Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-27

closely the story as told by John Hig-
gins, in his QUeene COrdit0, IN the
verses which follow:
(which when they answered him they lovd
their father moro Lilo
Than they themselves did love, or any worldly
Ho pr9iscd thern and sayd hee would therefore
The loving kindness they deserved IN hne re-
quite.
so found nv sisters favour IN his sight,
By nnuery fare they won lh0ir fhlhers heart,
Which after turned hym and NEE 70 smart
"But not content with this, hee asked mee ike
wise
III DID not him love and honour well.
No cause ,qaoth y there 10 baonid your grace
For nature so doth bnde AM duty NEE compel,
70 love You, a. ought my father. we'll
Yet shortly may charncc. II Fortune WILL
To Findo in heart 10 bear another more
good viii
THUS much sayi Of nuptall loves that ment
Not minlInR on % II hare. vile or ire:
And partly taxing them, FOR which intent
They set my fathers heart on wra'hful IRE.
"Shee never shall 20 any part asp re-
OF ths my lealme (quoth hee) amongst
you twByno:
Blu, shau without all dowry ale remane"
Taking all Of those facts quoted into
consideration there is no omission of
duty by Cordelia, INT the UrOHg as in
The Uioioncc and irrational CrcitGbiiity
ofhJr Jqtbcr, ,cAich prCsca'iV crC1tU-
dfcd in insanity. And So violent, so
reckless ia Lear's wrath that with bitter
denunciation he banishes the faithful
Kent also.
Eulogy has exhausted itself on the
beauty of Cordelia's character. and it
really bears celestial impress. An
angels spirit dwells within her and i'm
Dels her TO noble deeds. Less elaborate
than Deslcmons or Opheha, delineated
in so few words, 20 beautiful so pure, so
lovely in her character. and the highest
expression Of filal duty nobly performed,
that when doath comes she seems only
fit for translation TO better world. We
contemplate her with love, but with
more. with reverence, and 1t has been
Justly said that she finds peer in Anti
gone only, who is the noblest heroism OF
womanho0d that Greek or Roman poetry
has transmitted to Ne.
Lear's insanity has elected as much
discussion among critical experts as any
other eslion in this drama. and among
these experts are distinguished mem
hers of the medical profession. DR..
Bucknill has declared This is not ma
MIA, but neither is it sound mind. 1t is
the emotional excitahilIty often seen III
extreme age, as it is depicted in the
early scenes Of the drama, and 1t is pre-
cisely true to the probabilities Of the
minds history that this should be the
phase Of infrmity displaying itself
at this mcment. Any other dra-
matist than Shakespeare would have
represented toe poor old hing
quite restored to the balance and
control of his faculties, but Shakespeare
has represented the exact degree OF I'M
provement which was probable under
the circumstGnces-viZ. : restoration
from intellectual mania which resulted
from the combined influences OF physl-
cal and moral shock, with persistence OF
the emotional excitement and disturb
ance which is the incurable and unalter-
able result of passion, which is gene
rated by long haOitude and by the malign
Influence of extreme age. Dr.
Brigham, on the other han1, declares
that "Lear's is genuine case Of IN
sanity from beginning to end such rs IS
often seen in aged persons, On reading
! it we cannot diyest ourselves OF the idea
that it is real case OF insanity
correctly reported" II should be on IN
Rcrjbic ru{e IN the Interpretation Of a
| p{aY not to 90 outside Of its teri fOr the
construction u the purpose Of us az
thor; no Dl0tter WhGtnl0Y he the Sourcc
| from 1Chfch the stg9Cst'Ons or mOtfcc
| Of a piay are taken. The teri Of the
plQy as wriGca dy the author muStJor-
nish the ruic for It's construction. This
being true rule Of dramatic interpreta'
ton, I think that both OF the doctors
quoted are in error, and the MIDDLE
ground between them is the correct in
depreciation of Shakespeare's text In
the first two acts of the play Lesr
is not mad, unless it be at the
end Of the second act. at the
termination OF the scene with Regan
and Goneril, but in the last three acts OF
the play he is always insane, with occa-
sional lucid intervals. In Act l., Scene
l, when he dear acts with such violence
towards Cordelis and Kent, it is the
rash and choleric excitability OF very
old man, and while that mental condi-
ton is doubtless the premonition OF in
sanity it is notlunacy then, and this view
is absolutely confirmed by the text, for
after his Punishment Of Kent and Corde-
liza in Act l., Scene 2, the following dia-
logue occurs:
Gonsril: You see how full OF change his age
Is; The observation VIZ have made OF Il hath not
been little. lie always loved our sister most I:
and with what poor judgment he hath now cast
her OF appears 700 grossly.
ke9an: IT'S the tndTUitg Of his age; pet he hath
ever but slSndsTly knOPn himself
Goneril: The bee, and soUnfest Of his time hath
been but rash; then must we look from his age
10 receive not alone the imperfections OF long
migrated condition, but therewithal the unruly
Waywardness that in6rn and choleric years
bring with them.
And the conversations of Lear in Act
T., Scene with Kent, the knight, and
the Fool is not that OF an insane man.
And in the same act and scene occurs the
hesrt-breaking scene between Goneril
and himself, which is the first manifesto
ton OF brutality on her part, and in
which Lear is thoroughly sane. but in
agonized grief asks her: care you our
daughter?" "Your name, fair gentle
woman" "I would learn that, for by
the marks OF sovereignty, knowledge,
and reason. / should be falsely per-
suaded / had daughtersl" And the act
closes with Lear's pitiful appeal
"Oh. let me not be mad. not mao, sweet Heaven,
Keep me In temperl / would not be mad !"
This view, too. Of Lear's insanity Is
further attested by the scene in Act H.,
Scene A, between Lear. Kent, the Fool,
and Gloster, and also by the scene IN
the same act and scene which is written
with the fullest power OF Shakespeare's
genius, between Lear and Regan. IN
which no 90 pathetically appeals to he
gan against her sister Gonerips treat
ment OF him, saying:
20, kegsn. she hath tied
Sharp tooth'd unkindness Ike ayultufe hereI'
pointing 10 his hearts
and further on in the same scene ne
again says to Regan
30, Regaa, thou shalt mover have my curse;
Thy tender-hsfted nature shall not giye
Thee DER 70 harshness. Her eyes are herce' ou'
thine
Do comfort ana not burn. 'Tis not in thee
To rudge my pleasures. 10 cut on my tfaihs
To handy hasty words. 10 scaDt my sizee,
- -. -. y hf.lf