The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-27

relations between IcTtLand his young friends
soon became strained. Antonio proved
ungrateful to Lopez, and he was abetted in
this by Essex. The GOODNESS between them
and Lopez at length Dcttled into deep
lodged hate. SomeSpanish agents Of Phillip,
travelling in England took advantage Of the
doctors bitter mood 10 nyeiglc him into a
plot TO kill Antonio. 10 this lac consented,
as he was anxiousi 10 settle in Antwerp or
Constantinoplc. hut around this plot grew
n larger one, tho object CT which was to kill
the Queen herself. lopez was asked TO I'M
dertake II, but refused, acknowledging that
he had received too mnny favors from the
Queen. At the same timo, not 10 spoil his
chances OF revenge on Antonio, be did not
reveal the conspiracy. III, therefore easily
fell victim 10 the hate Of Essex, who
accused him Of high treason. After several
mutually contradictory confessions had been
extorted from him on the rack, he was exc
cuted at Tyburn, somewhere about the be-
ginning of 1894, having previously declared
himself New Christian. This event was fol-
lowed up by the publication Of pamphlets,
designed TO keep the facts Of this important
case vol before the public mind" Just
about this time also Philip Monslowe, a
highly enterprising theatrical manager, pro.
duced "Thc jew" and the 'Jew Of Malta"
very frequently. The air was full of the
jew and Jews, and Shakespeare, 10 meet the
popular taste, and ayoi ling the plays already
known, took the Italinn stories Of the bond
and the caskets and ENGRAVING on them that
OF the recently executed Lopez made the
most wonderful Of all his creations, Shylock,
threatening tragedy through all the acts Of
the most exquisite Of romanoes Mr.. Lee
confirms this vicw(I). by the name OF Anto-
Mo; ~, the date and the construction Of the
play; (3), few points In Shylock's oharac-
ter; and az some incidental references 10
current events, Tho usd Of the name An
tonic Is most remarkable, for in the original
story IL Is Ansaldo. and II would appear US
II Shakespeare must have altered il in con
siderntion of some current event Like the
Antonio Of Shylock. Antonio was the enemy
upon whom Lopez had ondcayorcd to avcnge
himself. But us Antonio was 80 greatly In
favor with the English people Shakespeare
was bound 10 invest his character with
magnanimity. The date OF tho play Is
equally oon6rmatory Of the theory. The
original rough sketch produced In August,
1904, Is 30 materially different from the later
editions that Il would seem 10 point 10 the
fact that Shakespeare produced IL hurriedly.
In point Of character Mr. Ice compares the
revenge Of shylock with that Of Lopez, and
the devotion OF family oyinced by both men.
On the last point the incidental references
TO current events, Mr.. Lee connects the
passage In the play which denounccs the
unfairncSs In employing the rack with the
parallel incident In Lopez's life. The refer.
cnce 10 twelve jurymen sending the Jew ~
the gallows he shows 20 be out OF place In a
Venetian court Of jnsticc Shakespeare
must. therefore, have intended an nllusion
TO some English trial. The frequent refer.
ence In the play 10 "halter' Is also signif-
cant To this may be added that Iopez's act
Of forcswearng his faith may have served as
the original Of tho conversion incident But
whether Mr.. Lee be right or not, he make.
by far the most plausible theory Of origin for
The Merchant OF Venice" that has yet been
published. hut thiA interesting rs II Is, Is
of but secondary Importance beside the fact
NJ Stanton says, THAT 10 the merit Of the
fable whose IL may. the characters, the Ian.
guagc, the poetry andthc sentiment are his,
and his alone. To no other writer Of the period
could We be indebted for the charming com.
bination Of womanly grncc and dignity and
playfulness found In Portia; for the cxqui.
site picture Of friendship between Bassanio
aud Antonio; for the profusion Of poetic
beauties scattered over the play; and for the
masierly dclincation of that perfect type Of
Judaism, the character Of shylock himself"
S'ylect-o Father Abraham What these Chris
w6o-c own hard dealing, teaches them
The ihouEhls u others
Durbagc shakcspearc's friend and leading
man In hiscompany. created the part Of Shy,
lock. and II Is believed made IL anything bat
q serious ar scml.tral,ic character for Dogctt,
who. Domn tells rs was before the public
from iG0i ~ i7l3. failure Ia Dublin but a
4 Iayoriic Ia London. always acted shylock IA
a fcrociously comic character. but Mncklin.
who rccrcaicd the part aud achieved great
fame IN II, made Shylock something after tho
wording u the play. lie played Il In Drup
Lane during the season 81 i7i7-s. aud wa.
followed later by shutter. comic actor q
contemporary 81 Macklins, who made hi.
most daring effort IN attempting shylock. A"
from which We may believe the character
had been much changed since Dogctts day
Macklin revived tho Merchant Of Venice
In i5ii and Duran says. There was wills
per that he was about IN play the jew ~ a
serious character. Ills comrades laughed.
aud tie manager was nervous The
rchearsals told them nothing. for
there Mucklin did little moro than walk
through the part, lest the manager should
prohibit the playing II the piece II the mn.
iurr n the reform Marl.lin was about 10 In.
iroducc should make bin fearful u the con
sequences. In apmc such dress
as that we nov see worn by
shylock. Mncklin. ON the night Of
the 18TH of February, l'ii. walked down the
stage, aud, looking through the cyc.lci hole
In the curtain. saw The two over formidable
front rows 81 the pit occupied by the most
highly dreaded critic, u the period. The
house was also dcnscly crowded IIc
turned from his survey calm aud content.
rmarking Good ~hall be tried tonight
by special jury! There wa, little Mp.
plausc, TO Macklin's disappointment on
his entrance; yet the people wcrc pleased at
ihS>Npcct of Jew whom Rembrandt might
have pain ted. The opening scene
was spoken In familiar but car.
nest accents. Not hand vet
gave token Of appreciation. but there occa.
I