The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-26 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

DAILY NEWS,—The first and the principal days
of the Shakspere Tercentenary Commemoration are
now over, and it is no longer matter of prediction
that as an outward show—so far, at least, as Lon-
don is concerned—they have proved a failure. A
few civic dinners, and a few social suppers, some
tawdry flags, and some forced speeches, larded with
all the stock quotations that have almost lost their
sense through repetition, are all that we shall have
to look back to as matter of special celebration of
this year. With so lame a result of so much prior
trumpeting many patriot hearts will be grieved ;
they will regard it as a confession that, nationally,
our love for Shakspere is only pretended, and they
will feel sore at the sneers which will be levelled,
here and abroad, at this feeble demonstration of our
love for the poet. Doubtless, too, the cynical will
find in the occasion fresh proof and illustration of
the unreality of all our feelings, and will preach us
brilliant sermons on the old text that there is
nothing in anything; that there is hollowness in all
our life ; and that a clever sham is the ultimate
object of all nineteenth century virtue. Yet when
we have said that this failure was predicted, have
we not both explained and excused it ? It was
predicted, because such things always fail with us ;
and they fail because we cannot bring ourselves
heartily to undertake them. Pageantry is natural
to some nations— to us it is unnatural. We are an
undemonstrative people—we hide our warmest
affections—and they are very warm, whatever the
cynics may say—beneath a robe of reserve; and,
like Joseph, we retire to an inner chamber when
we give way to the uncontrollable yearnings of our
hearts. Stoical by habit outwardly, we cannot on
set occasions, and to order, all at once throw off
our second nature, and become genial and jocund
merrymakers. Our efforts in that new line must
be inevitably awkward in appearance, and dis-
tasteful to ourselves. Other ceuses, too, con-
tribute their influence to the same result. We
are not in this country accustomed to the gor-
geous processions and ceremonies with which
elsewhere the rites of religion are associated.
Even our skies oppose their normal inclemency to
our indulgence in outdoor shows. They reduced
our chief Horticultural Society to bankruptcy by
persistent rain on fete days, and at one time they
almost extinguished tne Volunteer movement. Such
influences operating through centuries help to make
an Englishman's true life in his home, and mar our
rare efforts to combine in open-air celebrations. So
we must be content with the home affections and
individual independence which our nature and
country bestow and foster, even though we must
thereby sacrifice the taste for gorgeous ceremonial,
and the skill in combined pageant, which minds
more mobile and gladsome, and a climate more
bright and exhilarating, make easy and pleasant to
our neighbours. The same causes whicn wrought
the discomfiture of the external show added doubt-
less their weight to the deterioration of what may,
be called the more intellectual part of the prepara-
tions. Nothing can be done effectually without
practice and practical knowledge, and the bringing
together of a select band of orators at a dinner, or
the casting of a commemorative play, can scarcely
be expected to be well done by those who never
did the like before. The Mayor of Stratford made,
six mouths ago, a frank and manly appeal to the
public for both help and consideration ; and the
public, if it has felt afraid to contribute much of
the former, has liberally given the latter, and has
only tacitly protested against such blunders as the
theatrical arrangements have disclosed. But for
the general withholding from any active partici-
pation in the celebration, so far as it has been
at tempted at all, a graver reason lies, partly perhaps
unconsciously at the root. Those who can truly
understand Shakspere do not love to talk about
him, or to hear him talked about. He tinges
their life, he fills their imagination, he offers the
impersonation, in every different sphere, of what
they love or what they seek to be ; he gives words
to their profoundest unspoken, almost unshapen,
thoughts; he flings the soft magic veil of human joy
and sorrow, laughter and tears, round the images of
the divine spirit that dwells within us all; and
therefore it is a sort of desecration, it jars upon
the most sensitive nerves, when unsympathetic
voices expatiate on his " characteristics," or clever
orators lug in by head and shoulders their "appro-
priate quotation." So it happens that the true
Shakspere worshippers could not bring themselves
to be present at the banquets or the other forms of
common -place glorification which have seemed
fitting to very respectable persons. They have
rather fled away where no discordant sound could
reach them, and their real number is rather to be
estimated by those who are conspicuously absent,
than by the few men of name and mark who have
given their bodily presence at feast or play or con-
cert. But the Shakspere worshippers may happily
be numbered by a more posaive test. Teis year has
perhaps brought out one or two exceptional editions,
but every year sees now three or tour fresh impres-
sions of his works. They are of all sorts and sizes
and prices, with notes and without notes, with
illustrations and without illustrations, reproductions
of old and scarce copies for the luxurious student,
penny a week issues for the apprentice or artisan.
