The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-10
Progress of the IconocIast mt STRAIT
ford Fills Her with Right
eous Wrath.
VILLAGE BEING MoDERNIzED
OF THE BACON THEORY
OF AUTHORSHIP ENRAGE HER.
"SouI Killers" and sBody snafchers@
Are Her Epithets-FlIngs at
Americans.

Marie Corelli, the English novelist. whose
residence is now at Stratford. which
the home Of Shakespeare. is so moved by
indignation at the attempt of various per-
sons 10 prove that Bacon wrote the Shak-
speare plays and by an earnest desire to
preserve Stratford from the hands OF Curl
osity seekers and other spoilers. that she
has written impassioned appeal to the
British and American public 10 aid In the
protection of the fame and the home OF the
bard of Avon. The article is very long, but
by the courtesy of Miss CoreIli's publishers
(Messrs. Dodd. Mead & Coz, the Journal
is enabled to offer some excerpts
She says: ut has been ordained by the
Almighty Creator of all things WISE beauti-
full or wonderful. that for England. as for
all the little world wherein we dwell. there
shall only be one Shakespeare. One SUI
preme soul Of wisdom, truth. and loving
human perception-aln .ost infinite, indeed.
in all these attributes because so sturdily
simple so straightforward. and so clear.
without any adornment OF learned artifice
or concealment Of honest intention. No
man before him was ever so greatly en-
dowed so truly inspired no man after
him has come, or ever will come. that shall
be deemed worthy TO have fastened his
shoe-tie. This being the case, his remains
furnish a whole larderI of feasting for the
tribe of body-snatchers and soul-killers.
They swarm upon his memory like flies on
pot OF honey. They metaphoricaily drag
his ashes out Of their quiet niche in the
Trinity Church of Stratford-on-Avon and
rub the sacred dust between their dirty
fingers and thumbs. Assuming to be liter
ary' Though in the narne of all the gods OF
Greece, literature In sher highest sense
surely repudiates such scribbling varlets as
only fit to write bili-posters), they seize
scurrilous and libelous pens wherewith TO
produce commentaries discussions, 'ex-
aminations' and Bacon theories in fren-
zied attempts to hang their names on to
the great fame they envy miserably, and
would fain belittle. And 1 make bold to
say that If England. ami the English. as the
fortunate possessors OF Shakspeare's
birthplace, death-plaee. and immortal
name, were once to take such prompt and
decisive action to guard his memory as they
should do. such body-saatching such soul
killing of the greatest, n0blest poet Of the
world would never be. If English literary
men thought less of themselves, and more
of the honour of their greatest master and
leader, whose brains every scrfbbler. great
and small. has sucked at for over three
hundred years. they would never find space
in any magazine or newspaper for so much
as a comment on the idiotic Bacon theory
first propounded by that poor crank. Igna-
thus Donnelly, who published his fantastic
'Cryptogram' before he had so much as
visited Stratford or seen anything Of the
records there. Nor. will add, would they
permit such remains OF Shakespeare as do
exist In his native town. TO be neglected,
mismanaged, or utterly destroyed by we'll
meaning persons who are, nevertheless.
wholly ignorant of the value to the world
at large of every smallest, most minute
connection with. the acknowledged head
and front Of English literature"
A PRESSING NEED.
/ speak boldly, for there is need TO speak.
If someone had spoken in 1885, when a
Christian clergyman, the Rev. Francis
Gastrell, cut down Shakspeare's favorite
mulberry tree and RACED the house wherein
he died, New Place, TO the ground, both
house and tree might have been still stand
ing. Cowardice I'm conduct, whether social.
political of literary, Is the hallmark OF
the hypocritS and time-server. and to such
a character / have no claim. When a man
summons up sufficient courage to protest
against an abuse or an outrage. his utter
ance is termed "virile." When a woman
does the same thing. she is accused OF
screaming" But "virility" OF IL existed
anywhere at the time of the discussion)
did nothing to prevent the efigy Of the
late Lady Martin QIelen Faucit) from be-
ing stuck up opposite the bust OF Shak-
speare In Trinity Church chancel "viriIity,
&L.<
in the spleen. egotism and overwhelming
vanity of the men concerned in the pro-
posed dissertation. But my scream" as
il was then called by such "virie'' per-
sorages as stood by and did nothing. at
any rate saved those who sincerely rever-
ence Shakspeare's memory from the bitter
shame of having to look across the historic
grave to an iii designed alto-relievo OF a
modern actress sitting by a modern read
ing lamp. backing the communion table.
with the poets works kicking casually
about her feet. and medallion OF the i'm
mortal poet himself falling. as IL seemed.
out OF the back folds OF her skirt and roll
ing under her chart Whatever appalling
noise that could possibly be emitted by
man or woman to prevent such sacrilegs
was useful and welcome. whether scream
or cry or 'viriIe yell. Anything al so
crucial moment was better than the mis-
chievous apathy OF silence. And apparent
ly my scream was not quite loud enough.
for since that day hundreds OF people both
in Great Britain and the United States
have written TO me asking me why I did
not do something to prevent such an eve
sore as the Martin pulpit from being
erected in the church? Heartily do wish
I could have prevented IL: and heartily do
the worthy townspeople OF Stratford re-
greet that the thing was ever put up: but
I was In the one case fortunately able to
bring legal force TO bear on the saving OF
the chancel; and 1 could not so place a
bar against the intrusion of the ugly mar
bic pulpit. for which faculty had been
easily granted by the retired bishop OF
Worcester. DIR. Perowne. DIR. Perowne had.
by-the-by. equally granted his "faculry.'
for hacking about the chancel: only IL 50
happened that for once that faculty.
proved useless But that Is another
story" While on this branch OF the sub
5ect. however. IL should. think. be reaIized
BY those interested IN the matter that u