The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-04-24

which electuslly closes their mouth and
relieves him from their impudent ques-
tionings Hamlet has been TO his mothers
closet, and there, not in his brainish sp.
prehension," but by mistake, has killed
''the unseen good old man." BE had, as
he supposed, caught the King about sn set
that had no relish of salvation in t.and,in
his eagerRess 10 trip him, be has slam
| Polonius. Rosencrsntz and GuIldenstern
are sent to arrest Hamlet and bring the
body into the chapel.
R9s.1What have have you done, my lord,
Hdm.-CompOunded 1t with dust,
whereto t is kin.
R0s.-Tell US where t is, that we may
take it thence, and bear II TO the chapel.
Hdm.-DO not believe IL.
RoS.-Believe what?
Hdm.-That I can keep your counsel
and not nine own. Besides, 10 be de-
manded OF a sponge, what replication
should be made by the son OF King?
ROS.-Take you me for a sponge, my lord?
Hdm.-Aye, sir; that SOakS up the Kings
countenance, his rewards, his authorities.
But such officers do the King best service
in the end. He keeps them, like an ape.
in the corner OF his jaw, first mOuthed, 10
be last swallowed: when he needs what
you have CLEANED, il is but squeezing you,
and, sponge, you shall be dry again,
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are es.
sentially different from all the other per-
sonsges of the drama. They are crafty,
trescnerous and hypocritical, and SO is
Polonius; but the crattiness of Polonius is
silly, his treachery is without force 10
make it dangerous, his hypocrisy is SO
thin a veil as to be no disguise, while his
character displays the additional element
of overweening, vulgar self-sutticlency.
Osric is contemplate, rs well Us they, but
merely because he is such poor, weak
fool. Laerles is as vlllainOus.y tresch-
erous, but he has some generous quail
ties, and there is about MIN bOldness
and force which 80 far to redeem his
Yillainy.
AS they differ from the others, so their
effect upon Hamlet is different, and they
bring to hight traits Of his character
which but for them would have renamed
hidden.
Bearing this important part in the
play, it WAS necessary that the character
should be clearly drawn, that its pecu-
lsrities should be placed in strong
hight. On the other hand, the plot
presents little room for this. In spite Of
Hsmlets irresoution, the play is plain
fully full of action, and more would have
overburdened it. The ingenious master
of the drama, who plays so sklltully upon
the feelings of his audience, who sounds
them at will from their lowest note to the
top OF their compass, compensated for the
inactivity of the character by giving 1t
two eIponents while he preserved It's es-
sentisl unity. There are some quail
Ities, particularly those of the more
exalted kind, which seem TO de-
msnd that the person who represents
them should be entirely singular and
distinct from his fellows. Any attempt
TO duplicate them Is almost certain 10
weaken their effect. Qualities OF differ.
ent kind are, at least some OF them,
intensified instead Of weakened by being
frequently repeated in the same plsy.
When the two persons are alike in ma
ture, and are both ben. on dong the
same evil in the same way, we naturally
think Of them rs understanding one au-
other, and cOnspiring to accomplish their
ends Their concert of action shows
them to be more hardened in villsiny, less
ashamed to have 1t known, and farther
from any intention Of reform, and
their hypocrisy, treachery and kindred
vices stand out in bolder and more etfec-
tive reliet.
Thus, with no apparent effort in the
author, without any Interference with
the symmetry Of the plot, with no Protu-
berant underplot, are Rosencrsntz and
Guildenstern, fitted for their peculiar
role. The lines of their character are
made sharp and clear. As men they are
wholly detestsble, as works OF art they
are admirable, There is no one impor-
tant incident in the play which seems TO
have been introduced tor their benefit,
none in which they even take promi
nent part, and yet their character ia, in It's
place, as distinct and rs tOrcibly delin-
eated as that of Hamlet himself
Following this came Act l., scene l, of
King John, Nj A Clarke rs King John,
Mr.. K. G. DsIzell, Eltnor; Mr.. w. f.
Peterson, ChGtiLLon; Mr.. }. ID. Culbertson,
Robert FaulconJridge; Mr. w. 7. Hub
bard, Philip Faulronjridge; Mr. r. Saw
age, Gurneyj Mr.. B. Davenport, Lady
FduLcon5rjdgs;.
Mr.. William Leighton, Jr., then read
the following
ODE To SHAKESPEARE.
From the Elizabethan time
Come es down 20 us thy verse sublime
A playwright? ay:
Thy minStrelsy
A poorer word might dignity
A playwright on whose mimic stage
Man speaks TO men mis- am Dassage.--
His ambassage of what? from whence
Lies purpose, breathed from soul aud
sense
Philosophy,
Your SOphistry
Seems but the voice or mOckery
When az the BARD OF AvUS's high COM
mand
Lies careful masks drop from each pas
siOnate hand.
Loves blissful flames estatical
Burn In two hearts reciprocal
when Juliet,
Fair amOrette,
signs from her DalCOuy's parapet
Her young hearts dream, % the round
moon confessed,
A tender tale that hnds an echo In eacA
breast.
Ambitions flercer fires succeed:
Though Pity weep each cruel deed
No tears arise
In GlOsteT's eyes
Atmurder's shriekinR sacrifice.
Alike 70 him youth tender years,
Henry's sad age, or Anne's hot tears,
He sees alone the diadem,
The royal throne, that ne would win.
Red deeds are done;
The prize is won;
a bloody crown, his head, upon
A bloody crown he soon must yield
On fatal BOswOrth's haunted field.
The blasted heath-the fatetul three
once more ambitions history.
'Gainst tends OF hell
O souls, fight well;
Your fond desires are demons fell,
Alas, III -fa;ed. guilty, haunted pair,
Vaulting ambition ends in dread despair,
On thy bare head, D crownlesS king,
Madness and storm Their teFTOrs ding,
Emblem Of sway
Thou gav'st away
- fFE ~ lea fs.Hr ma frE