New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-02-24
JOHN WEISS.
A LECTURE ON FALSTAFF.

49,, or.e Of six lectpies on Shakespeare at Robinson
Hall in sixeeuth-s, last Saturday evening His sub
acct was Fastan and the foies of that great prince
a, bunoons were analysed, the kernels Of humOr and
zeal wit rcntained in them being separated with enthu
astie admiration. The audience was attentive and
sm1sed
THE LECTURE.
Pasta said the lecturer bringing his fat hero TO the
ivinc cowardly from policy, and he reasons mmseH
into the belief that honor is palty motive for the risk
Of sustaining knocks Yet he does not see that he is COW
srdy His vanity is largely developed. He has great
tendency to exaggera.on with large imagination But
the admirable feature in this great mans eonstitu
ton his wonderful readiness on all occasions ana ne
found with an at his tongues end whethertotne
Justice to pacfy Dame Quickly, or to smootho over
his bombastc lie about the combat at iGads HILL Fal
staff would have made great lawyer for rings, ana
would have picked his way out Of an indictment win
Infinite Even when You have him surrounded oy
q ring which there Is escape, the suddenly ana
unexpectedly Goats upward on bladder inna'cu
with his overwe enng. though goodnMureu CON
eeit, and escapes your tolls. There Is no way VI
catching him. lie superior 10 all traps ana snccuS
only TO death And in the grim presence nc hdsS
Ming at Bardoph when he " saw flea STICK upon bar
dolphs nose aud he said IL was black SOU burning III
hell" The lecturer quoted the familiar sohloquy OF
Fastafi on ms soldiers the first part Of Kns Henry
lyh "a an apt illustration Of ibis humor and powers oil
exagecration. 49,,
Anndinc 10 the second part Of King Henry the WITH
the lecturer said: Iopened nobly with the conic'ing
tums which travelled the lost field OF Shrewsbury
wherr the fame Of rebellion Is quenched toward the
oas, of the Earl OF Northumberland VIM hopes to hear
that the rebellion has prospered but the fatal news
comes enough that Hospur Is dead ana that reoe
hon has been suppressed IN blood. Whichever camp we
take We meet with men-statesmen and s0lders-ol
high resolves and great resources, prepared in true
Engsh STYLE tostae their lives upon the issue OF the
struggle growing out OF their political differences The
air Is baong in both camps. without warning, WITHOUT
preparation, arc transferred nom WaiKWorh 10
London. from the reflection upon Northumberland
disappointment at the failure OF the rebellion ana gle
for ie death Of the contemplation OF FaistaIs
nanterng with the Chief Justice. II is this mixture OF
eomedy with tragedy that the Latin nations cannot
understand. II appears TO their minds built upon the
Greek drama upon AristOtles famous old theory OF
The uue Of tragedy as an absurd and grotesque thing
introduced only disturb and nuty the impression
which they think can only be created and continued by
devotion 10 the single idea OF tragedy But Shelley ex-
messed the of critics. who see deeper unity OF
time aud place when nc said that shakespeaFes blend
Ing Of tragedy aud comedy was an extension OF the
dramatic art Instead of the unity of single strand
ehakespcars wcaves all the strands of human nature
into The cable which holds hearts at anchor on his
spriuC tide. lAppausel
Eut when Northumberland IS at last made certain that
his HOPES are crushed he throws away his crutch tears
his cot from head and calls for iron TO cncase his
forehead What does this fat man here Jeerlng
At his mace for being smaller than he, he says:
"Thcre be peers of the realm and there he peerless
b.ckguirds" One is in revolt against his king and the
other against an decenoy Can we put mp with himf
fancy we shall have no difficulty. Fasta6 vindicates
himself with such that all the eardoms In the
world seem created 10 be his foil His character in the
Grft place belongs comedy, because II is OF the
breed which never contracts alliances with great pos
sessions. The brain Is completely iunoculated with
laughter; with his faults. he is essentially comic He
ons his mouth he is cd with brag and TOO fat 10
Il, brave His talent for lying bears the palm, but 1t
may be used too often. The Prince and Pons plot
little. 70 his discomfort. We wonder how
his VII could have blundered into II, Dut
hi- Wit behaves SO like virtue that feel he has
escaped so large does not often wrgge so dexter
ousy through 50 tight place. There is scene where
the Prince comes ont Of his hiding place aiter
FasLid has been abusing him. "Didst thou near
tpeqv SAWS F4lstaG. "Ncs, aud you knew me-
ami YOU ran away. by Gads Hill. You knew
1 was al yOur back, and spoke about me on pur-
pose to Try Inv patience His mind Is subtle ana
shakes the suspended for justice. On Delng &C
cOsted by the ChefJustce, he extemporzes DEAFNESS
and does not hear him. He wants to gain ume' ana
does 10 by iuventng preteXt that beggr
has him by the sleeve What, young knGye
and beg! Is there not wari Is there not
employment 2" But think that this!resource was by
10 means invented by Falstaf This world J. an Old
hand at IT, When Calico discovered the satellites OF
Jupiter tue people thought the sky would fal Perhaps
There was something ID the telescope When 1t was
noscd about that the earth had been caught NOV
ing roJud the sun, the priests said II would
not do 40 AL II stopped All sorts Of preteXts
were employed block this earth, until at last prison
Calico the only way 10 keep the earth station
airy Similar mauuevcrs used 20 keep theology
aud science from coming 70 CLOSE quarters. Iheol-
Ogy hard pressed by science and driven from
ure,ext TO pretext, Gys az last, Upon COM
pulsion nothing. II reasons were as plenty
a. hlacsbcrrc,. upon compu.sion, nothing" Fastlf
,re,ends 10 have led Percy "Why," says the Prince,
81 Killed Percy myself" Glow this world il given to
living II may DE- believed, So II not, those who
ward yaor for thcir sims upon their heads" This
style IL comic because to outside lie does
moi intend TO be put down. At the time
of the arrest Dame Quickly's suit, how
he taks Ito very hard TO be sduarey put in corner
when YOU tlink YOU have him, he is gone. You have
not tue heart 10 pursue him further but you DO it is
only acknowledge this trapeze OF his wit one weak
ness is always TOO strong another one and ne is
constantly betrayed into expenses for her. used her
money and whether shall be damned for that, know
not"
II IL also comical that his vanity prevents him from
.uspectu4 his cOwardice Nothing is sharp enough to
prick IT, One sentence OF his Will always live in the
senses Of sikshe better part OF vaOr T. discretion"
II such sens DIE purport to IL that IT blinds him TO
his own disgrace. He complains that there is
NO sich di-Teputable action but that 81 viii
thrust upon IT," II have good thing, we
,nake5t too common. His shows "A very nimbe foot
of fancy. 8is sense is acute ally Of his
coward &c. lie rallies Bardoph for his complexion and
oyerw lms bis band with comparisons. the in
lnckraE- grow in numbers. How many imaginative
people there aIe who unconsciously he in the
same ,ay with their exaggerated raptuTes
at landscapes and wholesale contributions 10
a narration. give them time enough and the event of
the elnnnsy corner will become bewitchcd into Cnder
ella at the ball If chance rs offered, good sense IS not
sufeient t. curb Falstaffs ragged soldiers