Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-06-23
THE suAKsPEARIANC owARDs.
ANCIENT HISroI


| lection and self defence would seem to be n more
elementary constitution OF human nature than the
principle of vslouT, which urges men into danger.
and often leads them to destruction IL 10 curious 10
observe the e0newreness of the two spirits. There
Is an instance OF u In the very equipment OF the
warrior Of the battle fed. Ii courage provide,
him with arms, cowardee arrays him with armour.
Bravery hands HIM the spear; polroonery presents
him with the shields Thus see the hero OF
the illiad arrayed ny maternal fondness in heavenly
harness, impervous 10 mortal sIroke,-a panoply,
in fact, encased wherein Therstes himself might
securely have withsood the rush Of Hector and all
the chivalry Of Troy.
Nothing can be apter to our purpose than the
hne picture OF "Feste" by the vivid hand of Spen-
ser:
Mex him was reare, all armed from top 10 ios
nei thought himself not safe enough thereby,
But feared each shadow moving TO or fIoe,
And his own arms when glit'eTing he hid spy,
Or clashng head. he fast away did nv:
A.S.nes pale Of hue n aud wS!asSIheeed;
'Gsinst whom he always bent bIazen shield,
winch his iishi hand unsrmed fcarfuly did WELD
THIS is coNnrdce in the abstract. The right hand
Is "unar,ned;" instead OF the sword II welds the
buekler The presentment il taken from life, We,
not 10 be found IN lfc,--ever in the life Of the
drama. Spencer impersouates Cowardice; Shak-
speare dIaws the Coicdrd, und accordingly We are
not 10 seek IN densations OF the latter that pure
ideal of the character from which the abstract poe,
drew his description. The towards OF Shakespeare
brand'sh the sword well bear the shield; they
carry arms as well wear armour. Their looks
are fixed on danger "cvermore;" but they do not
d from the cleaning of their owe cuirasscs or
from the clash of their own hiboas. They are
true; but not perfect towards. man may display
true cowardce in battle, yet by going into battle he
demonstrates that there Is deg:ee of poltroonery
still above him. PAROLES is a coward, but he is
also soldier; had he been more a coward, he would
never have chosen the profession OF aims. In like
manner Pistol loses cast among the Knights OF
the White Feather, by the martial calling which
he follows, and still more by the martial swagser
which provokes correction and attracts the cudge.
The choice of profession is Point Of infinite
moment IN human lie; but of all the blurders tina,
men make in an affair SO critical. the most egrcgous
surely, is when tho coward buckles on The sword.
Peace haih her victories,
No less renowned than war.
Here is fair and wide field for the exploits OF the
poltroon. Under what possession does he hv 10
arms7 what has he to do with bro and batt. p
where is he further from his proper sphere than a.
mon.st-
Moving accidents by flood and field.
And hair breadth 'seapes in tn imminent deadly brcachl
Yet such is human folly and inconsistency! The
marital coward is a common combination of heiero-
seneous qualities, and the dramaiist loves TO pro-
duee IT, for the amusing a6surdity of the contrast,
The certain lord" who came, after the affair nj
Holmedon, 10 demand his prisoners from Harry Per-
| Cyl and performed that duty
With many holiday aud lady terms,
is TO be appauded for preferring civil to military
empoyments, entertaining the sentiments which he
ayows upon war!ike subjects.
| And still he smiled and talked
And as the soldiers bore dead bodies by,
lie called them u9tans 1t knaNes unmannerly,
| BeiwiXi the wind and his nobility.
lie made me mad
To see him shine 80 brisk, and smell so sweet,
And talk so like a waiting genilewoman
olguns, and drums and wounds, (God save the mark
Was parmaceti for an inward bruise;
And that 1t was great pity so Il
4 That villanous sapcire shoulI be dirced
ntofthe bowels Of the harmless Garth,
Witch many good tall fellow had destroyed
50 cowardy, and but for these vic guns
! lie would himself have been soldier.
This IS the language of rational, consistent coward
ice. This odoriferous envoy does not appear until
the action is over; and far is he fom making any
hypocrteal parade OF martial tastes or sympathies
that he owns with the utmost frankness his extreme
| horror and disgust at all the "pomp and circum-
stance Of war" He does not even blush 10 conres,
the unwarlike tendencies of his nature before
the victorious Hotspur, rocking from the foushten
held. lie would have been a soldier, however.
