Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-30
NATIONAL NTELLIGENCER.
NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.

as Essay on the Life and Works of Shakespeare,
prefxed by its learned author an introduction to
a French edition, based on the earlier one Of LIE
Tourneur, comprising the complete works Of the
great English dramatist, In placing the book be-
fore us at the head of our columns for to-day we
have no intention of fatiguing the reader with any
commonplace of our own touching the matchless
merit of our sweetest Shakespeare" as Pope calls
him, nor do we seek to make of Monsieur Guizot's
entertaining Essay hook on which TO hang any
new supersensuous theories as to Shakespeare phi
losophy of dramatic art" in which German criti-
cism at the present day is exceedingly rife. These
and their cognae topics have been so long and ably
discussed that whatever is valuable has become old
and trite, nsomuch that he who presumes to dis
cuss them afresh is voted bore, while he who
would essay to deliver somewhat that is new on the
old themes is incontinenty set down for mere
quack in criticism. Moreover, to write on Shak-
speare IS not given to every scribber that -four
Isl pen and dabble in ink. 1t is popularity be-
liyvcd that man writes better for knowing some
thilg Of his subject which opinion, if true, has
its ultimate consequence that the difficult the
su jgct the fewer those competent to treat on it,
Nor Shakespeare, we humbly conceive, is g sub
ec On which the generality the newspaper review
should seek to practise modest reserve at least
if there be any sense in the old Greeks advice,
either to say things better than silence, else to
who follow the profession of the pen suppose them
selves quite equal to any and every exgency IN the
career of letters whether it be to indite essay
the philosophy of poetry with Tennyson the text,
or to indulge in original and profound reflections on
the Nebular hypothesis of La Place, we do not sup
pose that shall get much credit for modesy after
all our abstinence in the matter OF Shakspearan cri-
ticism so called for the most of it strikes as
any thing but .Ssakspedrian.) Atany rate on the
of ShaE
1shade of Aristarchus forbid the thought , we pro-
pose to criticse his critics. for have quite enough
audacity to keep from standing greatly in of
these latter.
The drama has always filled large space in the
literary history of every civilized nation, though
more in ancient than in modern times; and as no
other species of composition is subjected to SO rigid
scrutiny, so no other has awakened so much of
excited and sometimes embittered controversy d- |
viding not only different parties among the same
people, but arraying the critics of nation in hos
tity against those of another. While the adage
that there should be dsputing about has been
on eveybodys lips its application to the theatrical
to have been wholly forgotten Because drama
constructed certain principles found to have pleas
ed Athens the hasy generalization was straghtway
made that in this way and in this only should drama be
always constructed If the Greek dramatiss rather
their critics. deemed the observance Of certain untes in
dispensabe to dramatic art the conclusion was heed
ess drawn that their success entirely due to the
existence Of these unes at least wholly dependent
upon them. When then, great genius in the six
teenh century and actually wrote comedies and TRACE
dies only in neglect but in defiance of such
enjoned the careful preservation of unity in time and
place. the art Of criticism bsstead find where
witha to account for his success without at the
time giving up its darling unities That Shakspeare
MA he C1;ch nr;ta .ha+
Corneilles pleased the French; that Shakspeares dra
matte art however something quite other than Cor
nees it required sagacity to perceive, and in
deed admitted all hands. The French considering
themselves pledged to find the perfection Of art in Cor
nellie and Racine could not Of admit the preen
sons of any foreigner, much less Of whom to admire
would have been sort of literary The English,
who had wept and laughed and stamped applause at the
Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare both poet and
mayer not exactly prepared to confess themselves
like Titana in the play, enamored of ass could
they whatever Aristotle had to say against it, refuse
recognise him great artist who knew well how 10
thrill each chord in their hearts. And issue join
ed in the natter each endeavorng convict the other Of
absurdty without suspectng that there might be
theories Of dramatic each legitimate in its way,
and that they would have better stated the controversy
between them had they raised the question not what
the only method be followed in dramatic composition
but what is the best method.
1t has been truly said that the history Of European
taste may be written in the history Of Shakspearan cri
cism. In England Shakespeare has always had admirers
but rarely sagacious critics With all his carpng inso
lence we think Dr. johnson among the most apprecatve
Of them ALL The immediate successors Of Shakespeare
such as Ben Jonson, Beaumont Fletcher, and Ford
though patrons Of the art had not yet learned to
emancpae themselves in theory from the servitude Of
Aristotle though practically they ignored his precepts
need not therefore find among them any thing
like fair exposition Of Shakspeares dramatic art In
deed it well known that the first Of those named the
'rare old Ben has left pretty sharp structures
the awlessness" Of his great predecessor. He be-
walls the total Of art" in the best Of Shak
speares plays. As for himself he rgdy endeayored to
not always succeed in rgdly observing them despite his
leaning to the classic drama. Still Jonson affected Arts
totle and by Aristotle determined to stand or fall
That he lacked genius learning has been nsinu
ated his Latin and Greek were each respectable how
ever true may be Of Shakespeare he himself records
that he had small Latin and less Greek" And yet Ben
Jonsons dramas would draw house and always fail
cd to bring down the benches in applause while the
other hand the Of irregular play
Of Shakespeare filled the empty boxes and what was
better the empty Golfers of managers, who complained
that Jonsons tragedies betrayed the FIRE
and doorkeePers, though they
shamed all the ancients, and might raise
Their authors merit with crown Of bays.
How came it to pass that Macbeth and the jealous
Moor should be thus preferred to weabOred Caline