The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-11 00:00:00

rian spirit, the most awful tragedy and the liveliest
farcei

IHE SATURDAY REVIEW ON THE SHAKSPERE
TERCENTENARY DEMONSTRATION.—The fate of tee
Shakspere Memorial is the last and drollest effort
of the spirits of malicious fun, Why should this
whole affair hate cdrhe, iu every particular, Chap-
ter and verse, to such condign and total grief ?
There is nothing at all absurd in the notion of get-
ting up a National Shakspere Monument. On the
contrary, it is a thing to be done: Even a Shakspere
Festival has its precedent—a sufficiently absurd
one, it is true—in Garrick's Stratford Jubilee. A
Tercentenary glorification has been tried 60 often
that we aleeoei condone its absurdity from the fact
that it is only a stupid plagiarism. In itself, even
the formation of the London Shakspere Committee
was not absolutely ridiculous. Mr. Dixon has won
a name in literature: Mr. Halliwell, the co-secretary,
though not without his fopperies, is a man of great,
if queer, reading. In the antecedents of even the
London Committee there was nothing on which to
anticipate ite ridieeleue breakedowth We are not
goittg td tePeat its history. It has disappeared,
vanished, exhaled. Like Aubrey's ghost, " being
interrogated, it made no answer," but, un-
itke Aubrey's ghost) It has left neither " a
curiotte petitithe) het a teelotliotis twang."
The London Committee collapsed in a
wrangle, a fiasco, a break-down, so thorough, so in-
geniously comical, so total, and so absurd, that we
can only account for its ignominious death on the
same theory under which we subscribe to the Stock•
well mystery. The Devil, or at least an imp,
was in it. A superhuman, or infrahuman, agency
is necessary to account for a catastrophe so mis-
chievously nonsensical and ridiculous. The London
Shakspere Memorial, however, did not stand alone.
There was a Stratford Memorial Committee, and
something at least of the public confidence which
was alienated by the sayings and doings of Messrs.
Dixon and Halliwell gravitated to Stratford. At
Stratford there has always been a semi-religious
fanaticism about Shakspere, and nobody very seri-
ously objected to an extravagant outbreak of it.
Besides, there was every reason to believe that the
malignant influence at work had been exercised by
the completeness of the London failure. No Puck
could be frolicsome or tricksy enough to lead his
victims, if he could find them, a second witches'
dance through bog and briar. Besides, the respec-
tables and the dignified mustered in strength and
dulness round the Stratford Committee. However,
it very soon became at least a suspicion that " the
strange doings" were about to be repeated. It was
like the old ghost story which relates how a family
fled from a haunted house, and how, half-way to
the new residence, a gibing voice, in mocking tones
from the midst of a feather-bed, shrieked out,
" Ha' you're flitting are you; I'm flitting too."
Puck has certainly gone down to Stratford. He
will not leave the Shakspere Memorial while there
is breath in it. What but the old inspirer of Messrs.
Dixon and Halli well could have dictated the Strat-
ford programme ? What mundane wit could have
suggested a Banquet and Handel's " Messiah," a
Miscellaneous Concert and " Twelfth Night,"
" Hamlet" and a Fancy Dress Ball, together with
such a gallimaufry as Shakspearian Readings (of
course by Mr. Bellew), excursions, and exhibitions
of actors' portraits, and could call all this a Na-
tional Shakspere Festival ? The witch cauldron in
"Macbeth" and its weird cooks must have been at
work at this strange bill of fare. "Twelfth Night"
and the " Messiah"--that is, " Comfort ye my
people," and Sir Toby Belch—but the absurdity so
closely trenches on the profane that we decline to
pursue the nauseous parallel. This only we must,
in the interest of decency, observe, that if the
" Hallelujah Chorus" can by any stretch of imagi-
nation be deemed suitable to a Shakspere Festival,
then a fancy dress ball, with its Debardeurs and
Pierrots, is very much out of artistic and dramatic
keeping. But this is not all. The same ludicrous
fatality attends everything connected with this
outbreak of the Lues Shaksperiana. It infects all
who are connected with it. There is an Executive
Committee to ,Whom the monument is entrusted. Of
the monument we have always had but one opinion.
