The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-20

Macbeth is the most unique and mas
terly, the most daring IN conception
and the most difficult to dclineate with
perfect consistency. Here is a woman
with what has been justly termed
an iron heart. full of nervous energy. OF
a vigorous and decisive Will. without
inhibition for herself. but capable in her
ambition Tor Macbeth OF the diresi
cruelty. and yet unable to stab King
Duncan. because in bis sleep he resem.
biea her father-whO invoked her hus.
band 10 look like the innocent flower.
but be the serpent under il. and yet
Acknowledged that she knew how tender
10 was 10 love the babe thar
MIXED her--who was appalled,
By the blood in which Duncan
lay. and yet by the mere force
of her firm spirit. could take the insan-
gulned daggers from her husband :
shaking hands, and, with forced jest.
leave his side 10 smear the groom S with
bl0ol-who could declare that the dead
were mere pictures. which could only
lrighien The eye Of childhood. and yet
sw00n away when she received the an
nouncamentf from Macbeth that Duncan S
attendants had also been bulchered by
him-a woman who in the supreme
moment of her husband destiny.
could urge him with tauuts Of cowar-
dice aud with temptations Of supreme
power to the bllckest crime IN the
calendar. and yet afterwards in
her sleep-walking could lament
that all the perfumes OF Arabia
could not remove the smell Of
blood from her hand-wh0 gives away
90 rem0rse. although lacking in relig
i0us scruples and OF towering intellec-
tuai streugth--WhO fills as with horror
when she first appears upon the scene
as a iiend without mercy and without
weakness and when she disappears for
the last time. arousiog orr sense of pity
as after an "a woman with some of the
better qualities of her sex. Such is the
portrait of Lady Macbeth, in all essen
lial characteristics, terrible p0rtrai.
which attracts yet Icpels Us, which hor-
rifles We. fascinates us.
Besides this wonderful figure. which
seems to govern and dominate the main
springsof the tragedy of Macbeth, Iago
seems bat crafty, insidious worm 9.
whispering bis yenOmOus inuendCs
IN Che earOf the passionate but maguan-
imous Othell0-an intellectual but sem
sual knave fun of foul thought, maiig
nant. cynical. sneering. his yivaci,y that
OF "a ghOul. his spirit that of serpent.
% creature without one quality 90 re-
leem his gr0ssnoss. without one touch of
kindness to soften his cruelty
Odi0us creature that inspires Us with
mingled disgust and hatred. and whom
we long Co crush in thal dust TO which
he belongs, and upon which De crawls.
From the very nature of things tine
portrait OF such "a mau could not be as
impressive as the portrait of such a
woman as Lady Macbhth.
When we apply purely literary test
to che two dramas Of Othello and Mac.
beth DO viii be found that Othello is
more complex in style aud more atilu
emit ia language, but Macbeth has a
larger number OF vigorous and impress
siye passages. which was to bee expect
cd from It's greater intensity of feeling
and motive, aud the sfupendous events
upon which II turns. 10 is also superior
to OlhellO ina the number OF lines Chat
have become part and parcel of the
stock expressions of common speech
SUCH. for instance; As nothing In his
die became him like the leaving it-ll
10 were done when his done, then
'lWera well DO were done quickly
bank and sfoal of time-Ino deep
damnalion of HE taking of Golden
opinions from an sorts of peOple-Let-
ting J dlIo not wait upon l would
Screw your courage 90 the sticking
noinl-Is this a dagger which l see be-
fore meg "A kneil chat summons thee
TO Heaven on 10 heli-Ile muItitudi-
nous seas incarnaline-We have
ecOicheG the snake. not killed il-Af-
Ger life 5 ffful fever, he sleeps we'll
Cabinel cribbed confined Never
shake thy glry locks SO me-fallon in
10 the scar and yellow ieaf-Curses not
loud. hut deep-Mmister 90 a mind dis
ea5ed-Cleause the stuffed bosom o.
that perlOus stun Throw physic
20 the dogs The cry is still they come
Last syllable ~ recorded time-Full
OF sound and fury signilyiug nothing
Damned boz he who first cries enough
All these pr0verbi9l quotations are from
Macbeth.
Olheiio Is not so rich 10 the same re-
spect. but ID still has many familiar ex-
pils.ions. such "a. moving accidents b.
hood and held.' Upon this him
spoke lis in ourselves that we are
thus and thus I am nothing if
NOT critical Chronicle small beer.
Lame aud imp0tent conclusion. Who
steals my purse steals trash. Ir|iies
light as cir. Pride. p0mp and circum-
stance Of glorious war. Oihcllo'- Oc-
cupfiion is gone. The pity of it. llg0.
the pity of 90. STEPPED in poverty 10
lho very lips. a fused figure for the
time of sc0rn 10 point Ai3 slow, unmog-
llg finger at. Peace and De- still. IA
ignorant as dirt Done the STATE some
service N9ihing fxtenulte, nor set
down augh. in malice.
Whatever ,he comparative merits ~
81 fne tN0 plays. there can be- LITTLE
doubt fhat each Is supremacy excellent.
NJ We POSSESSED Do other m0lumelt Of
ihe Do 'gl'y genius II SnaLsfelr. the
conclusion nj fht be- justly reached from
Che larus1i ui OIlfii1 aud Ia,Oefh thar
De was cEs Cf che greatest, aud as
flr as bee bad gone in these dramas the
very creates. wri.cr woo bad appear.
cdIu ihr c.1fs- 90 uUe. whether AM
clert or ninltla. Nh-a such works as
Lear. Hlmier ielrest A., }9u ike it.
Romeo a.l Juiiat.aie recalled ia adj.
dii1n. lt D., no. surprising tlat Shaks.
pere should By common consent. bee adj
yanceG 90 Tie position of the most phe.
nomenaI writer 81 DO Aa3 appeared iu tle
history OF mankind. PhHBCs.
DANuIEs or THE Ti5lE on
CHARLES l..
TU.... Nr.ff.-r. I.rra. ! d. rnI NInfla.