The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-01-10
From the .Ni,c York Commercial .7drertis.r.
OLD PLAY.

The following article showing the Indebtedness Of
Shakespeare to Marlowe for passage in the tragedy
of Richard, is from the Boston Post
A copy of the first edition of an old play by Mar
lowe, entitled The true tragedy of Richard, Duke
of York" was recently sold in England for 9l3l,
more than ,f3 for each leaf From it, it appears that
the often quoted speech in Henry W., beginning
.What will the aspiring blood of Lancaster
Sink in the ground"
was stolen, almost rerbatim, by Shakespeare, from
i" Marlowe's mighty line" We give the passage as
it stands in both authors =
.Mariotce
Gio'a.--' What will the aspiring blood of Ian
Sink into the ground had thought it would have
mounted.
See, how my sword weepes for the poore Kings
death!
Now male such purple tears be alwaies shed,
For such as seeke the downefall of our house
If anie sparkle of life RENAME in theee,
[Stabs him againe
Downe, downe to Hell, and safe sent thee Thu
ther," sc.
Shakespeare.
Gio'st.-" What will the aspiring blood Of Ian
Sink in the ground thought it would have mounted,
See how my sword weeps for the poor Kings death
may s,ich purple teares be always shed
From those who wish the downfall Of our house,
If any spark of life be yet remaining,
Downe, downe to He'll, and say sent thee thither."
Stabs him again.
propra,ng whatever he FSgIet al scuPulous in a
and contemporary dramatists The plots OF his plays
whole passages from the classics, the thoughts and
the words Of others he laid under contribution at
will. But he had the power of stamping all with
the indelible impress Of his own mighty mind 1t
ought, moreover, to be remembered that Shakespeare
wrote neither for the press for fame but for
money, cash down-to supply his wants from dav
III VpI Int
lragmeIts and scraps of paper-dirty and dingy-
scattering the richest gems OF thought in profession
In all directions, though unconscious of their va
/ lue. burng his day, moreover, there were many
poor dramatists ctcumstanced like himself = men
some Of them, Of high order of gonius-who were
IN the habit of clubbing their wits, and writing
paysi in partnership each poet writing particular parts
chosen by, or assigned to him-just different parts
were afterwards 10 be assigned 10 different PLAYERS
Shakespeare was Oft one of these pariners-wrltinp
passages and scenes for Others as others wrote for
him In addition to all which il is well ascertaned
mat Shakespeare was in the practice of taking these
JOINT stock Productions and revising rewriting and
re-combinipg them impartng To them the stamp of
his own genius, and giving them such form and
pressure as he chose The critics, therefore have
found II difficult TO decide, in all cases, exactly
what was Shakspeare's ard what not-even TO
the extent of entire plays. A very curious and in.
teresting paper upon this subject may be found in
ID lsraefs last wo,k the Amenities of Literature
1t was not to this end, however that we selected
Boston
ment, butte adduce another Illustration of Shaks-
peare's freedoms with other authors. His memora-
bic witch sccne'in Macbeth, were taken in idea and
almost bodily tom Middleton as will at once be per.
ceived by every reader on glancing at The Hiicbn
of the author last named his drama Of Middleton
is not thought by tie Retrospective Review to be of
very high order nor is It's story easily unraveed
For our prese Mt purpose il s sufficient say that
Duke of Ravenna, Ivy cruel insults drives his wife to
wish for his death She accompishes lis murder as
oh hy ~ i 4
Almacbide-; and when she surpases that the deed
is perperaed she Is desirous OF getting rid Of her ~
strumcnt For this purpose she consus the witch ..
"THE WITCHES HABirArloN.
Enter Duchess, Hecate, Firtstone
Ouch A sudden and subtle
Hec hen I've fitted you.
Here lie the gifts of both sudden and subtle
His picture made in wax, and gently molten
By blue fire, kindled with dead mems eyes.
w ill waste him by degrees
Ouch In what time, -pr'y thee
Hec Perhaps in month"; progress.
Ouch What month
Out upon pictures II they be so tedious,
Give me hngs with some life
Hec hen seek no farther
Ouch This must be- done With speed dispatched
This night if II may possibly.
Hcc J have it for you
Here's that will dot. Stay but prrlcctions time 4
And that's not five hours Fence
Ouch Can'st thou do this
Hec. Can
Can you doubt me then, daughter .,ies of woods
That can make mountains trembD
walk ~ and the spirits
Whole earths foundations bfom their marbles
OF the cntomb'd to bursir inyovd designs
Nay draw yon moontas can he when my mothers
Fire know asat angry for one spits French
mad, and our gn spits Latin.
then ard tb'no doubt YOU, mother
| DucL.% what did you
| Iierc1's "a firm, it is not TO be questioned
Mn. Forgive what's past and now know tn
lelnsyeness,
| hat veXes art III shun tn occasion ever
itc Leave all TO me aud my five sisters daughter;
! shall he conveyed in al howlet-time
, axe you no care My spirit know their mqmcni,
taven or screech-owl never fly by III door
sui they call in q thank en-, and they lo,e>not bvt
Where's grammar Stadlin and all the rcst OH sis
tiers
Fire. All al hand, forsooih
Hee Give me marmarQn some bcar-brccch--
When;
Fire. Here's bear-brecch and lizard, brain. FIR |
Sooth