45
There is one thing for which I envy the general playgoer above all. I mean his freedom
and pungency of criticism. Anonymity gives him irresponsibility, and his resentment at
being bored not being subject to the cooling process of literary composition, his language
is apt to be really terrible. Talk about printed criticism! Actors and authors do talk of it
often enough, and on the whole don’t seem to like it; but let them mingle with the general
playgoer and keep their ears open! The general playgoer is the great purveyor of secret
criticism.