New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-25
THE LECTURE.

that not only was Shakespeare devOut member OF the
Church Of England but that ghouG MS works be
demonstrated mis- belief the particular enets OF that
Church, and that all his grandest aud most sublime
thoughts inspired by the Ri ple
IL should be well understood said Dr. BOlles, by the
ladies ana gentlemen presenithat have no experience
Of the pubic realization OF Shakespeare, having
more than three OF his plays acted. II Is
with ddence. therefore, that lay the result OF
my Investigation or shakespeare's works before such
audience. The OF Shakespeare never oc-
euped high and exalted position In
the literary world as at presents all other
authors, ancient and modern pale before him. France.
even reversing the Judgment OF Votaire), Germany
England and America, all unite to proclaim his I'M
paraleled greatness nor are there any writer's OF
poets in any of those countries who do not now con-
fess with Goethe Schiller, that they are ashamed
OF themselves in shakespeare's presence" But how
and why this Not surely that his poetic genius and
natural endOwmcns superior to ali ohers TOT sueh
is not the fact; but simply that he was true Cahohc
And hence he represented the Catholic Church in the e1
preston OF all the varied and manifold thou htseelings
tments asd harmonles OF humanity not for the tune
only whch he lived but like the Church ITSELF for all
tue ages Of human existence Carlyle saw IT, and hence
he says We called Dante the melodious priest Of mid
dlc-age Catholicism not call Shakespeare tne
stilI more me odous priest Of Cabolicismhe uni
versal Church OF the future and OF all tlmesF
That Ia just It: Catholic, distinguished from all
and Therefore embracing truth Of every one 10
show this we point TO the time In which he yed-that
wondrous age when the Church OF Gud was In the very
Drth-pangs OF Catholicism; when Jewell and Hooker
and Andrews and Taylor produced, and host OF
others whose names are immortal 10 Catholicity.
Now for almost three hundred years, Shakespeare has
been buried in oblivion as Christian man-a faithful
member OF the Church Catholic This Is simply because.
providentially. or accidentally, designedy. he
chose tine drama as the vehicle OF his instrue
tiOn 70 man-a vehicle doubt condemned ny
man, but chosen OF God. as in tho Bible, when
drama throughout. What Shakespeare was as poetic
aud beauty has been perverted and mis-
represented All sorts OF stories have been believed Of
hm which have not the slightest foundation In truth II
is as false to accept 1t would be to take the
paintings Raphael and the sculptured creations OF
Michael Angelo evidences OF crime and immortality
Then. how mas Shakespeare employedthe drama Just
exactly az In the Bblc-truth personiied, wisdom en-
bodied virtue exalted vice exposed, crime punished
love and charity glorifed, and life Illustrated some
wears ago Bishop Wadsworth OF ST. Andrews. published
a book on &c shakespeare'- Knowledge and Use OF the
Bible" and be complains IN letter to ne that
hs book has been prated unfairly made use OF In
America. However. the subject IS not an uncommon
one and no English poet from Chaucer down, not except
ing even Milton Cowper aud Wordsworth, has drawn 80
largely on the Bible Shakespeare has done His works
are not ptorcssedly sacred. and yet there Is
scarcely beautiful Thought ID them which
has not is prototype In Scripture YOu all remember
for instance, that magnificent eulogium OF mercy 80
often quoted from the Merchant of Venice Was that
original with shakespeare Not at all for 1t is nothing
but paraphrase OF the words OF Jesus when he said
- more blessed 10 give than receive" There Is
no end 10 the passages OF Holy Writ that might
be cited bf which the great dramatist vas inspired
"a utter IN his own poetic language the heavenly pre-
cent. BE ye therefore merciin as your Father In
Haven meredith Take his description Of Chrls t,nas,
tide IN Hamlet" How full or holy INSPIRATIONS! In
the same tragedy how roverentia he alludes 20 the
scene Of the fxioD, paraphrasing Vt Throughout
OF all the admirable precepts given py Foionids 10
n, son. thorc not one which has not
is foundation in the aphorlsms OF Holy scripture Then
reading Hameps w0nderiul desctlptOn Oh nau ols
/ cannot but feel the poet had just been prompted
nv the Eighth Psa m. We might also pause TO con,
slider the celebrated soll0duJ, 10 be or nol 10 a.
tbe sea OF troubles" called IN the Dapusmal ONCE
the waves Of this troublesome word, shd .he eh
quisey tender address 10 the fair Opheiia when he
see. her kureng In thine prisons be all my slns re-
IL" THcn what but 1.-The worm tnat never dies and the
fire that never shall he qucnched coud have produced
the horrible despaing confession Of the echerous ana
| murder0us King:
ION. my offence is rank, It smells to heaven,
1t hath the primal eldest curse upouit-
A brothers murderw
tn The very end Of the soIoquy We have nothing bat
Scripture all through Read Henry the With ana
mn forth in Few short sentences, the fundamental
truths and practical wisdom Of the Gospel OF Caris
and almost celestial drama ofsprits-what magnificent
description OF the final Communication OF al things
evidently inspired bv the words Of St. Peter relative to
The coming OF the Lord This part OF the subject alone
il in-xhaustibc: do know of any one sublime and
important passage IN the writings OF tl great urhma
| tist Tor which We could not find some text
Of scripture explanatory noS SS e2fnNee
that Immortal poet was no ahci:tc or even dels
no ton the name OF God; which II several nunuteu
times more frequently than 1t Is mentioned even IN tue
addition does he refer TO God bv OF His works. or
in Of tie operations OF MS prSydsnCe anc ye e
| product of a diseased and dlsordered mhd'
| IAN insane root
That takes the reason prisoner"
How then can there be any doubt, asked the lecturer
of. reading number OF rxcerpts grouped together OF
Tho br ~ ~ Shakespeare I'm that fundamental article or
! me Cnrlsan faith as proclaimed IN the Apostles
mchiyl" Not a Pantheisuc god. but personal
co W distinct from universe painter IL distinct
from his canvass or an architect his DmldingGod
IN acton ever working. ever living, ever present for the
cxCrccs Of the Almighty attributes OF MS minnie anu
Another fundamental doctrine OF the Catholic Church
one whose eaching 20 upon this mysterious subject are
more remarkable and expressive than those OF Shakes
| human reason. In As You Like II he says:
| And He that doth the ravens feed.
Yea provdentially caters Tor the sparrow
| Be comfort TO my age"
Often and most plainly. too. the fundamental doc
trines of the incarnation OF Christ are set orh Ills
the great poet In or no 5nS TO Se'S az
reply can be made to all this accumulated proof as to
his Christian sth ri Is said they are nothing .6 0@.
snnerstJtions ~ the times then all these references
to God 10 Christ 10 Conseie9ce to Heaven ana men, en-
lose ali their trutb. their digny ana iSrVe aou .ne
rcot noe hmsef Is plunged into the depths Of an gno
nnions unreal,ty, and his immortal works are only
Told S NV an IDIOT full OF sound and fury.
| Simplifying nothing
whore Is the intellect OF that man. 70 nothing OF
hts wisdom, his learning or MS honesty, VINO rs
| forever prasing the genius OF Shakespeare AMI
Vet despisng aud pouring contempt upon that Bible, at
whose pages Shakespeare klndet his lamps and from
| whose treasury he received his grandest and most
| splrndld images and illustrations
| THE FIRE RECORD