Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-24

WINGED that Hemyngs and Condell, the ad-
niring editors of the first folio. were
poets will, discovered in 174f, is for them
a clear proof Of a mean, unlettered spirit,
Gently brought to life by DR.. c.. w. Wal
lace, published on SATURDAY and Monday
last 4it,g in the Times, viii Ssrsuade them to
credulity. But, for all that, those who do
not believe that the plays of Shakespeare
man of the same name, will acknowledge
that DR.. Wallace's discovery is by far the
field Of literary history for many a long
year.
Legal Documents DON'T Lie.
Legal documents cannot lie. They pro-
The facts with which they provide. the
historian are undersigned. They tell the
truth as 1t were by accident; And herein
dence which Or. Wallace has found. 1t
was not prepared for the eye of the critic,
but by the legal advisers of Thomaslna
osteler. a young widow and a daughter
OF John Hemyngs, Shakespeares friend and
editor. In form and style it is as simple
as legal Latin will permit to be, though
Tor Its proper understanding we must trace
PACK Tor some years the history of
ter married William Osteler, a famous
actor. Three years later Osteler died and
LETT to MS Wife certain shares in the Globe
these. shares Thomasina handed over to
her father to be held in trust for her.
But presently differences arose between
father and daughter. The young widow
doubtless rebelled against the restraint OF
her fathers house, She formed an at
son of the great SIR Walter, whom, when
her love turned to hate, she sued for in
enforce his parental control, refused to
give up the shares. and Thomasina brought
case was settled out OF court but anotbeT
dispute speedily followed, and, as DR.. Wal
lece says, "Thomasina had a Latin bill
OF her unified English bill in chancery, and
arrested her father for trespass at the
common It is this translation. the
n the Times, and which throws a fresh
iight upon the history of William Shake
The document is Of peculiar Importance
because Thomasina s attorney, thar he
rmadtgsnnc esSaolish her case was compelled to
claimed, and to carry back the attention
OF the court to the very beginnings OF he
step of the argument we find the name Of
Mililam shakespeare associated with the
names aStbaI or Hemyngs and Condell. That the
author or was already esteemed
q man OF some consequence is suggested
Dy the tact that he Is mentioned first after
mat he owned, until his death, a fourteenth
snare In the Globe and a seventh share in
I nns Blaehfrisrs theater. 1t may be sup
posed that his income was 600 pounds a
year or whereabouts, and that he played
an important part not merely on the stage
He. was, in . senss on tns plsyhousss
lie wrote. he acted, he took his dividends.
? sna though his fourteenth or his seventh
parts for himself, there can be no doubt
mat ne yielded 10 none save Burbage in
E dignity and influence.
! fheRter Mystery Greatest.
Among many mysteries, which DR.. Wal
4 lace's discovery win pierce is the mystery
on the Globe theater. 1t has been generally
believed that this, the greatest Of ali play
a Barclay & Perkins brewery. We know
. now that 1t did nothing of the sort. 1t was,
IaSeed; on the other side Of the road. II
Ilay between Maiden Lane-now called Park
q street-and the Bank side, and the record
ing monument, whose unwilling is an
souhced proves rather the zeal of its
e donors than their accuracy.
mot Is the supposed site Of the Globe
n the only mistake which stands in need OF
correction. With Mr.. Wallace's aid we
y shall pc able to put an accurate date &c
Z several Industrious plays. O~steler, Thomas.
mas husband, died in 1914, and as he took
part in Webster's Duchess OF Malff' and
u beaumont and Fletcher's "Boadicea" anC
e Naientinian,' these masterpieces must bC
put PACK 10 an earlier date than has hereto
been assigned to them.
n Such are some OF the questions, poset
Ions since that DR.. Wallaoe's newly dis
d covered documents will answer. And the,
VIII help TO solve a far more difficult-tht
PIoolem OF shakespeare's life. Here is hi
Is portanee. Here he Is seen side by Sid,
with Hemnygs and Conde1. the devote
friends who after his death erected In,
tlrsl folio for the press. Readers will re
member that they took a modest view o
the duty which they had discharged. wv,
have but collected his plays" thew write
ana done an office to the dead TO procur,
Il MS orphans guardians, without az
atholtlon otherwise Of self-prOfit only q
Keep the memory of so worthy a fTienC
and fellow alive as was our Shakespesre
le by humble offer Of his plays. Yet, II the
4 work with our ambition OF self-profit thei
loyalty. entities them to a share in tn
poets Immortality" The first folio. In
sr monument Of their friendly care, remain
X the authentic text OF Shakespeare. Thei
ask was rendered easier BY the dramatist'
= luclolty. Though they regret that his owl
ID eye did not revise the text, they also bea
le tribute to the fact that Shakespeare scare
plotted a line. They were too Jealous o
heir companions honor to wish with Be-
Johnson that he had blOtted a thousand
Ihey knew him and acted with him 10
" many yearsi they held shares in the sam
x company with him; they edited his master
pieces with an intelligence and accuracy
Mhlch VIII make ever memorable. An
they are entitled to our perfect faith whe
Sc Ihey state the plain and obvious fact the
William Shakespeare wrote William Shakes
q peare's plays. II might appear super
10 Luous 10 make so simple a statement. ha
ID not the very glamour OF Shakespeare
name persuaded some rash personages I
D. pretend that only a pedaut could nave con-
n posed the splendid work 81 the greatest Q
modern dramatists.
"a VOIuminOus Record.
h The documents establishing the correc
le location OF the old Globe theater and Wi
liam shakespeare's connection with il a
a. part owner, are composed Of pages thirty