*

pageant, the distinguishing characteristic of all Shakespearian festivals of any extent since the days of Garrick. * * Should the first stone of a monumental memorial be laid, a procession of some sort will be inevitable; but who cares to go out of their way to see a procession composed of the body Corporate, the 'OddFellows,' 'Becher,' or any other friendly society? If we wish to present to the popular mind an idea of the vastness of Shakespeare's genius, we know of no better method than to produce, on such an occasion as the laying of the first stone of a monumental memorial to his honour, an embodiment of the characters through whom he imparted to this benighted world such a blaze of intellectual light."

Still the Committee could not see the philosophy or propriety of a pageant; and furthermore they expected such a tremendous influx of genteel visitors that they apprehended a boxing night crush must take place in every street of Stratford if any strong attraction were held out to the million on the first week of the celebration. But the upper ten did not come in the numbers expected, and the second week's entertainments, got up that the gentry might not be incommoded, protracted the festival and entailed pecuniary outlay, the amount of which has not yet been published, or perhaps ascertained. The preliminary programme, which promised popular entertainments in the pavilion on the second week, induced the admirers of the pageant to hope that their favourite spectacle would also be got up under the auspices of the Committee; but when the official programme appeared, without any announcement of out-door amusements except the ascent of Mr. Coxwell's new balloon, the people found that they must depend upon themselves, and they did so successfully, at the eleventh hour, as will appear in the sequel.

Returning to the preliminary programme, no less than six thousand six hundred and fifty copies of it were put into circulation from the 23rd of February to the 24th of March, and during this time alterations were being made in it almost daily, as changes took place in the arrangements or additions were made to the corps

dramatique. At last an event occurred which caused a serious change, and spread general consternation. Mr. Fechter, the dramatic sheet-anchor, gave way! He now refused to play Hamlet! Mr. Phelps had been lost under the circumstances fully stated in the correspondence. Mr. Webster declined on the same or somewhat similar grounds; and no doubt the Committee were at the same time deprived of the services of my friends Paul Bedford, John Lawrence Toole, and others, who would have been forthcoming if required. Mdlle. Tietjens retired on some misunderstanding which I never heard clearly stated; Mrs. Keeley could not appear in consequence of delicate health; and then-et tu brute-Mr. Fechter abandoned the labouring barque and left her to the Fates. It was "too horrible for reality." Few could credit the news for a time, but it proved too true; and as there lay no power in the tongue of man to change the Frenchman's determination it became necessary to make the public aware of the misfortune. Accordingly the following correspondence was published:—

"Sir,

Shakespearian Tercentenary at Stratford-upon-Avon.
"To the Editor of the MORNING STAR.

"It is with sincere regret that the Stratford-upon-Avon tercentenary_festival Committee are compelled to announce to the public that Mr. Fechter has broken faith with them by declining to put the play of 'Hamlet' upon the stage on the 27th inst., and to take the part of Hamlet.

"At this late period it is totally impracticable for the Committee to place any tragedy upon the stage, as forming part of the tercentenary celebration, which they much deplore, both on account of the public and the occasion.

"The Committee, however, deem it right that the public should be made acquainted with the circumstances attending Mr. Fechter's breach of his engagement, entered into with the Committee in December last.

"The announcement in the preliminary programme was drawn up by Mr. Fechter himself, and most expensive preparations made, and the stage enlarged under his directions, expressly to allow of the scenic effects which he required; and up to the day of his unfortunate accident he was in most friendly communication with the Committee.

"Judge then of the consternation and surprise of the Committee, when, on the 26th of March last, they received the letter from Mr.

Barnett (No. 1), dated the 23rd, and posted at Vetnor, in the Isle of Wight, on the 24th. The Vice-chairman, Mr. Flower, wrote at once in reply the letter (No. 2).

"On Monday morning (the 28th) a paragraph appeared in one paper only (the Star), stating the withdrawal of Mr. Fechter from Stratford, whereupon a meeting of the Committee was held, and the resolution (No. 3) was passed, and forwarded to Mr. Fechter through

Mr. Barnett.

"This has produced no alteration in his determination, and now, at the eleventh hour, we are placed in our present difficulty, without any fault of our own; and are driven to the necessity of offering to those who have already taken tickets for the performance of ' Hamlet' a return of their money or an exchange of tickets for other entertain

ments.

"I have the honour to be, Sir,
"Your obedient servant,

"HENRY KINGSLEY, M.D.

"Hon. Sec. of the Stratford-upon-Avon tercentenary

Committee.

"Committee Room, Town Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon,

"April 4th, 1864."

(No. 1.)

"March 23rd, 1864.

"To the tercentenary Committee, Stratford-upon-Avon. "Gentlemen,

"Mr. Fechter, prevented by his accident from writing himself, requests me to inform you of the painful necessity your late resolution has placed him under, namely, declining the honour of appearing at the Stratford celebration.