It is a very proper thing; and the choice of
the memorial was entrusted to men in whom, or
in many of whom, artists might place great
confidence. We can say nothing as to the
knowledge of art possessed by the Duke
of Manchester, but Mr. W. Cowper's official
position justified his place on the Committee. Sir
Joseph Paxton once stumbled into a single great
success in design. Mr. Tite and Mr. Donaldson, as
Presidents of the Institution ot British Architects,
justify the choice made of them. Mr. Beresford
Hope and Mr. slaclise represent very creditably
art in its amateur and in its practical form. Yet
what but the envious instigation ot the ancient and
unappeaseable spirit of mischief could havekinduced
these gentlemen to clog their proposal •
for the
monument with the outrageously absurd provision,
to use their own wonderful language, that " the
monument should embrace a bronze statue, placed
under a decorative canopy, in the style of the poet's
period ?" What on earth do they moan by a monu-
ment embracing a bronze statue ? and what is the
style of the poet's period ? If they or their trea-
cherous prompter mean architectural art as prac-
tised in Shakepere's lifetime, do they mean the de-
caying Gothic of Elizabeth's time ? or the halting
Tudor ? or the brainless Jacobean ? Do they not
know—if they do not, let them go to Queen Eliza-
beth's monument in Westminster Abbey, and they
may perhaps learn—that of all caricatures and de-
basements of art, of all senseless and barbarous mix-
tures, " the style of the poet's period" is the
very ugliest and most abominable ? But so it is.
There is a fatality about the Whole thing. The
Shakspere blight infects all that it touches. Omne
qua te*it, he, the malign spirit, makes a mess of.
There only remained the theatrical portion of
the celebration. It seemed impossible to spoil
this part of the Festival. To be sure, the plays
offered at Stratford were like the sermons appraised
by Cowper's tithepayers—plaguy dear. To ask the
most devout of Shakspere's worshippers to pay 21s.
in a Stratford barn for what they could get for ss.
in a London theatre, was a bold attack on the faith
and fervour of the holy pilgrims. But it passed.
And even the unlucky Phelps affair was beginning
to be forgotten, though it showed that spiritual
wickedness was at work in "Warwickshire as well
as in London. It argued something at least unhu-
i man to set Mr. Bellew and Mr. Phelps by the ears ;
and Puck must have laughed in his sleeve, if he has
any, when " the foremost man in his profession
claimed the right to play Hamlet on this occasion,"
and indignantly exclaimed " that he had been in-
sulted by the Stratford Committee asking Mr.
Fechter to play Hamlet." But even this was got
over somehow or other, and everybody thought we
had come to the last disaster. For the London
Committee to have stumbled over the Thatl'e-
ray difficulty, and for the Stratford Com-
mittee to have floundered into the Phelps
trouble, ought to have satisfied the most spiteful or
evil influences, and hope began to whisper that all
was at last smooth, at least in the Stratford Green
Room. The 7intes has for a whole month adver-
tised, "Tuesday evening, 'Twelfth Night;' Wed-
nesday evening, ' Hamlet;' Thursday evening, As
You Kike It ;'—reserved seats, 21e.' We aid not
like ;t at all, but we submitted; when 10, at the
eleventh hour—nay at a quarter to twelve—on April
4 (the Festival being to come off on the 23d), the
crowning trouble is announced. Mr. Fechter follows
Mr. Phelps's example, and retires in grievous dud-
geon. There is to be no " Hamlet" after all. So that
at last Mr. Phelps's dieine wrath is appeased, and
on the foremost man in his profession will not be in-
flicted the indignity of seeing, or hearing of," Ham-
let" presented at the great " Stratford-on-Avon
Tercentenary Festival" by a Mossoo. More-
over, by a just Nemesis, the indignity which was
offered to Mr. Phelps has been repaid twofold
to Mr. Fechter ; at least so he tells us, for there
are accusations end recriminations on both sides.
" Dr. Flower, M.D., Hon. See." announces that
" Mr., Pechter has broken faith with the Commit-
tee." Mr. Fechter, through his friend " H. Barnett,
Esq."—for, as Warren kept a poet, so actors nowa-
days keep a Secretary—on the other hand complains
that the,Stratford Committee has forced him to the
painful necessity of abandoning " Hamlet" by pass-
ing a resolution (which was a sensible one enough,
and only desired Mr. Fechter's guide, philosopher,
and friend, Mr. Bellew, to mind his own business)
4, giving the force of truth to the false and unge-
nerous statement spread about by one of your mem-
bers, and published by unfriendly papers, namely,
that Mr. Fechter by ' under-current and trickery
ways' forced on the choice of his Hamlet." To all
which Dr. Flower rejoins by professing his " entire
ignorance of any resolution—in fact, we are
quite at a loss to know to what resola •
tion you refer, or who are the members
of the Committee to whom you refer." We
think that we can clear up the mystery. The
" spirits" have been at it again. The imps of dark-
ness, who have all along had a spite against the
Shakspere Festival, have crowned their malignity.
They passed the mysterious resolution ; the Eng•
lisp of the alleged "under-current and trickery
ways" is thoroughly elfish and diabolic. They have
slily punched Mr. Phelps into heroics, and secretly
pinched Mr. Fechter into sulks. It's all their doing.
