Westminster Gazette:—“In producing ‘Civil War,’ by Mr Ashley Dukes, the Stage Society has rendered a real service to drama.... The play shows that the dramatist possesses in a high degree the capacity for writing dialogue—for finding phrases characteristic of the persons of the comedy, useful for the situations, and exhibiting a certain style that is rare and indefinable. There were scenes, notably one of great beauty between the old Socialist and his daughter, where, apart from the dramatic effect, one had real pleasure from the phrases, and this without there being any obvious attempt to write in a literary style.”
Times:—“A piece of sound and promising work.”
Daily News:—“His ‘Civil War’ has a strong motive, and, best of all, there is humanity and understanding in his treatment of it.... It is rarely indeed that we are given a play in which the drama is made inevitable by a clash of temperament and ideas.”
London: STEPHEN SWIFT & CO., LTD., 10 John St., Adelphi
THE MAID’S COMEDY
A Chivalric Romance in Thirteen Chapters
Crown 8vo. 3s. 6d. net
UNIQUE
| I. | In which, by favour and fortune, three gentle persons may interest at least three others. |
| II. | Wherein is founded a new Order of Chivalry, and matters for simple and wise alike may be discovered. |
| III. | Exhibiting a partner in an old-established business pursuing her occupation. |
| IV. | Wherein one character is left in a delicate situation, another loses her way, and a third is brought to a pretty pass. |
| V. | Containing the din of arms, thrust and parry and threat of slaughter, but gently concluding with the first canon of feminine craft. |
| VI. | Displaying a standing example of feminine folly and a rally of heroes. |
| VII. | Concerning, mainly, the passions as toys for the great god, Chance, to fool with. |
| VIII. | Wherein an oft-defeated, yet indestructible, ideal is realised. |
| IX. | Of matters for old and young, facts and fancies, aspirations and exhortations, and chronicling a feat worthy the grand tradition of chivalry. |
| X. | A magical chapter, of whose content those who doubt may likely believe what should be doubted, and those who believe may doubt what is perfectly true. |
| XI. | Confirming the adage that happy beginnings tend to happy endings, and showing how Heaven will still preserve Virtue, even at the cost of working a miracle. |
| XII. | Which relates the Happy Ending. |
| XIII. | Wherein the Romancer takes courteous leave of the Three Gentle Readers. |