"The said resolution giving the force of truth to the false and injurious statement spread about by one of your members, and published by unfriendly papers, viz., that Mr. Fechter, by undercurrent and trickery ways, forced on the choice of his Hamlet.'

"Mr. Fechter would have felt proud to serve in his humble way to the celebration of the immortal master, but he cannot afford to lose his reputation as loyal artist and honest man through thoughtless resolutions or personal vanities, over which he cannot, nor will not, have any control.

"I am desired by Mr. Fechter to add, that the scenery is at the disposal of the Committee, he having no wish to prevent the carrying out certain proposals so honourably made by the already-mentioned member still sitting in your Committee, and simply retires, forced to such decision by your own will and resolution.

"I am, Gentlemen, your obedient servant,

"H. BARNETT."

"Dear Sir,

(No. 2.)

"The Hill, Stratford-upon-Avon, March 26th, 1864.

"A letter received from you this morning, dated the 23rd inst., addressed to the Committee, and opened by me, as Vicechairman, is most incomprehensible to me.

"Should Mr. Fechter break his engagement, after his repeated pledges to the Committee, he would be doing us a wrong, which, at this late hour, would be irreparable, to say nothing of the still greater wrong Mr. Fechter would do to himself.

"Your letter has not been shown to the Committee, but to a few members of it, privately, for I cannot imagine that Mr. Fechter, after having in so straightforward a manner acceded to the request of the Committee, will really break faith with them at the eleventh hour; now that they have pledged themselves to the public, and have, with great exertions, made their difficult and expensive arrangements to suit his views and many of them under his own directions; besides which we have in the country sold largely of tickets, with a prospect of speedily selling the whole.

"It is my opinion that the Committee cannot accept Mr. Fechter's resignation, or in any way be a party to such a breach of faith with the public, the consequences of which must rest with him alone.

"Mr. Fechter's engagement with us is not, and cannot be affected by gossip and 'unfriendly papers,' and there is not the slightest foundation for saying that the Committee have by resolution, or in any other way, given any sanction to the false reports to which you allude; in fact, we are quite at a loss to know to what resolution you refer, or who are the members of the Committee meant in your letter. Do lay this letter before Mr. Fechter at once, and let me have a reply by return of post, as I hope that, upon reconsideration, he will prevent the matter going before the Committee.

"Yours truly,
"(Signed)

E. F. FLOWER.

"H. Barnett, Esq."

(No. 3.)

"That the reasons assigned by Mr. Barnett for the withdrawal of Mr. Fechter from the part of Hamlet are wholly unintelligible to this Committee, who have hitherto worked with cordiality and in harmony with him. The Committee, who cannot be parties to any breach of faith with the public, are still prepared to co-operate with Mr. Fechter in the same spirit, and under these circumstances they trust that Mr. Barnett's letter may be withdrawn, and Mr. Fechter's engagement for the performance of Hamlet fulfilled."

3

R

"P.S.-It now appears that the following resolution, passed by the entertainments Committee on the 22nd of February, is the one referred to by Mr. Fechter as his reason for breaking his engagement with the Committee:- That Mr. Bellew be requested not to make any more arrangements on behalf of the Committee until further communicated with.' The Committee, however, cannot see how a resolution affecting a third person can bear upon the subject, or in any way excuse or palliate Mr. Fechter's forfeiture of his own written and oral engagement, confirmed as that engagement was by words and acts of his both before and after the passing of such resolution. Neither can it be said that Mr. Fechter himself, at the time the resolution was passed, placed any such construction upon it, for, after its adoption, he was in Stratford, and personally gave directions for an extension of the stage to meet his own peculiar views and requirements; and up to the 12th of March, when his accident occurred, he was in friendly communication with members of the Committee upon that and other matters.

"It may be necessary to add, in explanation, that there has been no other resolution bearing upon the same subject, except one, on the 2nd of March, confirmatory, by the general Committee, of that which had been unanimously passed by the entertainments Committee, namely, that Mr. Bellew be requested to desist from acting further on behalf of the Committee.'

"H. K."

The following letter appeared in the Star of April 8th :—

Sir, "The grossly unfair statements embodied in a letter from the Secretary of the Stratford-upon-Avon tercentenary Committee, which appeared in your paper of Tuesday, would have been brought at once under the notice of Mr. Fechter if the state of his health had permitted him to attend to any kind of business. But the severe shock which his system sustained from his late accident, aggravated in its effects by the annoyance to which he has been most undeservedly subjected by those with whom he loyally co-operated until secession became the only course compatible with honour, has brought on so serious an illness that his medical advisers have forbidden his reappearance on his own stage for at least a month to come. It is, therefore, no longer a question whether he will or will not play Hamlet at the approaching festival. It would be impossible for him to act, even if he saw reason for abandoning the resolution which he has already communicated to the Committee. But that resolution rests upon grounds so substantial that the public will, I am satisfied, feel that no other course would have been consistent with the maintenance of his own self-respect.