Nothing else can account for it. A series of such
blunders, a succession of sueh misfortunes, a con-
sistent course of such mal-adroitness, in London
and Stratford, in theatre and monument, in com-
mittee and out of committee, in promise and, as it
now scorns, in performance, could only have been
originated by Satanic malevolence and Satanic
skill. No mortal proficiency in blundering could
have achieved this sublime and superb triumph of
failure. The whole history of the Shakspere Ter-
centenary FkitiYAi n• ;`q trUf.: 21111.7.!".70"

THE EXAMINER ON THE DUKE Off' NEW-
CASTLE.—There is but one feeling of regret at the
retirement of the Duke of Newcastle, who has won
a high place in public respect by sheer force of
charatter and conduct. Few men, indeed, have
gone through AO trying an ordeal as the Duke of
Newcastle went through tteseathed and with
honour. He was hardly judged for the faults in
the management of the Crimean campaign, and
was blamed for what were really detects of a sys-
tem. He had the mortification of being set aside
as incapable—a sore mortification indeed to a man
with a due share of the pride of intellect. But
during the time that he took his seat in the House
of Lords as one who had been tried and found want-
ing, never did he manifest any resentment for the
hard measure he ,had received, never did he evince
any pique, or seize on any of the many opportuni-
ties that offered of recrimination. He was too
high-minded and just a man to be swayed a hair's-
breadth in his public conduct by any personal con -
sideration. He acted as if he had never been ag-
grieved, never had had a slight put upon him,
never had felt the smart of an unmerited mortifi-
cation. He bore fortune's buffets as one in suffer-
ing all that suffered nothing, like the man Hamlet
wore in his heart of hearts. We hardly know of
another instance of a man in similar circumstances,
wh put himself so completely beside himself, if we
may express it, as regarded past grievances, look-
ing to nothing but present duty. How excellently
he acquitted himself of his charge in America we
need not call to mind, nor how efficiently and con-
scientiously he discharged the duties of his office.
Nor need we say how affectionately he is regarded
in private life, where his frank, unpretending man-
nars and cordiality made themselves must pleas-
ingly felt. Heartily do we trust that the duke's
retirement will only be temporary, and that re-
stored health will soon give back his services to
the country.
THE LONDON REVIEW ON HER MAJESTY'S LATE
PRONUNCIAMENTO.—An article appeared the other
day in the Times which it would be affectation to
regard otherwise than as a direct expression of the
sentiments of the highest personage in the realm.
The mode which her Majesty has adopted in com-
municating with her people is undoubtedly unpre-
cedented; nor can we conceal from ourselves that
it is one which might be fraught with serious incon-
venience. But under the peculiar circumstances of
the present case, we are not disposed to press any
objections which we may entertain to so direct an
appeal from the throne to the nation. Her Ma-
jesty may well feel that the criticisms to which her
personal conduct has been subjected require a more
personal reply than can be afforded through the me-
dium of her constitutional advisers. We are therefore
more disposed to accept with gratitude the gracients
assurances of the Queen, than to cavil at the chan-
nel through which she has seen fit to convey them.
We have no doubt that the people will do full jus-
tice to the spirit which animates what we must
describe as the Royal message, and that they will
readily respond to the demand which it makes upon
their forbearance. With great good feeling her
Majesty expresses her hearty appreciation of her
subjects' desire to see her. And although not
directly, she impliedly contradicts the assertion that
she has laid out for herself any scheme of seclusion,
by the assurance that " whenever any real object is
to be attained by her appearing on public occasions,
any national interest to be promoted, or any thirg
to be encouraged which is for the good of her people,
her Majesty will not shrink, as she has not shrunk,
from any personal sacrifice or exertion, however
painful." At the same time she reminds us of that
which ought to have been lost sight of, that she
has now to perform—alone and unassisted—other
and higher duties than those of " mere representa-
tion ;" and she remonstrates gently, but firmly,
against being asked to expend on state ceremonies
the health and strength which she requires for the
discharge of "other duties which cannot be ne-
glected without serious injury to the public inte-
rests." She promises, however, that she will do
what she can to meet " the loyal wishes of her
subjects, to afford that support and countenance
to society, and to give that encouragement to
trade which is desired of her." We snould enter
with infinite reluctance upon any discussion of
assurances graciously vouchsafed by the Queen
to the solicitude of her subjects. But we are
relieved from the performance of so embarrassing a
duty, by a conviction that it is quite sufficient to
express our perfect confidence that her Majesty
will not have thrown herself in vain upon " the
kindness and good feeling of her people," and
that she will not find on their part any desire to
exact from her more than she finds herself able to
perform.
THE SPECTATG3 ON THE COMING CONFERENCE.
