The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-18
PROPOSED SHAKESPEAREAN MEMO.
RIAL.
AN APPEAL TO AMERICANS.

Mark Twain has letter in the New York Times
from which we quote the following:
1 have Just received letter from an English
friend OF mine, whose hospitality 1 enjoyed some
DAYS at his house, in Stratford-on-Avon, and
feel sure that the matter he writes about will in
come now to my point which will be found
in this extract from my English friends letter:
"You may possibly remember some timber
wharves on the Avon above my garden. these
] have bought and given for site for Memo
rial Theater. think it possible that some Amer
leans who have visited Stratford might be able
aud feel inclined to become governors THAT is.
f100 shareholders) in the Memorial Theater and
grounds, and that others not 30 we'll off might
like to contribute smaller sums to beautify IT.
Therefore, he asks me to make the suggestion
in point here, and am very 6 ad to do 1T. l
think the suggestion is all that is necessary.
We are not likely to be backward when called
upon to do honor to Shakespeare. One of the
circulars says:
SUBSCRIPTIONS can be paid to the Shakespeare
Avon, and will be invested in the names Of Sir
R. N. G. Hamilton. Bart, and G. E. Flower, ESQ.,,
who have consented to act as trustees until the
registration is completed"
Will YOU, sir, undertake to receive and forward
the American subscriptions Or, if not, Will you
kindly name some responsible person who will
do it?
believe that Americans of every walk in life
will chez rfully subscribe to this Shakespeare
memorial; think that some of our prominent
actors Il could almost name them) will come
forward and enroll themselves as governors; l
think our commercial miliionaires and literary
people will not be slow to take gOvernOrships, or
at least come as near it as they feel able; and l
think it altogether likely that many of our thea
tiers, like those of England, will give it a
benefit.
Americans have already subscribed $1,000 for
an American memorial window to be put in the
Shakespeare Church at Avon. About three
fourths Of the vi-itors to shakespeare's tomb are
Americans. If you will show me an American
who has visited England and has not seen that
It was an American who reused into its present
vigorous life highlands dead interest in her
Shakespearean remains. Think Of that
Imagine the house that shakespeare was born
in being brought bodily over here and set up on
American soil. That came within an ace of being
done once. A reputable gentleman of Stratford
told me 80. The old building was going to wreck
and ruin. Nobody felt quite reverence enough
for the dead dramatist to repair and take care of
his house: SO an American came along ever so
quietly and bought it. The deeds were actually
drawn and ready for the signatures. Then the
thing got wind and there was . fine stir in Eug-
Land.
The sale was stopped. Public-spirited Eng
lishmen headed . revival Of reverence for the
poet, and from that day to this every relic of
Shakespeare in Stratford has been sacred, and
zealou ly cared for accordingly. Can you name
the American who once owned shakespeare
birthplace for twenty-four hours? There is but
one who could ever have conceived of such an
unique and ingenious enterprise, and he is the
man refer TOP. T. Barnum.
We had to lose the house but let us not lose
the present opportunity to help him build the
Memorial TBeater. MARK TWAIN.
Hartford, Monday, April 26, 1875.