New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE FURNESS SHAKESPEARE.


NEW yARIoRUM EDITION OF sll ak SIT Z.
You Like It. svo DID. tx: 432. Philadelphia j. b.
LppincOtt Company.
Mr. Furnesss admirable variorum Shakespeare
has been extended and enriched by vol
ume containing AS lou Like IT, Win
pu the commentaries and almost be-
wildering mass of excgetical lore. Two
curious facts have been brought into strong rehef
Inv the EDITORS researches One is that the charac-
Ter of ,Jaques has puzzled the critics more than
any other Of Shakespcarcs creations. with the eN-
ccption of Hamlet The other is that AS You
Like II, is so intensely and essentially English
plav that foreigners even tie most intelligent.
appear quite unable TO comprehend II. MI FUR
ncsss remarks on this are so interesting tha' we
will quote few sentences tie begins pN suS-
ccsf1nc that as n test of nationality. nj least be-
tween the Gac. TeutOnc and Anglo-NaNon races
one of Shakespeare's comedies would prOnaply DC
more conclusive than facial angles, Granddaughter
measurements. and the lke"-and he goes on TO
cxprcss the opinion that such sparkling comedy
as this of AS You Like It may he made TO weld
the test have spoken Of. Ii is through ana
through an English comedy, on English soil. In
English air. beneath English oaks and II Will be
loved and admired cherished and appreciated. by
Englishmrn as long as an English word Is uttered
bv an English tongue Nowhere else in the habit
able globe could it's scene have been lald but IN
ENGLAND. nowhere else but in Sherwood Forest has
the GOLDEN ace in popular telicf,rcvsltcd the earth
and there alone Of all the earth merry BAND could
ind did fleet the time carelcssly. England Is the
home of As Yon Like H.. with al! lis VISIONS
Of tho Forest of Arden and heavenly RoSalind
hut let il remain there: never lei 1T cross the
narrow seas No Forest of Arden. rocking on
its towcry top all Threats that gnrgle sweet
hwp.t Gf
Germany or France and without a Forest of
Arden there can be no Rosalind. No SllnpScs OF
golden age do German legends afford. and time
of old in Germany. was fected carelcsslv only by
bands of cypsics' Such life HoSalind
led in the Forest. which all EngliSh-spcaklng
folk accept without thought of incongrutN
is to the German mind wellnieh< incomprchen>lblc
and refuge is taken by some of the most eminent
Germans in explanations of the Pastoral drama
with its sentimental unrcalitcs and con
t1asts or of Shakesprares intentional disre-
card Ct dramatic use and wont, etc. etc
The delicacy and keenncss of RoSalnd's wit
have been quite beyond German appreciation no
doubt in great measure because of linguistic diff
culties. though racial temperament and the lea
tonic habits of mind are also factors in the case
One result is. according to Mr. Furness. that from
The point of view of these critics. Rosalind
ceases TO he the one central figure Of the play.
her Wit and tests lose all propTiety in German
ears and Germans consequently turn 10 Jacques
and Tombstone as the final causes Of the comedy
and as the leading characters Of tie play Inc
consequence is that this almost HAWKES. clrysolite
of comedy. glittering with Rosalnds bright
ness and rejecting sermons from stones ana glow
Ing with the good in everything, becomes. as
seen through some German eyes, the almost sombre
BACKGROUND for Shakespcare's display of folly;
ffta tor
as to consider the professional Fool rs the most
rational character of all the dramatis perSonac.
Indeed. 1t is to be feared that of some Of the
German criticisms on this comedy II may be truth
fullv said that were the names of tie characters
omitted 70 which these critics refer, il would be
almost impossible to discover 10 recognize which
one of all Shakespcares plays is Just then sub
jectel to analysis; dificdlt is it for an alien
mind to appreciate this comedy of As You Like
it,"
Mr. Furness gives critical extracts from Scnlegel.
Gervinus Ulrici and kreySis III the appendix, ana
in illustration of his contention that the French
IDEAS of Shakespeare are ever more hopeless IMAM
the German, he presents parts Of George Sand
so-caied adaptation of AS You Like II under
the title "Comme II Vous Plara" in this
version Jaqncs is made 10 be passlonately IN lo'c
with Celia. and the play ends with her acceptance
of him. Obviously, no comment Is required upon
such a reading of the character Of Ja1ucs. Mr..
Furness in bis appendix inserts The Tale OF
liamelNn" and Lodges "Rosalyndc, from both
of which Shakespeare may have cleaned III compos-
ING his magnificent comedy. Whatever has been
said about the characters, the scenes, the plot, the
motives of tnc pay-some Of II very far from III
spiration il must be said-is represented IN these
hospitable ana catholic PAGES. For the study Of
the play Mr. FurneSss edition Will hencciorih be
as invaluable as indispensable, and IT can only
I've hoped that length OF days and strength VIII
be given him to complete the laborlous and most
useful enterprise to which he has devoted nm
self. and which he has carried forward thus lar
with so great success and conscicn'loushesS'