New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-03
NOTES FROM LONDON.
HALLIwELL PHILLIPS-AMERICAN COPY
RIGHT-LoRD sACKvLLE AND KNoLE'
-MR. BRYCE

-MR. BRYCE
trpox ruv REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuxE.l
London January o.
HalIiweD Phillips. Who's death has lately been
announced was perhaps the last OF the school OF
Shakespearean commentators which included De
sides himself knight. CollieB and Dyce lie
had more learning than any OF them except
Dyce, and the work he has done is copious, ano
an the whole, sound knight has passed out
of repnte as editor. lie was rash man IN tne
matter of text Collier was permanently dis
credited by the Folio business and the discios-
ures of Hamilton Dyce has left behind HIM
the best edition-the second Of the three which
bear his name-yet published; and library at
South Kensipgton1 for which all students OF
Shakespeare and of the literature OF the PERIOD
have cause to be grateful Halliwell Philips
he WINS then Halliwell without the Philhps-puo-
hshed in. I think, S53 an edition oil SNAKE
speare which is monumental in size II IN nothing
elsei filing as it does sixteen folio volumes
The photographer prizes it because it is scarce
Rut $50 copies were printed yet, do not know
that those still in the market are greatly sougnt
after He wrote and edited other books and
had wide knowledge OF carly English, but IL
is as a Shakespearean that he will be renem-
bered and his great work with reference 10
Shakespeare was one Of accumulation ana 0! sai
walton. He rescued for us great deal that; Due
for him. would have reriShed. and ne saio Vi
himself truly that he had ransacked every COT
per where anything could be found about
shakespeare. He devoted himself TO TIE COZ
lection of materials illustrating the lie OF
Snahps,eore His industry was great, his Wig
flance unsleeping, his means Of research Tor the
last sixteen years practically unlimited. his knowi
edge immense His Outlines" fill q stout octave
and he died with the chagrin of knowing tnaV
when he ended, as when he began, all the soma
facts about Shal1espeares life could be pnnteu
in q page; almost in sentence.
smoke of the old school OF ShakesTeareanS'
A new one has sprung up. Not the bacohianS'
Those misguided creatures. from Miss Della 10 ME-
DonneIy have no part CT lot IN SnaKespeafe"u
literature. The new men do not abolish, out
the spirit of innovation is upon them ana they
are but re bellous brood. One Of them IS mr. FRANK
Marshall, Editor Of what is called Inc henry
Irving Shakespeare Dir. Marshall is stadlous
and wellmeaning but he has lately written one
or two letters which might lead the puohc 10
believe that he puts Irving before Shakespeare
in more senses then one To defend MIR. 1rvings
conception Of Macbeth" is one thing; to defenu
his Liberties with the play and text is another.
For example. when Macbeth mean the real
Macbeth-hears OF his wife's death he begins an
IMPRESSIVE soiloquy' with the sentence: She
sbould have died hereafter Mr. Irving SUBJ
stitutes would for should and Mr.. Marshall
uphohs him in a change which turns
/, suggestive phrase into platituoe.
The reason for condemning IL. however,
is not merely or mainly rhetorical. II there De
an accepted canon of Shakcspearean criticism
it is that 10 ccpiectural emendauon snail DC
made where the text is intelhnbie and consistent
improvements to suit the taste OF this or tnat
editor are not 70 be tolerated. II there are TWO
or more texts the righteous editor is not even
then to let fancy dictate his choice de IS 10
accept. other things being equal the best au-
thority. For the text of Macbeth there is but
one authority. the Folio OF 62s, where the play
was first printed, seven years after Shakespeares
death There are no Macbeth quartos Inc
Folio reads should and the reading. being
jnteIlgible and consistant-mal1ing good sense
to put it SHORTS decisive. Mr. Frank Mar
shalrs defence of Mr.. Irving's would Is itself
entirely indefensible.
Mr.. George Moore is an English writer Of fiction
whose novels or some OF them, the largest cir
culating library in London declined to denver
no its customers Nude, or the censor who acts
in his name did not think them fit for general
reading At present Mr.. Moore is engaged IN
preventing the passage OF an International COPY
night law Probably he does not know that be
is Possibly he thinks he is promoting, not pre-
venting it. BE has a complaint. and apparently
just complaint. against the American publisher,
or against an American publisher. The facts oil
his relations with Dir. Brentano have been puohc
for some time. He has treated Mr. Moore badly
so much NAV be admitted Mr.. Brentano himself
saens 20 admit IT, Mr.. Putnam admits that
Mr.. Moore has Just ground Of complaint. The
case is one which might have been so handled
as To advance the cause Of international copy
right But that is not Mr. Moore's way. lie
Is incapable Of stating his grievance temperatey,
or of letting the facts speak for themselves;
incapable or unwilling. His way is to stand at
the corner of the street and cry stop THIEF, ana
call names, and swear. This writer OF novels
ON which respectable library puts ban says
that in America conscience IS not a force; that
America does not yet stand within the morals
OF civilization; and that to give up slaye-tradng
and continue to pirate English books is equivalent
to saying that we win not break into houses
but win pick pockets.
This is the loose talk Of a man who has lost
his temper Il is not surprising that he should
lose his temper for he has suffered in that tender
English spot his pocket. But Mr.. Moore, being
a writer Of fiction. is or ought 10 be, student
of human nature He ought to know that he IS
only iniuring the chances Of copyright by this
undiscriminating invective The average Amer
lean is apt to say that il he is TO be called
pirate and pckpoclset by the English author. he
may as well do something TO deserve the names,
forgetting that for long time past the American
publisher has abundantly yindicated his title TO
these applications We tel each other SO frankly.
We do not like 10 have an Englishman Join in
the chorus.
side point in this controversy Is interesting.
MIR. Putnam objected to Mr.. Moore's statement
,hat all Ameyiean nubliShers have stolen English
books. Mr. Moore allowing that there are honor
able publishers in America. accepts Mr.. Putnam's
challenge and calls on him for the names OF two
only two-well-known firms that have been in
existence thirty years and have not stolen Eng
Dsh hoolzs Il Is now Mr. Putnams turn.