The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-23 00:00:00

khakspere's Doctors,

(From to-day's Lancet.)
Six doctors are represented in Shakspere'd
dramas. The allusions to physicians and surgeons
are very frequent, but six only actually appear
upon the stage in propria persona.

In the play of "Henry the Eighth" Dr. Butts
appears. This is the only occasion upon which
Shakspere has introduced a physician who had
really figured in history. William Butts, we learn
from Dr. Munk's "Roll of the College of Physi-
cians," was educated at Gonville Hall, Cambridge,
of which he became a Fellow. He was physician
to Henry VIII., and enjoyed his confidence to a re-
markable degree, being knighted by the King
under the title of Sir William Butts, of Norfolk.
Shakspere pictures in a few words the physician's
powerful influence with the monarch. Cranmees
enemies at court have contrived that he shall be
kept waiting amidst the servants outside the door
of the council chamber. Butts remarking this, says—
" This is a piece of malice, lam glad
I came this way so happily; the kiag
Shall understand it presently."
Oranmer, upon this, exclaims—

" 'Tis Butts,
The king's physician : as he passed Along,
How earnestly he cast his eyes upon me I
Pray Heaven he sound not icy disgrace!"
Dr. Caius, who plays such a prominent part in the
" Merry Wives of Windsor," is described as a French
physician. The character seems to have been de-
vised simply for the sake of the fun which is get
out of the foreigner's broken English. In the whole
play there is scarcely an allusion to the doctor's
profession, and he might for all practical purposes
have belonged to any other. Our laughter is entirely
directed against the man, in no respect against the
physician,

The poisoned goblet over accompanies the dagger
as en emblem of the tragic muse. The treacherous
draught has been, from earliest times, employed by
the dramatist as the most terrible of all the means
by which life is taken upon the stage. Shakspere
makes frequent use of this agency. One might be
led to expect that occasions of this nature would
iureish opportunities for the introduction of the
physician into the play ; but, curiously enough,
this only happens once—in the play of " Cymbe-
line." When the Queen is plotting the destruction
of her step-daughter Imogen, she applies to Corne-
lius, her physician, for some poisonous drugs.
The physician cautions an unskilled woman
against experiments which seem to be dictated by
curiosity and can lead to no useful result. Had
not the action of drugs been tested by himself or
some other skilled observer, he would not have
been in a position to substitute in safety those he
gave her for the poisonous kinds which she desired,
and Itnogen would have perished miserably. He
communicates (to the audience) the reason of his
justifiable deception in the following passage
Ido not like her. She does think she has

Strange lingering poisons: I do know her spirit,
And will not trust one of her malice with
A drug of such damn'd nature. Those she has
Will stupefy and dull the sense awhile :

Which first, perchance, she'll prove on cats and dogs;
Then afterwards up higher ; but there is
No danger in what shcw of death it makes,
More than the locking up the spirits a time,
To be more fresh, reviving."

It is interesting to contrast the conduct of Corne-
lius with that of the Apothecary in "Romeo and
Juliet," under somewhat similar circumstance—
" Meagre were his looks,
Sharp misery had worn him to the bones,"

The poor wretch, starving and over-tempted by
Romeo, makes but a brief resistance to the bribe
of forty ducats; but, as he parts with the poison,
there is evidence of a painful struggle in his excla-
mation—

"My poverty, but not my will, consents 1"

. - -
Following Dr. Johnson's example, we might here
express a hope that Romeo, were he living now in
London, might find as much trouble in procuring a
dose of poison a 3 he did in Mantua. We fancy,
however, that he would not need either to seek our
a starving drng vendor, or to give him such a sum
as 40 ducate, so much have we improved in these
matters during the last three or four centuries.