—The chances of an acceptable peace as the result
of the Danish conference h-row less as the meeting
draws near. The great Powers are all in one way
or another expressing their " viee7B," and the effect
of the expression is to show that the hope of agree-
ment among them all is of the faintest _kind. Earl
Russell, in his despatch of March 9, not onis avows
that the idea of Great Britain is to maintaiti the
Treaty of 1852 through a " personal union" between
Denmark and the Duchies, but bids the Danes re-
member that although "he does not pretend to
dictate," they may, if they are as obstinate as Eng-
lishmen would be, obtain worse terms than that.
The German Powers assent to that view, but de-
mand in addition that the united Duchy of Schles-
wig-Holstein shall possess an equal vote with Den-
mark upon all matters affecting the whole monarchy,
in other words, that Germany shall govern the
policy of Duchies, peninsula, and islands all toge-
ther. M. Drouyn de Lhuys, on the other hand, In
a despatch dated 20th March, announces his mas-
ter's opinion that " it is impossible not to recognise
the obstacles to the precise and exact execution of
the Treaty of 18.52," and that it is needful to ap-
peal to the political "higher law," the law which
condones all breaches of faith among nations and
between nations and their rulers—universal suffrage.
Finally, Russia don't publish despatches, but asks
amidst the cannon for a Danish princess as wife for
the future Czar, strong evidence that the idea of the
Romanoffa is not to dethrone King Christian alto-
gether ;Denmark, in fact, wants to keep Schleswig
as a dependency. Germany wants to seize Schles-
wig and make Denmark a dependency ; England
wants to take Schleswig from both and give it to
King Christian ; Francs wants the whole question
referred to a majority of the most ignorant of all
the parties concerned andßussia wants any arrange-
ment which will most effectually enable her to
menace the independence of Sweden. All these con-
flicting interests, and ideas, and purposes are to be
thrown into a vat together, and Earl Russell hopes
by diplomatic chemistry to obtain some solid and
useful outturn. He may, but we venture to affirm
tLat it will only be
by precipitating a reel-
the stencil of which will not be
duum ther to him or to the world.
pleasing e._ eerceive which of the half-dozen
It is not hard to
the one adopted more or less
plans suggested will ue
'ee. It is that proposed
reluctantly by the Conferees .
pleases at once
by the only Sovereign who can 1: he
arrest the march of the German arm,.. "'.who wields
as well :is that of
the force of Sweden and Italy
France, and who has a pressing motive for s!'thin ev g
that contracts should be only respected when bo:h
parties are willing to keep them. The Elect of
D3cember is consistent when he demands that the
classes whose vote released him from his oath should
release Europe from its obligations, no other power
save Denmark is likely to hold out long, and as for
Denmark, vice victis is the secret thought of most
of one's dearest friends. France cordially endorses
a principle under which she can annex Belgium and
could only lose Algeria; England obviously will
accept any proposal which ensures even temporary
peace, would, we verily believe, submit the whole
matter to the arbitration of Pekin, if only the can-
non could then be compelled to cease firing; Ger-

many feels secure that the Schleswigers will vote
for the "superior nationality," which is one day to
be united, and free, and respected; and Russia only
asks that she may be the protectress of the divided,
powerless, and contemptible morsels of Scandinavia.
The Danes, of course, must give way, for doctors do
not ask the consent of the animals whose vivisection
is 6, profitable to science," and they may even in
their despair consent, for at least the plan rids
them of the chance of " personal union" which is
for them the most ruinous of all the devices Earl
Russell and the professors have as yet
schemed out, and leaves them though power-
less and ruined by exactions freemen still.
There may be peace, but at what a cost to Europe
and the world! The system of public law which,
however imperfect in itself, has enabled one quar-
ter of the world to keep up a continuous political
advance will have been overthrown. Any power has
henceforward only to pour immigrants into a neigh-
bouring province, then excite them to rebellion, and
then declare that treaties cannot be carried out, and
the only appeal will be the will of the ignorant
masses of the people. France may seize Belgium,
Russia all provinces inhabited by Sc ava, Italy Dal-
matia and half the Tyrol, and Greece the fairest
sections of the Ottoman dominions, with no other
consequences than ratification by vote. No small
Power has any longer a right to exist, and the
smallest segment of a people, so that it have but
some speciality of race, acquires a moral right to
upset that worthless compact among nations which
diplomatists were wont to respect aslEuropean order.
If the Germans in Schleswig can justify the con-
quest of Danes by Germans, why should not the
Frisians in Schleswig vote their section over to
Russia, or Dtlnaatia declare herself Italian, or the
Czechs of Bohemia assert that their true kinship is
with the Poles, or the people of Corn.well announce
that they intend beunforwArd to be govtruod only