New-York tribune., 1899-06-22
THE PLAGTE or FUNDS.

A European correspondent calls attention 70
the small progress being made with the fund
for erecting a memorial to Shelley at Horsham
his BIRTHPLACE AMI asks If Shelley has lost his
hold on the Anglo-Saxon people. We think
not Rut funds have or are fast doing 50. A
memorial project may fall fiat but that does
not mean that the author or statesman to be
commemorated is without honor, but that ex-
pccted contributors are weary of calls or have
other use for their money. There are limits to
every mans capacity to endure great popular
subscriptions. and finally there comes time
when human nature revOlts and the high priest
and incense burner at the shrine Of ones pet
hero or dearest poet becomes like unto me mere
hook agent when he appears around the corner
ready to put down your name Tor the DUST
which he is going TO have the honor to unveil
II YOU will only contribute the necessary funds.
We have no prejudice against the Shelley
memorial We should be glad to see it erected,
and have no doubt that its projectors are seri-
Gus admirers who only wish to pay tribute
70 Shelley. not at all to drag themselves into
publicity as the patrons of his fame But can
n man love THE Skylark" and "Adonais' with
out producing n ten-doar note to bulld mon
ument in the birthplace from which Shelley
was most OF his life an exile? Is influence III
the realm Of thought and feeling to be meas
ured by the monetary response made every
time somebody attempts to conjure with
great reputation? Too often we feel ike de-
cIarlnr they never knew the great man, even
If they have raised subscriptions and built mon
rmopts IN his name. Monuments are all well
enough In their way, but men are more thah
monuments. and the great writer's and great
l,fD,t hnu N
words or acts for their fellows never dreamed
that their Immortality was to be measured by
contributions to statues, but were happy to
think that In the work they left In the love
and reverence men would afterward bear them.
they had monuments more lasting than maroie
or bronze.
Imagine Shakespeare looking down on STRAIT
ford and feeling that he had lost his hold on
Anglo-SaxOns because people were annoyed az
the everlasting catch-penny devices OF the
rector who wants TO translate all your thrills
into church windows. You turn away feeling
YOU don't care a flip for his windows. Dut that
vou0 like TO wander untroubled by the Avon
with something of Shakespeare In your heart
Right here at homo see something OF the
same feeling. Undoubtedly George Dewey IS
the most popular American to-day. His coun-
trymcn hold him in unbounded gratitude and
trust and pride. But that Dewey Fund Is I'M
commonly slow. Are we to conclude that
Dewey's great fame Is waning? No. Simply
again that subscriptions have become wear-
ness 10 the flesh. and such an everyday afflic-
ton that even the greatest enthusiasm dulls
before one.
The multiplicity of such calls as this is some
thing tremendous. Good bad and Indifferent.
they are presented with the same plausibilty
and the same implication that no person or
taste. patriotism or humanity as the case may
he. can fail to contribute TO this object. The
rich are not the only sufferers. Those who
have TO count their dimes to live decently with
! I'm their incomes are pressed Mt every turn with
! the demands "Only s.. and you ought to be
represented in this enterprise Surely you
"can afford that" Maybe you can, but per
hans YOU don't want to. You are asked to
! help build n Shelley memorial when. II you
had the money. you'd rather give your wife
n handsome edition OF Shelley to take the place
of the cheap worn volume of poems you both
| love TO read You'd enjoy helping to build a
chapel for your college or to make n bust Of
some distinguished man, but then you may
prefer to buy life insurance with the money.
and perhaps It's your duty TO do so. If you
have some odd change TO give away you may
! like TO choose the method yourself. and may
fnd more pleasure in sending bit OF silver
/ 10 pretty bride than In sticking up bit OF
bronze for a dead author. And yet. after all.
you and thousands Of others who feel the same
way may be intelligent persons. who value lit
erature reverence genius. rejoice In patriot
ism. and do a lot OF good work in the world.