, 1874-10-10

THE 61ALHC0D 0F RilAkSFEAHES HEROINES:
In 4 SERIES OF Taller. by Many Cowpt:a CIAnEa:,
Author Of the Concordunre to ShaEape1re. First
Series. sqlaro Duodecimo. PIP. +59. New York
q. T. pntnams Sons.
It IL now twenty-five years siuce Mrs. Clarke
frst gava to the public these studies Of the early
life Of tho women Of Shakespeare. They have
been scarce, 1t not altogether out Of tho market,
for aome time past. mud a new edition waB needed
to satisfy the popular demand, aud to pay proper
respect to work that flas been inRt!y admired
aud commended. The form inwhich thoy nro row
presented is pleasing in ovory way and docscreait
to the taBte and onterpriae Of tho publishers.
We could scarcely point to writor bctter
qualified to truce tho story Of ShaEhpoaro'd
hotoinos, from tho hour whon tho great poet
chose to throw tho light Of his genius upon
them, back to tho day OF their birth, than tho
one who Inns hero yeutured to undertake tho
tasi. Thp years Of searching and proliac stu}y
which 9frs. Clarke has giyon to tho d.amAtist,
combined with her iaHte ami tal0nt for tho wutfi.
have turned her spirit to close sympathy with
hB, md perhaps 9s fur aB lossor mind may, llos
euablod her to divine tho fundamental chord ia
the character Of his most famous and attractive
women aud to imagine, with a Keen .anl fine
perception, tho Influences TINT first rot tho tunea
vibrating, and finally brought out with masfor-
stroke t4o,r full aud po5fect climax Of har-
| to supplement- tao portrait which, shal-
apcaro has given US with Sketches purporting to
| illustrate any othor period in their history.
| Surely no human han1 has eyer had, or ever will
have, tho instinct and the cunning to add Ii touch
| to h!s work that would not seem redundant and
| impertnent
These tales Of the girhood OF Portia, and
| Lady Macbeth, and Doaacmoun, Helena. and tile
| Morry Wives OF Windsor, aro c|oresly conceived.
and elaborated in an arttatio manner; and yet
| tho mind bets itself against them with many an
obstinate protest. Whoever reads Shakespeare
lovingly and reverentiy, prefora to take his
iiguros al he loft them, struck OF III a
moment Of divine fonzy, luminous perfect,
and complete. No ingenious story Of their
previous existence wilt satiary or account fur
the pra,nasal lilo OF humanity il nut more
lnscrutahso, moro inoxp!icahlc. Let no sueges.
ton lntsMto between aug mind amt ita rarn con-
tact with shnkslPeuro's. tt it c.nnot provide for
itself better and truer conceptions Of Ills mauu-
ing and might tllun n,lothor can supply, 1t il not
worth whilo taat il should layo a,,y. Second
hand opinions Wrs valueloRa.
IhnH, While. OIL some accounts, we enjoy tleBe
fanc!ta! stav!eR nj Mrs. carkn, md rcaiizo how
delightful m occupation it was for her to weave
them. and how m'lcll bright fancy aud delicate
art aho isas put into tle1n Wo cannot }clu teal-
Ing that eoch individual who cares to understand
Shakespeare should Eo tArau.l. the effort oY III.
terpretinE him uraltea. Especially wonld Ne
pus nothing between linn and tho Childish mud
tho Immature rcaean, d1oading lest we syl,stituse
natiys intuition would Of itsolf cali up Lot the
sluaple text at Shakespeare, without nnte or CON.
n.ent, bo rlacBl undor tho oya Of tho youthful
render aud not until tl,oro ia to!esable tu,ui.
liarity with it, and, in II general way, with the
great thonghts that lie in 1t, let 1t be accotn.
tatora hayo furnished sowards lts complete
clucidatlou.