New-York tribune., 1907-11-02


The fifteenth volume Of an invaluable edition
Of Shakespeare Is herewith presented to Dr.
Furnesss grateful readers. and. like its prede-
cessors. leaves great subject considerably flu
minated In comparison with most of the earlier
volumes in the series. however. this one must
have proved unusually easy 10 prepare. The
longest OF Shakespeare's plays, Antony and
Cleopatra" has suffered at the hands Of the
critics only sixty material emendations, none Of
which has been made since the publication of
DR. Johnsons edition in 1860 This happy cir
cumstance has left Dr. Furness freer than usual
TO supply the text with historical and literary
notes. 1t has also tempted him TO treat with
lightness and charm the more formidable teXtual
puzzles inasmuch as these latter do not seri-
ousIy jeopardize either the sense or poetry Of
their passages. Nobody save "a Grass pedant
could fail to be amused we'll as informed by
this scholars long criticism Of that mysterious
line: He soberlX did mount an arme- -gaunte
steede" (Act l, Sc. V. line 56). All the pom
derosities, briiancies and asinnities of dozen
nations and generations of critics are scrupu-
lousy quoted; and then the editor makes glad
our hearts by remarking:
In sooth Cthese textual puzzles) supply a
tain charm: they give the imagination play. What
imposing grandeur IS impaired to Antonys de-
mount an arIne-raunte steede', What image of
Ganoped is there here aGknE t6 Hnd h
pogriff bctokens a serenity Of mind that Of itself
ns cams n Me s' s&d s2dS Anony no. Eg gaan
steede" If arm-gaunt be not the true word l
printers for having supplied its place with one 50
suggestive.
Nothing can better characterize the editors
fortunate judgment than this observation How
few critics have the Snack OF being optimistic
fatalists!
DR. Furness's annotatlons are all built up
he ip+or eta at Of he nj n =
traying the purest love and illimitable attcC-
ton Colerdge's description Of 1t as n drama
Of passion and appetite is fatty rejected When
Cleopatra kisses Caesars conquering hand and
kneels, with her crown at his feet, she does
this. according to DR.. Furness. in order TO gain
time for Antony in his low fortunes by tenn
porizing with Caesar And Adolf Stahrs inter
probation of the last scene. where the Queen
falls into a rage against Seleucus. her treasurer.
for his honest refusal to countenance her dis
honest inventory of her possessions. is ac-
cepted; Cleopatra is raging here to deceive
Caesar into thinking her subdued. Read with
DR. Furness's guiding notes. the play runs
smoothly along the lines he marks for 1t. But,
afterUard one may well wonder whether
Shakespeare himself did not deliberately por-
tray here a woman of whom Enobarbus SAID;
age cannot wither her. nor custom stale her
infinite variety" In short, is not Cleopatra, TO
the bite of the asp. woman of such battling
profundity and subtlety that interpretations rf
her character, whether by Caesar Antony Dr.
Furness. or Broadway theatregoers. must be
infinitely various? The antpodal opinions of
two such appreciative critics as Coleridge and
DR. Furness assuredly go 70 prove this view.
Following the text and it's annotations is an
invaluable appendix containing the sources of
the plot reprint of Dryden's remarkable imi-
tation of Shakespeare in "All for Love" trag-
edy with a variation OF the Shakepearian
theme of Antony and Cleopatra an excellent
mass of citations from critical essays on the
play. Finally there is an account of dramatic
versions and actors who have distinguished
themselves in presenting the classic. The
wealth of information DR.. Furness has collected
must make every future Shakespearian student
his debtor.