The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-04-01
THE sHAKEsPEARIAN DRAMA.

A Now and Original Criticism on
Shakespeare Tragic Masterpiecs'
The sixth of the course of shakespearlan
lectures by Professor j. W. Miles was delivered
last evening at the Confederate Home, the
subject being the character and the play OF
Macbeth. The lecturer began with an analysis
of the leading element of fascination In This
drama, which had been designated by Drake
.'the greatest effort Of Shakespeares genius
and the most sublime and impressive drama
the world has ever beheld." The eoverWeening
ambition of the leading actors Of this drama
enchain the interest OF the spectators as only
the contemplation Of great virtues should,
but Il ls not from any love OF the Wickedness,
which Is the resultant of the passions portray
ed, but the grandeur, sublimity and power OF
the motives impelling the actions OF the lead
ing characters Of the drama. They display,
10 their utmost intensity, the operalioa OF
powers and capacities which lurE, 10 greater
or less degree, 10 every human being. "netner
perverted or not, the revelation OF these deep
and powerful Influences oil human nature chai-
lenpe attention and awaken responsive Ca
racilies In the mind of the reader, OF which
he may before have been Ignorant. II Is the
cultivation OF these dormant capacities which
iudlyidualizes existence. Charity, for In
s,ance, In It's full sense, means more than
aims giving, and 30 ambition has deeper
meaning than the desire to rise upon
The downfall of otaers-it includes all
that round of desire which makes one aim 10
be more than he ls In the eyes OF his acquain-
lance, bis age, his conscience and bis Goo.
Another Illustration was used by the lecturer
as follows: Without irritability of fibre no
stimuli could excite muscular action, ana 30
without ambition there would be no incitpg
cause for deeds OF extraordinary moment, %
their issues good or evil. 10 thecaae OF the
Satan of Paradise Lost, II Ia not sympathy wlln
evil that makes him hero In our eyes, but IL
Ia the recognition that he Is being actuated
by a sublime passion. Another source OF
weird fascination In these scenes of horror was
the revelation of the unknown capacity OF the
human soul for deeds OF evil.
A careful contrast was drawn between Mac
beth and Richard III, The two great usurpers
of the Shakespearian drama. Macbeth was
made the sport of spirits of the Internal re-
eions, his temptation came In superhuman
shape and had o supernatural effect, While
Richard was, from his first appearance, vii
lain with no redeemlng spark save suffi-
cheney of animal courage TO work out his VII
lanies. Macbeth was described before hls
Introduction TO the audience as loyal and
patriotic, and he had performed prodigles OF
valor In his conduct on the battle field against
the 7rebelllous Cawdor and the Invading Nor
weyans. His first appearance on the stage,
was when with Banquo he came sudden-
" upon the witches conclave, and was
excited by their prophecies to dreams OF
future exaltalion, which his own judgment
lo!d Elm could only come by traitorous crime
on his part. These witches were study IN
themselves; they were bizarre only In exter-
nals. and, wilhelm converse among them
selves, they seemed the verlest drabs, they
showed by their more elevated discourse IN
addressing Macbeth that they were inspired
by far subtler power than they themselves
possessed They were The tSpes OF tempta-
uon, the tools OF a deeper power, and were
doubtless introduced as. typical OF the indu-
euces of The spirit OF The powers. Of the air
upon human lnclinations, although the poet
had taken care to show that they were not
the visions OF Macbeths Imagination by
the colloquy with Banquo, In which It
was shown that both had Be en- them, and that
both agreed in their remembrance Of the
prophecies The witches hailed Macbeth as
thane OF Cawdor, and also as the future king,
and knowing as be did that the thane OF Cav
dor lived, the first appellation appeared as
wonderful and as improbable as the second.
He was surprised, however, In the next breath
by the messenger CT the king coming to tell
him of his elevation to the lordshIp OF Caw-
dor; and this portion Of the sybil's prophecy
being thus verified he begins to conceive the
possibility of the rest becoming true. II
was not strange that the Idea of muir.
der almost Immediately suggested Itself
to the bold warrior in that Wild age, and the
fortuitous circumstance of the kings coming
to lodge at bis castle quickened the thought
and gave It chance for utterance IN action.
The letter to his vile, however, showed that
while he had been pondering deeply on the
supernatural revelation he had shrunk from
crime, and the reading Of 1t introduced upon
the stage that terrible being, Lady Macbeth,
for whom 1t was hard to find parallel In the
whole range of dramatic literalure-a fearful,
majestic sinner, queenly fend, almost a
ftling consort for the throne of Erebus.
Tue remainder OF the terrible drama was
wildly sketched by the l.cturer, showing
how Macbeth was hurried on from crime TO |
crime with haste that formed technical |
defect In the construction OF the play, until |
the final catastrophe, (an expression war
ranted here since Schlegel terms the murder |
OF Duncan ''the first catastrophe,") where |
the grim, crime-.ainted villain Of the tragedy
is still deemed worthy of soldIet's death
upon the battlefield, and The clash of his own
arms forms hls fitting requiem, and where
the scales of retr.bation are nicely adjusted
to their true poise by the delivery of Scotland
being awarded 10 the trusty sword of Mac
duff, who thus avenges the wicked butchery
OF hls own vile and babes.
THE CARRIAGE TRADE.
1t 10 a gratifying evidence OF the rapidly