New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-10

having He cannot we believe, be very long
in coming to q decision.
Shakespeares birthday has this year been
celebrated with peculiar enthusiasm not only
at StratfOrd- On-AYon, but all over the world
Scores of addresses have been delivered, per-
formances have been given, and in brief, one
tribute has been added to another with almost
unprecedented energy and devotion. The en-
thusiasm has spread to France. From the
house of Victor Hugo, in Paris, now malntalned
as a kind of museum and as 4 monument TO the
famous writer a wreath was sent to Stafford
On-Avon to be placed with the others symbol
izing the general homage paid to Shakespeare.
Furthermore, a scheme is on foot in London TO
turn April % into shakespeare Day" and
il is not at all improbable that this scheme will
be successfully carried out. We wonder If this
outburst of fidelity and appreciation has not
been to some extent provoked by the recent re
crudescence of the Baconan imbecility. 1t IS
certainly pleasant to think of the nations us
ing in their might to register a sweeping pro
test against that deplorable folly. America
has always united with England i'll celebrating
the birthday of the colossal genius whose WORKS
they hold a legacy i'll common. Ihere mas
long been an interchange of annual tributes be-
tween the houses of Shakespeare and Goethe.
Now France, which for generations has been
atoning for Voltaires injustice to the poet,
gives new evidence of her admiration, the
wreath from Victor HugOS house having been
accepted by the French establishing prece-
dent, to be followed year after year. the
Baconians, we suppose, are all ready to cry
..Conspiracyw Wiser judges will see in this
universal reclamation of Shakespeare as the
author of his own works simply one more
3bn inSti n,t m m.
kind that makes for the right
Ireland is on everybody's lips these days, and
pending the settlement of her troubles by the
bill now being discussed by British legislators
the English papers are full of suggestions touch
ing the fortunes of the country One Of these
which has been advanced in "Ihe Spectator"
has Il special interest for lovers of literature.
One correspondent tells anecdote Of an Eng
Iish traveller in Ireland who lectured 4 native
about the things needed to make the country
attractive to tourists mentioning more and
better hotels, Il better railway service, and so
on. ''Sorr," replied the Irishman what we
want IS a Walter Scott, TO do for Ireland what
he has done for Scotland" The teller of this
anacdote can remember the time when one
could only get TO certain historic spots in Scot
land by coach and he says that it was no I'M
common thing for the c0achman to get up on
his box and dcc1aim passage from the Lady
Of the Lake" descriptive of the scenery passed
The passengers would pull out their pocket
editions of the poem, and very soon the whole
coach was aglow with enthusiasm over the
gra pliic descriptions of the Great Magician "
Another correspondent points out that while
talking about the need Of an Irish Sir Walter
one should not forget Miss EdgewOrth. 1t is
true that she painted some delightful portraits
of Irish types, and some vivid descriptions of
irish manners But, as "The Spectator re-
marks, Miss Edgeworth is a Jane Austen rather
than 4 Scott and Ireland wants a Wizard of
the WeEt" not genre painter, however GOOD