The New York herald., 1874-09-27

sppes' ,-N III technical skilln In 1853 an emit
-sa, E@ensh lawyer publishes WORK soppo,s
time oeen a la wyer-a work wnicn ne followed up
by a compilation OF the "Legal Maxlms OF shsSe, axe,
editor admits 1.-The numberlcss evidences OF
Shakespea e's familiarity with the forms OF tnat
Tor mas done since the days OF Malone, But # any
lngering doubts re nain in the students mlnd as
10 the practical knowledge oi the law possessed
by the writer OF shakespeare's plays, they eannot
ior moment stand against the irresistlpie
by Lord Chiel Justice CAMPBELL In hts essay
on ''shak espeare's Legal requirements" There
is nothing so dangerous" says MS ordship, as
for one not OF the or II 70 tamper with our Free
Masonry Again writes his lordship, "The teen
n cal language OF the law runs from his pen as
part OF his vocabulary and parcel OF his thought"
be IT remembered that this great judicial authority
was wiring not TO snatch laurel from the brow
OF Shakespeare. but TO ireshen, rather, those al
ready there. shakespeare's familiarity with even
the most intricate Questous OF law, must, there-
fore, think, be admitted. The natural inquiry
and renowned lawyers marvel at the extent and
variety OF his Legal learning and at the accuracy
accuracy and appropriateness which could come
only from man thoroughly read In the literature
tice OF 1t. surely the wlld narum -scarum boy
VINO married At tue age OF eighteen and who ned
from his home at the age OF twentytwo did not
carry away from Strat.ord with him the varied
legal knowledge with which ne aiterward so en-
bellsned his wonderful plays. And Shakespeare
ever studied law he studied 1T at Stratford; but
where Is the slightest evidence. beyond the evi-
dence IN the plays themselves that he ever studied
la~
SecOnd-Let us now see what was the extent Of
the me- ical knowledge possessed by the writer Of
Snakesreare's plays Various medical scholars are
agi eeQ that ne mad not, as Is generally supposed,
and some of your correspondents MAINTAIN, a
mere smatterng OF medical know ledge, but most
physiology ana psychology. 1t IL even CLAIMED Tor
INN that ne anticipated Harvey's celebrated dis
Medica men" writes rte Dr. S.earus an e eminent
physician and shakespeaian student, aud an
antl-Baconian, too, NAV add medical men are
with reason, astunishea at Snakespeare's knowi-
edge OF their pro ess'On-a. knowledge winch 1t has
cost tnem 10th tlme and dilgence to acquire" Dr.
j. q. Bucknill, one OF the aDlest OF meuica writer's
has written work On the "Medi a Knowledge OF
Shakespeare" another on the "PsychOlogy OF
ShaSespearc," ;" AID Still another on ''fhe Mad
Folk OF Shakespeare illustrative OF haKespeare's IS
knowied-e Oh insanity and morbid anatomy. DR..
Kellogg, OF the state Lunatlc Asylum at UTICA,
Says that "the extent ana accuracy OF the medical,
physiological and psycnOloglcal knowledge dis-
played in the dramas OF Wiiiiam Shakespeare
ment OF all men who since his time, have brought
their minds TO the investigation Of those SUBJECTS
the researches Oh modern science. Shakespeare g
knowledge extended lar beyond the range OF Or
binary observation, and compIehended subjects
such as IN our day. and we may suppose Ia ms,
were regarded as sIilcty professional and special.
In TACT, we believe very complete physiological
and psychological system could be educed from
the writings OF snaAespeare-a system in complete
accordance, In almost every essential partic ular.
with tnat wnlen We nov Possess as the result OF OF
two centurles" DR.. Bell, in his .prnciples OF
Surgery" maintains that no one has described
so exqulslteiy the MARKS Of apopexy, consprn9
with the struggles ior lie. and the aRonies
OF sufIocation to defOrm the countenance OF the
dead" as Shakespeare has .do9e. Dr. Brigham
an eminent authority on insanity, says 'that,
although two centuries and a hall have passed
since Shakespeare wrote King Lear, we nave very
httle add to MS method Of treating the insane.
as there pOlnteo out.'' Dr. Connolly aud Dr. Kay
unite IN the opinion that the play OF ''hamlet'
was merely written 10 Illustrate peculiar but
well known species OF insanity. TheS are but a
tithe OF the eminent medical authorities VINO con-
cede the possession oi marvellous range OF pro-
less nal knowledge by the wri'er OF "ohaKe-
speare." These men, too, are not the ordinary
medical practitioners, with ready pens, pursuing
q novel theory Tor mere amusement. out thought
u scholars and specialists, endeavorlng TO
bring the experience OF the rast TO alleviate the
sunerings OF their eilOw creatures Thay are each
and every one Of them thorough believers IN
Shakespeare, the man and author; being medical
men. they are impressed with the vast extent,
variety and minuteness Of the knowledge OF thelf
Jroesaion displayed oy this great writer; and
remembering the known facts OF his le, the queS.
tlon nvoluntarily comes 70 tGen as II has come "a
thousands OF intelligent men, "Wnere did he get
1t 7r Surely not at Straiord. ID.
BROOKLYN, Sept. &c. 1874.