Evening star., 1913-08-10

Webster. who comes nearest to Shake
speare. is also opposite. ''the brilliant
poet and still more brilliant writer of
plays. and whose life for all that is
wrapped in an almost impenetrable
mystery" AS a matter of fact no
dramatist, as such, received much recog-
milton when he died. he being in public
estimation but poor scholler at hire
ling rate" Plays We're commonly writ
ten by as many as four or more writer's,
careless Of posterity. seeking money
profit more than fame
Ben Jonson alone of all the drama
lists OF that era collected and pub
lished his plays-for which he was much
ridiculed. Between the years 1876 and
1912 over 900 plays, excluding masques,
were put the stage, and mot one
original Ms. of even a single play OF
this vast number has survived Few
plays had more than one consecutive
representation. but were constantly al
tered and furbished up to suit the popu-
lar demand for variety. 1t was in that
way that Shakespeare learned his art.
he being the absolute Johannes Facto-
tum." whom Greene denounced in mis-
"Groatsworth of Wit; and it has been
conjectured that part of the trilogy OF
Henry VI was founded on plays of which
Greene was part author. and which We're
improved. altered. and made into tremen-
dous successes by Shakespeare-hence
GreeneS savage Outburst and parapnrase
or the line " tiger nedTl NTdppSu
a womans hide" into players hide"
A Friend of Keats.
Some little time ago I purchased at al
auction an uncut copy of Shake
speare" which was published by the
house of Cassell in the early sixties. and
which was edited by Charles and Mary
Cowden Clarke. Both the Clarkes were
noted Shakespearean critics at that time
but he will. perhaps. be best remembered
as that friend of Keats who first taught
him "all the sweets of song and tC
whom Keats wrote one of his famous
epistles The Shakespeare referred to
contains a life of the poet which Is in
teresting because the well known lines
commencing
Renowned Chaucer lie a thought more nigh
To BeaumOnd. and learned Beaumond lie
little nearer Spenser, TO make room
For Shakespeare in your threefold, fourfolG
are by the Clarkes attributed to DR.
Dome. the celebrated poet and dean oi
course. decided ca that Basse, and mo-
"Our James " royal chaplain. was theil
author: and / was informed few month.
ago by a celebrated writer, since passed
over. that "he was afraid the Clarke:
didn't count" Whether this be so or no
the question interesting is statement il
the Life, said to be made by DR.. Donnt
in answer to an application made to hin
for an epitaph on Shakespeare Said he
IF you had commanded me to have wait
ed on his body to Scotland, and preached
there. l would have embraced your obi
cation with much alacrity: but [ thanl
YOU that you would command me tha
which / was lOather to do. for even tha
hath given a tincture of merit to the ODE
dience of your poor friend and servant.
Admitting that Basse was the author o.
the epitaph. did Donne write the word:
quoted? If not. who did? A circum
stance which adds interest to Dr. Dome:
evidence is that there was direct linl
between him and Philip Henslowe. the ole
theatrical manager and play producer
who has been well named "the George
Edwardes OF his day." for he was one o
1.-The principal proprietors of the Swan
the Rose the Hope, the playhouse at New
ington Butts. the Fortune, and a bear
garden or two as WE'LL AS will be ia
miliar to students of stage literature o
the period Edward Alleyn. the famou:
actor. joined for short time the Lore