BEN-HUR, ACT V.-S SIMONIDES AND BALTHASAR BORNE TO THE CIRCUS TO ATTEND THE CHARIOT RACE.

Balthasar, the only one alive of the three Wise Men from the East, journeying to Jerusalem in expectation of the declaration of the Messiah, stops at Antioch as guest of Ilderim and Simonides. His daughter, Iras, blazing in jewels and rich color (stage left), with bare face (contrary to de custom of modest women of that time), meets Esther (Simonides's daughter), veiled and close draped in white. The figure at stage right forward is Simonides's faithful attendant, Malluch. Messala and a companion stand back of the piltars, boldly admiring Iras.

Copyright, 1900, by Klaw & Erlanger.

BEN-HUR, ACT V.-EXTERIOR OF THE CIRCUS AT ANTIOCH.

MESSALA [to IRAS]-" A smile but one! It is a Roman that begs."

Much of the massive architecture represented is but painted scenery or flat." So fine the work, however, and so perfectly blending with the "real" pillars in the foreground, that the eye is confused and can not choose between "real" and painted. Badly adjusted drapery o scures too much the outline of Iras, and so weighted are both shoulders with drapery and flowing loks that we can not guess her poise. The gure stage right is notably at fault in attitude, out of line, and uncomfortable to look at.

Copyright, 1900, by Klaw & Erlanger.

BEN-HUR, ACT VI.-ROOM IN THE PALACE OF HUR AT JERUSALEM.

BEN-HUR" And there, while my guards halted at the well, and I lay fainting and unpitied, a boy whose face I have never forgotten placed a cup of water to my lips
and laid his hand upon my head in blessing. That face I have seen again. It is the face of the man-if He be a mere man-who
resteth to-night at Bethphage."

Amrah, the figure kneeling to stage left of Ben-Hur, is played by Mary Shaw, an actress of high endowment. The part is a small one, speaks few lines, and is
never at any time the central interest. Yet so wonderfully does her sincerity as Amrah move people to belief in the play, that from an artistic standpoint her playing
saves the play. So beautiful her reverence for and belief in the Christ, that when, in the final scene, she seems to see and be glorified, we look through her eyes, and to
us the Christ there on the stage seems to live and be.

BEN-HUR, ACT VI.-PALACE OF HUR AT JERUSALEM. BEN-HUR DEFIES THE

THREATS OF IRAS.

The costume of Iras is one of the most beautiful in the production, pictorially, again of no value, as the lines from hip down do not convey a sense of the woman's poise and balance.

BEN-HUR, ACT VI. -TOMBS OF THE LEPERS, VALE OF HINNOM.

AMRAH TELLS THE AFFLICTED MOTHER AND SISTER OF THE COMING OF THE NAZARENE, WHO HEALS THE SICK, CLEANSES THE LEPERS AND EVEN RAISES THE DEAD.

One of the most beautiful of all the scenes, and one that no picture can do justice to. The wonderful flat" upon which is painted the purple mistiness of the mountains is hardly suggested here. The lovely blending of the purple depths, with the cold gray of the woman's garb, is a thing to be seen, not pictured. Amrah's free, perfectly poised pose is worth study, so also the pose of the sister (figure stage left). Not so the mother, who seems to stand all out of balance. This may, however, be the fault of drapery.

BEN-HUR, ACT VI.-TOMBS OF THE LEPERS, VALE OF HINNOM.

MOTHER OF HUR-"A hope!-and if it be quenched-oh, my son, our eyes have seen thee for the last time on earth." Ben-Hur, wearied with his search for mother and sister, has fallen asleep. The rich color of his cloak is the one triumphant note in the marvelous symphony of grays, purples, and mist-thin blue, in which the looming mountains are shrouded. His sister and mother, clad in ashen robes, speak him farewell as they hasten to leave the vale with Amrah that they may beseech healing of the Christ. Amrah's draperies are dark and dull. The shadow that shows behind her in the picture did not mar the stage-representation. There cross-lights glared out any such defect.