National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-11-01

seems, he had previously made while on the
trip to Salem. A little after 10 o'clock, while
the train was yet standing on the track at |
Opclika, ayoung man, who had TO go out for
some cause, handed his pistol TO the police |
man In charge OF the boys, and requested him
TO keep Il until he returned. The officer, after
holding II awhile, laid 1t down on tho scat,
which Charlie noticing, asked SIS that q
good pistol" The officer replied he thought
Il was. Charlie then said, "Let me see II, II
him he was not afraid, handed the weapon TO
the boy. In almost an instant after getting |
the pistol In his hand Charlie put the Inuzzlc |
to his right temple and, with his thumb pull
Ing the trigger, sent the contents through his
brain, the ball lodging against tho opposite
less than ten minutes, tho boy breathing bis
last about twenty minutes after ~ o'clock.
His body was brought back and reached here
about 4 a. IN.
The Merchant OF enice-shak-pcnrcan
InJusticc.
The immortal William, as the Germans call |
him, aimed no higher than to suit the humor |
Of the time. lie freely laid hold on projudlcc |
and injustice to serve his playwriting or TO
procure royal favor. This trait may be seen
In his coarse travesty at the just popular com
plants presented by Cadc, with great mode
ration, after an important victory over the
kings adhercnts; In his impossible monster,
Richard III, who probably was not worse
than his rivals In his dull and stiltcd play Of
Henry VIII, written TO varnish the bad char
actcr of that tyrant while his daughter
| rcigned, and as mere Introduction 10 most
/ fulsome panegyric TO stuff the cars Of the
| abominable GOOD Queen Bcss !" and In his
Shylock, which pandcrcd to the fierce prcju-
dice against the jews, by making all Its hu.
NOR turn on the abuse OF one Of that race.
Because Shylock was jew money lender
he is described as feeling this way toward
| Antonio:
say. How like fawnlng publican he looks!
| hate him, for he Is a Christian;
But more, for that, In low simplicity.
| lie lends out money gratis, and brings down
i The rate Of usancc here with US In Venice.
II can catch him once upon the hip,
will feed fat the ancient grudge bedr him.
| lie hates our sacred nation and he rails
Even where merchants most do cong rcgate,
on me, my bargains, aud my wei won thrift,
| Which he calls Interest. Cursed be my tribe,
II forgive him.
The play Is succession Of cruel injuries
TO Shylock by q set Of graceless scamps, yet
| the intent Is 10 carry the sympathies of the
audience against him, and make them de-
light In his mental torture and final ruin.
And In this brutalizing aim the play Is sue
cessful.
Tho only thing alleged against Shylock Is
that he Is q jew, and that he lends money
at interest. Because he is jew, his human
feeling and parental distress arc made a
profitable subject for Shakspcarcan mirth,
while a set Of Christians, who In any other
relation would seem disreputable, arc ac'
cepted as exceedingly good. There is Bas-
sanio, a spendthrift, who has squaudcrcd his
his own estate, and borrowed heavily Of his
soft friend, Antonio, and who now proposes
to borrow more In order to at him out splen.
didly for fortunc-hunting marriage adven,
turc. Antonio Is dashing Jim Fisk kind
Of merchant who has had some good luck
and has grown presumptuous upon IL; who
associates with spcndthrifts, and allows
them TO borrow his money; who seems TO be
feeding the whole gang of Bassanio's hangers.
on; who is now embarrassed and anxious by
the extent of his ventures, but who consents
10 be bound for the loan to fit out Basanlo
: with false prctences.
To this end he comes as a sutton for loar
, to the Jew he was wont to rail at and spi
! | upon in the mart He Is described Us carry
: Ing It of in Christian, hlgh-spirited way
I asking the man he had treated as worse thai
dog to lend him money, and as affecting
shabby Independence In II by telling Shylocl
that, though he borrowed Of him, he nigh
G spurn HIM as before, and that he might con
l. slider he lent to an enemy, and, therefore
a could the more sternly exact the penalty
The spectator Is expected to think that, be
cause Shylock was Jew, he hated Antoni
/ DtCuubC HC WINS SHilotihu, anu bSthhoo "a
! lent money without interest. He had reason
. In Antonio's public abuse Of him, but tn
Q hcarcr Is supposed to sec In this only
= Christians proper treatment Of jew, and
i chivalrous thing for Antonio to do.
