The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-01-24

orenunO, and there are but four pages of
the Introduction, in all. His argument
on this point has in il certain expressions
which indicate that he has seen the intro
duction; but he does not reveal the fact
to his readers. Can he find in the pas
sage we cite any intimation that Antonio
admits nothing; ally suspicion that the
complaint against him was untrue; any
twisting aud distortion of language suf-
ticlent to disproye what Shylock charg-
Ell?
But we have proof that however t'cos-
mopolitan" a city Venice may have been.
caste influence" prejudiced its Hebrew
residents, and her boosted laws set a
stigm;, upon their brows:
LAS it 1.-THE playl paints the Venice of Shaks-
that time we must look for its costume. The
dress of the Jew of Venice differed from that
OF Italians in the same rank of life only by the
addition of a yellow bonnet in the case Of the
men, and a yellow veil in that of the women.
The color Of the bonnet W1S fixed BIZ public ordinance.
The orange-tawny bonnet, that marx
OF al odtedst race, ought not TO be missed from
the brow of Shylock" Richard Grant Whites
Shakespeare.
Our biographer is Informed "that Hud-
son is one of the very best of recent
commentators. Let Hudson be heard
on this question:
L
syrnpathieS. and antipathieS Himself an OBJ
Ject of bitter insult and scorn to those about
once too proud to concilate and too weak to
oppose-he can have no life among them but
isery."-HHason's Introduction to the Play.
Does our oiographer still hope to sat
isfy his readers that ShyIock's charges
were lying e4aggeratlons; that he was
on "a footing OF social equality" that
he bore ''no badge of social inferiority''2
Is he still fscertaiu' that what he gath
cred from Shyiock's rather meagfe bi-
ography is trustWorthy'2
We are supported in our views of the
Hebrews general department and re-
serve OF character by this same common
ta5or, Hudson, Of whose high standing
the biographer seems convinced. We
quote again from his Introduction to
the Pyay:
IN his EShylock'Sl hard icy intellectually,
and his dry, mummy-like tenacity OF purpose,
(&c) Nothing can daunt, nothing dis
concert him; = obloquy cannot exasperate
him. = In his cool, resolute, unrelenting,
imperturbabie hardness at the trial, there is
something that makes cur blood to tingle.'
And Richark Grant White lends us a
helping hand in his Introduction, when
he speaks OF the naiser as one
Whose revenge is as mean as is fierce and
furious, whose abuse never rises to invective,
Or his anger into wrath.
How do these descriptions tally with
the biography by Juni and the person
alton by Cumnock. Did the latter be-
tray no evaporation, no wrath, but a
''cool hardness, instead? Do the "only
great authorities in this country and
England keep us Junil company" in
deed? We hope the feeling of triumph"
which he confas5es he felt, may not give
way to sense Of utter loneliness, so
long as he has left the high privilege of
gazing oil the picture with the ''terribIe
eye" Would it not have been quite as
well if he had put forward, with more
modesty, less comprehensive claims? Is
it not within the range of remote posi-
bilities, that his readers may begin to
doubt either his knowledge of the sub
ject which he assumes to discuss so con-
fidently, or his entire good faith and
righteousness?
As another instance OF the slight de-
partures from strict exactness, into
which the biogpapher occasionally falls,
We give pair of companion quotations:
II is fair t.. presume that guest. at mid
Bgzsaalo.-Iet j he 50 hasted that supper be
ready at the farthest by fye Of the Ciook.H
We are responsible for the italics.
Strange
notions Of midnight.
There appear to be some minor con-
tradictions in the Biography itself,
which its author may decide to omit
from the first revision, g.
.D!iser as he was be was swept By those
MghtieJ passions" &c.-JuHi, Jan. 3.
AS to Shyl0ck's passions, we freely admit
that avarice was the controlling one.-Juni, Jan
Was ne ESalarinol nor justified in being sur
prlsed that man OF Wsy gould not control
iesn and blood passions?"-M
I'VE shall continue to believe that JeSsica
was under twenty. and her father under ftty
years oF aso.;-ff.
Shylock-s age is probably an indeter-
inmate quantity, and must be calculated
on a sort Of sliding scale. When we
are justified in being surprised" at him,
we are to consider him plump fifty-nct
6 day less. When we think of bis ssrc-
fund chest, and Lis s'terrii3le eye we
must continue to believe" that he was
under fifty, very considerably under,
perhaps.
We shall not bestov much labor upon
the refutation of that portion of Juni's
agaGrnenb which reiatea to .he sense of
the word this, as it is used in the terms
of the pardon granted by the Duke to
Shylock. The distinction appears to us
altogether too nice, and too finely spur
to have much force; and we venture the
assertion taft IL IS aqoh ali interpreted
ton OF the executive clemencF as never
suggested itself to any of our readers,
except the gentleman opposed to us in
this casa. We understand the Duke to
mean that oil this-all that Antonio
stipuiates must be complied with on
Shylock's part, the abjuration of his
Sait no Sslt
That the clerk was not ordered to enter
Of record the jews acceptance Of Chris
tiaQity, is O. week Argument, as we look
upon il. Neither is he directed, in
terms, to have it appear as o matter of
record that Antonio is to hold in trust
for Shylock. instead OF having tbs prop
erty vest absolutely in himself, as the
law provides, nor that he is to convey to
the daughter and son in-law upon the
uiser's death, nor that it has besH dc
cldesi TO Gq:e s:ie me for one-haif Of
his goods, p" although, we take it, these
conditions were ali to be satisfied
Whether the records of the court were
also records Of oroselyt;sh, vga 90 not
i4uoW or cars. but this we do know,
that Gratiano, who was present, and
must have known something of the mode
of procedure, and have well Gon,plehend-
et. tie Dukes meaning, was of opinion
that Shyiock was compelled to embrace
the Christian religion for he Says
In christening thou shalt have two gcd-
fathers" When he spoke thus he did
not have in mind the most refined and
restricted shades of meaning the mono
syllable might be made 10 convey. We
are content to lake lin as good author
i5y, and TO rest this part Of oar case on
his evidence and the general understand
ing of the pardon.