The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-18
STUDIES or sHAKEs rEAKt,
For the Times.


say indeed that Shakespeare classes, clubs
and societies are a prevailing fashion.
May the fashion spread and the infu-
ences be more and more sslutary and
lasting. Humanity is hardly likely to be
hurt by it.
And et,while an ordinary man hears and
reads Of these clubs and coteries-learned,
able and distipguished-that assume con-
troll OF the Shakespearean branch OF hu-
man knowledge that makes Shakespeare
study, his heart almost sinks within
him. lie says TO himself
Sweetest Shakespeare fancy's child
Marbles his native woodnOtes Wild
And what in theIw0rld are these great
giants Of intellect, these rhetorical anat-
Omists, these deep-diving metaphysical
ans, these analytical chemists OF beauti-
| ful imagry, these masters Of nomencla-
ture and inventors of Latin and Greek
definitions, these literary carpenters with
all the tools and implements OF their
trades: what are all these going 10 do
with fancys child and his wood'notes
wild? Are these the kind OF people 10
appreciate, TO enjoy heartily the fruits
and flowers and the shades and shadows
and life scenes of Shakespeare Can
his works be mastered ny the aid Of die
tionaries and grammars and learned
works / see mems judgments are
parcel OF their fortunes. The single eye,
the even and appropriaiive appre
hension comes of the pure heart, that
works naturally, unambiliously, unself-
sbly, purely A palate may be thorough
" Initiated by iDdiscriminate feeding and
i'll digestion. "Nia oas Nt purVm q'iic-
q,iiH injunds acescit" All Is bitter to a
sour stomach.
Shakespeare himself talks of giving
mer stomach TO digest his words Now,
does anybody expect a man with his head
full Of dactyls and spOndees and a SO
mach full of his own greatness TO en- 10y he
natural beauties and fancies Of our poet
The trader in intellectual wares, by the
very commonness and seliishness Of his
business, divests himself of the possibili-
ty of clear, pure, unseish, loving enjoy
ment-" sober, simple, genuine JOY"
Cicero said the same men could not
be the lords and factors OF
mankind. Natures noblemen cannot be |
her artizaDs. And they that dare, with |
rough and sacriligious hands, to take the |
living things of Shakespeare to pieces, |
kill them 10 themselves, in handling |
them. The mailed hand cannot pluck |
the violet. Syllogisms are not the traps |
that catch sunbeams. The appreciation
of grace and ioyeliness is not helped By
the dissecting room.
II is a profound fact that Nature alb.
hors partialties. God is no respecior OF
persons. The choicest treasures OF
knowledge were denied to the wise and
prudent and revealed to babes. Sim
plicity. singleness of heart, without the
of self, are the necessary
of that the coed, the tue.
and the beautiful exact from every heart
hat deserves them.
To our mind Shakespeare is like the
rec whose height reached unto the
heaven, and the sight thereof 10 all the
,arth, whose leaves were fair and the
ruit thereof much, and in it was meat
or all under which the beasts of the
ield dwell, and upon whose branches the
owls OF the heaven had their habtstion." |
The words are Of marvellous application
DWELL on them, think Of them, study
hem, you that love and know Shake
peare. He is a wonderful, tree with {
wonderful branches, with delicious, most t
wholesome fruit.
Studies are very apt to change their q
lature and lose their virtue and profit d
ust as the club enlarges. Where two of c
hree gather together in the name or '
literature, Beelzebub, the God of Vanity, |
apt 10 be in the midst Of them One
nan in the solemn silence Of his own
oul is the best student Of Shakespeare, a
With commentaries OF his own Obserya- a
ions and consciousness. A second lets \
n beguiling light Three spoils com II
ANY and four is a crowd. Prospero's O
rider to Ariel Is wise advice for one who
esires unmixed enjoyment" BE sub n
eCt to no sight but mine and thine TO-. Q
i.ible to every eye-ball else Partner b
hip with the general world in any !
hing involves forever the loss 4
( independelce-and measure s.
bic forfeiture Of manhood-and Of II
alure's opportunities Shakespeare b
-orks are great blessing TO all the n
'orld. And their best aud choicest gifts u
re prizes for rising, enlarging, perfecting v
Manhood The soul that aims at their v
yclusiye possession 10 mark him as dis
nguished, emasculates itself and shuts
self out from hope, is of the company II
{ Stephano, Frinculo and Caliban, j
lught with vanities and unfit for the as II
citation of true men.