The Northern Pacific farmer., 1883-10-04
SHAKESPEARE'S BONES.
England Indignant at the Proposal
to Exhume the Immortal Bard's
Remains.

: Remains.
A 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 Gu
rious and unexpected that it has sent an
instant thrill throughout the length and
breadth Of England, and stirred even
the most languid pulses as neither Ton.
Quin wars, nor Chambord funerals, nor
Java earthquakes could never have stirred
them. A little pamphlet, lugubriously
entitled ''Shakespeare's Bones," written
by certain DR.. Ing(eby, suddenly set
the whole country in a commotion. The
excitement has subsidized as quickly as it
rose. With hollow pretence Of anti
quarian zeal which deceived very few
suggested that Shakespeare'sr 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 Dr.. 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 Stratford, Mr.. Arbuthnot, who
appeared at first less averse to the pro-
posed exhumation, has thous ht it pru-
dent to disdlaim having expressed any
intention of abetting DR.. Ingleby.
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 furious pro-
test against the scheme, nor is it likely
DR.. Ingleby could bring forward will
convince Englishmen that there is the
least good to be got by the proposed
desecration. "Good friend, for Jesus
sake forbeare To digg the dust encloased
heare; blest oe ye man vt spares thes
stones, and curst be he who moves my
bones." Whether Will wrote the inscrip-
ton himself or it was piousy indented
after his death matters, and can matter,
little to any reverent mind. In
all probability the touching words
FLY expressed the poets wishes, Be-
yond all shadow ola doubt they ex-
prese the deliberate wish of 500 men out
Of every 1000 readers of Hamlet" and
liking Lear" and Othello." The pretext
invoked to excuse this most untimeIy Of
Shakspearean "revivals" will not bear
moments serious discussion.
Should the skull not cor
respond or (horrid thouqht) 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
and not in a mere spirit of childish Gu
riosity.
There is a lonely court close to Fleet
street where the body of another poet
lies, forlorn ard forgotten. No railing
protects Goldsmith tom mbstone-no bar
rier keeps it sacred from the Indifferent
clerks and busy lawyers who hurry over
the moulde1ing graves around it. DR..
Ingleby would be doing right good SER
vice now if he would agitate for the dis
interment Of "poor Noll's bones. They
| have lain where they are too long al
ready for the credit Of the millions
whom bis work have delighted. It is
time they were better sheltered from
the weather, and what filter shelter
could there be for them than the roof
of Westminster abbey?
Many Americans will hear with sor-
row that the interesting old buildings in
Chancerv lane known as "Bootle's
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 80 high and in
tellectual, SO keen to discern the absurd
or the incongruous in others. His very
vulgar s:flalne"-Saily Walker-about
whom he rhapsodizes in the ''Liber
Amoris, "was the daughter Of his land
lord at No. 9 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 ''Table Talk
Charles Lamb also once inhabited
Southampton buildings, and this very
No. afforded him a theme for one of
his most charming essays. The build
ings which are now being pulled down are
haunte by host of literary memories,
and, however palatial may be the struc-
ture reared in their place, it is safe to
say that London will be vastly the poor
er for their disappearance.