Two thctors figure in "Macbeth"—:n English-
man and a Scot. The former has very little to do.
He merely describes to Malcolm how the King
(Edward the Confessor) is curing a crowd of per-
sons affected with " the evil" by a touch of his royal
hand. The latter has a much more important part.
He is present with a waiting gentlewoman when
Lady Macbeth walks in her sleep. Not a gesture
escapes his attention; and with judicious care, when
Lady Macbeth speaks, he takes written notes of her
words. He is soon struck by their terrible import.
The physician sees in the condition of mind of his
patient a danger of suicide, and properly takes pre-
cautions against it. To Macbeth's inquiry, shortly
afterwards—

" How does your patient, doctor ? "
he replies—

" Not so sick, my lord,
As she is troubled with thick coming fancies,
That keep her from her rest.
MAcn. Cure her of that :
Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased ;
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow;
Raze out the written' troubles of the brain;
And, with some sweet oblivious antidote,
Cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous stuff
Which weighs upon the heart ?
Therein the patient
Must minister to himself,
MAC% Throw physic to the doge, I'll none of it 1"

DOCT.

It is curiously significant of the error often pro-
duced by isolating passages from their context that
this last expression of Macbeth has been interpreted
into a disbelief on Sbakspere's part in the power of
medicine ! The question which the remorse-haunted
Thane has addressed to the doctor is evidently in-
tended quite as much on his own account as on that
of his wife; and the reply, shattering the last rem-
nant of hope, fills up the measure of his misery,
and forces from him the cry of impatience.
Not less admirable is the picture of the physician
in " King Lear," It would almost seem, indeed,
that Shakspere had some living representative
in his eye whom he esteemed and wished to
honour when he conceived these two characters, so
much do they resemble one another in the qualities
of judgment and candour. The old king, maddened
for a time by the ingratitude of his daughters, has
roamed about the country, exposed to storm and
cold. Cordelia, whom he, has so wrongly judged
and harshly treated, and who is overflowing with
affection for her father, succeeds in housing him in
the shelter of her camp. In intense anxiety at the
old king's delirium, she addresses herself to the
physician :

" What can man's wisdom
In the restoring his bereaved sense ?
There is means, madam ;
Our foster-nurse of nature is repose,
The which he lacks; that to provoke in him
Are many simples operative, whose power '
Will close the eye of anguish,"
The means employed are successful; after a long
and refreshing sleep the king awakes. Never,
probably, has anything more true and tender been
written than the scene which follows.

The physician's concluding advice is equally be
fi,ting the circumstances :
" Be comforted, good madam : the great rage,
You see, is killed in him ; and yet it is dang‘.a
To take him even o'er the time he has lost.
Der ire him to go in : trouble him no more
Till further settling."

Such is a very brief sketch of the medical charac-
ters introduced into his plays by the great poet
whose tercentenary we celebrate this day.
It should be our especial duty to venerate Shak-
spere, for never have we had so powerful a cham-
pion. His estimation of our art is marked by the
character of the representatives of it which he in-
troduces. With unworthy examples, doubtless,
before him, which were as open to his ridicule as
ever were the doctors of his ago to Moliere, he never
condescends to picture the class from base and ex-
ceptional models, but draws the character of the
physician with a liberal and loving hand.
Three hundred years have passed since then, and
with them great changes have come over the charac•
ter and position of medical men ; but their purpose
in life is still the same, and, mindful of this, they
will treasure in their remembrance his just appre•
dation of their art—

" Bequeathing. it, as a rich legacy,
To all their issue."

gr,
. ~/„„
ifira
t

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, April 22.
The Queen walked and drove in the grounds
yesterday morning and afternoon.
Princess Helena rode on horseback, attended by
the Hon, Emily CAtheart.

*-
SOUTHAMPTON, Wednesday.—His Royal
ness Prince Alfred, attended by Major Cowell, Earl Grey
and Lieut. Haig, embarked Nei the docks at half-past 5
this atternoon on board the Royal yacht Fairy, Master.
Commander Welch, en route for Osborne.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge had
a dinner party last evening at Gloucester House, Park.
lane. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge'
the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg'
Strelilz, the Princess Mary, and a distinguished circleviere
present.
The Duke of Newcastle was enabled to take 6
carriage airing yesterday with the Countess of Lincoln. 111:
grace's health has wonderfully improved during the 188
ten days.
The Duchess of Marlborough has issued cards far
an assembly on the 12th of May, at her grace's residenc°
in St. James's-square.
His Excellency the Count Kleczkoweki, French
Ambassador at Pekin, with the Countess Kleczkowski(flio
Tudor) and family, have left the Brunswick Hotel, Jerrn
street, for Paris.
His Excellency M. Armand L. de Balan, Pleui:
potentiary at the Conference, has arrived at MaurigY"
Hotel, accompanied by his suite, from Berlin.
Viscount and Viscountess Doueraile have arrived
for the season at 20, Hertford-street, from Lincolnshire.
The marriage of Prince Augustus or Sweden AP
Norway, Duke of Dalecarlia, with the Princess of 581 e;
Altenburg, took place on the evening of the 16th inst. 8'
the Altenburg Palace.

