The Express.
London, England, 1863-04-23 00:00:00

ARMONIUMEW
ciumr.a. DIAL& and WOOD. Kol. ltagentwirsoL

rAPERA, FIELD, and RIFLE GLASSES.
V AIGRETTE and ZAN/ERAS DOUBLE ACHROMATIC
Gus% pag grvat powJr, complete in cam, Pie, and ets
Pent on receipt of poetndies order. —I, Hattongartion
csinihni , Emmet-street ; and Crystal Palace, Sydenhata.

TROUSERS.—Spacial attention is called to the
NEW PNIING 0001)6, and gentlemen who do not mind
=ter price fora good pair or trousers can depend on
and patterns that cannot, be smelled, at
ytaroN and ICIIIPIOICII, TAILORS,
Mt, Strand (opposite Enter Hatt).

SPECIAL NOTICE. —TO OENTLIMEN.
MR. MILES (Alfred Webb Miles), 73, Brook-
meet, Renoveriquare, is papered to =bolt tor public
approval all the
NEW TROUSERS PATTERNS
for Syriac and hammer wear, which will be found In greater
variety au.l Niter than ever. The °out/oust remark of gentle-
men to their treads I. Why pay more than lila for your
summer trousers
EVERY Si DT KNOWS Mr. MILES removed
street
Bond-
street in 1616.

IN FUN THIS WEEK, Price One Penny,
Pretty Foley come back to his loving father.
Lord CAarenee Edward Paget, H.P.
The teetotal charge*.
Volunteers is mufti.
Wanderings In Loudon, &c.
/low ready, handsomely bound in magenta cloth. elk
price 4s. ad.: port paid, id,
'TM THIRD HALF.YEARLY VOLUME of PUN, with ntunerens
=vino by talented arthda, and article' by diathisathhed
nee First and Second Volumes, =lions with the third. oat oe.
80, FleetBlniet.

Vie ervireWs.

TO OORRESPONDINTIL
etverthemeote Weeded for . Ito Ewen'
=law, be at the oleo% 10. DOOM
as the 4. a pabilestSes.

I. Leedom suers
irle4trook by Two

HA YlLlitilT.
Tan Krauss, TILL WATZBS HUN DUP. Mews. A
Wigan, Chippendale, and Damn : lisodmis Awl sad
A. WIgan.—itIICKSTONI •T BOHM —And 1102.1.0W1N0 •
HUSBAND. Mama Howe and Compka ; HIS Mein Hauls.

neurcsern.
Twasmaca, AIIROILA FLOYD. Mem& IteThysad Damon;
IFlss sua4 Wr Ileaderws. - =LINO FINK.Mr.
Own Yisiog sad Wes Amy laerwlft.—Aad DIAUTITUL
iLUDZI. War Olivet, Howard, lioarsek. sad Mina,.

--
LTCIMIX.
MN Immo, A SIIDDIN ATTACL Dianna. !bon and
Widdicando ; M Hondo mid KM Loa—And TEE OULU
3110110. Merin 1 suntan Mom linnermn, ond Itarmand ;
Mem C. Idmisrog, I. Term sod inwanny.

111/TANNLL
Tsui Evans., TNI WIDOW AND 01PDANN—PAITN.
NM, AND MARLYN. with brims, • GLUT
SPICLBAL ILLOSION.—Azd ♦AURORA FLOYD:

MOB WATER AT LONDON lIWSL
TNN DAT —l(comfag, sb. Oft.....Alloramos. R. lion.
fooonot—Noralmo. R. 1110.....lilarsmis. IIL Os.

LOIDON, THURSDAY, APRIL 23.

