The bust was repainted in 1861 after the original colouring by the artist who discovered what has been called The Stratford Portrait, still reverently preserved at the birthplace, though it has no claim to authenticity. Its strong resemblance to the bust is of itself suspicious.
We suffer now, therefore, from the combined action of the various improvers and restorers of Gerard Johnson’s clumsy workmanship. Though the crude colours of Hall shocked the sensibilities of Malone, he thought it no sacrilege to have the bust taken down, and submitted to the moulder’s mercenary hands. Several others have been allowed to sin in a similar way. Many have written discourses upon its physiognomy, and based arguments and fancies upon it, unwitting of all these facts.[27] It is comforting to be able to go back to the simple rendering of Dugdale from the original—not a picturesque or poetic rendering, of what was probably a poor representation. But in it there is something biographical, something suggestive; it shows us the tired creator of poems, exhausted from lack of sleep, “Nature’s sweet restorer,” weary of the bustling London life, who had returned, as soon as possible, to seek rest at home among his own people, and met an over-early death in the unhealthy spring-damps of 1616. A happy suggestion of the thoughtful poetic soul, of which the modern restored and adapted representation had deprived us, but only a suggestion. We sadly ask, where is the true likeness of our Shakespeare? and Leonard Digges speaks for us when he says that it is to be found in
Thy works, by which outlive
Thy tomb, thy name must, when that stone is rent
And Time dissolves thy Stratford Monument,
Here we alive shall view thee still, This booke
When brasse and marble fade, shall make thee looke
Fresh to all ages.
“Murray’s Monthly Review,” April 1904, and pamphlet reprinted from it, same date.
PS.—When I wrote the above paper I called it “An Uncalendared Presentment of Shakespeare,” as no one had placed the drawing in the lists of credited or discredited likenesses. Dr. Gollancz and Dr. Furnivall altered the title, and the Editor accepted it, though I always thought the new title too aggressive for my meaning. Since in it I first drew attention to the discrepancies between Dugdale’s representation and the present tomb, there have been many heated discussions about it. Sentimentalists did not like the notion that there had been any change in the precious memorial, critical sentimentalists, seeking for some support of their opinion, satisfied themselves that these discrepancies only proved the inexactitudes of Dugdale. Baconians accepted Dugdale eagerly, as they do accept everything that they think can be made to seem derogatory to Shakespeare in any way. Thereby they obscured the whole question, and ignored my work and statements. Good Shakespeareans thought they had demolished me in discrediting the value of Dugdale’s testimony. The two last articles published by Mr. Andrew Lang were on this subject, and it took a large place in the book published since his death, but I have not been allowed to reply to these. Mr. Robertson, who had ignored my “Bacon-Shakespeare Question” in his “Baconian Heresy,” also ignored my article on this subject, and says: “Incidentally by reproducing Dugdale’s version of the Carew Monument in Stratford, and confronting it with a photograph of the actual monument, he has exploded the small mystery built up by Mr. Greenwood, out of the difference between the actual Shakespeare Monument and Dugdale’s representation of it in 1656.” Mr. Greenwood had expressed strong faith in Dugdale’s general correctness, and had quoted Dr. Whitaker to the effect that “his scrupulous accuracy, united with his stubborn integrity, has elevated his ‘Antiquities of Warwickshire’ to the rank of legal evidence.” Mr. Lang in 1912 said: “Mrs. Stopes argues that the monument was entirely reconstructed....” “It is positively certain her opinion is erroneous.” Then he gives as his absolute proof, the Carew Monument in Stratford. (For the reversing of the position of the recumbent figures from north to south, we probably have to thank a printer’s accidental reversal of plate.) But Mr. Lang’s argument contains not one, but two logical fallacies. In the first place it claims to prove that because Dugdale was incorrect in one monument he must have been incorrect in all. There may have been special reasons for the carelessness; if any, Dr. Thomas has suggested them in his second edition. And the argument against is no stronger than the argument for Dugdale, in that the Lucy tomb is a fair representation of the present one, and therefore reasoning from it, he might be treated as correct. There were special reasons that Dugdale should have taken extra care with Shakespeare’s tomb, because he mentions the poet in his text as an honour to his native town, and Dugdale knew it well.