The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-30
The IIumors OF the DuelIo.

The sagacious bully Bottom, he of ga Midsum-
mer Nights Dream celebrity, when arranging
the terrible tragedy Of Pyramus and Thisbe for
the nuptial feast of the truculent Theseus and the
Amazonian Hyppolyta, was very particular in
considering the feelings Of the ladies who would
probably be present at the play. Saith Manager
Bottom on this head, Starveling having suggested
that as the ladies cannot abide the killing of
Pyramus it must be omitted altogether
Boton-I have a device to make all we'll Write me
prologue, and let the prologue to saywe will do
harm with swords, and that Pyramus is not killed
indeed and for the better assurance, tell them that
Pyranus not Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver This
will put them out of fear.
Furthermore, remarks the sapient weaver,
anent the lion:-
To bring in. God shield US, among the ladies', on is
most dreadful thing for there Is not more fearful wild
and haf his abe lctors) face must be through the
lions neck and he must himself speak through, saying
thus The lades, fair ladies'. would
wish you or ent eat you, or would request you not TO
rembe: my lie ior yours. II you think come here as
lion, 1t pity ofmy life. No, am no such thing.
us other are and there, indeed let him name
his name, and tell them plainly, he Snug the joiner
We cannot refrain from saying how much
Snugs and Starvelings of the present day have
sufficient courage to initiate the frankness of their
Athenian prototypes. But the difference be-
tween our comedians in real life and the honest
artisans of Athens is that the latter seem really
to believe that they are lions long after the farce
has been played out to the public, and thus the
ladies are frightened to no purpose. 1t is time
they were undeceved.
With view to bring about so desirable con-
summation, We have collected to-day copies
of the hostile correspondence which has recently
taken place between some Of our leading states
men and prominent politicians, and have placed
it in juxtapostion with several celebrated
fancy sketches by SHAKESPEARE Sheridan and
Dickens. The resemblance between the real
letters and debates and the fancy sketches must
be our only excuse for placing Messrs. Iverson
and Houston, Douglas and Slidell, English and
Montgomery, sEkles and Tucker, Ashmore and
Maxwell, Douglas and Fitch, Hughes and Orr,
Diven and Spnola, in such ludcrous con-
trast with Pickwick and Bolton. Bob Acres and
Falkland, the motley fool Of the Forest of Ar
den and the braggart retainers Of the Capuets
and Montagues. The excess of absurdity-ifany
personages in the comedy And II u.s. indeed,
remarkable that in this age, which boasts SO
much of its enlightenment, and It's progress and
its Informs there should be found men who hold
high official and social positions who will 20
deliberately to work with pens, ink and paper
to prove themselves Bottoms, Bob Acres, Snugs
and Pickwicks,
fany one thinks this language too severe let
him carefully peruse the correspondence and de-
bates which we print elsewhere Let him see
how sanguineously these modern lions commence,
and how mildly they finish by acknowledging
that Pyramus is only Bottom the Weaver, and
that the lion is no lion, only Snug the Joiner.
Let him see that our Bobads have not the poor
excuse Of the apologist for ducllng, namely,
that man is more careful of his words IL
he knows that be h liable to be
called to account for them at the
pistols mouth. The modern duellist does not