The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-31
Prof. Mason on Shakespeare.

rTV1H lectures OeUVered by PrOf.
DAVID MASON in his thirty year tenure
0s65-95) Of the chair OF English ltera-
ture at Edinburgh University book,
Shakespeare Personally (Dutton). has
been made by the professors daughter,
RosALIHE MASON. Prof. Masson's criti-
cisn Is ACCIDENTALLY sane. in large part
suggestive rather than ddactlc; but his
Introductory essay on Biography in
General, and Shakespeare's in Particu-
lar" seems likely to have been animated
by some long forgotten debate and COM
posed Of matter that he himself would
probably have revised with heavy
hand before putting It between book
covers In 1914. In It he bids us, would
we understand the plays, to know
Shakespeare: and for knowledge of
Shakespeare ne sends us back to the
plays.
Prof. Mason quotes. "a straight star
bent in n pool Of sarcasm. what he is
pleased to call tho "anti-biographical
SPIRIT:
Why make . problem Of Shakespeare
character. his personal cast OF mind and
conductT Why not 20 on In comfort reading
our Shakespeare without Troubling
ourselves about the real william Shake
speare7 what does II matter whether the
Stafford bust IL anything like him. whether
he was dark or fair. tall or middle sized,
whether he and Mrs. Shakespeare got on
well together or but so so. whether he was
cheerful or moody O. mornings, what he
liked TO eat and whether he ever dined
with Francis Bacon, what kind o. private
philosophy he had. what were his political
reflections during ElixAbeth's reign or In
Jsme.'s. and how he stood related to the
Puritansf
The color Of shakespeares hair might
he interesting to know, but not as
matter OF textual illumination. What he
ate comes closer to the essence Of inlky
immortality. for pens dipped in bile do
not write as those damped with am
brosia or fed on the milk OF human
Kindness. There is a legitimate curiosity
and love Of gossip that justifies biogra-
ply. whether OF the literary or the
otherwise great: as the professor HIM
self remarks. the art Of biography "is
founded deep In the instincts and crav-
ings OF human nature and defensible on
all grounds Of science. OF social right
and OF moral expediency." But this and
similar considerations do not demon
strate. as he asserts that they do,
the necessity OF biography as an instru-
-
recognizing in every book the product
Of some mind situated in such and such
a manner, moved by such and such an
aim, that we do Justice to books" then
why not interline every work of iitera-
ture with it's authors life? And II II Is
true that mot till every poem has
been. as II were. chased up to the mo-
ment of its organic origin will its i'm
port be adequately felt or understood"
then shelley's "Skylark," for example.
should be annotated to show just when
and where was heard the tuneful au-
thor OF uncalculated melody. Would q
visit to Darien make more precious the
sonnet OF Keats? Do the philosophers
overripe apples explain the categorical
imperative7 And what shall we do
with anonymous words Of power?
Poor Della Bacon! Her memory
should not be bombarded. How many
"eccentrics" seek. and with what re-
suit, to revive that reverence for ear
nest and gifted lunacy, which in her
case Justified certain toleration"7
How many question to-day the presence,
! "at the heart OF all this vast cocoon
OF tradition" OF zone real man." a COM
petent. originating personality"-and
that man and competent originator
William Shakespeare? Tho good year
'S7, and the Great Cryptogram and the
great Ignatius all belong to a mould
ering past which they made the gayer
before II did pass.
| There have been important additions
to Shakespearlana in the twenty years
since Prof. Mason resigned his Edin-
burgh professorship. but the plays re-
main the same. The impe rishable
wonder of Shakespeare IL that he feeds
so many and SO diverse philosophers.
| Prof. Mason makes an odd COMPARE
son between Milton and Shakespeare:
the former exceiling IN space magma
tion." the latter In time feeling" To
Shakespeare the essential facts of the
world and humanity arc unchanging
and he dresses one era in the clothes
| OF another without the slightest ap-