Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-09-26


plantation and requiring that 10 be kept chained or
the owne. subject to heavy penalty. V'rgi'"S c0ud
very we'll afford to pay Increase O. 20 per cent gu
the present taxes of the State viii Mr. Shelton, our
R,presen,auve inera'e his rising popularity, by giving
! tais measure his hearty support. NhLSo"'
[PlOn The New York Herald, sepL ILL.,
ABRAHAM LINCOLN AS A DRAMATIC CRITIC
TIE LATE IT AND GREATEST OF sHAKSPEREs
COMMENTATORS. 20
Mr. Iincoln's genius Is wonderfully yersatle. No
department of humsn knowledge seems to be unex
inbred by him lie is qlaly at home whether discuss.
inc divinity with political preachers debating plans OF
campaigns wi liitary heroes, liusfaupg INC oPes
bull against the comet TO pleasure party rom mica
90 arguing questions OF constitutional law WIN Ahah-
digbam RSmoatlizers regulating political Iaites IN
Mlsour defending his policy before party conversions
ar iudng letters 10 the philosopher IN chlei o. tne
Tribune academy Ia ell these, and in tho disposition
of the countless qus ions that have CON up lof nus
cson during the last two years and tai' ne mas us
ulay ed variety Of attainments depth 81 kno"eoge
fund of anecdote power OF analysis ana COT cot
of Judgment that stamp him US the mo- relnarka-
bic man Of the age. /: ony remained cr him 70 cap
tue climax Of popular astonishment ana adnAt Oh .!
showing himself 10 be dramatic critic OF The hrt OF
der aud the greatest and most profound oil the army OF
Shlksperesn commentators.
has been hOnored wih all autograph letter from the
American sutocrat Just as Shakespeare himself was non
ed with an amcAbIe letter from King James I've FHst
and which We told, "that most learned prince ana
y.eat asrop of learning pleased with his own hand
60 wr,tsn We have obaiGed copy o the ffetldents
ttc and deem it OF sufficient Interest end importance
o pnlt il in this connection. l. reads as follows;
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WAsHnGroS Aug. II, 1858.
nv Dear Sir-gouths ago l should have acknoWledg-
ed the receipt OF your book and accompanying kind
note and now have to beg your pardon for not having
done 50.
For one of my age have seen very little OF tie
drama. The first presentation Of Fastef ever saw
was yours here last winter or spring Perhaps the be
compliment pay Is TO say az truly can, an very
anxious to see il again. Some OF ShSkspearrs plays
read whilst oheis have goe over Perhaisas
feuusntiy az any uuprofesoiOnal reader. Among the
I,uer are Lear" 'Richard Third" Henry Eighth"
uHsmletn and especially "Macbe,h." think poGe
equal, "Hacbeth" 1t Is wonderful. Unlike you gen
lie reu Of the Profession, ttirk the soloquy in Ham
III commencing 90 my offence is rank, supassCs hat
cnna,eucipg TO be or not 10 b." Bat pardon THE
small attempt at criticism. should like 10 hCar you
III onouuce the opening speech Of or csard the Third
vii YOU rot soou writ Washington again. 1t you
do, please eel and let mo make your personal so-
Yours, truly, LHCoIs.
JANIS II. HACEETr, E.q.