Wa are brought this day within a single
year of the tercentenary of &KAKl:mazes birth.
On the 23rd of April, in the year 1664, was born,
in the pleasant town of Stratford-on-Avon, the
greatest Poet the world has ever seen, and as we
are accustomed in the narrower circles of axial
and domestic life to celebrate the personal anni-
versaries of those we love and honour, so it is per-
fectly natural and fitting that the birthday of .our
greatest national benefactor, the Poet-philosopher
whom all Englishmen love and honour, should re-
ceive at least a pawing remembrance. If, indeed,
our recognition of the day were at all proportionate
to the benefits we have received through the event
it celebrates, scarcely any anniversary in our na-
tional calendar would stand higher, or be wel-
comed with a more sincere, grateful, and reverent
gladness. It is difficult, indeed, at this distance
of time, to imagine what our national literature and
life would have been apart from the pervading,
the elevating and refining influence of SALK-
arr.aaa's writings. They have done far snore than
anything beside to mould the language, refine the
taste, fill the imagination, stimulate the intellect,
and stir the heart of the nation. The influence of
that one master mind, that serene and universal
intellect, permeates the entire range of our national
thought and expression, and is clearly perceptible in
its humblest as well as its highest manifertatioas.
While the homely but pregnant maxima of the Poet's
wit sad wisdom have enriched our colloquial speech,
and are heard every day in the familiar talk of ordinary
life, his delineations of the primal human passim.,
et the grander forms of character and action, remain
as perfect types and examples for the admira-
tion end study of the moat gifted and accomplished
minds. All the passions and affection., as well
as the moods and maladies of the mind, all the
humorous and tragic experience, of life, all the
typical forms of humble and heroic character, are
traced with the subtlety of Nature by that unfalter-
ing head ; and those multitudinous creations of
Saixerwta's genius people that world of dramatic
life which has supplied not only a boundless field
of instruction and delight, but inexhesetible ma-
terials for study and reflection to his countrymen
and critics in every succeeding age.

Whfle, however, those more profound qualities
of filaansraw's writings which fascinate the
critical student of poetry can be fully appreciated
only by the few, they are in the truest and largest
sense written for the many, and are both designed
and adapted to influence the nation at large. This
public, patriotic, and national aspect of the Poet's
labours deserves to be specially celebrated. He
created our national drams--a drama thoroughly
popular, and at the same time intensely poetical.
At the time Flimasresas appeared as • writer
poetry, indeed, existed, and the drama existed,
but they were almost hopelessly divorced.
The stage had emerged from the buffoonery of
the " Mysteries " and " Mocalities" only to be
plunged in the depths of collagnial rant, fustian,
and extravagance. On the one hand, the poetry et
the time kept itself steadily aloof from the stage,
addressed only • very limited circle of readers,
and was restricted to an elevated sphere of
ideal experience, classic fancies, and highly-
wrought expression. Saaxarasaa did for poetry
what SOCRATES is said to have done for philosophy
—brought it down from heaven to earth, from the
airy heights of a metaphysical and romantic fancy
to the joys and sorrows of our common humanity,
the humorous and tragical realities of actual life.
Desiring a larger audience than the lettered and in-
structed few, he boldly spoke to the people at large
on the subjects most likely to interest them, and
having thoroughly secured their ear, the extent of
his influence in rousing the public spirit and ele-
vating the national character of hi conatrymen can-
notibe overrated. While the form of his writings was
thus popular, theirpervadingspirit wasin the highest
as noble and salutary. Considering not only the
age in which he wrote, but the general character of
contemporary literature hardly anything in the
writings of SEI•IBP/L•li is more remarkable than
the lofty moral spirit that pervades them.
In none of his plays is there any confusion of
the clear judgment pronounced on actions of the
reflective reason and conscience of mankind. He
has " no innocent adulteries, no interesting inmate.,
" no virtuous vice. He never renders that amiable
" which religion and reason alike teach us to
" detest, nor clothes impurity in the garb of virtue,
" like Basumoirr and Ftareasn. ihriasraana's
" fathers are roused by ingratitude, his husbands
" are stung by unfaithfulness—in him, in short,

" the affections are wounded in those points in
" which all may, nay, must feel." A poet gifted
with such rare and transcendent powers, if thus ex-
citing the passions in the interest of virtue, is in