The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-28

opened TO clearer vision the wonders oil
that other world in which Shakespeare
walked alone without comp n onship. Do
ing so much for the people, Mr. Booth and
Mr.. Barrett have done great deal for them
selves. They have established themselves
in the public confidence as having purpose
more closely related to the advancement OF
their art than when alone In rivalry they
stinted the public in the support so essential
to tho elaboration Of Shakespeare's plays;
and they have learned that the people appre-
ciate their work in thus combining, and will
second 1t at any reasonable price in money.
Thus encouraged they can surely come to us
again next season with even better things,
and with an organization more scrutinizingly
built up and purpose more carefully
planned. But this Is away from the things
of today. Let us return to Julius Cesar"
the tragedy that all scholars acquainted with
"Plutarch's Lives can follow with undated
interest Few figures stand as high as Caesar
few men have lived who can be compared with
him In his achievements as soldier. statesman
orator. writer and ruler. To take up his
story is for the intelligent reader 10 begin
task OF love. Condemning all that was wrong
In him, making allowance for all that was be-
meath his own stature, tested by the ordinary
measure Of human dignity, and making allow
a1ce for the brutal system of training then
deemed an essential course for all Romans,
julius Caesars history lisa captivating one. His
Commentaries are as ripe for students today
as they were at any time since hc was muir
dered by a cabal, and his campaigns are still
| attentiyely perused by ambitious soldiers.
Only one other man has so dominated the
world OF his time. Napoleon, as statesman
and law-giver, soldier and ruler, ranks with
Cesar He accomplished as much In given
time as the great Roman, and under circum-
stances more adverse than Caesar encountered
in the Gaul, where Napoleon found willing
and devoted following. The play OF Caesar"
so seldom placed before the public, will
be welcomed tonight with genuine pleas
ure. because Of Cesar and the high merits
IL possesses as the composition OF n master
! greater in his domination over the minds OF
millions, past, present and to come, than
ever Caesar or Napoleon in their widest
flights, ever dared TO hope for. Shakespeare
was undoubtedly, as much possessed by the
subject of this tragedy as real students Of
CGsar usually are. Indeed, more, for run
ming through many OF his other plays he
makes allusion to the "veni, vidi, vici' that
was the boast of CGsar. In LAS You Like
IT. Tact 8. scene ~ the second part Of "Hen-
~ the Fourth" TACT I. scene /, and again In
the fourth act. third scene, and in the fifth
act Of "Henry the Fourth"). there Is the
line, go forth, and fetch tho conquering
Caesar In" Again, In the first part OF
"King Henry the SIXTH" the Duke Of Bed
ford, apostrophizing his brother, says in the
open scene Of the first act
"a far more glorious star thy soul will make
Than Julius Cntar. or bright"
And in the next scene there Is still another
allusion, and 80, also, in tho first scene
Of the fourth act Of the second part
Of king Henry the Sixth" and in the
last scene Of the fifth act Of the third part
Queen Margaret, in her agony over the
butchery Of her boy before her eyes, shrieks
the passage. "They that stabb'j Caesar shed
no blood Mt all!'' In Richard III" in the
ilst scene Of the third act the king so mon
sirous for his crimes looking at the tower &c
which he was about TO retire. asks. Did Juliu;
cnsar build that place, my lord2' and n few
lines later he pronounccs one OF Shake
spcarc's brief estimates Of Cesar:
That Julius Cesar was a famous man;
with what bis yalor did emf his Wit.
iii wit set down TO -aakc his valor live.
| Death makes no conquest Of this conqueror,
For now he lives In lame though not In life.
In Hamlet" greatest Of all his tragedies
Shakespeare has many illusions 10 Caesar,
| l.. L.. -
Cleopatra" there are many passages TO prove
that the all-embrncing and comprehensive
mind Of Shakespeare had measured Thu
greatest among all the men Of antiquity Al
his proper hight and as IIazlett credits hin
In the play Of Julius Caesar" shows "th'
same penetration into political character
and the springs Of public events as int
those Of everyday life Thu
truth Of history in Julius Cesar Is yer,
ably worked up with dramatic effect Thu
councils Of generals, tho doubtful terms o.
battles are represented to the life. The death o
Brutus Is worthy Of him: Il has the dignity o.
the Roman senator with the frmncss OF III,
stole philosopher. Aud then. there Is tn
touch Of nature which makes the world all
kin. that the poet always kept In Wow. III,
''little incident OF Brutus' boy. Lucius, fall
ing aslccp over his instrument a. no Il
playing 10 his master IN HI, tent the nigh
before the battle" Every detail Of Pluiar,l
l. followed. 1.-THE chicfcst cause that mad
him tC,csarl MORALLY hated was the ooyct
Gus desire 10 be called king" This knight
holds 'is the pivot upon which the who'll
action Of shakcspcarcs tragedy turns" Al
else u subsidiary and accessory. CUsa
knew his power aud made others know Il
Gle was not ono who, In his desire 10 b
King. would put on the robe Of humility
To his intimate friend he says
rather tell thee WHAT 10 be icnrd
Than what FEAR for always am Cesar
And again In his last speech he boastiulll
says
do know but ono
| That unaalsilablo holds on hs rank
| unshakd Of motion. and that am he
Let me litllc show H.
The play Of Julius Cesar ne Ulrioh make
II plain, possesses n true and organic unity
one and tho same thought is reflected In IN
fall Of Crsar. In the defeat and death Of Bru
tus, and also in the victory Of Antony an,
Octayius. IL shines forth In Portia'
death, IN the fall Of Cato, Cicero and IN
other conspintors Poriia and Cato fell viii
nrutus, and the rest with Cassius, bccaus
they did not understand tho progress o
events, aud thought 10 control Il arbitnril!
for Themselves, or no lees wantonly 20 pu
their hands into their bosoms, and 'spcal
g,,,k utsfnrV arcordlnplv honr appear