East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-11-22
HAMLET.

OF denmark, We cut from u stray
number of The Israelits, a Jewish pa
per published at st. Louis The wri-
tersigns himself, Jacob Wolf" aname
which poorly indicates his intelligent,
truthful, just and generous character
istics, as herein portrayed: W
"If ideas and words are distinctly weighed and
duly considered, they would afford US another
sort Of logic and crtic"-locKE. rfr
1t is a pleasant labor of tho present
moment to comment on the master
piece Of the master-mind, not only of
the sixteenth century, but even in this
enlightened age-nor in the era pre-
ceding the time of Ben. johnson,
Beaumont and Fletcher, Sir Walter
Raleigh, Shakespeare and kindred
spirits, did creative genus call into lit
erary existence work of fiction, wor-
thy to be compared with "Hamlct,
Prince of Denmark" l9nf HeH
In searching the German Dramatic
Literature, we find some excellent pro-
ductions of Schiller, Gothic, Kotzebuh
(who has sometimes been termed the
German Shakspeare,) and others
but can any of their dramatic produce
tons be compared, with any degree of
Justice, to the subject that challenges
our attention this present entY-
Take, if you please, Gothe's Faust
and give it critical examination
Your endeavors will be rewarded by
the discovery of the widest imagery,
a high and lofty strain of poetic fancy,
and noble production of one of the
sweetest of German singers. But we
want something more than the effusion
of poesy in dramatic representation.
A drama that appeals entirely to tho
sterner faculties Of the mind, to be
successful, must contain a pure and
moral philosophy. The eminent dra-
rnatist, must be, if his productions
should outlive his own time, teacher
of morality; and if the creatures of
his imagination, are chaste and refined
they will be a mirror in which, the
virtuous not only see their own spotless
image reflected, but the fallen sinners
deadencd sensibilities moy be touched
by the master hand of genius; days
of innocentness, and guiltlessness may
be recalled, ere he goes to that "bourne
from which no traveller returns"
Thus it is that Schiller's "Robbers,"
otherwise high,,y mcritorieus, hut lack
ing in strong moral force, mus soon
sink in utter insignifcance and be en-
tirely prohibited in every well regula-
ted theatre.
The author Of the play of "Ilamlet"
had fine and exalted moral i'll view
A great and hsnious crime is perpo-
tratad with all the caution and care
that invariably attend the actions of
those who move in q secret and clandes-
tine manner. A brother falls by broth
ers' hand q wife is accessory to the
murder of her husband and marries
the partner Of her guilt, who is the
husbands brother. To punish this
iniquity the poet introduces the
ghost of the murdered King. The
entrance of the ghost creates az once
the most exciting interest, which con-
tinues undated Trough the first,
second and third acts.
, There &.aeharm tbrawn around the
greatest sympathy, and this he retains
throughout the whole play, with I'M
wavering consistency. The secret of
this charm is, we SEQ before us, a
youth, "where every god did seem to
set his seal, to give the world assurance
of a man."
The young are generally gay and
lively. 1t is the springtiIne of their
existence; but in "iIamlet" we have
the exception to the rule, and this at
once not only ELECTS our interest, but
calls forth those sympathetic feelings
which we freely offer at the altar of
distress.
Hamlet has the advantage of a
plot resting upon single character.
1t is the young Prince we follow from
the beginning to the close of his ca
reer. His designs and successes en-
gross our whole attention. Every
other per:sonage in the play is alto
swer to the queen when she alludes to
his grief is full of those pathetic feel
ings, to which our sympathy re-
spends, from the very fulness of the
heart and strikes that deep key of
melancholy, which vibrates the souls
of those, whose sensibilities permit
them to feel for the woes of the be-
reaved and heavily laden.
Inthis great drama we have "crumbs
for all sorts of chickens The surly
philosopher can satiate his morbid ap-
petite; the teacher of morality will
find text worthy of his divine theme
in the closing scenes of the play. The
meditative are permitted TO seclude
themselves with the Melancholy
Dane," and breathe the sweet air of
melancholy and sadness. The tender
chord of love is touched with master
hand, thrilling the inmost recesscs of
the soul. The fountain of tears is
moved, the "windows of the SOUP
overflow and trickle pcarly down the
furrowed check. The hideous colors
OF hatred are here exhibited, together
with her venomed sister envy. Hon.
esty is truthfully portrayed; knavcry
is undone end brought TO condign
punishment. The sweet evidence of
dramatic poosy breatlcs through every
line of this immortal creation of in
ventlve genius. If true wisdom be
the choice of laudable ends and the
right use and exercise of knowledge,
this masterpiece of our poet deserves
our highest admiration.
THE STEAMER Huron, has, after nine
weeks persistent efforts on the part of
her purchaser, Capt. ID. CoIr, been