THOUGHTS FOR THE TIMES.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1930, Page 4

THOUGHTS FOR THE TIMES.

A MESSAGE TO SHAKESPEARE,

The cablegram sent by an American, in Toronto to William Shakespeare, of Stratford-on-Avon, asking for the film right of plays, must be quite the richest and rarest mistake of the kind, but the rest of the world will deceive itself if it believes that this sort of thing is confined to Americans. In similar ways ignorance contributes to the gaiety of nations in every land. “Is Bach (she called himi “Batch”) composing now?” asked a woman of Gilbert. “No, madam,” he said, “he’s decomposing.” This may or may not be a true story, but it was reported as a fact the other day in London that an English firm of photographers had written to Robert Louis Stevenson, care of his publishers, asking if he would give them a sitting. There is also a. story of an ignorant publisher, within recent years—we forget whetner he was English or American —who was so impressed by the first of Charlotte Brontes novels, that he read that he wrote and invited her to give him her next to publish Even in New Zealand —no, we decline to mention the town—we have heard of a shop assistant who, on being asked for a copy of “The Taming of the Shrew,” replied “Who by?” We have also heard of a theatre clerk who inquired if there were royalties to pay on “She Stoops to Conquer.” —Auckland Star.