whose whirlpool they had lived until only yesterday, when their energy went to waste among cock-tail parties, gaming tables, and the long, inveterate late nights, far removed from constructive works.

It was the first test, and the first opportunity given to this class of our ladies... and

the test succeeded, and the members of the festivals committee earned the fullest appreciation and thanks.

We are not accustomed, in this country, to believe in the capacities of the rich, because most of our rich are far removed from the spirit of sacrifice and open-handed giving. When the festivals commit-tee was formed, we had just come out of three national catastrophes — the fire, the drowning, and the earthquake — and people were weary of having their palms milked, their sympathies stirred, and being asked to donate, time after time... All these reasons led those charged with selecting the committee's members to aim at the class with 'solid backing' and moral influence, and to load it with the responsibility.

It is only fair that we record this class's zeal, its ardor, and its generosity — it is enough to mention, by way of example, that the committee raised among its own members, within the space of half an hour, forty thousand lira!

And through the influence of the committee's members and their contacts with wealthy institutions and individuals, another consid-erable sum was collected, which greatly relieved the pressure of the resulting deficit — especially when we know that the expenses run beyond hundreds of thousands, including transport and hotels...

It is worth mentioning that the artistic festivals, which began disguised in a 'commercial' garb, have today cast that garb off; the permanent committee has resolved that these festivals shall be purely 'cultural,' and a lofty arena of contact between Lebanon — and

those who come to it every summer — and the finest artistic elements, theatrical and musical. The committee will begin its meetings at the start of October to take the appropriate decisions and to contact the great international troupes and contract with them.

There remains one story — per-haps the most delightful thing in this whole account... It is the story of the English troupe that per-formed two plays of Shakespeare, 'Twelfth Night' and 'Hamlet,' both of which met with the greatest success and triumph...

The story began at the presidential palace, where His Excellency was speaking of the artistic festivals, and the hopes he pinned upon them, to Sir Francis Brake, one of the influential members of the 'British air transport company.' Perhaps President Chamoun com-plained to Sir Brake of the narrowness of the material means, and wished — merely by way of wishing — that it were possible to see a play of Shakespeare's among the temples of Baalbek!

At the time Sir Francis Brake gave President Chamoun no answer. But he was thinking. And he is of that old breed of Englishmen who work in silence to encourage and spread culture...

He returned to England... and after some weeks a telegram

arrived from him to the festi-vals committee, inquiring whether there remained a serious desire to have a theatrical troupe sent to Lebanon. And the answer came: 'Yes.' And there arrived, with all speed, from England to Lebanon, Robert Atkins — who has now spent fifty years performing Shakespeare's plays. He came to look over the place and the sit-uation, and to make contact with the members of the committee; and he agreed to give us ten days of his summer program. His troupe numbers 25 actors and actresses.

It was a pleasant surprise when the committee was informed that Lebanon would bear nothing of the expenses of the Atkins English troupe — Sir Francis Brake paid them all — while the 'British air transport company' contributed toward the fares of the troupe's members to and from England...

We relate, by way of amusement, that Sir Francis Brake... cabled the committee, reserved a seat for the opening performance, and paid for the ticket! And he left directly after the performance, without most of the members having had the chance to make his acquain-tance... or at least to thank him!

In appreciation of this sin-gular deed, the English troupe was honored magnificently, with an engagement for the coming summer.