II Shylock, being Jew, Is supposed to hay
miraculous vision, by which he sees tina
n this great merchant will break within thre
:. months, so that he will not be able to tax
y up bill for 5000 ducats, and that II he car
h | under prctcncc of O frollcsomc mood, get hlr
to give bond for pound Of flesh, he sha
D. have the Jewish satisfaction Of cutting
from the Christians body. The use made o
r this borrowed money was enough to drive
Christian to desperate vengeance, but th
!? audience Is expected to enjoy Shylock'
agony and to sympathlze with the set o
u pronigates who consplre against him. Tn
D fun begins when Bassanio, with tho none
% borrowed Of shylock, gives farewell SUP
b per to his circle, and invites Shylock, In orde
Q TO give Lorenzo an opportunity to carry o.
Shylocks daughter and his treasure, an
r take their flight on BassaniOs ship.
Is The Shakspoarcan humor regards this rot
o. bling jew OF his daughter and his jewels a
s. a capital joke, and 1t serves up this JEWS
fathers agony In a most ludicrous mixture {
% calculations over his daughters abandon
ment and EXPLANATIONS over the loss OF b
% money. 1t would be enough to drive q Chri
tian father to desperation and I'd rclcntlei
II vongcancei but Jews distress ut so crust
ing q calamity Is subject for Shakspearea
II mirth. II II were any but jew father, tn
treatment by a daughter would be most wa
or ton, heartlcss, unnatural and abandonc
But Jessica, who apostatizes from her =
20 llglon, abandons her race for one that
H. spises It, and bctrays and robs her father
fly with q pronigate who rcyilcs him,
o, thought ncc young woman VINO mas scr',
her father right for being jew.
Two of this set Of reckless rahcs meet Sh!
lock In his very agony and taunt him viii
NJ the success OF the plot by which he was dupe'
"a II jew were entitled to feel as man, sh.
lock had reason for revenge as fierce as he
" described as then conceivipg. But his dcsp
IL rate feeling Is made vehicle to carry 81
st further this practical Joke by denying hi
a Justice In Christian court, and cheating hi
out of his bond by paltry trick, and til,
~ making II reason for wholly stripping hi
10 of his property. The crushing Of Shylo'
10 with all this weight Of calamity and iniusti
Is Is most piteous; but the shakspcarean hum
IN makes II the very acme OF Christian fun oy
the fit serving out of jew. II has ma
" Shylock's name byword, while these prac
IN cal jokers who robbed an unoffcndng jew
lis all that made life cndurable are regarded
I'd capital fellows, and Jcssica, the want'
" daughter, US having somehow been begott,
s with the nature Of Christian.
Is The play is considered and executed In Il
a. most savage spirit Of the ancient prcjyt..
m against the Jews, and 1t has done p.vh,
Is perpetuate that injustice. II sps y N Nm.
II. is unworthy Of expression In standard lIer -
., turc, and its fostering In this play mo- ~ y
m decming feature. Its effect on ~ auuieny
70 Is brutalizing. 4 fathers YsS a W ~
ty for jeoring. 4 set OF preHgates and "dea
ct beats are presented as |onuonaabio beeaus
al they torture and plY.s, and T crush Into ute
&c Worthy Of SSeSrwn,sRaton, 1t is one Of the es
= ampIes that sfakspeare had no aims aboy
IS the humST Of the times, and that he wa
Q ready 80 seize on inhuman prejudice an
+, crpel injustice where they would furnish ms
y tUrials for u popular drama. CmcinRaH az
I zctie.
AFAsuloN oracle DEGREES that fine leather wi
1 bs fashionable dress trimming this winter
Cerlasn incorrigible youths will testify thu
ieatner lress trimmings have long been |
mar lhnnL thu nnannna N thn lnaIhnr nm q