The sun., 1903-12-13
| FALSE RELICS AT STRATFORD
And Doubt Cast on the Anne Hathaway
Cottage at ShOttery.
s. c. Walters in the London Times.

We visit Shakespeare's shrine with feel
ngs of reverence. and the majority of visitors
naturally accept implicitly the statements 3
that are made and believe in the proved
genuineness of the relics shown to them.
1t will be a rude shock to thousands OF English
and American devotees either to discover
that the necessary authenticity is lacking
or to learn that there never was any proved
connection between the poet and some OF
the most conspicuous articles labelled with
his name. Yet assertions are so dogmatically
made that casual visitor would possess
temerity indeed to reject them.
l allege no i'll faith against the guides and
curators They are sincere enough, and they
perform their set duties with unvarying
courtesy and patience. 1t is not theirs to
reason why" That task is for independent
students. in spite of any temporary hostility
their heterodoxy may excite
My first protest is against the so-callcd
Shakespeare desk" exhibited at his birth
place. The assumption that it was Shakes
peare's is unwarrantable. 1t Is extremely
doubtful whether the desk dates so far back
as Shakespeare's time: it is absolutely certain
that it never was a scholars desk at all but
an usher's This fatal objection is got over
by Snowden Ward. among others by saying
that perhaps Shakespeare school
master" Perhaps he was--perhapS he was
head master of the grammar school, for there
is just as much evidence on the one point as
the other but still we do not prove the desk to
be his. This piece of old furniture from
the Latin room is interesting enough as old
fur:-,,re-nothng more.
In New Place the1' is an antique shovel
board and the visitor is informed II speak
from personal experienced that if Shakespeare
did not actually own it he often played II
ame upon it, AS a matter of fact, it came
from the public house opposite. the Falcon
Inn, and those who care to believe that our
"godlike Shakespeare" wasted his nights there
may hold the shovel board as sacred. But
there is not an iota OF proof that he knew of
its existence. and yet it is thought worthy of
the most conspicuous place in the hall of his
rebuilt residence
Equally in keeping with this tavern Curl
osity is the mulberry tree at the back of the
house. guarded with the utmost care. rallied
round, proudly pointed out, because 1t accords
h e * oa 70 under
the tree of which this is an offshoot and died
Of surfeit three. days later That foul
ment of a picker up OF unconsidered tri1es,
who extracted it from the dust heap of village
legends nearly century after the poets s
The delicacy which ohtrudes the mulberry
tree on the notice OF visitors also Is the means
fagon," of which the utmost that can be
rrecoIded by such m az enthusiast last as SnoMden
60 away without being convinced that
shskespeare'1 own lips have touched it.
bearing his name found by Joseph smith in
ssnd 1t on 9s e ae Oh Of
traced it's history with the most scrupulous
care, and | recall his telling me that this was
man" ! did not agree at the time, but
have come nearly to the same opinion since:
Would that | could have faith ns II grain Of
seed Anne H.
aways trinket box" at New Place. or the old
clothes chests in Henley, street
Perhaps the greatest delusion remains for
firm, conviction that he will there find Anne
eoia 9sere mons al The
over as the birthplace of Shakesneares wife
and the scene Of his courtship Ihc chimney
out; the lattice window at which thc riTi
watched for the poets coming across the fields
is shown as a verify, and made to excite the
And yet no Anne Hathaway is to be traced
in Shottery records Sidney Lee finds an
but even this does aot prove that i was Shakes
peare,s sweetheart. Charles knight. most
saG d e, an say
that Anne Hathaway was of ShotteTy.". Snow;
den Ward arrives at the sane conclusion, and and
from whom the poet wife might have come,
But even, If Anne lived in cottage, her
structure % IS only part Of Richard Hathaways
farm and as Mr.. Lee says. has undergone
many alterations and renovatons As for
the family itself. its male line became extinct
90 years ago. and the late Mrs: Baker-"the
last OF the Hathaways"-was a pious deceivcr.
who had no real claim to the cons icration
she received. In the. light of such facts;
Hathaway relics" at the cottage?
What reply shall we make to that typical
extravaganza INDUCED in by DR.. Branies.
who draws a picture of Shakespeare's Jour
ney to the cottage: He would enter, and
look once more upon the wooden bench in the
IN their ardent youth There was the old
fifteenth century bed in which Annc's parents
had slcIt, with her. as Il child. AZ their feet, :"
is not demonstrated fact. The fireplace
where the lovers sal in their ardent youth, 4"
is n pretty fancy. The lattice window is
there, but whether Shakespeare's wife was
ever within mile or two of i is open to dis
cussion Shottery is full Of delightful ro-
nance. but romance should not be offered