The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-01 00:00:00

The National Shakspere Committee.

We see no reason, says the Queen, to apprehend
that the secession of the members of the National
Shakspere,Committee, which was announced with
so much pomp and circumstance in the daily papers
last week, will seriously compromise the chances of
a creditable Tercentenary Celebration taking place
in London on the 23d of April nest. Whatever die-
satisfaction may be felt (and justly so) by the judi-
cious, at the jobbery and mismanagement of those
whom Mr. Punch has dubbed " the Atheneum
clique," there can be no pretence for asserting that
the committee is practically dead, or (as our facetious
contemporary puts it) even in articulo mortis. The
public is usually very slow to adopt any view of a
matter which does not immediately concern its
material welfare, and is quite as slow to abandon a
sentimental notion when it has once fairly adopted
it. There will be a celebration in London aad a
monument too, the limes, Mr. Punch, Mr. Tom
Taylor, and Mr. Frisweli notwithstanding.
The gentlemen who seceded (although for
the most part excellent gentlemen in their
way) were by no means the strength of
the movement, and they have left many good men
and true behind them. We understand that since
their somewhat pretentious retirement, not more
than committeemen have followed their example.
The secession of Messrs. Martin, Hardy, Shirley
Brooks, Brewer, Walker, and Gruneison is to be
regretted ; but why Mr. Taylor should deem it
necessary to inform the world that he had retired
from a movement which he never took any part in,
is not easy to understand. The act was on his par;
as preposterous as his sudden zeal for the national
British Drama ; though what he would understand
by dramas " kindred " to Shakspere, except trans-
lations from Scribe, Angier, and Co., passes us to
conceive. However, Mr. Taylor has joined the
Stratford celebration as one of its Vice-presidents,
and joy go with him. As for Mr. Friswell, it is
possible that the National Committee will survive
his defection ; but the publisher of his forthcoming
book about Shakspere will have to remove from the
advertisements the distinguished title of " Member
of the National Committee."

Both Mr. Punch and Mr. Vizitelly have inti-
mated that the noble vice-presidents whose names
have been put so prominently forward have as yet
taken no part in the proceedings of the committee.
This is by no means the case. Lord Granville, the
Duke of Manchester, the Archbishop of Dablin, and
Mr. Cowper have all taken very active parts in the
matter, and have attended several meetings. We
violate, moreover, no confidence when we state that
at a meeting of the principal vice-presidents held
this week, it was unanimously determined upon to
proceed with the matter; so that the defection
which has occurred, and the consequent scandal, if
they are to have any effect at all, will probably re-
sult in infusing a little sorely-needed energy into
the proceedings of the committee. Already we are
glad to see that the committee is beginning to give
signs of its existence in the advertising columns of
the newspapers ; the site and monument sub-com-
mittees are reported to be actively at work, and
their report may be expected before the next meet-
ing of the general body, when, no doubt, there will
be something definite to put before the public,
and a public meeting will be arranged to be
held at the Mansion House. Finally, we under-
stand that if the worst were to happen, the citi-
zens of the good old City of London will not allow
the matter to drop through for want of support, and
that in the last result the event will be properly
commemorated at the Guildhall, and an ample sub
scription will be forthcoming, sufficient, at least, to
provide a creditable monument for the City. The
irate gentlemen of the Times and Punch may, there-
fore, make their minds perfectly easy on the sub-
ject; roar or jeer as they may, they cannot prevent
a metropolitan celebration of Shakspere's tercen-
tenary birthday.
At Stratfor3, all is hopefulness and activity. The
" Rev. Mr. Bellew has accepted the post of acting
secretary, and is doing wonders in the way of ar-
rangement. A magnificent temporary pavilion
theatre, capable cf containing an audience of 5,000
or 6,000, is being erected, and will cost, from first
to last, about £4,000. Here " Hamlet" is to be
acted on the birthday, chiefly by the Lyceum com •
puny. Mr. Feehter will play the principal part,
, and (for the rest of the cast) we hear of Mr.