New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-04

for their relation to the printing Of the First
Folio he does not sensibly diminish but he ex-
tends the responsibility for the venture TO other
shoulders as we'll. 1T seems to have been sug-
gested by small syndicate Of printers and
publishers" he remarks. who undertook the
pecuniary responsibility" and he names William
1aSgard as chief of the syndicate. printer to the
City OF London and a pratical publisher Will
hm Aspley, John Smethwick and Edward
Blount, publishers booksellers only, were as
ISOLATED with HIM. We may note in passing that
Nj. Lees photographed pages are models of
concise and comprehensive writing. He sum-
marizes admirably the history Of Shakespcare's
portraits, and analyses the dramatsts financial
Affairs with striking care There are some other
comparatively minor matters which new in
formation and novel. instructive comments
offered. but Mr. Lees most important sugges-
lions relate TO the sonnets He throws over
extraordinarily, as We think-the autobi-
ssraphical significance which has been so per-
nstently attached to them Going infinitely
into the question he traverses the history Of the
sonnet In the Elizabethan era. indicates its
Great vogue as a literary convention and the
probability that Shakespeare used il for its own
sake as every else did. He shows plainly
Shakespeare unlocked his heart in the sonnets
than We have for supposing that all his dramas
are confessions ut Is true that the sonnets in
which the writer reproaches himself with sin.
q gives expression to a sense Of melancholy,
ofYer at times a convincing illusion Of autobi-
ographc confessions. But they may be,
on the other hand. merely literary medtations.
conceived by the greatest Of dramatsts on in
frmitieS incident to all human nature" Mr..
Lee makes good his contention. and leaves the
sonnets as he finds them in other words so
many poetical jewels. Their personal signin-
canoe he also leaves where he found it, outside
eur ken.
Furthermore, he contends effectively that the
assumpton-now more than half century old
that the "Mr. w. H." OF the sonnets was the
young Earl Of Pembroke, is mere moonshne.
From the hour OF his birth that nobleman was
known as Lord Herbert. For either Shake
gpeare or the publisher Of the sonnets to address
him as MI w. H." Mr.. William Herbert
would have been act OF fragrant disrespect.
carrying with 1t Star Chamber penalties. Argu-
ing with much cogency, moreover, that the
sonnets offer no internal indication that the
Earl of Pembroke and Shakespeare saw
one another" Mr.. Lee finally advances the bold
hypothesis that the famous dedication was
purely an affair of the bookseller, Thomas
Thorpe who practically printed the sonnets and
dedicated them, under the guise Of Mr.. W.
h" to one William Hail. who had surrepttious-
~ procured them for him and was therefore,
according to the loose practice Of the time, en-
titled to be addressed as their "onlie begetter."
OF the Justice Of Mr.. Lees refusal to regard the
Earl of Pembroke in any way connected
with the sonnets we make no doubt The point
about the title by which he was known in his
youth is alone sufficient to invalidate the sur
misses which have gathered around his name.
But the translation Of "Mr. W. H." into Mr..
William Hall, publishers hack procurer OF
manuscript and, later. master printer must be
regarded plausible but not proven The most
We can say for Mr.. Lees theory is that it is the
most reasonable that has yet been advanced
In the premises 1t is sound enough to take the
mace occupied by the Earl Of Pembroke hypoth-
sxs and to hold that place with far greater
authority; but ii is still nothing more than
rurmise of exceptional brlancy, and may some
day collapse before indubtable proofs Of an
other set of circumstances In the mean time
II does not In the least diminish the value OF
Mr. Lees book 1t is the only surmise he vent
ares upon which claims to be of any serious
consequence, and its merits relieve II OF all sus-
picion Of whmsicalty. 1t forms an interesting
and welcome part Of book that is, on the
whole, boon.