The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-09
auAKEsPEhRB as a oELr.
Proc. Dowdea Take = Little OF Prof
Rhnrr,s "Ruoyant CrednMty.r

SubIbb
The presence in this country Of two notable
Shakespearean scholsrs--one OF them perhaps
the foremost living authority on the Bard OF
Avon-is calculated to arouse American inter-
est in some recent phases OF controversy and
criticism relating to Shakespeare and his
works. Prof. Edward Dowden. fellow OF Trini-
ty College, Dublin, and the distinguished au-
thor OF " Shakespeare: His Mind and Art" 10
the FIRST Of these visitors, while the second Is
DR.. William r. Molloy, follow of the Royal
Irish Academy and Of the Royal University of
Ireland. Both consented to talk briefly on
Shakespeare and ShaEespeareRna
Prof. Dowden does not at first sight convey
the impression OF great scholarship. He is
short and of dark complexion. His swart hair
Ia what Anthony Hope calls "untidy;" and q
veteran slouch hat carclessly covers his rather
large head. His manner is nervous. and even
awkward at times. But when Dowden fixes
one with his blue-gray Irish eyes. one begins to
discover the breadth and intensity OF the man.
1t only needs a little conversation to complete
his conquest of the average interviewer.
II am rather q student and critic of the
Shakespeare plays said Prof. Dowden. than
a Shakespearcnn antiquary. After all, it matters
little to mankind who the author of Ham
let may be, so long as we have that wonderful
poem itself. The critics of the European conti-
nent accept the. plays. and bother their heads
not one jot as to the identity of their maker.
To some extent l share those sentiments. Still,
OF course, one cannot devote years of study to
the works of ono particular man without taking
some little interest in the life of that man.
Hence, while | am not by any means n Shake
spearean antiQuary.l keep myself fairly well In
formed upon the chief developments in that
held of research.
The embers OF the Donnelly controversy are
stili alight: II VIII take very little to fan them
into a vigorous blaze. Nothing important. how
ever. has 10 my mind been added OF late to the
case already presented with,a view of proving
to posterity under another's name. On the
contrary. ! think that the present Burns revival
and the evidence of a great poet ,springine from
a point far lower In the social scale than
Shakespeare. did have somewhat strengthened
the hands OF Bacon's opponents. Certainly the
onus OF proof rests with the latter, End, as yet,
"A curious and ito students OF heredity) an
upon the family history of stra,tord's greatest
with which he has been connected. 1t is now
regarded as sufficiently proven that shake
member OF a race the most intsGsely Celtic,
or rather Cymbric. in, south Wales. You
have Witnessed a great revival in Celtic
literature. Prof. Sharp has startled the placid
,AnElS,saxon $50 called BY the daring sSser.
Is great IN his literature comes from Ceitic
sources and Is The work OF men with Celtic
this theory has long been: Well. you can take
your, Byrons.. Goldsmiths, SCOTS, Burns. and
Ben Jonsons. but gu cannot claim Shakespeare.
He, at least, was Saxon TO tue finger tips
This comforting opinion has been rudely
overthrown. by the discovery o: n strong strain
OF Griffith blood III the Shakespeare family tie:
and now we are asking ourselves how it did not
dou Celtic vein was his by right heredl-
tary. S~tratlord is but n step from tho Welsh
mary %an;Ae Other rvs Welsh shhas stiisness. %gYE ss. she m"%s
nnake or HnrI lise,t may of be so 0Ss so oGFF1 aS
NNymbriC nhtFpnNmic. Already Prof Sharn
and HIS school, with the buoyant credulity
Of their race, have placed shakespsNre
imagine what a storm OF wrath this is calculated
70 eSci,s among persons who thing, with pr;
AnElo-saIon has thoroughly leavened the en-
tire Bri,lsh lump"
Board of National Education in Ireland. lie
differs widely in personal appearance from
withal. His face is smoothly shaver, and his
manner might be described as nnctuous..
ITO a large extent l am q Baconite." he re-
marsed; "ai least you may set me down asa
d%ouotrr. and By no means one of the faithful
the author OF the Shakespeare plays. reject
the so.called cry ptoEram.' however: as absurd.
found in Lord Terulam'. works. and the shake
speare plays are the strongest proofs which can
be brought forward. Some new parallels have
recently been pointed out which add greatly 10
the mass OF testimony already adduced in favor
OF Bacon. Let me take two OF these at random.
vi, says:
when we are born, we say that we are como
To this great stage OF fools
bacon has IL. God sends men headlong into
this w%Tetehed theatre, whore being arrived.
their first laggusge is hat Of MOURNING,
ILL.,, Shakespeare may be quoted:
THE b"auty that is borne here in the face
The bearer knows not, but comments itself
To other eyes,
while the great Lord Chancellor voices tho
same sentiment. using in two instances the pre-
else words OF the play: "A beautiful face Is q
silent commendation.'"