The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-06
base metals into gold In a hattie scene OF the old
play Rlcnard, wounded. enlers with page.

base metals into gold In hattie scene OF the old
play Richard, wounded, enters with page.
Sa"s a horse g. ~ h ss fresh horse;
king Ply. villain Look as though would hy' &c
The Same scene is thus rendered by shakespeare:-
King horse. a horse! Ny kingdom FOR horse
Sir William catessy-whdraw. Ny Lord. r help you 30
Aud vii stand , he h t,s aeV Of me so.
I. hnk there be ak tchmoaas IN the deld;
ss have s,r. to-day T instead t O. aim
That King Richard H. actually brought 10 this
condition OF despair is no cxaeseraton and thus u
that the great poet supplies "hose voics which the
enables "see that which II has not recorded,
but that which ought TO be The truth"
LESSON or PAST EVENTS
In constructing this pay SHAKESPEARE seems 10
have borne IN mind The origin aud early progress OF tho
English theatre, and while all his works exhibit the
TACT that he regarded the theatre az stron. arm OF
CIVILIZATION, YET is Il especially noticeable IN the play
under consideration. All theatrical compositions IN
aud were called .'My seres Tor the reason that The
most mysterious events such as tho creation OF the
world, incarnation, resurrection OF Christ, &c,
were generally dramatized These plays were Tor the
most part, performed IN sacred edihces; but when
the theatre nnaiy emerged from The church with
the hope, as II would appear, OF becoming
dlstnc. school Of learning ana morality, dra.
matte works par'ook Of wider range, and
lies" The masses becoming more enlightened under
their Influence, those In due course OF tmo, resulted
called historical plays, or "Histores" which were
Calculated 10 teach mo lessons Of past events shake
ncation anu throughout ali his plays he nourlshes
the TACT that the British theatre was rocked IN the
cradles OF religion, morality aud knowledge, aud ms
combined works form al ubanswerable argument
that tue theatre proper constitutes the only medium
whereby these elements, which should alone govern
tho actions OF mankind can be united Tor the pur-
poses Of truthful ana visible illustrations
THE CHURCH AND STAGE.
Mr.. Bonccauit, Ia his recent article In tho North
american Repieto, would have done well had he
uted The decline OF tho drama to the attacks made
upon It by the modern clergy, Tor with the
tnued support Of tho Church II would have retained
Its elevated standard, and the immoral drama could
never have lourished. The Church cannot destroy
tho theatre, Dut without an enlightened support
OF the Clergy the theatre ilnpars, 10
serious extent, the useIulness oil the Church,
while II is In the same degree only ttas
The theatre Is crippled consequence.
conceive that the Church has committed great sin,
Tor which II should lose time in making atone mt.
In denying the theatre II has vainy sought 10 sup
telicct that The supreme Being has sent upon earth
elect, indeed SO great that tho highest author
ties admit that lis teaching pervades the moral and
aesthetic literature OF the past tNo centuries II
In this connection that n. Guzot, tho profound
French statesman observes that taste universal
and eagcr as tho theatrical could not remain sat.
islod with the inferior plays which appeared
before ShaKespearss. pleasure which Is SO ardentIy
soucht ater by tho human mind he says, calls ter all
the efforts aud NIL the power OF human genus Eng-
land, he represents, stood IN need only OF man Of
genius, capable OF RECEIVING tho impulse which tho
theatre had afforded and raising tue public 10 the
highest regions OF art What circumstances revealed
classes) his mission what sudden hight illumi ned
his genius this political scholar treated questions
100 deep Tor human knowledge 10 answer
JOSEPH WATSON.