The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-09-17

"u"HcoS u men Composing soo crew. OF tn(
Oiockscing squadrous whose families arr really
suffering, while those pho would do, for them
| nave hundreds of dollass due them on their nc
counts The crew Of the Brcvkiyn. who arc
awaiting she repairs 70 their ship, are roaming
around the streets without money in their
pockets, wh;lc each man IL credited on the
books for over three hundred. dollars for the
capture of ths Magnolia.
II Is to be hoped chat in our next Congress
sosething may be done to remedy so,se Of the
cviGs which now exist in relation TO Our navy.
THIS matter of prize money is an important
one and should 6snasd early attention. The
Secretary of the Navy Deeds stirring up with
short pole
Abraham Lineoia ss Dramatic Crisfe-
The --latest and Greatest OF shakspcre's
Conn sentators.
Mr. Lincoln's genius 10 wonderfully versa
tile No department Of human Knowledge
SCENT TO be unexplorcd by him. He Is
equally at home whether discussing divinity
with political preachers, debating plaas Of
campaigns with military heroes, Illustrating
the Pope's bull against tho comet to a pleasure
party from Chicago. arguing questions oil con-
stituticnaa law with Vallandigbam sympathzefs,
regulating political parties in Missouri, defend
ing his policy before party conventions. or in.
diting letters to the philosopher in chief of the
Trtbsnc aoadeMy In all these, and in the dio-
position Of the countless Questions >et have
como UP for bis decision during the last two
years and'a half, he has displayed variety of
attanments. depth of knowledge, fund Of
anecdAte, power of analysis and a correctness
Of judg lhent that stamp him ms the most remark
able man of the age. 1t only remained for him
TO cap tho climax Of popular establishment and
admiration by showing himself to be a dramatic
critic Of the frst order, and the greatest and
most profound Of she army Of Shaksperean
commentators.
And this. BIO. has now done. The Falstaff of
OR stage bas.been honored with an autograph
letter from the American aatocrat, just as
Shakspefe himself WAS honored with an AMIGA
bic letter from King James the First. and
which, VIC are told, 'sthat most learned prince
and great patron OF learning was pleased with
his own hand to WRITE" We have obtained a
copy Of the Presidents letter, and deem it of
sufficient interest and importance to print it in
this connection. Il reads as follows-
LETTER FROM PKEsrpENT LINCOLN TO MR.. HAcKETr.
ExBOUrfvx MANSION,
WASHINGTON, August II, 1868.
M DEAa SlR--Months ago should bavo acknowledged
the roccpto pour book and accompanying kind ooe and
nov hava 70 beg your pardon for not having done So
For my age have very Mtllo Of the drama
Tho Arst presentation - EAlstad oyer yours
hero last winter sprng Perhaps the best compliment
Ican pay 70 say. asI truly can. very anxious TO
il again. sons Of Shaksperc's plays havo mover
read whist others have gone perhaps frequently
any unprefcssionaI roader. Among the latter arc
ssIear," "R,chard Third" "Hcnry Eighth" "Hss,et.
and especially macbeth" think equals "Siac.
BOTH" 10 wonderful Unlike you gentlemen Of tho
profession think tho soiIoquy IN "Hamiet !" commencing
90, my 0oncc is rank surpasscs that commencing "To
be not 70 be Bat pardon this small attempt at crit
csm. fshouId like 70 hear you pronounce tho opening
speech OF Orchard tho Third"
VIII you not soon visit Washington again, If you do,
please call let make your personal acquaintance
Yours, truly, A. LINCOLN
JAMES II. HAcKErI, ESQ.
II Mr.. Lincoln had had time to dilate upon
the subject of his letter and to anayze the plays
and passages to which be particularly refers, we
would have had an article upon Shakespeare
which would doubtless have consigned to
tones that have been printed on that subject,
and would have been accepted as the standard
authority henccforth. New editions of Shaks-
pere's plays, instead of having O long preface
about what was thought and said Of them by
Bishop Warburton, DIR. johnson, Stevens, Ma
lone, Ben Jonson, Lord Shaftesbury, Goldsmith,
Goethe. Yoltaire and Others would simply con-
fas. ohap r ;pco Inc farv
after he retires to the shades Of private life at
Springfield, he may devote q few Of his leisure
moments to this pleasing task. Goethe was
struck with the fact that in the literary circles
Of England the subject was Shakspere md
keiae eade-ncthing but him, no end Of Shaks-
pere. Mr. Lincoln's criticism will preclude
any such complaint in future That will finish
up the subject, and there will be nothing more
TO he said. voltsire described the great dra-
ma.ist as a savage who had some imagination;
but that desperately profane Frenchman would
not have hesitated. II he were still in the flesh,
to have applied the same remark to our ac-
complished President.
Mr. Lincoln does not seem to be passionate
admirer Of that soiiloquy of Hamlet's, "To be
or not to be-" which schooiboys arc 80 fond of
declaiming, and which actors generally make
such bad mess of. There, again, he is right.
1t was Oliver Goldsmith, we believe, who took
il to pieces and showed what arrant nonsense it
was made up Of Mr.. Lincoln has probably
never read the criticism, and yet he has arrived
at the same conclusion. Henceforth the role OF
Claudius, King of Denmark, will be sought
after by accomplished actors, instead Of being
RENTED to the greatest stick in the company;
for Mr.. Lincoln has discovered and made known
the surprising beauty Of the Kings soliloquy
commencing
o,my offence Is rank II smells to heaveu
We suppose be has sometimes applied TO bis
own case the lines in it.
Like man 10 double business bound,
stand 10 pause where shall lrst begin,