Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1885-11-23
LIVE SHAKESPEARES.
BLOOD RELATIONS TO A "PLAy-AcT-
ING KIND OF A covEY."
william Howitt's visit to Public School
Picking Out the Young Shake
spcares-The Tewkesbury
Boatriau Had BILL


lWnitenuu heNieW.l
There Is tradition that John Shake
speare, tho father OF the immortal William,
had q brother who was respectable voc
gentleman OF literary eminencs once as
sorted that he coull select tho de'cend-
ants Of John Shake 'peare, the Gloucester
shire yeoman. by the resemblance Of the
contour of their heads or facial outline 10
that OF the but Of William Shakespeare in
the church Of Stratford- on-Avon His
power Of ability to do so was disputed. and
no volunteered TO put It to practical
test This happened more than fifty years
ago
COLLATERAL DESCENDANTS.
The gentlemen heard that there were sew
eral boys OF the name OF Shakspere or
Shakespsar who went to the public school Of
the neighborhood. The two gentlemen
visited the schoolmaster. The interview oc-
CURED outside the porch. II have heard"
said the literary gentleman, ayou have sew
eral boys attending your school OF the name
Of Shakespeare II have, SIR" "They are
children OF parents who reside In the neigh
borhoodr aThey are SIR" tho school
master replied affirmatively. "They are Of
different ages and belong to different
families or parents Of the same namea"
"They do, SIR" 'Now," said tho gentleman,
"these children have the traditional reputa-
tion Of being the descendants OF Shakes
peare. the great dramatist--collateral do
scendants. or they are supposed to be de-
scended from the uncle Of the great
dramatlst, who lived somew where In this Inn
mediate neighborhood. have theory. or
hypothetical idea, or fancy, that by OBJ
serving or comparing the shape OF the head
md tho IA mi qaiacf avarv bov In yottr
school numerous as 1t is) who bears the
name OF Shakespeare"
"Psrhaps,r said the schoolmaster, "you
have seen them before" "No,n replied the
gentleman, III am perfect stranger to the
neighborhood, and have never seen you or
your school before to-day. Well" continued
the gentleman, "this Is what want you to
do--to permit me to walk into your school,
from form to form, TO look steadfastly al
every boy, and for you to send up to youl
desk every boy whom may touch on the
head, and al soon as l have completed my
facial and cranial scrutiny to inform me
how many Shakejpeares l have found or
selected from your promlscuous as'emblage
of boys" The schoolmaster asserting &c
this the gentleman In the most contempa
tive and studious manner walkel from
bench to bench. The boys were in a stat
OF anxious suspense; some imagined tho
gentleman was trying to mssmerize them,
and some OF them thought they had been
committing some terrible offense, ami were
being sent up for punishment
TRUE TO THE TYPE.
As soon as the gentleman had completed
his examination he walked up TO the desk
accompanied by tho schoolmaster and ri,
incredulous friend. "Now,p said the gentle
man to the pedagogue, please to tell me
how many Shakespeares have found.
"Well,p responded the schoolmaster with 0
smile. "all the boys you have selected are
Shakespeares, and they comprise the whole
Of the boys Of that patronymic attending
my school" The gentleman could not dis.
gui,e his delight. but his incredulous com.
panion was little chagrinei. "Allow me,
said the gentleman, 10 ask you one more
OF one familyr mo. sir. Some are broth.
err, and some are cousins" Tho gentleman
relieved the anxiety OF the boys by pro
fusion Of compliments and by sixpence O
a head. Il Is said that William Hewitt wa:
the person who visited the school.
An extract taken from the notebook Of O
gentleman formerly connected with the
shipping trade at Gloucester runs; II was
once sitting In a merchants office, waiting
for boatman to sign his aybill or con-
Segment note. II was during the dinner
hour. | had volume OF Shakespeare open
ON the desk, exhibiting his vignette or por.
trait, and fac-simile of his autograph.
The boatman took Off his hat / was struck
with hi remarkable face and head. 1t bore
somo resemblance to the portrait before my
eye4 The face and head OF the baatmar
bore some resemblance to what imagined
Shaksspeare's bust ut Stratiord would b.
II 1t had been thrown from its pedestal
scratched and bruised, and begrimed with
dirt, tar and coal dust. What meeks et
stare ut m gaffer7 Amt yu never zed IN
Rforef
''wILLUM sHAKsPERE."
II felt ra her a,hamsd. but laughed, ant
he followed my exa0ple. Can you writei
Iinquirel. Yes, gaffer; or maxi mo cross.
We'll, then, write your name; there is q
good fellow ] read my book while hi
wrote his name in two places. He arou ,ed
me from my reverie by exclaiming: Woo
that do. gafferr l looked up for the lur
poe OF tearing of and giving him the coun
terfoii, and you may imagine my amaze
msnt when / saw he had written 'Willun
Hhakspere. My astonishment was intensi
fed from the resemblance to the autograph
bVAVto ihc. ohoiu Bh1oa Nv hthh oht ouiu
Are you any relation to the celebrated
William Shalfespeare, tho poetf foun'
had spoken Greek" to him. for he did no
unierstand me- l tried again. Are yo
any kith or kin to any big man Of that nam
who livsl ut Stratford-on-Avonf No, d
live at To ykesbury. We ha always live
som'ur thereabouts; but | ha yard gran
faythur, OLD John Snakspers, say as how W
sprilg'd sometime or noather from play
acting kind OF a covey.'
BAD "BILI."
1Bill Shak,paro aud l shook hands
and we parted closed the Office door an
walked toward the lock, meiitating on til
vagaries OF human life, when heard tn
not very mulliAuou, voice OF on aquati
tsrmagant crying; .Bill Shak,pere, 20
young devil, thee leave that kid alone an
come aboard or ! toll thee faythur, and h
wool smack thee.' l looked-I recognizes
traces Of the features OF the great play -aci
ing covey In a pugnacious, black-face
little rascal, who was heartily f'ticuiiinI
another juvenile boatee on the quay. Bill
Shakespeare obeyed the maternal command
and scrambled on board with alacrity
Seven or eight young ShakspsreJ Of both
-. l,.k ~. a. A..