ONE OF MR. AUGUSTUS BOUVIER'S Charming
picturee, in the collection now on view at 53, Pall4ol
(" The Caryan Slave "), bas recently been purchased by
her most gracious Majesty the Queen.

Rondeau sur Shakspere,

23 AVAIL, 1861.
Cat un devoir de celebrer Shakspere,
De presenter et I'encens et la myrrhe
Au noble auteur qui nous dota d'Hamlet,
De Romeo, d'un theatre complet
Que i'univers depuis longtemps admire.
C'eBt un devoir—qui peut me contredire
Pour qui du beau se soumet a l'empire,
De rendre hommage a talent si parfait.

C'est un devoir
Voila pourquoi je m'empreme de dire:
Au deini-dieu qui fit vibrer la lyre
Si cranement, avec si grand effet,
Honneur et gloiro . . . et j'incruste le fait
Leans ce rondeau que pour lui viens d'ecrire.
C'est un dvoir !
LE CHEVALIER DE CHATELAIN'

The fifth number of the Autographic Mirror,jll9t
published, is peculiarly interesting, as it contains an exact
copy of Shakspera's will and fac similes of all his autograP
taken from official documents.

The Tereententary number of Punch is amongst
the best literary productions in honour of the Shaksperiali
Festival now in progress of celebration. •

SITE FOR THE SHAKSPERE MEMORTAL.—We are
glad to hear it rumoured that the Beuchers centew'
plate the erection of a commemorative broEzo statue t°
Shakspere on that part of the Thames Embankment which
will abut upon the present river frontage of the gardens'
A more appropriate site could not be fixed upon in London.
The Gardens are the scene of the assumption of the dls-
tinctive badges of the "White and Red Rose of York 504
Lancaster in the first part of " Henry VI," (Act ii.,
Scene 4)—

" This brawl to-day,
Grown to this faction in the Temple Gardens,
Shall send, between the red rose and the white,
A thousand souls to death and deadly night ;"
to remind one of which, now that the smoke nuisance i 5
abated, there the white an I red roses flourish again as of
yore in the days of the Plantagenets. It is within little
more than a stone's throw of Playhouse-yard, close to
Apothecaries' Halt, which marks the site of the
friars Theatre, of which Shakspere was, according to thf,
Ellesmere papers, if wo receive them as genuine, part pro^
prietor, and, at all events, for which he wrote some of hie
plays, in which he himself acted. At Bankside, on the,
other side of the river, stood the Globe Theatre, at which
most of bis plays were performed, under his own manage-
ment, the site of which adjoined Globe Alley, which has
been swallowed up by the ample range of buildings forming
the celebrated brewhouse of Messrs. Barclay, Perkins, and
Co.—the Reader.
PUBLIC MEMORIALS TO SHAKSPERE.—The Bri.
tish Institution has on its front a large bas-relief by
Thomas Banks, R.A., which cost 500 guineas, representing
Shakspere between Poetry and Painting—Aoide, with the
double mask of Tragedy and Comedy, instructing the peels
whilst Painting, looking towards the spectator, introduces
him to more extended notice by the sister art. This, at
present, is the only outdoor monument to Shakspere

the metropolis, and owed its erection to a
vate mercantile speculation. During this Terceir
tentary week it may not be out of place
mention that three other public memorials
Shakspere are to be seen in London—the first of theati
being Roubiliac's statue of the poet, in the Hall of tba
British Museum, on the left of the Britioh Museum, °ll
the left of the entrance to the Grenville .Library, which
was executed for GArrick at a cost of three hundred

guineas, and bequeathed by him to the nation ; the second/
the somewhat undignified st.tue by Kent in 'Westminster
Abbey; and the third, the Chandos portrait of Shaksperet
which had belonged to Davenant the poet, Betterton the
actor, and Mrs. Barry the actress, and which was bought
at the Stowe sale in 1848 by Lord Ellesmere .eor three
hundred and fifty-five guineas, and has since been pre-
sented by him to the National Portrait Gallery, open every
day during the present week.—The Reader.

