New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-01
. srpIoI-s LITERARY ROBBERY.

The duty which am now about to perform 10 .
very painful one but man shout permit his
personal feeling; 10 Interfere with performance
of a duty He should perform 1t fearlessy, re-
CARELESS OF the laCeiation Of his own personal SEN
sihilities.
have some very serious charges to make against
certain well-known authors They charges or
plagiarism and, that may not be misunderstood
,hev are charges of theft. make these charges
boldly against Plato and William Shakespeare.
Until quite recently. until | had discovered in'
dubtable evidences OF his infamy. cherished MOTH
;r,, I'M, the kindest feelings toward Plato. Person.
ally I may add | liked the man. and frequently
in conversation I went out OF my way 10 SPEAK
well OF him Plato good hand TO write ana
I have often said so to people feel sure repea'e"
the remark.
Rut IN reading Plato recently made discovery
which has staggered me. find that all through
his books he has been using my IDEAS NO"
wish TO be mild and moderate and say nothing IN
the heat of my feeling which may repent OF later:
but do think 1t Is perfect shame that TINS ola
heather should make such a reputation out OF my
IDEAS and that should get no credit Whatever for
the same.
Why had not read two pages OF his 'Repuoiic
before | came across thoughts which l thought
myself as long five or six years ago, ana wnicn
should have uttered myself II | had only pos
sessed the flow of language to express them On
every page were ideas which that INSCRIPTIONS
plagarist, meanly taking advantage of my una
yoidable absence, bodily stole from me- several
thousand years before I born Think OF i'll
Robbery of the unborn. With what shameless
haste this urgent thief bounced upon his booty.
The full extent OF this mans robbery am not
vet prepared to state l have not yet read all the
hooks of which he Is the so-caled author. But ]
am reading them with all the speed that the pres
sure OF other duties will permit And nnd my
ideas scattered all through them. Sometimes II 10
true | will read several pages without discovering
rr, ttea to Anil
the ideas are commonplace, the thought Is msdi-
OGRE | see nothing of mine In 1t. Then suddenly
there will be brilliant fash OF genius, sunburst
of inspiration, and Immediately l recognize the
Plato stole it, The very thought which have
long cherished, and which | should have long age
certain ifnpediments in my intellectual faculties
prevented.
Now the public must judge between me and this
man. Ii will readily at what a tremendous
disadvantage I am placed This man was more
the opportunity in the world to select and sort out
my best thoughts and give them to the world be-
fore had chance s to open my mouth rsDu,o,
for himself while | am utterly unknown In the
% gets ali ssG e While @
Is it too late for justice TO be done me? Shall !
Then ' there epi is that man shakespeare William
Shakespeare has always been well spoken OF BY
by to put Vh in good word for him. Save always
maintained that he was good writer. and said
certain discoveries which | have lately made In
his writings / should still continue his friend But
that time has gone by. Henceforth our relations
must remain strained
In reading Shakespeare's works ! find that he.
like Plato. has unscrupulously stolen my thoughts.
He and Plato are pair; Arm I'm arm let me PHI.
lory them before the public gaze.
| had not read two pages OF Hamlet" before I
said Why this is mine. These are my thoughts,
those my ideas 1t is mighty good piece and
Shakespeare knew 1t when he stole IT,"
Now maintain that Shakespeare's reputation 10
built upon false basis. He goes staggering down
the corridors OF time under false pretences.
And the public can see In what a cavity he has de.
posted me- With shrewd and malignant cunnina
he picked out my best thoughts and now / ind
that ideas which have left really no better
than his. Ny friends really unreasonable 70
think that ! can surpass Shakespeare. under the
circumstances: for Shakespeare. like Plato. taking
advantage OF my unavoidable absence, bottled al
my lightning before It flashed and stole all my
thunder before IL burst.
Alas fear l shall not be able to surpass very
much. some Of the best OF the so-caed passages
Of Shakespeare.
1t has not been pleasant for me to attack two
such hitherto highly respected men Mr. Shake.
speare and Colonel Plato But owe duty 70 the
public. as well as to myself. The public. ! am az:
leave the task Of deciding between these men and
myself. SAM WALTER FOSS