The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-02

and it is amusing to recall that z. I.
Barnum's attempt in 1S47 to purchase
the edifce and transport it to Ameri-
ca, aroused the British public to come
ITO the rescue with subscription. Mr..
Barnum had intended to put the house
on wheels and exhibit 1t in connection
with his circus.
! Tradintion consecrates small front
I chamber on the second floor as the
room in which Shakespeare was born.
! In a chamber Immediately adjoining
] we were shown the Stratford portrait
which is kept in fire-proof safe fast
ened against the wall. AS it bears a
strong resemblance to the bust in the
church, it may possibly be the best of
the few representations OF the great
dramatiSt. Several rooms on the first
and second floors contain valuable
collection of his portraits, early edi-
tions of his plays, and other Shake
spearean records and relics. Curiously
enough the custodian, a well informed
man, bore a striking resemblance to
the Stratford portrait. This was height
ened by the cut of his hair and beard.
From Henley street we went to what
remains of New Place, shakespeare
residence after his retirement from aC-
tive business life. The old editice was
long since taken down, but the founda-
lions are carefully preserved, and
show it to have been a large, il not
pretentious mansion. In the gardens
was once the famous mulberry tree
said to have been planted by Shake
speare's hands. 1t was cut down in
1855. but from it's roots another has
grown to considerable size. Near by is
the old Guild Hall, a place of the
greatest charm for me because in it
almost no changes have been made.
Aside from the blackening of the oak
panelling by time, it is doubtless just
as it appeared when John Shakespeare
was high bailiff of StratfOTd, when
he used to take his good wife and chill
dren to witness plays by the strolling
companies who occasionally visited the
town. Perhaps here was first Stimulau-
ed the dramatic genius in his eldest
son. By an old staircase we assembled
to the second story, still occupied by
the grammar school where Shakespeare
was once a pupil. The huge rough
hewn timbers OF the roof testify to its
antiquity. There are at present about
I20 pupils. With what Zest the plays
must be read in that school!
The memorial building and theater,
located on the river bank just above
the parish church, is handsome brick
edifice built in 1879. 1t contains
Shakespearean library and also gal
lery of Shakespearean paintings and
prints. In the theater some of the great
plays are given by the best profess
sionaI talent each year within the
week beginning on the anniversary Of
his birth and death, April %.
During the time spent in this de-
lghtful section we drove out to Anne
Hathaway's cottage at Shottery, and
also to Charlecot Hall, where Shake
speare is said to have been brought
before Sir Thomas Lucy for killing
deer in the latter's park. To pay that
gentleman for the severe lecture given
him, he tackled upon the park gate
so tradition says-some doggerel lines,
a portion of one stanza, alluding to the
pronunciation of Lucy in the War
wickshire dialect, is herewith:
If Lucy be Lowsie, as some Woke
miscall it,
Then lowsie is Lucy, whatever befall
it"
Fortunately most of the squib is
lost.
Americans have done much for the
town of Stratford. Besides many sub
scriptions and lesser gifts, two large
memorial windows have been placed
by our coutrymen in the parish church,
and Mr.. George Childs of Philadelphia
has presented a large and handsome
clock tower and fountain, which stands