New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-28
THE DRAMA.
GRIEF OF eREET-AND OTHERS.

! 60 uylHB 20 do serious work treated III a
Mppaht way" He is grleved also because he mas
been accused Of not being a manager but show
man ms soul is disquieted because he believes
that very few works OF Shakespeare have been
so badly margled by the play-adapter' as mas
Macbeth" But the full depth of his woe is not
SOUNDED until he considers the ignorance and nJus-
nee or one critic imeaning the present Wrlter)
whose statement was that 'Everyman' was dis
covered by Miss Edith Wynne Mathson." Refer
ence to Miss Mathson, made by this writer, has
also afflicted Mr. James Mavor, OF the University
OF Toronto. as Mr. Mavor has disclosed in letter
to the Editor Of The Tribune. Mr.. Mavor "sug-
gests that Mr. Winter has allowed himself
to be drawn into error; that there is no justhca-
ton Tor any such claim that made on behalf or
MISS MathisOn"; that Everyman' was not FOUND
because it was lost; that Miss Mathison
could not have obtained copy of "Everyman from
Inc British Museum or the Bodleian Library
because neither Of those repositories of learn
ing contains complete copy of that relic; that
the credit Of revivtng 'Everyman rests with Nr'
William Peel. person who has had more eX-
perience in the revival OF Elizabethan and other
early drama than any else: that references
TO the play CEGverymanO abound in almost all the
hooks on English dramatic literature from Percy
HeliGues OF Ancient English History onward
that Mr.. Greets interpretation of Shylock, IT.
respective Of whether it be sound or not. is at
least. interesting and debatable' and, finally that
Mr.. Greet can suffer himself to be 'raied at Wheh
he has Shakespeare fellow notwithstanding
ent writer.
The cloud Of woe that has darkened the land, In
consequence of n brief ana not unkind arucle
about Mr.. Greet and his pretentiOus proceedings
is extraordinary. Cautious discernment however,
can perceive a few glimmers OF light For IN
stGnce 1t was not stated here that " 'Everymah
was discovered and resuscitated by Miss Mathlson"
1t was stated that: lit is understood that Every
man waS discovered and resuscitated by MISS
Mathson." That the understanding of TINS
writer. His information was derived from a pri-
vate source, and. therefore. the source was not
mentioned. The intent of veracity the part OF
his informant. was unquestionable, The Informal
ton seemed credible but 1t not conclusive ana
therefore the word Understood was 0or the BEN
eft Of such readers as Mr.. Mavor and Mt Greep'
printed in italics, to emphasize the fact that no
statement OF positive kind was intended 1t was
not meant by discovered" that "Everyman" had
been unknown TO antiquarans 1t was meant that
Miss Mathison understood to have been in
strumental in restoring the piece to the modern
theatre. A moro exact word than discorered should
have been used Unfortunately the hurried sour
nalst has not always time to choose his word with
the dehberation easily possible to those persons
who, apparently have nothing else to do but to
look for flaws and write letters to the press. As
20 knowledge OF the existence OF "Everyman." II
is possible that such knowledge possessed by
this writer before he ever heard OF either Mr.
Mavor or Mr.. Greet. Golfers Annals etc are
not unknown. in this vale of ignorance. There
were several accounts Of the modern production
OF "Everyman in London. besides the men,
toned by Mr. Mavor. and there Is. In the fading
memory OF this culprit. hazy impression that he
read them at the time when they published
1t was also his impression that the British Niu-
scum contained a complete copy Of 'Everyman."
Claim OF omniscience has not been Of the
many crimes OF the present writer, ana he IS
grateful for the information go amiably conveyed
by Mr.. Mavor In return. IL Mr.. Nfavor strays
TO New York he VIII be glad to show him library
Of several hundred volumes. relative 70 English
dramatic literature, no one OF which contains any
alusion TO "Everyman." II II pleases Mr.. Mavor TO
believe that Mfr William Peel has had more exper-
fence than anybody eise in the revival OF Eliza
bethan and other early drama, that Is his privilege
IL Is the opinion OF other observers that Henry
Irving and F. r. Benson have had 10 say the least
quie as much experience IN the revival OF tho
Elizahethan drama as Mr.. Peel has had. II not
more: and they have not done their work in
corner. either.
As TO Mr.. Greet Why any person should be
taken seriously. merely because no fries 10 do seri
work IS not clear. Persons who actually DO
serious work taken seriously. without any ask
ing Moreover. in this country. Mr. Greet has been
taken far more seriously" than he ever was taken
IN his own. and he has been treated with much
more consideration than either he his proceed
Ines have ever deserved II may be true az he
saws Il IS that Few of the works Of Shakespeare
nave been so badly mangled by the play adapter
as has Macbeth Be that II may. tho pres
ent writer IN a theatre going lifetime. devoted 20
the study Of the written and acted drama. has
never seen a play OF ShakespeaFe's worse mangled
than Macbeth" by Mr. Greet's Players"
Mr. Greet was not ACCUSED" OF being "a show
man" It was said that his position is that OF a
Snowman" and Il specifically said that there
Is no reproach IN that pursuit that deslgna-
ton" A Snowman Mr.. Greet IS. and he is engaged
IN the exhibition Of a curloslty-namely the plays
Of Shakespeare. and OF other writer's presented In
n manner that remotely approximates TO the man
ner in which they presented in the time of
Shakespeare in earlier time Mr.. Greet's
exhibitions have chiefly been useful in proving the
superiority OF the modern theatre under tudicious
administration. that OF the time OF Eliza and
James
It might. without offence. be suggested TO such
visitors as Mr. Greet-whose attitude toward
Theatre. our Press and institutions in general
has been and IS that OF cOndescendlng patronage
that II they not satisfied with the treatment
they receive in this country. there is a steamer
for the other side every day In the week. But in
reality they are not troubled In their own coun-
try they would receive the attention that
they receive here. They will never desert Mrs.
Micaw ber The Great American Dollar. which our
amusement loving public bestovs with such copi-
Gus lberalty almost every form OF entertain
ment, will keep them Ike the poor. always with us
Mr. Greet II is noticed. announces that the Illus
trious scholar Or. Horace Howard Furness has at
tended his exhibitions and has assured him that
he never enjoyed performance Of Shakespeare
ms he did mine That Is cheerful news. Dr. Fur
ness has, for many years. endured the afiiction or
deafness so that even IN conversation he is obliged
to use an car trumpet. That afliction DR. Furness
has borne with the patience and fortitude charac-
teristic OF his noble mind. II anything could mit-
gate the severity OF such aiictiOp, IT would be
immunity from hearing of the remarkable
deliverances of Mr.. Greet and his Players
Mr. Mavor thinks that Mr.. Greet's 'interpreta-
ton of shylock as intentional burlesque Of the
Hebrew race is at least interesting and debatabe.
1t does not seem likely that anybody who under