New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-16
4 Surrey of Recent Volumes of
ShakeSpeariqnG.

So "a virtue IN II. This is bad logic but very
hpnaa--as may be seen for the hundredth time
= t5e camcr raised against the fair name Of
-,,rl Shakespeare. Since the vitriolic outbursts
- voltai-e against the English bace's uncouth-
mss and lack OF philosoph!c thought, men have
orsen sporadca!ly 10 deny all merit to Ham
- sna Macbeth" To the simple minded adj
,7.r The reason for such revolts is dim until he
,-eoeo,s me booIrshelves wheTeon shakespear-
,,rs are arrayed. The most scrvile worshipper
- Shakespeare could scarcely toll through this
literature without beginning to doubt whether
ia d-amatist vas a blessing to the world. Any
soev responsible for the production OF some
,slve thousand volumes about himself must
ov,,.t reproach. particularly II this army OF
r,h,icatsors is a medley OF some wisdom little
MI much foolishness, pOnderosity, mystery
and microscopic nonsense.
II We confine ourselves 10 a study OF Shake
rneariana OF the last year, we shall find all these
roncomitants and also a psychological justih-
cation for the rebellion Of the iconociasts who
Furnish The world at this hour with so many
amusing essays.
As usual. some new editions OF the plays have
appeared. The Shakespeare Society Of New
York has brought cut the twonty-frst volume
Of the "Banksde Shakespeare" wherein Loves
Labour Lost" is given according 10 the Players
text OF ls1o ana me t1t--a--lEG All No1NA. 49,
OF 1923 There is an interesting introduction
BIZ Dr. Isaac Platt touching the question
whether this play was originally written or
merely reyamped by Shakespeare. Or. Plat
beieves that the author OF the play was more
familiar with social and political matters than
Shakespeare could have been at the time.
Loves Labcrs Lest" being probably the FIRST
CT the dramatists well accredited productions
Although DR. Plat fears that some Of his read
ers win think this conclusion 'unpardorab!e
blasphemy," il seems 10 be one which nearly
all critics find easy 10 accept. From the same
society, too, comes one OF its nine proposed
Restoration" volumes containing 'Tmon o2
Athens" in double text, one version being
that OF the First Folio and the other a revision
Of this made by Thomas Shadwell in 1913. Mr
Willis Vicl1ery. IN The introduction, thinks that
a comparison of these texts will prove Shake
speare's superiority both rs dramatist and dra-
maturgist We dissent rot. The liberties taken
by shadweI are too lrifiing to affect the orig
tnal conspicuously for good or bad. Substitut-
ing Greek for Latin names. adding few very
minor characters and making Demetrius faith
less in the end-all this IS much like "inprov
ing the Venus OF Milo by going over ii with a
feather duster So far cursory eXannina-
ton Of Shadwelrs changes in the wording and
trend Of dialogues shows. his revanping has
here too been hardly more significant. He has
not even hurt the play seriously.-which is the
dreadfullest word that can be spoken against
a reviser.
Two complete editions OF Shakespeare, one
from either side Of the Atlantic. seek readers
Tie Clarendon Press manages to get the bard
into /: $50 pages. while Houghton, Miflin & Co.
by using larger page, fiji only 1927. The vol
uraes are suited TO the needs OF students who
Wish TO have Shakespeare put compactly for
really reference and jottings and argus-eyed
people who laugh at opticians The man with
leisure and eyeglasses viii prefer the dainty
little one-play volumes CT Thomas y Cro"ell
& Co.. Of which LAS You Like IT. and Henry
the Fiftl," are now ready. These books fulfil
most happily the desires OF the learner. the
learned and the bibophile; variorum readings
a glossary and extensive notes make the ends
Of these books as useful as the beginnings are
pleasant.
After the texts. small cluster of books
roughly descrihable as historical studies. COM
nlands attention Professor Haney leads of
wiki Tie Name Of William Shakespeare CThe
Egcrtor Press). IN which he reveals the check
ere career Of the poets name Wonderful are
the WAYS Of e;ymologists. one must exclaim after
scanning the records. If books are shelved ac-
co-ding ~ contents rather than titles. this one
might iii two places in a library. one serious
and one humorous. When we find one authority
tracing the bard back u a Semitic family named
Isascsbu1y. another 20 a Florentine historian
dubbed Lapus BiragUs- all this solely on
the strength Of the spelling Of Shakespeare -
we lose interest IN Joe Miller at once While
serious critics narrow the possible spellings OF
the name down 10 two or three forms. mathe-
maiician tries 10 make confusion worse con-
founded by showing the gentlemen that there
are al least 1896 500 possible forms of the word,
such sheyquesspearr Ghayxspirr. and so on.
How another genius proved az blow that
"shakespear' IS the correct spelling. and that
the poet translated the Book Of Psalms cryptic
dramatically, is also interesting reading. After
all this entertainment Professor Eaney's sane.
conservative conclusion that Shakespeare" IS
the correct spelling is en- anticlimax indeed.
especially as It is supported by wholesome argu-
ments Professor Baney wisely believes that
the English language is what we make it: this
alore justihes his contention satisfactorily.
Mr. Beverley Warner. OF the New York Shake
sp=are Society. has rendered genuine service
70 students in bringing together IN one volume,
Famous Introductions TO S5hakespeares Plays
.lDodd. Mead & Coz. all the greatest Shake
spartan essays CT Shakespearian editors, from
John Heminge and Henry condell down TO Ed
mund Malone. These represent the opinion OF
all great critics prior 20 the nineteenth century.
For students who do not ike in the stackrcorns
o. large libraries this collection is invaluable.
Biographical notices and portraits further add
20 the hooks value.
Shakespeare's editors have also attracted the
keen eye OF Professor Lounsbury, witness
his latest volume. The Text OF Shakespeare"
scribners) wherein the full details OF the
famous controversy between Pope and Theobald
are graphically recounted. Instead OF being a
study Of Shakespeare. the book IS as its author