ONE COMMON SHRINE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1266, 4 June 1896, Page 17

ONE COMMON SHRINE.

A common language and literature must ever remain a strong bond of union and mental sympathy between the peoples of England'and the United States. Shakespeare is a name which the whole Englishspeaking world can rally around like brothers and feel that in that name they have a common inheritance. Temporary irritations, such as that over the Venezuela boundary question, must soon become' dissipated under the influences of kindly events that are sure to arise every now and then, because of .that Common origin of language and literature. At the very time when Jonathan and John were shaking fists menacingly at each other across the Atlantic, a movement was on foot of the nature indicated, ft was a movement of intellectual Americans to do honour to the memory of England's most immortal of all her immortals—Shakespeare. "When events of this kind are .sure to turn up periodically, quarrels between America and England can only be of the domestic kind, very hot ard intense while they last, but bound to disappear when reason anil calm return. Perhaps there are more Shakespearian societies in America than there are in England, and the work's of tho immortal bard are more bought, read and studied in the States than in Britain. Chief of tho features attending the celebration of the Shakespearian anniversary on the 2:?rd of April last, were (first) tho dedication of a memorial window, erected at a cost of M.)O dollars, contributed by Americans who had visited Shake-

speare's tomb ; and (second) the presentation by the United States Consul, on behalf of the flayers' Club of New York, of a line portrait of tho late Edwin Booth to the Shakespeare Memorial Association. Booth was the most celebrated impersonator of Shakespearian characters of recent times; and he proved his devotion to Shakespeare by spending a fortune of nearly half a million dollars in presenting the Shakespearian drama to the New York public in a manner worthy of it. Hut Shakespeare, exclusively, has not been paying anywhere for a long time past, and tho splendid temple of the dramatic art which Booth constructed at Twenty-third street and Sixth Avenue, New York, to illustrate the genius of tho Master, is now a dry goods, or drapery, store.

The lion Thomas !•'. Bayard, United States Ambassador to the Court of St. James, repicsonled America on the occasion. Accompanied by Mrs Bayard, the Ambassador arrived from London at Birmingham on the morning of the 21st, where, in the evening, they attended the annual Shakespeare commemoration by the Birmingham Dramatic and Literary Club in the Grosyenor room of the i hand Hotel, many prominent personages being present. Next day tho Ambassador and his friends visited the Technical School, .Mason College, the Free Libraries, the Midland Institute, the School of Arts and the Art Gallery. At 1.15 tho Mayor entertained Mr Bayard at luncheon at the Council House, to which 120 guests were invited.

On Thursday, the23rd, the Ambassador, accompanied by a considerable party, went to Stratford, to take part in several ceremonies to be held on Shakespeare's birthday. At 12 o'clock the vicar of Holy Trinity (the Rev George Arbuthnot) dedicated the American window. The window represents our Lord in His mother's arms receiving the worship of the Magi. In the lights on one side are figures lepresenting the English Church, St. Egwin, Bishop of Worcester, and England at the time of tho colonisation of America, King Charles 1., and Archbishop Laud, who was tho first to suggest the sending of a bishop to America, though tho suggestion was never carried out. On tlio other side of the window are the figures of Amerigo Vespucci, Christopher Columbus and William Perm. When tho window is completed it will contain a figure of Bishop Seabury, but this will not bo ready this year, The dedication of tho

window was accompanied by a special religious service, after which the Ambassador unveiled it aud delivered a short address. At half-past one the Mayor of Stratford (Mr Smalhvood) gave a luncheon in the Town Hall to more than a hundred guests, including tho principal visitors from Birmingham and other ladies and gentlemen, and the Mayor, tho Ambassador, tho Vicar of Stratford and Mr Archibald Flower made short speeches. After the luncheon at tho Town Hall, the guests adjourned to the Shakspeare Memorial for the purpose of taking part in the other interesting ceremony — the presentation by tho United States Consul, on behalf of the Players' Club of New York, of a line portrait of Edwin Booth to the Governors of the Memorial Association. Tho memorial buildings, theatre, picture galleries and library were open free to the public during the afternoon, when Mr Bayard and other distinguished guests addressed the meeting. Mr Edgar Flower, as chairman of the Council, presided.

In the evening, Mr F. R. Benson's cornpuny gave a performance of " Richard II.," a play practically unknown to English audiences since Mr Charles Kean revived it at the Princess's Theatre, and Mr Samuel Phelps placed it on the boards at Sadler's Wells. The Stratford revival, however, was more thorough than either of these. The scenery was painted, under Mr Benson's direction, by Mr C. G. Cooke, and included the "Lists at Coventry," gay with shields and banners, bearing arms and badge? of the knights, nobles and prelates mentioned in the play. 'These heraldic devices, as well as the costumes, were copied from contemporary authorities. For the abdication scene a special reproduction of Westminster Hall had been painted. This historical building, although originally erected by a King of the Norman lino, was repaired, re - roofed and beautified by Richard 11. It was finished in the year of bis abdication, and it was within its venerable walls that he resigned his crown to his kinsman Bolingbroko. Owing to heavy booking for the first performance of Richard 11. on Thursday evening, April 23rd, the committee had to make two extra rows of stalls, applications sufficient to fill these seats having been received. A special afternoon performance was arranged to take placo on Friday, the 21th, as well as on Saturday, the 25th. The Great Western Railway Company made special arrangements for visitors to Stratford during the festival week.

In addition to representing America on this friendly occasion, Mr Bayard is the most popular with the English people of perhaps any foreign Minister ever accredited to the Court of St. James. He has also been more discussed by his own people, and it is only recently that the. House of Representatives passed a vote of censure on him. But that is explained by the fact that Mr Bayard is a Freetrade Democrat, while the present House of Representatives is largely of the Republican protectionist persuasion. His portrait which accompanies this sketch cannot fail to lie highly acceptable to the readers of tho New Zealand Mail. It is in the line of our new departure of illustrated weekly journalism- not illustrations of scenery and other inanimate tilings, dragged in simply for tho purpose of making a picture, but of the men and events that are passing prominently before the eyes of tho world.