New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-04-23
sEEtHEsPEARE,s DAY.

The one literary fame in ali history which
may be accurately designated as universal is
that Of William Shakespeare. No better proof
need be desired of the rare humanity Of his
genius, than the fact that he assimilates by
translation with foreign modes Of speech, and
with the merely local and conventional; 50 that
he who with wonderful inspiration gave to his
plays an atmosphere which his English lungs
never breathed, has come to be recognized os
the first OF dramatic poets who have photo
grGphed the passions Of man and the expert
ences Of life. That he wrote his immortal pro-
ductions in our own beautiful and beloved YER
nacular, must always be, 10 those who speak it.
an occasion Of just pride; but it also increases
our pardonable complaoency to know that just
rs the continental nations OF Europe have made
those advances in the literary culture which
commenced three centuries $50 in England,
have they adopted this English Shakespeare as
their best type of b clcar-Mghted observer, an
intutive delineator of events, a deep expounder
Of thought, and dexterous painter Of all the Vi
cissitudes Of human existence. ONO other great
writer can this be truly said. OF Homer, full
half the reading world knows little and cares
less. OF Dante there is a popular conception
that he was a great poet and recently, il seems
10 be admitted that he is poet worthy of
better translation than The prosaic mind Of Cary
could afford him; but his themes are too lofty
for common interest, and his treatment Of them
tnl. "a "a min alV
we all speak with familiarity, but the Paradise
Lost is no longer a household book and while
The many have ceased to he moved by his He
braical theology, the few only seek in his pages
for those delightful reproductions of Greek forms
which impart an Attic elegance to the rude
legends Of Genesis. But Shakespeare is not
only still famous, but Gains more and more, as
the years 90 by, what may be called a good
reputation. The commentators arenever weary
Of Calculating, or alas of darkcning his pages
The antiquarians find in his dramas endless
sources Of exposition. The printers vie with
each other in the production Of editions Of
his plays moro and more typographical
ly sumptuous. The painters seek in
bis works for subjects which, though
treated over and over again, are yet un-
hackneyed. The actors, when they would
evade the reproach Of discreditable or democrat
ling exhibitions, defy the dreadful dearth Of
histrionic genius which characterzes the time;
and if they do not fifty impersonate his charac
tiers, at least claim the credit Of attempting
them. The stern mor8st, who would, if posi-.
bic, interdict the general perusal Of dramatic
literature, makes an exception i'll favor Of
Shakespeare, and, with no complaint of his
loOsencss OF thought, contents himself with
reluctant caveat against his looseness Of speech.
Nor is this all. His plays give pleasure alike to
the coarse and The refined, the ignorant aud the
scholarly, the young and the old. In an age
highly artificial, and with material tendencies
very lamentable to contemplate, there are no
works which so much os his tend TO keep alive
sweet and natural habits Of thought, and to pre-
serve in something like primitive purity our
fundamental ideals Of grace, dignity, and beau
IS. IL is impossible automatically to calcu-
late what Shakespeare has done for our English
letters. Overwhelmed by the vastness Of
tho subject, we willingly forbcar to dis
cuss it here. But in hOmoer and more
domestic mood, we may congratulate our
selves upon the positive influence which
Shakespeare has had upon the character Of those
two great nations, the English and our own.