LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE SHAKESPEARE HEAD PRESS.
[TO TEl EDITOR Olt TH3 " SPECTATOR.") Sre,—We are reluctant to add to the multitude of public appeals, but we feel ourselves justified in urging that a modest sum may be found for an excellent purpose. It would be sad for many of us if, as a side-effect of the war, the Shakespeare Head Press at Stratford-upon-Avon should be broken up and the devoted work terminated of its founder, Mr. A H. Bullen. When about £10,000, or three minutes' cost of the war, will save an undertaking which is an honour to English literature and English typography, to Shake- speare's country and Caxton's country, we strongly hope that the amount named will be provided by the generosity of a single donor or by wider subscription. The former way would be the better; and, now that the Shakespeare Tercentenary approaches, we need not point out that the name of a single donor would be fitly per- petuated in Stratford-upon-Avon. That is indeed a distinction to which any man or woman might aspire. On Mr. Bullen's behalf few words are needed. It is more than a quarter of a century since his publication of rare Elizabethan works began to delight and instruct us. He set up his press at Stratford in no ordinary spirit, but as scholar and printer. He has been in some sense a Caxton of our day. Taking as his text Thomas Fuller's saying that "Learning hath gained most by those books by which the printers have lost," he has brought out in distinguished form
volumes that 'would not otherwise have seen the light. Among such things are Gabriel Harvey's Marginalia, and Mr. W. J. Lawrence's The Elizabethan Playhouse, representing years of research. The Stratford Town Shakespeare. in ten stately volumes, is for beauty and dignity unique among editions and ennobles any library, private or public, in which it may be found. In all these labours there has been more love than profit ; but England has been the gainer.
There is still much to do that ought to be done. Valuable material lies now almost inaccessible in unprinted MSS. Many of our older writers need to be edited or re-edited. If Mr. Bullen could realize his dream of following his great Stratford Shakespeare by editions of all the Elizabethan dramatists, he would accomplish that which of all things perhaps is most desired by true lovers of books through- out the English-speaking world.
Mr. Builen hoped to establish a continuing press for the benefit, now and hereafter, of Shakespearean scholars, British and American, who could not look to have their work published on ordinary com- mercial terms. He especially wishes to train a younger man to carry on the work eventually. We need not say that all the condi- tions of sound management for the purposes in view would be served by a properly constituted trust.
Nor, small as is the sum required for these purposes, do we feel that they are so much apart, after all, from the great conflict of the hour. "We must be free or die who speak the tongue that Shake- speare spake." A real agent in swelling the enemy's arrogance has been the familiar Gorman boast that Shakespeare is more their possession than ours. Mr. Bullen's life-work has been one answer. We hope the response to our appeal will be another. Let us not doubt that whatever is worthy of the historic soul of a nation does indeed sustain its arms, and that the scholar may help the soldier unawares.—We are, Sir, &c.,
BEAUCHAMP ; H C BEECHING, D.D., D.Litt., Dean of Norwich ; F. R. BENSON; LA1TRENCE BENYON ; EDWARD BRABROOK, C.B., Dir.S.A., V.P.R.S.L ; E. K. CHAMBERS, C.B.; Henn Cammem, Editor in chief of the 11th (Cam- bridge) edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica; WrrisAlf LEONARD COURTNEY, M.A., LL.D., Fellow of New College, Oxford ; C. H. 0. DANIEL, D.D., Provost of Worcester College, Oxford ; GEORGE A. B. DEWAR; A. FEUILLERAT, University of Rennes; C. H. FIRTH, LL.D., F.B.A., Regius Professor of Modern History in the University of Oxford ; J. L. GARVIN, Editor of the Observer ; EDMUND GOSSE, C.B., LL.D. ; Faeomao Iisnyon, K.C.B., F.B.A , Director and Principal Librarian of the British Museum ; Quatens LETHBRIDGE KINGSFORD, M.A., F.S.A. ; ERNEST LAW, F.S.A. ; HAROLD LrrmenaLe, Litt.D. ; University College of South Wales ; R. B. MelCsneow, Litt.D. ; PLYMOUTH; WILTIAm POEL ; FREDERICK POLLOCK ; ROMAIN ROLLAND ; W. H. D. ROUSE, Litt.D., Parse School, Cambridge ; Menus( SANDAY, D.D., LL.D., Litt.D., Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity and Canon of Christ Church ; J. E. Seniors, Litt.D., F.B.A., Publio Orator of the University of Cambridge ; CHARLES WEMBLEY, LLD., Hon. Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge.
Cheques may be sent payable to Lloyds Bank, Ltd., 16 St. James's Street, London, S.W., for the account, Shakespeare Head Press (Sir Edward Brabrook, Hon. Treasurer).
[We most sincerely trust that the appeal made by this memorable body of scholars, men of letters, and publicists will meet with a generous response. We are as a rule strongly against making any demands on the generosity of the American public for purely British objects. Here, however, is an object in which they are as much concerned as we are. The majority are either of English or British descent, and thus are sprung from the inhabitants of the same island as Shakespeare or else speak English as their mother- tongue. Therefore it is as much to their interests as ours to see the glorious heritage of the Elizabethan age preserved for us as only the printing press can preserve it. We are all subjects of King Shakespeare. Let us all combine to do him honour.—En. Spectator.]
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