The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-11-18
Richard ii-A saturday Lecture.

At the outset, DIR. Dalton, criticised briefly
the claim that Shakespeare's art Is perfect,
and as far above correction as the Emperor
Sigismund's speech was super grammdticanl
The occasional coarseness OF the poet Is
doubtless characteristic Of his age. but is
coarseness all the same, and serious blemish.
This critique was followed by a rapid re-
view Of the reigns intervening between
Richard l and Richard ii, period Of two
hundred years. Richard / was succeeded by
John, and he by Henry /, whose reign Is the
longest in English history-57 years. Hen
ry's successors were the three Edwards, /,
Ii and Ill, the third reigning 81 years and
having for his successor, Richard ii, the
subject of the present lecture. Since John,
great changes had taken place with wars in
Wales, Scotland and France. In this play
the leading persons Of the drama are Rich
ard III, grandson Of Edward III and his
queen, his uncles. the dukes OF Lancaster,
York and Gloster. sons Of Edward III.
Henry Hereford. son of Lancaster, Aumale,
| son Of York, Surrey, half-brother Of the
king, Thomas Mowbray the duke Of Nor
folk, the duchesses Of York and of Gloster.
aRichard's career opened with the mosi
fiattering prospects as the only son Of the
most popular prince (Black Prince) and
| grandson of the greatest king of England.
| He resembled his father in features. but not
| in feats OF arms, or civic virtues. His ten
der years pleaded for him. and his presence
| Of mind in controlling Wat Tyler's mob.
| gave encouragement that he would be a
| prince worthy of his race. His uncles d.
| rected the kingdom, till he was % years Of
age when he assumed the guidance Of affairs.
| At first he was hampered by junt0 who re-
| strained the king and resisted his favorites.
| Afterwards Richard plagued his adversaries
| with their own inventions and made himself
| independent even of Parliament. The ban
| ishment of Norfolk and Henry Hereford fol-
lowing the violent death Of Gloster, caused
| so much discomfort that the sudden return
Of Henry proved the occasion Of the kings
ruin. Mobiles and people alike deserted
their lawful prince and rallied under the
banner Of Henry who was soon crowned
king while Richard was remanded to Pom
| fret Castle, where he fingered till his death
| the next year.
This is a brief outline of the events re-
| corded in the play. Act relates the quar-
rel and Punishment Of the two dukes. Act
| III, the death Of old John of Gaunt, the de-
turn of Henry. Act Ill, the deposition Of
Richard. Act lV, the sentence Of his favor
ties and hatterers, and the coronation Of
Henry Nv. Act V, the imprisonment Of
Richard, the conspiracy against Henry, and
| the sad end of Richard at Pomfret Castle.
| In this play Shakespeare adheres to the order
| Of events and the truth OF history much
nearer than:in King John. Yet the errors are
not few. The Queen was not a woman but
a child of IL years. The Duchess of York
was not the mother Of Aumale. The Duke
Of Norfolk did not die till seven years after
| the date given by Shakespeare. The Abbot
of Westminster did not originate the conspir
acy against Henry, nor did he suffer as par
| ticeps criminis. Gloster was smothered In
| his bed, aud the King died there from cha
| grin, refusing food. The moral OF his life
teaches us how easy it is for prince or
politician to ALLEVIATE the confidence of the
people ,oPI,s and bring bring 1,n himself to grief
his natural advisers and best friends.
His fears were unfounded, and his conf
| dence misplaced. His attempt to outwit his
| adversaries was doomed to failure. 1t was a
| dangerous and desperate game for young
| and inexperienced prince to play against old
and experienced politicians.
| Richard Is properly compared with Ed
| ward III, who was deposed for similar rea-
sons, and also with Charles l, whose for
tunes and fate were similar. Both show
| how uneasy lies the head that wears a
CROWN" especially when the wearer aims al
absolute power.
| More interesting than the men. are, In sew
eral respects the woman of this as In the
| preceding play, particularly the four Moth
ers, Eleanor, Constance, the Duchess OF
York, and the Mother of Richard, who,
| though she Is not brought forward canEot be
bani-hed from our thoughts. "The fair
maid OF Kent" what a life was hersl Wife
of the Black Prince, Mother of Richard
Only the genius to which we owe Stabai
as the bright hopes Of her youth vanished
from her sight,