And they all sell. No book that ever was printed
—save one—has had a circulation so enormous, so
increasing; so real. It is not the fictitious circula-
tion of fashion, it flows through depths where
fashion is unheard of, where even the few shillings
needful are subtracted from the demands of neces-
sity rather than the outlay of enjoyment. So with
the acting of his plays. It barely subsists, bolstered
up with all the ingenuity of scenery and decoration,
in the aristocratic \Vest-end, but it flourishes peren-
nially i❑ remote Islington, in Shoreditch, and in
Southwark; and in every provincial theatre Shaks-
pere is steadily played to audiences that no sensa-
tion pieces will long attract. And this loving know-
ledge of his works had on Saturday its celebration,
in almost the only genuine display of enthusiasm
which was witnessed. Primrose-hill failed, like every
other display, in the matter of procession and ban-
ners and music. Bat a huge crowd of working men
was there, drawn not by the pageantry which'had
been recommended, and which they rather con-
temptuously ignored, but by the desire to be pre-
sent at the simplest of acts, performed by one
whom only his genius distinguishes. Doubtless
we shall see the act mocked at, as the reverence for
old world unselfishness, and heroism, and faith,
which lined the streets with a bodyguard of un-
washed hands when Garibaldi entered London,
was mocked at. But the emotion which drew these
crowds to the route from Nine Elms to Piccadilly,
and that which covered Primrose-hill with their
multitude, has its seat in the same centre, and
cares litle for mockery, however clever and epigram.
matic. It is an outburst from the heart, and not
the creation of the intellect. It tells that the pulse
of the nation's life still beats strong and warm,
though some of its members may be diseased and
corrupt. And so it tells us that the reverence and
love which Shakspere inspires, though we may
fail to show it outwardly, is working its silent
work in teaching, and purifying, and raising his
country. Here is the true glary and distinction of
our Tercentenary, The first anniversary came in
political storm and tempest ; the second shone on
the chill reflection of restricted education and pre-
tended "sensibility ;" the third beams in the light
of a people growing to know their strength, and
with their strength their duties and their destinies.
Devoutly thank we Heaven that at such an hour
gentle, true, tender, good Shakspere has his monu-
ment i❑ the people's hearts.

HERALD.—The King of Prussia has returned to
Berlin, to cherish, as it would seem, the delusion
that his army is invincible. We have no wish to
deny the skill of the Prussian commanders or the
bravery of their men • but it is childish to talk as
the Prussians do of the assault of Duppel as a glori-
ous victory. They had overwhelming numbers,
improved artillery and small arms. The Danes were
wearied out by a struggle which they had long felt
to be hopeless, and the Prussians have no more rea-
son to be proud of the slaughter they have perpe-
trated in Sundewitt and Alsen than a giant who
has crushed beneath his savage blows a crippled
dwarf. 'lke Prussians may congratulate themselves
that their military authorities have not allowed
scientific invention to outstrip them, and that the
most is made of the money voted or taken for the
army. That is all. To have beaten the Danes is
no proof of any especial valour or skill, and the King
and the Democrats will fall into a horrible blunder
if they fancy that because they have beaten the
Danes when they were five to one, they can beat
the French upon equal terms. At present both
parties are unanimous in their delight over this
victory, but the Liberals will not improbably soon
find cause to regret it. The King will be confirmed
in his obstinate adherence to his army reorganisa-
tion, to which he will attribute the recent success ;
and unless the Liberals abandon their constitutional
claims there will be no reconciliation between the
King and his people, and no resumption of regular
parliamentary action. All these triumphs of the
army, over which the heedless unscrupulous demo-
cracy raises a shout of triumph, are staggering
blows to its cause. With the prestige of success to
back him Herr Von Bismarck will be able to defy
the angry assailants who threaten him with im-
peacement and condign punishment. Their mis-
fortune will be of their own making, and no one
will companionate them. They forced lieu Von

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1

Bismarck into this policy o aggression,
pursuing it he will be able to. disarm then
much
.ecnc..e.,S:
However, the world will not
itself now with the internal affairs of Prussi.a•
have lost all interest in the conflict
cause we heve acquired the conviction that ttila,!
niAnathies.sho
faint.
