Extracts from letters to William Poel concerning "The First Franciscans," 1926 October 30

              1) "The First Franciscans" Produced at St. George's Hall London Oct. 20th 1926 Extracts from Private letters received by W.P. W. Juge wife of the Dean of St. Parls "I went this morning to see your wonderful rendering of St. Francis & I have lived in a wonderful sort of dream ever since. It was most beautiful and surely you have been happy in finding a man to personify the great Saint. He must be really good to have so fine a face & that beautiful voice...but the play was an inspiration & I do thank you most gratefully." Miss Maude Proyden "I felt specially grateful for that very Franciscan touch in that St. Francis said no word of reproach to the Brothers when he found them feasting (a thing of which they were heartily ashamed) but was wounded to the quick by their harshness to the erring Brother Lucido, of which they were not ashamed at all! The anguished sense of loss that posessed the Saint when he realised that Lucido had gone was worth a hundred mission sermons." Miss Fredericks of the Glestminster Gazette "Surely you and W. Pole feel that it was all more than well worth doing. w. was very beautiful, and some of the actors did splendidly. The "Poverello" was very fine & so was Brother Elias and some whose names...The sheer beauty of the staging was enough to fascinate..." Miss Trettoway a Cornish lady "...it seemed to me rather like a series of lovely pictures by the old masters come to life with the accompaniment of beautiful speech. I thought one of the most striking pictures was the preparation of the sparkling banquet and the return of the Saint followed so soon by the loathsome Carzon. The Death Scene while realistic was never merely painful or harrowing...But I would like to have seen it all a second time."