New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-23
FLEET STREET.
LITERARY MEMORIES OF A FAMOUS THOR
OUGHFARE.


Few streets in the world offer to the literary
historian material for a volume IKE the one
here cited Occasionally Mr.. Archer travels a
considerable distance from Fleet Street. put as
a general thing r. has that thoroughfare within
the range OF an easy walk. Ncvrr'heess' unGer
these sclf-imposed geographical restrictions. he
manages TO bring TO book every important per-
sonage. and the most important events i'll the
history of Fnclssb letters from the time when
York ceased to be tn, literary capital of conn
try whose books up 10 that Time hau pecn
written for the most part in Latin. The modern
rage for improving ancient landmarks out Of
existence suggested his effort to preserve with
word and picture what even in ruins can no
longer he a part of the real I.cndon. 10 Amerl-
cans who are prone n think of English con-
servatism as an incradicablc trait, ~ SOUNDS odd
70 hear an Encishman saying that " IN London,
nj anv rate. objects which to-day are 80 IA
miliar 10 the wayfarcr in the streets That he
is ready to regard them as monuments VIII To-
morrow have disappeared. ard he WI DE- lett
idly gaping at an empty space, WHICH gipcs
AT him in return
Doubtless many things might be written OIL
Fleet Street in other aspects than a. tbe scene
Of literary movement Indeed, Mr. Archer as
sociatcs with il picturesque occurrences III 'he
history of ROYALTY, of the State. oil the ci'N ana
OF the populacc II witnessed W." oo"'i'"'i VI
the Tempars, the dispersion of the kump far',a-
ment. the Gordon riots. II was darkehen ny
the smoke and Mortified by The stcnch OF inc
ncrsccutinq fires in Snlithli"d. IL WAS coghizaht
of trials for witchcraft and sorccry' IL was
familiar in turn with the Edwarus an" inc
IIenrys and the Charlcscs, not many OIL "''"'n'
unless by that royal prcrogativc wilch coNcrs
multitude of shortcomings, could nc oi2'i'"'"
,.i.b rho titlc of men of letters. II saw young
Edward VI too studious for his own goou' pass
IN his coronation X rcjoiccd witi the rest VI
ENGLAND over the destruction OF thc Arm.ua
IT, WAS the hub of the nation. 30 10 spcah' "'cn
the needs of the times encouraged inc uc'c'op-
nent of wheeled vehicles. It's taNriIS VI 'io'o
which were near il, were the most famous III Wv
Einodom For the benefit of those who discard
this ancient name for puUIic bo"s' III Lawn
-, ,ho Io.s suitable word "inn," which in It's
sa.. d,,s described "thc London mansion Of
bishon. n baron or a noblcman, Mr. Archer re-
marks that in those days the question: nhii'
I not TAX. mine ease al mine inn : was 7" w
;n,ornrctc.l Am | not to study my own com
e.. i; my. own bousep~ On the other hand,
,oror,- has always been the proper word 10
uso i, translatinr that lively drinking song OIL
Ero,ish monkery which is still sung OCCASION
ou,. ny men who like little resonant iatlh
Win old wine From the Tabard to the oiu
Cheshire Cheese ncluding the Mermaid u"
Dovu tive Nitre and the coffee houses, all hs"Ic
in these pages. ,
Tho names Of literary men are TO he aSS'cia'''
with Fleet Street from the time wheh IL "aS al
,nnavNl roadway between Struggling i'i'r' VI
,ha,ched house, from the bridge over the N'',
thon the navicable mouth oi the " RIVER OF Nc'''
in IN. TcInplr Ev"n before the tine oi 'H'"'''
tborc were occasions when one might nave H''''
all fine most famous Of the chronicIcrS. VI" n''''
ropular rornanccrs and song-writrrS III NV ''''
of the kings who passed that way I" "r 'i"'i Wv
ROYAL residence. And on" may lm's'h' INV
such poets as Iangland and Cover ana 'niu'''
all Of them worthy Of any age, ana one VI '''''"
abl,. 10 hold a place win genius "' 81" "'''
rank, meeting rs old friends on fl'ct Ifius'' ""r
,i With Keen nlnncc the changes mat iad
already come upon England. Not one u wy
,r was cheerful AZ the prospect. for Win oe'''i
Lpo,r,cdgc thor, lad com" spirit oi unr'r' We"
If learning. who were alsp men Of III" people
oncncd their cycs 10 rank abuses in 'hnr : an"
state PERHAPS Wyclihc himself. carrying OP'"
his shoulders the burden OF IN" rrI"riha''o"'
mich, also have been seen on Fleet Bfil.' 10"
and then. especially when he went mp r IN t"'
University to be- tried for htr"-y NJ 81 '''"' :
However il may be H. 10 individuals f'''' ''''''
certainly saw all that was To ID" SCH VI ''''
prcn,atnrc and unfortunate but not nhfi !h,'o"'
outbreal Of popular discomfort under WIN 'N"l'
John Eall and Jack Straw. Ihis discomfort "''-
tered not in kind, hut only IN ~" iorm VI -
pres.ion. from that shown IN 'hano'i anus IL
70 certain classes OF churchmcn ana III "'""'
vov CIsn,n.is~ Fleet Street was aware of
81. LAM II
which, figured the translators of the Bible, ne
advocates and opponents OF "rr'N 'i'''"t ~
soo,,i,,, ,rcl,tes like Woscy the first printers and
tbc evcr-widcninc groups OF poets ana pros;
writers who hcraldcd the coming of an era when
Tnolnnd in religion. in letters in politics Wo"in
II. Enrlanis own For tnat was ih" core OF
thc contes; from Henry II down to Ill" H"Noi"-
tion. Every advance in Thought in any direction
,no,nt ENGLISH unity and the STRENGTHENING oil
rho Enclish national spirit, until AT length II
,y.s foupd that this spirit could speak for IT.
self. even if there happened to be no KING 10
claim il rs his own.
Fleet Street saw the efforts tn r"Sttain even 10
fine mint of suppression the art Of printing ana
,lon il SAW the gradual enamel patton of learning
from all the restrictions of antique prejudice" IL
Luew the beginnings Of Scparatsm and OF That
ncrsccution which drove the creators OF New
Encland 10 America. Ii WAS the home. so TO
sneak. Of the pamphctccIs H. had IT, share III
the glory Of the drama and in the evolution OF the
ncwsparcr 1t witnessed the rise of literary men
AZ a class from n position Of scrvitud" ana de-
pcndencc 10 a position Of sef-depcnicncc ana sell
rcsrpct II il once saw the Jomgleur. scarcely
more considered than the clown II bchcld ut other
times nollencn who's" genius won Tor letters an
artificial respect. and later still stern mon lk"
Milton and johnson. who whatever they owet
IN friends. owed little TO political masters, and
Defoc. who refused 10 owe fcalty 70 anybody, aud
made his refusal good In every age Fleet Str 1T
bore the tread Of men. each OF whom had to fight
for his own hand. and most Of whom had to
s fer in less greater measure. sustained merely
by tho hope Of better things 10 come. To glance
over the history PRODUCES feeling OF melancholy
.....r ~ liz. ,.i...:..l