Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1868-07-08
ss,srHkng HIMSELF AsAxN.

tFs<CHkUE EfiMshSLF fAoHf''
We have often been amazed at the strange
hold which Shakspeare's historic tragedy
of Richard Third seems to have upon tht
popular mind, heart or fancy. 1t hat
rngrossed the best h:stiionic talent fol
more than two centuries Kean, McCrea
dy, Forrest aud Booth,as we'll as the carl
ier tragedians won much OF their favor
by their admirable presentations of that
vile characterize "bunch backed toad. y
We have all wondered at. and some
Simes almost admired. though we could
not respect, 'the anc,uguerabIe frmness
of mind in Richard, which wfs never
known to be shaken. even at the dreadful
Visions of the night preceding Bosworth.
The throne of England was the goal Of
this ambition, and all living impediments
lin his way to 1t, one after another, in
horribly rapid succession. fell either by
his own or dis hired assassins hands lie
could smile at fine awful maledictious of
his own mother, who cursed her own womb
for bringing forth such an unnatural
siend could answer coolly the fearful
upbraidngs of his own conscience. and
parry its darts of horror and rcmorse
and, though he believed in God
and His righteous providcnccs, he boldly
sset them at defiance Undismayed, he
walked through scores Of private butcher
les, saying of brother or nephew az
he was about to murder him : 81 love him
80 much must help him to Heaven !"
In short, he "swung around the circle
of crime to compass his end and yet. af
Ter he hat thus cut his bloody ~ay to
the throne, before he wodd assume it,
he had &c he waited on by committee
"a delegation" headed by his princely
cousin. Buckingham, and persuaded to &C
cept the glitteriug prize
Buckingham gives him his instructions
70 get two holy men aud prayer
book, aud to appear to be in deep, pious
meditation, aud not to lie seen, even by
himself. except upon the most urgent i'm
portunity Before he will consent, be
makes the magnificent Buckingham say :
"Refnse not, mighty lord, this prOiiered
love"
Aud the obseqniOus Catesbury: "Oh.
make tben joyful, and grant their law.
1ful suit"
The finally overcome Richard responds
lin these meek and selfdepreciatory terms;
"Alas, why should you heap these cares
upon me, cousin of Buckingham ?" and
sage, grave men, "Since you WW buckle
fortune on my back, to bear her burden
whe'r will or no. must have patience
to endure the load. ] am not made Of
stone, but ,penotra Ulo ftOyour kind entre,-
ties, etc"
ConsuGmate, 'asviiish, hypocrite that
he was. why are the dramatic presentations
Of bin so popular?
10 answer this question. has been
puzzloto us for twenty years or more.
OF course, we have always understood
that in some way, like all of Shakspeare's
great dramas, it had anchored itselt in |
the popular heart. But. wherefore? was
the question. We thiuk We are begin
ming to solve the puzzle.
Are there not Richards in every age
nod generation? Richards less bold, tai
entcd, audacious and blOOdtLirsty to be
sure, but as intriguing, grasping, selfish
and hypoeritical as the Richard who OK
plated his multitudnous crimes at the
bloody arbitratment of Bosworth.
az Richards, who murder al! rivols, not
with the bludgcon and dagger to be sure.
but by slanderous insinuations agains,
their characters, and by adloitly insiuua
sing doubts into the minds Of the unsus-
pccting. Of the taithf'daess or deeotiOn OF
their rivals for promotion, to some cause
in which all arc equally interested and
equally true.
gtw Wcare satisfied that there are Richards
still living Sly, intreoguing hypocriti--
d sal-- but not over talented Rlchards--who
possess all that sublimity Of overwcening
self coneeit which characterized ihe old
type Dick. Isl
Our idea at the political millennium
will be realized when all these political
fataas are either Jy,uad for and during
che proper 1illeunial term of thousand
o. years. or shall haze met their we'll deserved
y fate upon some political Ellsworth field
ua ---SLAYros e. PACK and d. A. GILBERT
Do ct Morrisgil.e, and A. r. CAMP at Stowe,
~ 40 ws.Llp The latter almoet dailv fre