SHAKSPERE MEDAL.—A medal, whioh was de'
signed by Mr. John Bell, end engraved by Mr. 1"
C. Wyon, has been produced by Messrs. Hunt and Itoskoll,
to commemorate the tercentenary of our great poet. 011
the obverse is a profile head of Shakspere, surrounded by 4'
"glory" of his own works, the likeness being chiefly taken
from the Stratford bust and Chandos portrait. a tee'
simile of the autograph, beneath the head, is encircl, bi
a wreath of wild flowers, such as primrose, cowslip, Wild
rose (in which "a bee sucks"), honeysuckle, &c. ; the
larger bindweed twining round a magician's wa,ud of I laze+
or witch-elm. On the reverse is an apotheosis of the ter-
centenary. The last two centuries have already laid the
wreaths on the scroll on the poet's knee, while the present
century is in the act of crowning him.

ELIZA COOK, after a long absence from litc +rature,
comes before the public again this day with a n Ode
written for the occasion of the " Working Men's Shalt"
spere Celebration, and planting of an Oak on Primrose .hill
to the Poet's Memory." Russell-square is the spot selected
for the meeting of the Ancient Order of Foresters and other
similar societies, accompanied by the Havelock _gill°
Volunteers, under Colonel George Cruikshank, at one
o'clock. The ceremonial itself will take place at two o'clo a,
and the sapling, from Windsor, is to be planted, vicariorrs lYr
by the hand of Mr. Phelps. In the evening the " wort Ong
men" will attend a grand musical and dramatic enterh
merit at the Islington Agricultural Hall.—The .Reader.
LANDSEER'S NELSON'S LIONS.—Are we at I 7
nearer the final payment to the memory of Nelsc
than in July last, when a spasmodic effort was made and ti
fanfare announced that one lion had been modelled in cli Ay',
ab an instalment towards completing the four that are
wanted in bronze ? Has Sir Edwia Landseer compl ste4
his studies in the Zoological Gardens, are all the lions in that
establishment dissected and done with, and no Baths, factor),
results expected ere the coming of a fresh batch or " I wide o
lions," as the hunting-books have it. If the latzer• is the
ease, let us send for a legion of lions; cur gallant a? ly, aid
proprietor of that great lion-walk, Algeria, would lae °DIY
too happy to supply the tardy sculptor with lions, an d Sir
Edwin may taste the delight of the Assyrian kings, wh°
kept a Paradise wherein to enjoy lion battues before :ureak-
fast. Who would envy him the sports ? who begrudg a him
the beasts ? Nobody envies Sir Elwin Landseer the pi 03,e3-
goo: of aught so much as the sole and unrestricted privi-
lege he enjoys of seeing in his mind's eye the gls rious
statues that will 601110 day render Trafalgar-square toler-
able. Let it not be forgotten that we expect to have four
distinct and original lions, wholly differing in design from
each other; not a mere repetition of the same animal, with
the position of his head and tail slightly altered, to null"'
him look, to the thoughtless, another beast. Modern .Art
deals too freely in machine repetitions for a man like Sir ±l-
- to omit the opportunity he has of entering a Pro-
test against the practice, and, at the same time, honouring
Nelson ungrudgingly. The great Admiral gave to tour
original victories : let us give him—money not being all
object for our consideration—four original lions.

We are desired by Messrs. Herries, Farquhar,
and Co., to give the most unqualified contradiction
to the unjustifiable report inserted in this morning's papers,
that an amalgamation is about to take place between them-
selves and the -Union Bank. There is not, and never has
been, any such amalgamation in contemplation, nor lass
,here ever been ihe slightest communication between the
pariies above named, nor any other which could afford the
'east foundation for sucb a report.

MARkET

AND