The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-03-19

Glass Of 's7, Of the owosso High
School.

ition in Salisbury opera house on tn,
evening of March, 20. The program
will consist of essays on the life @
Shakespeare and his relation to TIL
English drama, introductory t.
Readings" from "The Merchant 0
Venice" as follows: Act 1; act H.
scenes and 5; act III, scenes anc
s.; and act ~, scene I. The remain
ing portions Of the play will be mar
rated between the readings.
In answer to numerous question.
asked, and in way of an explanation
of the object sought, in our school, IN
planning the work which has lead Il
the program, given above; wish to
make few statements, but especially
do l wish to quote from two American
scholars whose eminence and author
ity is sufficiently made known by the
mention of their names.
The rhetorical work of the junior
class thus far this year, has been the
reading of'The Merchant of Venice. !"
This has not been done with an idea
of making critical study or, in any
degree, mastering the subject. Such
an idea would be but an absurdty. 1t
has been rather with view of open
ing to the pupil a field, which, if there
be a literary taste in him, will yield a
lifelong source of pleasure.
That which mas been done to make
the play "real TO its life" has been
done to aid the pupil in his concep.
tions, rather than to produce any
effect upon those who are to listen to
the readings.
Those who find sufficient interes;
in our schools to attend these exercis
es are asked earnestly to come with
spirit 10 listen to those just opening
their eyes upon the field of literature
and the world, rather than those
skilled in action or in thought.
In reply to those who have asked
me why take work so difficult, leave
the answer with Richard Grant White
who says: "Many letters have come
10 me during the past few years, ask
ing, what seems to me, very strange
question-How to read Shakespeare.
My answer would naturally be, the
way to read Shakespeare is, to read
him. Il At what time the
reading of Shakespeare may be begun
with profit, it is hard to say. l do
say however that most boys who are
Shakespeare lovers have the love
strongly upon them before they are
sixteen. * In beginning to
read Shakespeare the first rueAand
it is absolute and without exception,
rare rule indeed--is to read HIM
only. Throw the commentators and
editors to the dogs. 81 Read
at first chiefly, rather only for the
story; that is, for the dramatic develop
ment and interest of the plotR
And too, why l believe in the read
ing of Shakespeare in our school:
Rev. Henry N. Hudson helps me to
answer:
Especially he (Mr. Hudson is now
referring to himself as editor) makes
much of reading, both for the utility
and the accomplishments of it; this, in
fact, is the staple or groundwork Of
all his instructions; and in ordering
this he drives, or endeavors to drive,
right at the simple truth of the matter
and at sincere and natural EXPIRES
sion of it. In other words, all his
efforts in this behalf are meant to
converge at the point of bringing the
pupils first to understand the poets
lines fairly, and then SO to pronounce
them that an intelligent listener may
understand them: taking for granted
that, if this point be secured, the
proper moral, intellectual, and esthet-
ic effect of them will follow of its own
accord, and the more silent and I'M
observed its coming is, the better.
He therefore neither practises nor
encourages any straining or forcing
Of the process; any using of the whip
or spur he regards as out of place;
however lively and intense the exer-
ton of the pupils faculties may be, he
aims to have it spontaneous, genial
and free, the result of inward kindling
not of external pressure. Thus the
process, throughout, on the part of
the pupils, is meant to be a quiet,
gentle, yet earnest coming with the
poets forms and with the spirit Of
them, SO that their grace and efficacy
may pass sweetly and insensibly into
the mind; because the less the pupils
are at the time conscious of getting
from him the more they will really
get.
10 induce just and clear perceptions
of the poets characters; to bring
pupils to discriminate and taste dis
tinctive lines of mental, moral, and
practical physiognomy; to make them
enter into their idioms Of thought and
manner; their springs, modes and
vitalities of action,-this is the higher
and ripper and slower process
But young people are, or may be
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