Show LIVING SHAKESPEA llES stories about boys deal tho poets name there is a tradition says the whitehall england Jie view that john shakespeare the father of the aiu mortal william had a brother who was a respectable yeoman and who resided in Gloucester shire A gentleman of literary eminence once asserted that he could select the de of john shakespeare the Gloucester shire u by the re semblance of the contour of their heads or facial outline to that of the bust of william shakespeare in the church of stratford on avon his power of ability to do was disputed and ho volunteered to put it to a practical test this happened more than efty years ago the gentleman heard that there were several bivs of the name of b pere who went to the of the neighborhood bo the two gentlemen visited the schoolmaster the interview occurred outside the porch 1 I have heard said the literary gentleman you have several boys attending your school of the name of Shak spere I 1 have a theory or a hypothetical idea or fancy that by observing or comparing the shape of the head and face I 1 can select every boy in your school numerous as it is who bears the name of Shak spere per hap said the schoolmaster school master you have seen them be fore no replied the gentleman am a per hect stranger in the neighborhood and have never seen you or your school before today to day well continued the gentleman this is what I 1 want you to do to permit me to walk into your school from form to form to look steady at every boy and for yoa rosend up to your desk every boy whom I 1 may touch on the head and as soon I 1 have completed my facial and cranial scrutiny to inform me how many Shak esperes I 1 have found or selected from your promiscuous assemblage sem blage of boys the schoolmaster school master assenting to this the gentleman in the most contemplative and studious manner walked from bench to bench the boys were in a state of anxious suspense some imagined the gentleman was trying to mesmerize them and some of them thought they had been committing some terrible of tense and were behag sent up for punishment As soon as the gentleman had completed bis examination he walked up to the desk earned by the and is incredulous friend now said the gentleman to the pedagogue please to many chave found well responded the schoolmaster school master with a smile all the boys you have selected are Shak speres and they comprise the whole of the boys of that patronymic attending nay school the gentleman could not disguise his delight but his incredulous companion was a little chagrined allow me said the gentleman to ask you one more question certainly air are they all of one family no sir some are brothers and some are cousins the gentleman relieved the anxiety of the boys by a profusion of com 1 and by sixpence a head t is said that william howitt was the person who visited the school |