Prussian Liberals, with whom our sy
rugglog
naturally go, inasmuch as they are st tp alike
of partiel _
the maintenance of a constitution, are de. su.te— The
of political morality and political saga cltY: .
influence which this exaltation of King
fere.e neexi.
may have upon the proceedings of the Con.
much more important. We fear that it -will be of
ceedingly mischievous. The King is so to
his army that he will be very unwilling to y lelv• aery,
any remonstrances of other Powers, and alai' %jell
probably enter upon ambitious schemes in We
his
they cannot possibly acquiesce. In any case
Gave
demands will rise far higher than theywould
done a fortnight ago, ankh the chance of a sneees„so'r „
result to the labours of the Conference is Pr°r„j al
tionally diminished. Th.'Prussian semisat
journals announce, with great complacency, from
the King has already received de'spatches
several Sovereigns of Europe congratulating Po
upon the victory at Duppel, and that amongst the
• tbe
Sovereigns sending these congratulations
.13 '4,
Emperor of the French. Is it, the 131
for every Sovereign to congratulate every
the trio?,,
is .brother". upon his triumphs, even whet.'
is a disaster to another equally dear " good brotbere
Has the Emperor of the French candoted
King of Denmark at the same time that he
tulated the King of Prussia ; or would he if t.,..Vnisb.
row the news should reach Paris that the P 313
fleet had destroyed a Prussian town, or blovFn 11Pa
the etique Loa
with. his ship Prince Adalbert, the Prussian Lea,
High Admiral, dispatch a telegram to Copenba.geb;
with his congratulations ? Of course, if such° t„,
etiquette of courts, false and foolish as we maY cep
Bider it, we can have nothing to say against the —l,e
taken by the Emperor of the French ; but if, on tot.
other hand, this despatch of compliment is to be
to
we
as an expression of the Emperor's real opinions, ••
cannot sufficiently express our regret. The r„ —,glbe
peror may, of course, if he thinks that it is fore,
interest of France that Denmark should be disci et
bered, refuse to fulfil his guarantee to protect 110
state, but he might, at least, spare the feelings eft,.
.Danes and not take the needless trouble of encoull'oe
ing the Prussians in their bloody work. IfLtilheso
are really the sentiments of the Emperor, if De -,h6e
felt. himself obliged to declare his satisfaction at
err
:all of Duppel, the prospects of the Conference
indeed.
dark If Prince Latour D'Auvergne
make common cause with Herr Von Bala° s.D.t,
Baron Von Beust, and support propositions schled
Denmark can only accept with the certain of
speedy ruin, nothing will result from the labocr3 to
the plenipotentiaries. The English M
purchase. peace, and get rid of a disagreabl e busieel;
would indeed throw its weight into the scone ec%,
but Denmark will certainly not sign her own re.ij
and if she has to suffer dismemberment she rill
submit, indeed, to the force majeure so Jong es "bi
has no power to throw it off; but she will 13Dt'„ca
inistryi
accepting.. a peace, proclaim her submission to ke-of
an injustice. If the only difficulty in the welts.
the. Conference. were the protest which th e del/11401•
tion. s which profess to speak for the Estat,es of 'nt
stein. and Schleswig have come over to Pret3en-r,
against any settlement made without their celic-,4
rence, it. would very soon come to a saeisfacte":4
conclusion. Indeed we do nct suppose th at t/je,t
gentlemen themselves believe that the slighttrt
.attention will be given to their protest, or es'ei!
it will be received. Yet they have not TEC'',r°hey
altogether. vainly in coming to England. .1--e-0
will not influence the ministers of the nots..G ertna
Powers or the public opinion of this country', but
they can keep a watch upon Herr Von Bens"
the plenipotentiaries of Austria and Prussia, t 3.,(
worry those gentlemen if they stow any algae
-
acting reasonably and moderately.