New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-28


process time such is the gradual advance OF modern
knowledge some brilliant genius wall both relate ana
prove that the great poet had no head al all An In
glsh writer at the period Of the Shakespeare lerceh
tenary at Stratford 1884, wrote as follows; I'VE nave
here the courtly Shakespeare, whom arisocracy o'e7
TO think OF as reading his plays to Queen Lhzaoe'h tue
schoary Shakespeare as thinkers love TO enshrne him.
'sckied DER with the pale cast or thought pen III
hand library around and have the theatrical SNAKE
speare as the followers Of his art love TO picture him.
After closely examining these old paintings am CON
WINGED that they have all branched OF, under traius
OF the aboyenamed several conceptions rom tue poi
trait OF the folio OF 1923 the Droeshout porrau nov"
1 also firmly believe that no literal likeness Oh SHAM
speare exists but that of the Droeshou print upon
which Ben Jonson who was intimately acquainted Win
the poet, wrote these lines:
This Figure that thou here seest put,
III wa, for gentle Shakespeare cut
Wherein the Graver had strife
With Nature to out-uOo tne NE ,,.
0 could he but have drawne his Wit
As well IN Brasse as lie has hit
His Face :-&c
And admitting this print 20 be, MS u has frequently Deeu
called ian abominable libel on humanity yetlts truth
fuues, should not questioned, unless some authority
~ eoua weight could be adduced to the contrary Inc
o,t ,,c, ~ the Of the likeness is the only
tmnortant matter 10 DO considered. With this por
trait the present generation appear to DO dissatis
fed the tendency Of modern art being to idea!lze and
misrepresent. The Droeshout print not representing
Shakespeare as Adonis, In the opinion OF many per-
sons 10 TO be ignored while fancu representations OF
what some artist believes his features to have been are
substituted In place OF those which Jonson emphat-
cay declares have been the counterfeit present.
ment' Of the mau himself Yes, the Droeshout print
taken direct from nature aud admirably taken that
The Graver had a strife
With Nature to Out-doo the life
is 70 be discarded and repudated aud the ideas OF some
seusationalist, manipulated $50 years after Shakes
peare', death, considered as the correct likeness
The conclusion therefore arrive at is this, that
the Droeshout print authenticated and praised by Ben
Jonson and admitted by Hemnge and Condell In their
edition as the portrait OF Shakespeare at time when
he was known 10 everybody the only true aud accu
rate likeness we possess of the foremost man of all this
world" aud all departures from 1t ore 70 be considered
only az SapreIous conceptions Of the different artists
who create them.
the Droeshout print the stratford bust nor
tho Chandos picture present any Disagreement Of brow
/ nm content TO believe that none existed, as 1t would
beyond doubt have been revealed by sculptor engrayer
painter critics. or friends who knew him. frightful
disagreement Of this kind would surely never have been
omitted aud alusion at least would have been made
10 &C. I'm some work. but have
this is supposed by TO be alluded TO by
Shakespeare in his lI2t Sonnet Shakespeare dis
satisfied With his position in lifethat of an actor
alA It's tn. have gone here ere and there
Hts profession as q player was disagreeable to him.
He regrets that his life had not been better provided for
than by public means which public manners Breeds"
he evidently felt this be stigma attached to him, and
that vulgar scandal had assailed him:
Thence ii that ny receives brand.
A. 4o was i' xof9s in ike the hsnd sone ILL.,
THIS "a the great oyerpowering weight within his
heart and the consolation Of which he asks impOr
'''' Pity ne then. dear friend. and assure Jon
Er.nf t.fV mtg f.au I'll In fura ma
Sonnet IIl.-Coucusou.
He says her love and pity win cure hm--he assures
her Of this fact Now, could Shakespeare have been
such an idiot say that her love aud pity would
physical wound supposinS him to have had onef The
poet thon proceeds:
Your love to pity doth the impression 81
which vulgar scandal stamped upon my brow
For what I who calls me well or ill.,
YSu are M Il. The word and must strive
To know my shanes and praises from your tongue" 80
tSOunet ll2
This them is the palliative. this the balm to assuage
his heart when detected aud i'll at ease, as he
presses It, when In disgrace with fortune and mems
eyes"
This twas repeat, her love and pity, (Which doth
the Impression I'LL Which vulgar scandal stamped upon
my brow Her love and pity he apparently considered
as full compensation for all his aud sorrows.
Tie poet evidently intends TO say this: That her love
and pity will the preston chat Is stamp MARK I'll
Islander detractionl had stamped Chat is xed upon
he Is very particular to add
:. For what care who cats me well or H.
Yoi ar, nay al the world and I luI strive
To ny shanes and praises from your tongue"
Or IN other words the impression that vulgar scandal
had stamped upon his brow would be filed that 49, sat
sted or ccnented. by her love and pity. Let any
read the li0b. ll1th aud 1l2h Sonneis connection,
aud the whole matter will be perfectly clear The words
Which vulgar scspd, stamped upon my brow"
mean unauestionably in 1guratiyc metaphorical
sense imputed bemsh on his character and reputa
The citation OF the first two lines OF the Hath Sonnet
to prove that an actual scar existed on hs fore
Is absurd aG9spreposterous IL means nothing OF the
heard OF vulgar scandal making scar on persons
brow how could the love and pity OF human being,
TN eSn 70 70 DC sa SGse e Ut sSr could
make Impression or physical scar on persons brow,
or that and pity could fill 1t up the most unmit
gated trash and nonsense ever heard uttered or saw IN
print 1900
literature tells W. 1t IA "ungrammaiical, perplexed,
and obscure" So II IT should still be insisted that the
"" The impression OIL
Which vulgar scandal stamped upon nv brow"
mean actually scar does think any condemnation
should be passed carcarst who should represent
guarded With yellow IL the artist should plead
in oxtonuatiol the lioth Sonnet;
AM mad: nSs.ir "oa tss % he gss
Or II he should represent Shakespeare as blind in
oye quoting the ii3lh Sonnet 10 prove It;
Since | lef yoa mino eye 10 mind
AMI that which governs about,
Dothspsrt Lis function, and partly blind.
seesi seeing but efcetgAlY out"
This would be taking literal view OF the ease,
but would be the burleSque, out herodng
Herod at the same there would be far greater author
ty and warrant for sch representations than there Ia
for this wonderful scar.
regret very much that artist OF Mr. Pages culture
and talent should misunderstood himself and Shake
speare as To lend his pencil aud ehsel 70 such silly
trfckory for the whole affair Is the hungng piece
OF conecur criticism tho part and pictorial
and souiptura deuson the other ever attempted