Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-04-25
SWEET BARD OF AVON,
,vr,apTA FROM THE BANQUET Ex-
ERClSES
o,... Shakespeare Club-The Opening Ad-
I..,, ~ by william Leighton, Jr'-An
I,tsrssiirg Dissertation on their
p.,rOn-A Poem by j. l.
Wide on the Same
Subject.

r.I,.om.t the address OF Mr.. Leigh
.rftbe poem Of Mr.. Wilde. As
- arp well worthy Of publication, and
- Intellectual treats too rare to
.,rfnei to the limit OF
= val, Of supper-hall, We
-, them below. Mr.. Leighton 5
P'in. Pi.sss WAS rather hastily prepared, 1t
80, - been the intention to confer this
. "l' rrnu GOV. Mathews, and not
M Nh S,,rrlav was it known that he
-.,il l..,' r", be present This fact, lar
80, hin, an apology, is a compliment
Nj Leighton andto his ability. The
al Iir,s, was II follows;
The anty facts, which the careless
Ill ha, left on record, concerning the
t[',,,pby a the greatest Of English
80 have already been the subject OF
, srriyrr,arv address before our club.
A. our last annual festival an adj
u.rshr oratiun upon Shakespeare 5
..,;~s wa, given Us, and the poet re-
- In the light Of the opinions Of
~. World, thinkers during the past
tb.ya hundred wears.
IN ,Ia hriyi space to which this al
L.. r,r be- allowed to extend, l shall
so9,ayor % intimate how may be ut
,..,r.,.,l some ANALYSIS Ofthat genius to
sbirb tbrworld pays tribute, and which
". have met tonight 10 commemorate.
IN the midst Of his enjoyment Of
Si,kespeare. the thoughtful student
vI sometimes stop 10 examine his
r,.,surr. and seek to learn the method
4, which the great master built so high
II, art. In orler % do this he must, in
;r,,yirafiDu. enter the workshop OF the
nj ami inquire how he probably set
sb51t tine manufacture ola play. There
moi time Tonight 20 examine details;
l.. me- then proceed 10 results. His
glrrs. ami often his characters, he did
M invent. Tie found some popular or
obscure tale pr history, that suited his
pl-t1,,. auI followed its events often
y ,l yerUpu,puS eNactnesS.
m. took down from their inches the
l.d figures Oi history or liable, and
b,lr them live again, speak again,
break the deep silence OF death, and
wtk upon his magic stage, instinct
w,b Iir and thought. and glowing with
every thrill of their original passions.
n Jim ami ShalOwy forms are these,
bl, actual realities, clean-Cut figures,
yi,Jr0uS. passionate mOrtals, wearing
man, g,orirs and his errors, but all IA
den, with their creators poetic imag-
nugs.
Can We then deny 10 Shakespeare the
name Of creator? lie wakes to life
tha dead. From the wild struggle OF
Oh. elements Oi human passion, un-
si,atIy. perhaps, in bare wlCkedneSs or
sluggish virtue, he builds a thing OF
gJrlou, Hir. His work is like the act
Vi lhp tabled god, Prometheus, who
brga'hrd into the instincts Of humanity
the IRE OF Heaven, the conceptions and
Imagination, ui teryent intellect
In all the creatures Of Shakespeare,
W scr the mind of their creator, as
every creature must bear the impress Of
the power that formed its being.
% Is Not that nature j. drawn true To
hi,. though % Is 50 drawn; this might
excite admiration oi the skill Of a linz
Her bat would scarcely give so much
delight. 70 is that life il made beautiful
an graceful with all the noblest and
highest attributes oi humanity Even
the .hrs PHASES Of human passion are
mIir grauilv magnificent by the poets
P0Eyr,oi intellect and light Of fancy, re-
yelIIug. by their grandeur, the great
neSs OF the powers thus perverted to
evil
AS Millions iallcn angel shines with a
hrd glory, the diving embers Of former
divine radiance, majestic and grand,
though a representative spirit OF oil, 50
Shakespearr's tilOster and lago are
magnificent i'm their iniquity; crowned
Nth powers OF intellect, their wicked
natures ri,c out OF the level of common
men, proudly conspicuous, aS the bold
peak 90 some tirc-yumitlug mountain
hts itself above the fields and fertile
valleys that surround H.
Nor while thus putting Il crown on
',r, duyS the poet Tail to teach lessons
o., morality, for he ever surrounds such
crowned evil With grim tcrrOrs, natural
OF supernatural -- terrOrs arising
nom violated conscience within, or
Nrongcd humanity without. Tie so
exhibit, the destruction of every hope,
Resting on dishonest or wicked lounda-
uoa, ,hJ, each play, each several CharaC-
lerrvyu, Is a sermon teaching the doc
Time that uo power Of intellect, however
GREAT, can conduct an evil course To- a
prosperous vUd-that, high over all the
AIur> 20 men, sits enthrOued an even
aantri Justice which cannot bc cheated
"ryairi, dealing out iii punishment 10
WINE ~ spite oi every device OF cum
Hlng evil.
tbiS lesson oi morality is taught not
oa,y by tb" tragic ending OF GloSter's
ouecr uu EoSworth field, but by the SuS-
PEon that hauntS his life, making pain
~, AS golden crown, and pointing 10 an
SS'ensrr in every seeming friendly the
"aeIy desolalion OF his heart, prompt
"s % such sal utterance as this:
A.. There Is no creature loves me;
N-1 I.e no >Jul shall pits me-
AM by the ghoStly dreams that come to
I'ea'en and 20 torture, making his
seeP no rcst, but agony beyond all
physical suffering.
INe murderer, Macbeth. finds like
s.~ more dreadful retributiOn in the
s'S'NIlouS Of conscience, and i'm the
ppA1nuns spectre of the biOOd-bOlter'd
%n4uo, than in the sharp edge Of
s.ltlG4d -L'lGd avenging sword. His guilty
~L.I LLo,''on has set him on a throne, from
'.-l. .I'yH g'.ded seat goes up his cry OF dis
-Ppo'H'meUt and despair.
saaa'g lived long enough my way Of lie
49, ..lH 'yH ,.Hl- the yellow leaf
'1N' which should arclmpany Old a.gc,
I--....' .''r Obedience troops ui friends,
49, ""i .|.A 90 have. but iu their stead
~ k.p' ..' "si bu'Gcrp. mouth honor. breath
l,7's heart would lain deny, but
ai''a IN the ease OF the amusing
S@ucaee >lr John FalStltT. an avencing
me- pta'ss,' points out to him how his diSSo-
All .a'err has robbed him Oi the hOnOrs
AMI s N,r "rtune due TO his large ability
-II I.auy active intellect
in "tNen ~ This speaker ofmanv witticisms,
49, -. . nOar when he hopes for some
nsS, 'SN-rd ,d as payment iOr the amuSe-
With ,b.e ';e mas gwen his prince, is met
eorn,.-. .,l.s eeproach from his former boon
Lr4n'on, now King Henry V:
H0s m S5s,s. Itoi OH man t,ll 10 thy prayers
W. HNS oecome fool and lesterl"
Nom witty answer can he make
Opes Ahere Is no more left for the