Evening star., 1932-01-24
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.

" East Capitol street lnVarlapIy
are struck by the number OF IN
scriptionS to be found both upon
exterior and interior walls. AS matter
! of fact. the number is not excessive, out
/ thev appear to be more numerous than
| they really are by reason of their prom
| inence and perhaps because of the rela-
/ tivclv small size of the structure. The
Lincoln Memorial, the Library OF Con-
gress the Capitol. the City Post once
and the Union Station are all similarly
inscribed with apt quotations from the
works of poets. philosophers and states
men. but since these are larger build
ings than the new Folger edifice the
visitor is less apt to consider them IN
ordinately labeled
The explanation of the inscriptions OF
the Folger Library is that they are part
OF the design. The architects deliberate
Iv empIoved them in their plans; they
are a purpoSeful and conscious feature
of the picture.
Used Alphabetical Symbols.
For example. on the north side of the
building a classical frieze might have
been expected But Paul Philippe Cret
and Alexander P. TroW bridge, architects
of the library. desired simpler. less
heavy facade, and to achieve their pur-
pose they willfullv made rSe OF the deco
rative beauty of graceful and skillfully
arranged alphabetical symbols in the
space which normally would have been
occupied by frieZc. SO satisfying is the
result that it may be said to constitute
a discovery-a rediSCovery of the arChl-
tectural charm of ordinary print. Ihey
have reaSserted a cardinal truth. Noble
Latin letters such as they have used are
-{,;,. -, 1l,t Er6t
Mr.. TroWbridge have demonstrated the
fact beyond all caVil.
The actual quotations engraved IN
the marble wall of the north side OF
the library were chosen by Mr. ana
Mrs Folger. They are as follows:
This therefore is the praise OF
Shakespeare,
That his drama is the mirrour of
life" Samuel Johnson.
His wit can no more lie hid, than
it could be lost.
Reade him. therefore; and againe,
and againe
John Heminge. Henrie Condel.
Thou art monument without
tombe, and art alive still.
While thy booke doth live. and
we have wits to read. and praise to
give" Ben Jonson.
Samuel johnson, of course. was the
celebrated photographer and literary
critic whose supper-table wisdom was
preserved by James Boswell and whose
famous dictionary was incontinently
thrown out of the coach window by
Becky Sharp in Vanity Fair" Ben
companion and friend, who loved him
as we'll as any this side idolatry." And
John Heminge and Henrie Condell were
the great poets first editors.
Ancient Spelling Retained.
The ancient spelling was intention
ally retained in reproducing the texts.
Mr. and Mrs. Folger believed that this
was proper in the circumstances. Mr..
Trowbridge tells an interesting story in
this connection. 1t seems that one day
when the inscriptions were being
carved. a stranger entered the library
and asked for the superintendent.
When the latter appeared, the visitor
said: II thought I had better come in
and tell you that the men who are
doing that carving outside don't know
how to spell They've got mirror spelt
with u and again spelt with final
e You'd probably better go out and
stop them before they spoil the whole
wall"
Across the lower portion of the north
front of the edifice there is now being
carved a series of nine bas-reliefs, de-
signed by John Gregory, illustrative of
an equal number of Shakespeares
greater plays. A single moment in each
OF the nine dramas Is represented, but
the scenes selected for pictorial treat
ment in this way are those in which
the poets genius is most strikingly
manifest, The subjects and inscrip-
tionS are:
King Lear, act Blow, winds, and
crack your cheeks
Macbeth, act Double, double toll
and trouble, fire burn, and cauldron
bubble"
Julius Caesar, act 3-"Et tu, Brute!"
Midsummer Nights Dream, act q
"Oh, how 1 love thee"
Merchant of Venice. act 4-"The
quality of mercy is not strained"
Hamlet, act 3-"What would your
gracious fgure?"
Henry ". part /, act 2-"This
chair shall be my state, this dagger my
sceptre, and this cushion my crown"
King Richard III, act 3-"How fares
our cousin, noble Lord of York;"
Romeo and Juliet, act 3-"Wilt thou
be gone? 1t is not yet near day"
One Line From Comedy.
On the west end of the building is a
single line from Shakespeares comedy,
Loves LabourS Lost:
For wisdomes sake, a word that all
men love"
A fountain on the west lawn, to be