A FRIEND OF SHAKESPEARE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 96, 24 April 1931, Page 7 (Supplement)

A FRIEND OF SHAKESPEARE.

PROFESSOR CRITICISES MODERN

TREND.

"The age of debunking is passing," Professor George B. Franklin, Professor of English in Boston University's college of business administration, _ told liis students recently in a discussion of the modern trends in literature, with special reference to Shakespeare. "The chief sport of the modern writer is knocking the pedestals out from under the feet of all the heroes of the good old stories. These moderns pride themselves on being realists, and consider it great sport to attack the foundations of religion and Shakespeare, -which are generally admitted to be the backbone of all literature. "The modern writers who are so violent in their attacks on Shakespeare fail to realise how up-to-date he really is. Shakespeare's work is the gold thread running through all literature. Thousands of people are quoting Shakespeare in every-day speech without even realising the fact. The slang word 'dough,' which Shakespeare used without the slang connotation, is an example of this. "There will undoubtedly be a turn within the next five years. Reading truly good things has a way of adding to one's personal experiences, of giving one a valuable interpretation of little commonplace events, and of giving one a selfrespect that is invaluable in daily work and social relations."