New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-21
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SHAKESPEARE AND HIS PLAYS.


EN sEhYs H ~ BeTsTey Warner H. Fp
K. S21. Longmans. Green q Co
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. Study ir Elizabethan
Literature BY Barrett Wendell. Assistant Pro
fessor OF English at Harvard College. PIP. 4ss.
Charles Scribner's Sons
Mr. Warner is inclined to be sceptical as 10 some
Of the results obtained by the metrical test applied
to Shakespeare's plays. For example ne auheres
to the opinion of Malone and others that henry
WIZ could not have been written later IMAM IV''
and disposes of the kind of critics by saying
that they will allow facts to interfere with their
theories" The play has been a stumbling block TO
the students of Shakespeare VERSE; and there ha-
been much controversy over the internal and eX-
ternal evidence to lis date The critics are .ho'
likely ever to agree Mr. Warner himself Is really
Influenced more than he would like to confess by
the feeling that Elizabeth must have Witnessed the
play on the stage at all events have read IL De-
fore she died But this Is mere sentiment. IL
the dramatist planned the historical plays distinctly
or vaguely from the outset 50 that they form d
complex whole as Mr.. Warner suggests. to when
might be given the title THE Decline ana ran OF
the House of Planiagenet with Prologue on King
John and an Epilogue Henry VIII" he would he
likely handle the successive parts of the theme IN
regular order Thus enters the prejudice OF those
who have passion for orderly deVeiopneh' aS
against those who. like MI. Warner. are swayed
by sentiment. In each case theory IS before iac.S
But having fixed the date after which he thinks
the pay could not have been written, Mr. Warner
works out skilfuly a connection between passages
contained in it and the events OF the Reformation
His remarks Illustrate the well-known fact that
valuable suggestions are continually obtained from
Shakespeare without much reference TO the hypoth-
eses on which they worked out. Taxing the
view of the historical plays adopted by Mr. warner
II is possible elicit the moral which ne derives
from them namely. that England "had destiny
with which bound mp the larger freedom more
liberal culture more refined development OF 'ne
human race. The AngloSaxon. shut mp III MS
sea-girt isle must first fight out the battle with
himself before H. could become dominant force
in the affairs Of others" But Shakespeare himseH
could not have had any thought OF TINS sort ~
suppose that he had such provision would De 10
add 10 the supernatural faculties with when ne mas
already been credited-a gift Of prophecy as ph"-
nomenal as that of Isaiah But II is tribute 10
his genius that his works written at the dawn OF
Englands day of enlargement should contain
potentially the afterthought of those who nave
seen the full light OF that day Mr.. warner pooh
Is full of suggestion gathered not merely from
Shakespeare. but from the chronicles when lie useu
and from the efforts of modern historians to restore
the sNfe Of the period to which the plays relate.
Before the years of study that have been devoted
10 the metrca form of Shakespeare WRITINGS anu
the patient cleaning which has resulted in assem-
blng-a fairly respectable chronicle OF his life such
a work as that of Professor Wendell would nave
heen impossible. He has damaged the value OF his
book as a history of the dramatists intellectual de-
,a,onmen, nv some of that kind of sentimental
criticism which so hard TO let a'one IN snake
speare's case. II outruns patience in many essays
on the madness of Hamlet and the senility of Lear
Professor Wendell is not serious Offender But ms
scher,e is scientific and he might just well have
heen frankly scientific in working 1t out Taking
such data a. have been furnished by the investga-
lions OF recent years. the plays of Shakespeare can
be arranged with great probability IN dlstihc'
erouns In a given group there are certain charac-
all IN M
various groups are pretty broadly distinguished ana
tbeir order in time il vel ascertained. the author
OF this book argues from the character OF the plays
TO that of the man. Certain WORKS written !"
earlier years heray pecnliarites which no ou'gre"'
and lack in thought diction something whicn
later nieces show that he possessed Even wheh All
duo allowances are made for collaboration ana DOT
rowing from Older pays. from chronicles ana 'aes'
the residuum marks stage in ShaKespeares me
Thus it : possible to recover narrative vi ''
poets inner hfe-artistc. practical even mora'-s"0"
as was inconceivable a generation OF 80 dso .
According 10 this theory Shakespeare put himseIi
into his works in very definite and emphauc way
Apparently the essayist does not despair o' seems
Identified the real models of some OF ShahesPea'e
cbaracters though the effor, at present woulh IN
most cases be vain. He is convinced that SIT Johh
Falstaff is a caricature of Sir John o'dcaste anu
ns very nlausiblv turns Shakespeares own denlai
into proof But speaking OF Beatrice ne REMARKS
'To guess that such vitality OF conception wa
insDi~ei by living model Is TO start on an e'''eSS
round Of conjecture. one may safely say however
,h, oven moro than Juliet or Portia. Beatrice is
real living figure" He accounts for this by suPos-
ing an Improvement in Shakespeare's power OF de-
uneating women. corresponding to higher IDEA OF
life The hypothesis IS an attractive one. IL seems
to offer a better criterion OF judgment 'ndil uie "
wIlderng effort to unrlvel the sonnets. WIN me
Aid Of these II may yet create Shakespeare anew for
modern readers. But the doubt whether II Is real
Shakespeare thus conjured up by the wand o. III
tfri-. usin
The performance. Meanwhile, real or unreal MI
Wendell's Shakespeare is worthy 81 d"e"''o"