSELF (ungratefully). Not bad—by those whoreviewed it. But I doubt if it was noticed by more than threeregular dramatic critics. And considering that two of the plays init had never been produced—

EMINENT DRAMATIST (amused by my innocence). My dearfellow, you needn't complain. I published an unproduced playa little while ago, and it didn't get a single notice fromanybody.

Now I hope that, however slightly the conversations in the playswhich follow may move the dramatic critic, he will at least bedisturbed by this little dialogue. All of us who are interested inthe theatre are accustomed to read, and sometimes to make,ridiculous accusations against the Theatrical Manager. We condemnthe mercenary fellow because he will not risk a loss of two orthree thousand pounds on the intellectual masterpiece of apromising young dramatist, preferring to put on some contemptiblebut popular rubbish which is certain to fill his theatre. But nowwe see that the dramatic critic, that stern upholder of the bestinterests of the British Drama, will not himself risk six shillings(and perhaps two or three hours of his time) in order to read theintellectual masterpiece of the promising young dramatist, and soto be able to tell us with authority whether the Manager reallyis refusing masterpieces or no. He will not risk sixshillings in order to encourage that promising youngdramatist—discouraged enough already, poor devil, in hishopes of fame and fortune—by telling him that he isright, and tha

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