Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1848-08-11

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Shakespeare, IN poetry, IS stamped upon me
memory Of mankind: but how few OF as Dave
ever conceived the notion Shaskeare IN bust
| ness?-ihe author of Hamlet and Oihtlln-
| TIE mighty magician, " hose potent spells con-
jured up Ariel and Puck. the Weird Sisters.
and he phantoms OF Richards tent-have
mankind even iho't OF him as buying aud sell
lIng-making bargains fora good ~pennyworth'
!OOking out Tor the maiu chance, securing Inc
odd hdli-penny in a reckoning, nay, SUNG hs
debtors, for what they owed HIM Such
thoughts we are not prone TO indulge when
lingering over the pages Of the mighty bard
vet the mighty bard was a man 10 10 all these
things. "Nature, y said the profound phlloso-
pher, JGnat han the coachmau, TO Corporal
Trim. Obadiah and Susanna, sis nature. 80
say we.
A Life ofShakspeare has been recently pub
lished in England BY a Mr.. Hailiweil. who,
among other researches, made the most min
ute examination of all the public aud private
documents OF Stratford upon Avon TO which
he could obtain access. He was brought to
light many circumstances, minute IN thetnsel-
YES, but highly curious as connected with the
life, character, ani pursuits OF the great poet.
Some OF these would apparently justify
the cynical remark that.
Shakespeare, whom you and every play
house bill,
STYLE the divine-the matchless-whst you
with,
For gain not glory, wing'd his rowing
flight.
The Bard Of Avon makes a new figure IN
these accounts as an unromantic man o! busi
ness, a shrewd economist and prudent irnpro-
yer of his property. IL is q ute evident that
l.. III ,,,t sn.t.ar bis optueus q. the RIGHT and
left in the same reckless prodigali,y with
which he lavished upon The world his trea-
sures Of poetic thought. What i. the STRAIT
fort Courier or Daily Advertiser OF that day
had coue u lis. We are not positive that such
publications did then actually issue from the
banks Of tie Avon; but had this been the
case, how would our wondering eyes have
been struck by some telegraph as the follow
Ing, in the business columns OF one oil these
sheets:
NOTICE
All persons indebted 10 the subscriber,
| either by lole or account, are hereby reques-
ted TO maie immediate payment, or their ar-
counts Will be left with All attorney for col
lection.
WMSHAKSPEARE.
lfShakspeare did not write this. 1t was be-
cause thee were no newspapers 10 advertise
in. But that he would have lone something
OF the kind, had the means and appliances
existed, Gems pretty evident from what we
can learn respecting his habits OF business.
Shakespeare, in fact, ives a business man,
and couil make q bargain that would have
done hon,r to the thrittiest trader about East
cheap or Tower Hill. After he had written
these immortal dramas. which can only peflst
uith the English language be retired 10 Strat.
ford and became a trader In stone, malt ano
corn. In he years subsequent TO his purchase
OF New Place, 1898, a scarcity OF corn gave
the inhabitants of Stratiord some apprehen-
slons Of famine. An account was taken oil
all the corn and malt in the town, whether
owned BY strangers" or townsmen. Gun
poet seems TO have been among those who
were the best supplied with the materials tor
bread and beer; for it was stated in the returns
that there were lot twenty persons who had
more than he. The books record his name
and stock thus:
"Wm. Shak h peare, X. quarters"
In the same yearhe sold d load OF stone to
the corporation Of Stafford Tor tenpence.
In 1904 he brought an action at law against
one Phillip Rodgers. for one pound fifteen
shilling and tenpeaee, stor malt sold aud de-
livered TO him at several times" This is not
the most unpoeti0l fact that has come TO
light, for in 1863 be sued one John Alden
brooke for debt. The delinquent absconded,
and the man Of law having made his report
mon est invent mira libertat, hujus burgi"
Shakspeare-what do you think, gentle rea-
der? Shakespeare struck upon the bail, one
Thomas Horneby! We wonder if poor iior-
neby turned upon him with a quotation about
Shylock aud the pound OF flesh.
Some people may look upon those matters
too curiousiy. To sell a load of stone for
tenpence, and pocket the money, may appear
a stfonge Thing TO be done by him who de-
s-ribed The cloudcapt towers, the gorgeous
palaces, and the solemn temples. To squeeze
three pounds odd shiliings ont of poor Tom
Horneby, who had endorsed for his neigh
Dor, may not seen very congruent with the pa
thetic spirit that predominates in the picture
OF Lear, who gavea all to his daughters. "Poor
Toms a coldi had been uttered in feeling ac-
counts before Horneby was clu,ched BY the
bailiif. Did Shakespeare r~ecoliect these things?
or did he regard them as newspaper stuff, 10
be torgotted the next day?
There is perhaps little profit in asking 81
milar questions, Shakespeare after all was "a
MAN. 81 must eat my dinner" said Caliban.
Why should not the man who drew Caliban
say the same thing? Who is there among US
having brick bat or two, value tenpence
who would not take enpence for the lot from
the city corporation? As TO suing for debts
and compelling bondsmen TO foot the bill
the only remark to the purpose is-money is
money:
The word is ''pitch and pay"
For oaths are straws. mems faiths are wa.
ter cakes,
And Holdiast is the only dog. my duck,
Therefore Gazette by the Councillor.
Tom Horneby, doubtless, deserved TO S mart
for being sutty for such IA scape grace as John
Addenbrooke. We think we see him now
The later catif, lodging round the corner OF "a
street in Stanford, least he should encounter
the face OF the mighty master OF the drama, aud
be asked to "scitled that small account
What right had he TO buy upon tick, whea
Shakespeare wanted ready cash?
1t is au indubilable fact, then, that Shakes
peare kept his shop, and that his shop KEEP,
him. yet Macbeth and the Tempest were
written! We do not encourage all shopkee-
pers in the notion that they are Shakspeares.
but 1t is clear that a man may make good
poetry and look well after his pe!!.