Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-03-25
GIVES HUMAN SIDE
Of SHAKESPEARE
Poet Depicted by Lecturer as
a "Man Among
Men,"
NEW FACTS PRESENTED

England. fighting for her life. was
forgotten. and the 'Tommies" fighting
in the trenches disappeared from the
minds eye for two hours last night
when Prof Charles William Wallace
lifted a veil of years and before
large audience at the National Museum
presented the quieter England OF
Shakespeare's time. and drew a vivid
word-picture Of the worlds greatest
poet as IMAM among men" In most
graphic style and through facts uncov-
cred by years Of research, Prof Wal
lace showed Shakespeare and his COM
panions from a close and intimate point
of view.
Prof. Wallace, who spoke under the
auspices of the Shakespeare Society of
Washington. d. c.. defended the char
acter OF the poet and attacked tradi-
tions OF alleged escapades being
wholly without foundation OF facts. He
tban .ne poet as man MIA rather her
fancies and fallacies of time. The en-
tire tendency of the lecture was sum-
married. when in conclusion Prof. Wal
lace expressed the hope that In lifting
the veil for a moment he had shown
Shakespeare "as man among men.
whom we call poet and seer. and know
as friend"
As Seen by the Lecturer.
Shakespeare was shown by Prof.
Wallace to have been a man of no in
considerable means. yet not literary
Shylock": to have been a better PEN
man in his day and generation than
are the great majority of university
graduates Of this day; to have been a
friend In the truest meaning OF the
word. and to have been q man OF lofty
ideals.
Prof Wallace explained that the
great mass Of data which he and Mrs.
several years OF research work abroad
was sufficient to provide material for
days and days of lecturing.
He showed Shakespeare as a match
in real life" The affair proved un-
happy. and eventually the great writer
was called into court as witness in
the case. Testimony which Shakespeare
about him. was quoted. photographs Of
the original script evidence being
thrown upon the screen. Here we meet
Shakespeare for the first time in the
flesh" declared the speaker
Then he portrayed Shakespeare as a
companion of value to his friends and
said that the writer's idealism and that
of his companions might be summed UP
In the word, brotherhood" Prof. Wal
lace in a number Of instances played
facts against tradition, including that
related of Shakespeare being arrested
for stealing deer. He did this in such
q manner as to bring forth laughter
from his auditors
Condemns Poets Critics.
Those who had made adverse critf-
cisms Of Shakespeares different ways
Of spelling his own name. without hav-
ing given proper study to photography.
were in turn criticised by the speaker.
He also repeatedly spoke with a touch
Of irony against those who, had termed
the poet and his friends as rogues and
vagabonds, saying he knew Of no such
characters who were able to leave
monetary fortunes Of such a size or who
had been so highly considered as to be
buried In the church chancel.
Prof. Wallace intimated that in the
days to come many new lights would be
thrown upon the life Of Shakespeare which
would present him in such way that I'VE
will not recognize him because he will be
20 like himself" In the meantime he
urged his auditors to think Of the author
as a man. a human being, rather than a
dream or myth.
Dean William A. Wilbur OF George
Washington University introduced Prot.
Wallace. Other members of the COM
mittee on arrangements were H. H b.
Meyer, chief photographer. Library of
Congress, and Harry c. Davis.