SHAKESPEARE’S SONNETS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20365, 23 March 1928, Page 6

SHAKESPEARE’S SONNETS.

WHO IS “W. H”? A NEW CLAIM. (From Oca Own Correspondent.) LONDON, February 8. A manuscript commonplace book which is claimed to give a clue to the mysterious •Mr W. II.” referred to as “ the onlie begetter of these insueing Sonnets ” on the dedication page of the first edition of Shakespeare’s Sonnets (1602) has been sold to an American library. The, book was kept by William HoJgate, the 17-year-old son of a Saffron Walden innkeeper. The manuscript came into the possession of Mr Edmund Bring, the well-known bibliophile, about a year ago, and as a result of his private studies he claims that it goes a long way towards establishing the identity of Mr W. H.,” to whom the first' edition of Shakespeare’s sonnets was dedicated. He has come to the definite conclusion that the' %i W. H.” of the sonnets was none other than young Wiliam Holgate, and advances in support of his claim the fact that Shakespeare and his travelling company were in Saffron Walden in 1607, two years before the publication of the sonnets by Thomas Thorpe. The manuscript has gone to America on the express condition that it should be submitted to the most erudite authorities in American universities on Shakespeare’s writings. INTERESTING ENTRIES. As evidence in favour of this theory it is pointed out that the commonplace book contains ah early draft of Shakespeare’s Sonnet on “ His Mistris’ Beaut.” Another important entry is an unknown poetic epistle by Francis Beaumont to his brother dramatist, Ben Jenson, which contains this very early allusion to Shakespeare:— I would let slippe (If I had any in mee) schoUershipe, and from all learnings keep these lines as cleere As Shakespeare’s. best are which our heires shall hear*. A third notable entry is the earliest known version of William Bass’s famous elegy on Shakespeare, beginning:— Renowned Spencer lyc a thought more nyo To learned Chaucer, and rare Beaumont lye A little nearer Spencer to make roome For Shakespeare in your threefold, fowerfold Tom be. AUTHORITIES SCEPTICAL. In the absence of any definite proof however, eminent authorities on Shako spearian manuscripts in this country ar« inclined to be sceptical of the claim. “Is this another ‘ W. H.’ to be added to the already long list? ” was the observation of Professor Karl Young when ho was approached on the subject. Professor Young, who is professor t of English literature at Yale University, is at present in London. He confessed to a knowledge of most of the “W. H. s,” but said that this was the first occasion on which the name of William Holgate had come before him. “ In the general nature of the case,’’ ha added, “ such a claim as that of Mr Bring would seem to be a possibility, but among the few data placed at my disposal I see no proof, or even probability, that this particular person is the ‘ W. H.’ of the.sonnets. I have not seen the manuscript, and I have no other acquaintance with William Holgate. But it certainlv is a relief to me,” he observed, with a smile, “to get away from William Hall.” “ I have had an opportunity -.f carefully examining the manuscript,” said Sir Israel Gollanez, the Shakespearian, authority, “ and I am bound to say that I am more than sceptical in regard to the suggestion that William Holgate is the ‘ W. H.’ of the sonnets. ” I , think there is no evidence at all. It is true that the manuscript in itself is very interesting, and that it contains some transcriptions of the sonnets; but that fact hardly goes to prove that the writer of the commonplace book was the individual to whom Thomas Thorpe, the printer q£ the first edition, dedicated them. “ 1 have very definite ideas as to the identity of ‘ W.'H.,’ and these by no mean* ally with the claim now made.”