River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-10-04
sHAKESPEARE's BONES.
England Indignant at the Proposal
To Exhume the Immortal Bard $
Remains.

England indignant at the Proposal
To Exhume the Immortal Bard $
Remains.
\ London letter to The New York
Herald says: This September has not
been wanting in the usual crop of Won
derful newspaper connections. We have
been startled by one tale, at least so en-
rious and unexpected that it has sent an
instant thrill throughout the length ana
breadth of England, and stirred even
the most languid pulses as neither Ton
Quin wars, nor Chamhord funerals, nor
Java earthqu could never have stirred
them. A little pamphlet, lugubriousy
entitled shakespeare Bones, written
by certain DR.. lngIeby, suddenly set
the whole country in connection. The
excitement has subsidized as quickly as it
rose. With a hollow pretence of anti
quarian zeal which deceived very few
people, DIR. Ingleby had audaciously
suggested that Shakespeare's remains be
dug up and investigated, so that we
might settle once for all by comparing
his skull with the bust at Stratford
whether that monument or the various
portraits which have been handed down
| to us are faithful presentments of the
| inimitable 'Swan of Avon"
The inscription on the poets tomb
| seemed to forbid any such bodv-snatch-
| ing; but DIR. Ingleby would fain have
| persuaded us that Shakespeare never
wrote it, and that it no longer need be
| respected. He has failed, however, to
| convince either the public or the STRAIT
| ford mayor and corporation, while the
vicar of Stratfor1, Mr.. ArbuLhnot, who
appeared at first less averse to the pro-
posed elimination, has thous hit it pru-
| dent to disdlaim having expressed any
| intention of abetting DR.. IngIeby.
Public opinion, as it happens has in
| dignantly and passionately denounced
the exhumation, and there is now little
| danger of the Shakespeare body-snatch-
ers being allowed to work their will.
| The press has united in a furious pro-
| test against the scheme, nor is 1t likely
| that any arguments, however ingenious
| DR.. IngIeby could bring forward will
convince Englishmen that there is the
| least good to be got by the proposed
Dissertation. Good friend, for Jesus
sake forbeare To digg the dust enclosed
| heare; blest be We man vt spares thes
stones, and curst be he who moves my
| bones" Whether Win wrote the inscrip-
| ton himself or it was piously indented
after his death matters, and can matter,
| little to any royerent mind. In
all probability the touching words
| FLY expressed the poets wishes, Be-
yond all shadow of "a doubt they ex-
| prese the deliberate wish of 999 men out
| of every 900 readers of Hamlet" and
| king Lear" and Othello" The pretext
invoked to excuse this most untimely OF
| Shakspearean 'revivals" will not bear
| a moments serious discussion.
| Should the skull not cor
respond or (horrid thought no skull
at all discovered, what incalculable dis
| appointment would be caused, and how
| many pious American tourists would be
| tempted to profanity! If poets bones
must be dug up atall, let it be elsewhere
and not in mere spirit of childish Gu
| riosity.
There is lonely court close to Fleet
street where the body of another poet
| lies, forlorn ard forgotten. No railing
protects Goldsmith stombstone-no bar
rier keeps it sacred from the Indifferent
clerks and busy lawyers who hurry over
| the Wondering graves around it. DR..
| Ingleby would be doing right good SER
vice now if he would agitate for the dis
| interment of ''poor N0lPs bones. They
| have lain where they are too long al
ready for the credit Of the millions
whom his work have delighted. 1t is
| time they were better sheltered from
the weather, and what filter shelter
could there be for them than the root
| of Westminster abbey?
Many Americans will hear with sor-
row that the interesting old buildings in
| Chancerv lane known as "Bootle'
houses" are in course of demolition. 1t
was here Hazlitt lodged and lived through
| the strange love story he has told in his
"Liber Amoris. "a story sadly "of the
earth earthly" and incomprehensible in
connection with man so high and I'M
telIectual, so keen to discern the absurd
or the incougruous in others. His very
vulgar "aame"-Saily Walker-about
whom he rhapsodizes in the 'Iiber
Amoris, was the daughter Of his lamb
lord at No. Southampton buildings.
There he spent some of his best years.
and, in the intervals left him by his
passionate courtship, wrote his sketch
es of English Picture Galleries" and
much of his delightful liable Talk"
Charles Lamb also once inhabited
Southampton buildings, and this very
No. 9 afforded him a theme for one Of
his most charming essays. The build
ings which are now being pulled down are
hauntei by host of literary memories,
and, however palatjal may be the struc-
ture reared in their place, it is safe to
say that London will be vastly the poor
err for their disappearance.