. II Mr. Lincoln had had time to dste upon the sub
net Of his letter. and to aHAyzo m, pays aud passages
4, Shch he particularly refer, We would have had an
art Gle upon Shakespeare which would doubtless have
couriened to mered dust and oblivion the thousands
of tones that taEe been pilted on that subject, aud
woyI have been ACCEPTED as the standard authority
hencsiorth. New edit Ors OF Shakfpeares IlyS IN
stead OF having long preface about What was thought
and said Of them 10y Bishop WGrburton, Or. johnson,
st,venP Ma one Ban JonsOn, Lord Sha tesbury, God
smith Go.,hs Voltare and Others, would simp ply con-
t,in Abraham LiocCln's. commentary. Perhaps, after
he retirea 10 the shades Of private e Springfield he
may devote few OF his leisure moments to tins pleas
ing task Goethe struck With the at that III tho
II erary circes OF Engsnd tue subject was Shakespeare
und keine eads-I hing but him no 81 d OF Stalks
pa O. Hr. LincCa's CRITICS will preclude any fueh
complaint in future. Tat wi finish up The sugec',
aud IN. viii be nothing more o DC sad Notaire de-
s.rbt the greet dramRtsS ~ a savage who had some
imagination; bat that desperately pro:ane Frenchm4n
Nond LOT rave Lesi'Ged, If Le sail in the u 'sh
to lave applied tie sane remark to our accomplished
President
Mr. Lincoln does not seem TO be apssson-t, admi-
rer Of that soloquy OF HAmlets, " To be, or not TO
ue -" shich school DOys fond OF dsclamiGg and
which ac'ofs gele ay make sGch bad mess OF. There
xg.in he ght Il was Oliver Jldsmijb, be eleve
wo took II 10 pircas and showed what arralt nonsense
it was mate up O! Mr.. i&c IA hiss probably never
read the ciIctIn aud yet he has arrived at the same
ccrcluson Her cefortn the role OF Ciaud u.s. King OF
Denmark VIII be sought after by accomplished aevrs
Instead of beng RENTED to the greatest stick IN the
comuany: for Mr. Lincoln has disc vercd and made
kLoSn tie eurpassing beauty Of the Kings holloquy
commencing
O, my offence is rank; it smells to heaven.
We suppose he has sometimes applied to his Own case
the lines i'll it. l.., ..
Like man to double business bound,
| stand 10 pause where snail frs b,gin,
. And both neglect
Bot terse, fersble and elegant "a is what Mr. In
coin modes.iy styes "ihis small attempt at Criticism,
The bieh:es. jewel in il is the seitc,ce II should ike
10 hear you pronounce tire opening Peech OF 'hard tho
Third" How dehcIiey and dsxlerously the grave
carr OF Bis official posidch combnsd with literary
tastes The sentiment is appA est IL IL 10. that be
cares TO hear Mr. ltarkei, or any other actor decEm-
Noe Is the winter OF cur dIoOnteai
-..f. Made glorious summer
bat Ia that the pcets dream should be realized by our
selves and tia, tne time would soon arrive Shen we
might truly and happily say .a"
Grim y,saR'd war hath srnooihei his VIZ nklsd 'front.'
We regard the short letter of Mr. Lincoln as by far
the best If all his etitcl4y productions, and Ee eX-
D. CT it to JOY that immortality assured to the works
OF HIS iavorte author.
TIIE LIBBY PRSUN-THEK WITH TIE YANKEE
OFFICERS
Tho Editor Of tins Richmond "Chrstian Observer"
in the last issue of that paper, gives account of
visit TO the Yankee officers confnt in the Libby prsol,
made recently 'in com liance with request from a
Pnladelphian who has son there" We copy the fol-
loving portion of the article:
"Ror Wha, are you fghtingi Is It for our subjuga-
toni This question addressed to a company OF
dozen or twenty, who bad gathered around ua. They
replied Subjugalion" mo, do not expect TO sub
jugate the South. We took up arms for EHion. We
want the South 10 return to the Uuion.h To ths We
remarked 'iAapossi6e" "the South neVsr return 10
the Union. Tie pripeipeso common nature make
the SEPARATION faai Aud permanent There is q deep
gulf between the North and South Piled Nth blood Tie
sectional hatred nerated by tue war makes their re-
union AB,oLUrILr INFossIBLE." "Haued I" replied
young officer "se do not hate the South; LOW the
south II In response to this prof ssiOn love,
marked that kneO Sba. wo affirmed. We had vSd
in Philadelphia more than twenty years, aud wore sell
aC Quainted with abe sectional hatred Of which ne
spoke" We referred 10 TAGS in proofof which were
oon6rr,,d NV n philad.lnha tfi,er nrcs mt