labours are terminated, he completes the design with numberless improving touches and masterly strokes.  Of necessity, much of the work is of a mechanical kind; scroll-work, patterned walls, or cornices are accomplished by “stencilling” or “pouncing”—­that is to say, the design is pricked upon a paper, which, being pressed upon the canvas, and smeared or dabbed with charcoal, leaves a faint trace of the desired outline.  The straight lines in an architectural scene are traced by means of a cord, which is rubbed with colour in powder, and, having been drawn tight, is allowed to strike smartly against the canvas, and deposit a distinct mark upon its surface.  Duty of this kind is readily accomplished by a boy, or a labourer of little skill.  Scenes of a pantomime order, in which glitter is required, are dabbed here and there by the artist with thin glue; upon these moist places, Dutch metal—­gold or silver leaf—­is then fixed, with a result that large audiences have never failed to find resplendent and beautiful.  These are some, but, of course, a few only, of the methods and mysteries of the scene-painter’s art.

CHAPTER XV.

THE TIRING-ROOM.

The information that has come down to us in relation to the wardrobe department of the Elizabethan theatre, and the kind of costumes worn by our early actors, is mainly derived from the diaries of Philip Henslowe and his partner, Edward Alleyn, the founder of Dulwich College.  Henslowe became a theatrical manager some time before 1592, trading also as a pawnbroker, and dealing rather usuriously with the players and playwrights about him.  Alleyn married the step-daughter of Henslowe, and thereupon entered into partnership with him.  Malone has made liberal extracts from Henslowe’s inventories, which bear date 1598-99, and were once safely possessed by Dulwich College, but have now, for the most part, disappeared.  Among the articles of dress enumerated appear “Longshanks’ suit;” “Tamberlane’s breeches of crimson velvet,” and the same hero’s “coat with coper lace;” “Harye the Fifth’s velvet gown and satin doublet, laid with gold lace;” Dido’s robe and Juno’s frock; Robin Hood’s hat and green coat; and Merlin’s gown and cape.  Then there are gowns and caps for senators, suits for torchbearers and janissaries, shepherds’ coats, yellow leather doublets for clowns, robes of rich taffety and damask, suits of russet and of frieze, fools’ caps and bells, cloth of gold, French hose, surplices, shirts, farthingales, jerkins, and white cotton stockings.  From another document, the cost of theatrical apparel may be fairly estimated.  A list headed:  “Note of all such goods as I have bought for the company of my Lord Admiral’s men, since the 3rd April, 1598,” has the sum paid for each article plainly stated, and contains such items as:  “Bought a damask cassock, garded with velvet, eighteen shillings;” “bought a payer of paned rownd hose of cloth, whiped with