The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-07-02

DEATH OF THE SENsUALIsT.-Ihe end OF
Fastaff may stand as a type for the close OF
every such life. 1t was without regret and
wi,hou: honor. Thers ia no life 80 melan-
choIy in its close as that of a licsntous wit.
The companions With who's he jested abandon
him the hops of the visible world Is gone,
and in the spiritual he has no refuge.ePleasure
was the bond by which he held his former as
sociates, and by atlicton that bond is broken.
The gay assembly takes no thought OF him.
and the place therein shall know him DO more.
Instead of the HILARIOUS looks which were
wont to beam around him, q crowd of ghastsy
images are fitting 10 his solitary room; iu-
stead of the blaze of many lights, there is the
dimness of a sing 10 taper snd for the song OF
tho viol, there are the meanings or death.
The class ia we'll embodied in Falstatf, in his
life, also in his death. No dsath in Shakespeare
is more sadly impressive to me than that OF
Faistaff In other deaths there is the sweet
nefs of innocence, or the force OF passion.
Desdemona expires in her gentleness; Ham
let, with all his solemn majesty about him !;
Macbeth reels beneath the blow of dee:ihy /;
Richard, in the tempest of bis courage and his
wickedness, finds a last hour conformable to
his cruel soul Lear has a. u1ce exhausted ID life
andmissry Othelio has no more for which
he can exist but the closing moments OF t'al-
staff are gloomy, without being tragic; they
are ,lreary aud oppressive, with little TO relieve
the sinking of our thoughts, except II be IN the
presence Of humanity in the person OF Mrs,
Quickly When prince and courtier had for
ssksn their associate, this humble woman re-
NAMED near him The wouIan, whose proper
ty he equandered, and whose good name he
did not spare, this woman, easily persuaded
and easily deceived. would not quit even q
worthless man in his helpless hour, nor speak
severely of him when that hour was ended.
Here is the greatness of Shakespeare; he never
forgets oar rature, and in the most unprO.
msIng circumstances he compels us to fesl It's
sacredness. The last hours Of Falstaf he en-
shrouds in the dignity of death, and by lew
simple and pathetic words III the mouth OF Ills
ignorant but charitable hostess, he lays bare
the mysterious struggles of an expiring soul
"'A parted, che says, "even just between
twelve aud one, cen at the turning OF the ude;
for after / saw him tumble with the sheete,
aud play with the flowers, and smile upon his
fingers ends, knew there was but one way;
for his nose was as sharp as q pen, and q bab-
bled of green fields. How now, Sir John,
ouoth 1; what, man, be Of good cheer. So a
cried out God, God, God three or four time
then all was cold"
Thus. as Shakespeare pictures, maa OF
r,sasnra died. Even upon him nature again
aaxarta hia SWAY; the primitive delights Of
oL;Idhood revisit his final dreaming, and he
nlsvs with flowers, and he babbles Of green
fields. Aud that voice OF E'ernal rover
which was lost in the DIN OF the iestlva',
must haye O. utterance In thetraval OF morlahty
and the ordinations, which faltsr 70 the 81
lence Of tive tomb, make confessi0n OF . iai'u
which all tho practice had denied.