"eutfor these vile guns; and he retors the charge
of pus lanimity with Infinite spirit upon the "yil-
lanous satpetre,-
Which msnya a good tall fellow had destroyed
The humanity of this speech is TOUCHING. This
gentle or1 vas born under more "charita Die sta ~
than even Monsieur PAROLES himself who. with the
Tear OF Mars before his eyes, Prspnserously choos
es war for his vocation, exposing himself thereby
I'm addition In the ordinary perils of a soldierl to
oe the general k'ekee OF the French court. frank
manly cowardice is a better protection than a coat
OF mail. The person OF the professed poltroon is sa-
cred no man of honour would attack confessed
craven; It is only when the puts on the ions
Spots, and mlmics with his stupid brayins the roar
oil the forest King, that every generous animal takes
part against him.
There is, however, marked and well defined
distinction between Psroes and Pistol Both are
soldiers, hTsgadocos, and poliroons, but the for
mer IS essentially man OF pence; the latter is ONLY
meek In the presence of true cour-ge and under
ave Of the cudge. Piso is a ruffian which the
Frenchman is not. Pistol was born under no "char.
table sfar"; he is example ofthe swash buckler
or fghiing-eoUard. Monsieur is vapouter, moi
a bra~ler; the Ancient is both; in a word he is a
bully, which is character distinct from the brag.
gstt as brutality is from vanity and fslsehood
Pistol appears first IN the 2nd Part Of Henry ~
DRAWER. Sir, ancient Pistols below, and would
spenk with you"
Doll. Hang him. staggering rascal let hin
not come hther; it is the foul mouth'dst rogue in
England"
Mistress Quickly protests with energy; she vii
have no swaggering in her house, and FtlsafT re-.
monsrates for some time in vain wih-"D5st thou
heart IL - mine ancient" Sill her answer is
l"l'il no swasgereFs."
"FAL. He's no swaegercr, hostess; you NAV
stroke him as gently as o puppy greyhound. RI,
will not svagger with barb-ry CO. n her feather.
turn back with any show OF ieslatance. Call hin
up, Drawer"
Pistol comes up, end soon shows the meta he !.
made off. Falstaf charges hifa with a Gun Of sack.
Mistress Quickly declines drinking 10 him. because
no talks of"bulets" He then aecosts "Niist,es,
Dorothy" who discharges a broadsdc Of Eas,cheap
compliments in reply, calling him "scurvy comrs-
mon, lack linen mate cut.putse rascal. baske hit
stale jugeler" and twenty more such Iady.like nd
dItions and designations
"PTsToL will murder your ruff Tor this
"FAL. No more, Pis,O'; | would not have YOU
20 of here; DISCHARGE yourSslf of mr. co,,,,s,,,,
Pistol pau"
sweet CsptOin."
Mistress Dorothy again takes fire Mt the title Of
Captain, with which Dame Quickly in her cons,er
nation decora'es our Ancient. She vociferates-
"Captain thou 'bomnablc choater, art thou not
ashamed 20 he called Capiainl IfCap'alns were
OF my mind, they would trUncheon thee out f. r
taking their names upon you before you have earned
them. You Captain! He Captain! lie lives
upon mouldy siewed prunes and dried cakes. A
Captain Z" &c.
Bardolph tries to induce Pistol 10 20 down :.
Fal'aif seeks 10 mofy ihe lady; but Pistol breaks
away
mot I: tell thee what, Corporal Bardoipb-
could tear her: IH Be reUenged on heri"
There IS more Of the wordy war, and NJ length
cold iron Is drawn; but the issue Is, that Pistol NJ
foil cock, suffers himself IN be kicked down s,airs
Falst'f returns TO his sack and his That's, elsts
With victory, oxeaimiug: "A rascal Dragging sayel
The rogue fed from me ike quicksilver.n
. lhe "aneien" re appears IN the play Of Henry
", where 10 the second act we find him bravling
with Nym. Nyn cres-"I would have YOU so,,s y
70 which Pistol rsjvins fsrcely-
.1Seias, eareEious dog Oh viper vile,
he soitf in tly teeth and n thy throat
DO fct1ri tho so'Hs," Set
Nym and Pistol draw. ving upon ,h. ,..;,.