Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-23

in terms which need not necessarily be
subtle. The signing of the Declaration
can be visualized: its fundamental cf-
feet. the emancipation of nation, is
graspablc.
THAT William Shakespeare was born
l. in Stratford- on Avon on April %.
1864. is. it may be- urged another dch-
mite fact. We know also that he died
on the same day of the month fifty two
years later: that he spent his most
fruitful years in London: that he
amaSScd considerable fortune: that
he was married and had several children
that he was survived by no male heirs.
and that he beGucathcd his Second best
bed to his wife,
Tradition records that he was an
actor of character parts. scoring es.
pccially as Adam in AS Iou Like 1t"
and the Ghost in Hamlet" He was
described as gentle" by one contem-
porary. and by another as IAN upstart
crow The only representations Of
him regarded as in any degree authentic
arc the distressing bust in Stratford
hurch and the still moro painful Martin
Drocshout portrait which introduces the
first collected edition Of his writings.
Despite the amiablc efforts of the legend
makers. we cannot "SCC' tho corporcal
Shakespeare in the EliIabcthan and
Ju"obcan settings. His triumph. his
vivid and incxtinguiShablc conquest is
spiritual.
The debt to this immancnf swing pres
Cuce is 50 profound. so much the result
of the infiltrntion Of his thought. his
moral standards. his estimation of
human character values on our con
seriousness and those Of our ancestors
through moro than three and half
centuries. that to celebrate Shakespeare
is in sense to celebrate the mental
complexion ofthc entire English speak
ing world
Formal legal bonds. Ostcntatiously
devised obligations. seem fragile and
feeble beside this union Of sentiments
that We are sometimes thOughtlessly
pleased to call instructive.
TT Is the fashion occasionally to meas
L urc the rcrmanCncc of Shakespeare
by the frequency or infrcqucncy by
which his plays arc acted. The test,
although it diSrcgards the spiritual
legacy, impclling us so often to, think
in ShakcspCarCan terms. can be accepted
Just now without disQuictinG qualms.
3; philadelphia. while not the theatrical
metropolis. is n fairly accurate reflector
, Of typical tastes.
When the stage calendar for this
season is completed it will record more
than six weeks Of ShakcspCarcan pro-
ductions in this city. Tho imposing list
of plays includes "llamlCt,' Julius
of Venice Romeo and Juliet. =
;.l,n rI rho
Tanning Of the Shrcw" and "Twclfth
Night" The dominant actors have
been T.. II. Sothcrn. Julia MarlOwc.
Robert H. Mantcll and Walter Hamp
den.
Shakc~pcarcan rcvivals have been a
! conspicuous feature Of the London sea =
{ son this year. New York has been
:. stirred by brilliant new Richard
"Crookbark" before the footlight>. The
German stage pays its persistent trib
, ute to tn" unparalleled dramrtrSt. ant
j during the war it sought political con
ISOLATION in the pcdanticalIy evolved fr;
e ton that Tcutonc blood flowed through
q the ShakCspcarcan veins.
q TlIE most fCrvcnt patriotism imposes
+ l. no such necessity for SubtcrfugC
upon Americans. for the seeds Of thi,
n nation. if the Spanish settlements b'
: excepted. wcr" implanted even a
d Shakespeare death. The heritage o
h n common literature by Rritons. Cana
dians. South Africans. Australians anC
New /calandCrS is not. of course
permanent guarauto" Of peace between
= peoples but it is conceivable that III
e influence tranSc"nds that Of the mos
T elaborate formal covenants "Stimabk
I in design as these may be.
TT IS a bromide of international poll
=, L tics that Sar between America auC
England lis unthinkablC. The phras'
has been pressed into convenient service
at many prctcntious banquet Of diplo
matists. And vet within tho llG years
J. that have elapsed since the signing o
the treaty Of Ghcnt probably more
" ,vexatiouS disputes have arisen bctwccr
:. the United States and Great Britain
;, than between any other two major ma
" tions Of the globe.
Hypocrisy will not explain the ap
parent paradox. II is too vivid 70
. that. The truth lays bare n distinction
= between spiritual and political value
Ir Of which sight is commonly lost. Wha
is tangible and expressive in "protcsts'
or in treaties and even in the arbitra
mcnt Of arms has assumed in the pOpu
- lar opinion an importance which CannO
II always be ntrinsiCally justified.
y It is cmphatically dcmonStrablc tha
IT tho German Government and the Ger
man people which supported it sinnc
foully in the late war But the spr
,. itual bequcSt Of German genius to tn
n world cannot be wholly lost. Wagner
d Schubert, Beethoven and Goethe ar
il living agents of peace They were re
;. pudiated in a revolving era Of malignan
frenzy. a just penalty is being exacted
But Wagner is mighty still and hi
message cndures and must subicctivel
II and powerfully influence for good tn
y course Of mankind.
And assurcdly ono reason why n
Imagination save that which is disease
can picture Britain and America a
d opponents in armed strife is that death
less unseen forces cmanating from
Il supreme genius forbid such speculation
s. II is questionable oCcasionall
whether kings, presidents, shahs, sui
,g tans and begums do not unwarrantabl
Is strut and fret upon the mundane scene
10 "Guglielmus Rex"-ths is Aldrch
contribution to the innumcrabIc ARA
Of rpithcts for Shakespeare. 'Tis h
10 alone he significantly observes, "wh
lives and rcigns.