The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-09-24
WHAT PROFESSOR RoLFe SAYS.


Man who Hasn't Read Shakespeare
should Ask for Public Prayers.
Professor william j. Rolfe. OF Cam
bridge. gave the third OF his Shakesperean
lectures at the Amherst summer school,
speaking on Shakespeare as Man." He
spoke Of Shakespeare. the author and
teacher, only incidentally In relation TO the
man. He said In part: "No record Is given
Of Shakespeare's birth, but his baptism Is
recorded, and 1t Is only natural TO suppose
Shat he was baptized three days after his
birth Most, II not all. his schooling came
between the ages Of seven and fifteen. All
Is mere conjecture as TO what he did after
leaving school.
He absorbed information from every
source, but less from teachers and books
than from things around him. Before he
was twenty-one he was the father Of three
children, and, as his father was exceeding
ly poor. he had TO shift for himself, and
went TO London. Here, In some way. he
obtained a humble position in a theater.
In 1852 he was referred 10 in a passage
which shows that he had already been an
actor" Mr.. Rolfe recommended to his
hearers "Judith Shakespeare" as novel
wonderfully true TO the life and customs OF
the famous poets times.
IttlcTTlDK W Dudhcsptaltb bACp
the speaker said that critics have found a
confirmation of the poets reported unhap-
piness during this married life, and show
that there is no direct praise Of a married
woman In his work, but In "The Tanning
of the Shrew" he characterzes directly TO
the contrary The sounets are autobio-
graphical, and show that the writer had
suffered. The 10th is an example, and
shows us also that Shakespeare repented
Of whatever trouble he may have had with
his wife.
He had great dislike for the affected
manners of his time and gradually freed
himself from them. Note his repeated
sharp hints at false hair and foppery, his
overindulRence In classical illusions and
his dislike for Puritans, more because OF
their ways than their doctrines. His
knowledge Of music was remarkably thor
ough. As friend be was capable OF the
most thorough devotion, and some OF his
descriptions of love between men are much
more touching than any between a man
and woman.
In all respects Shakepeare's heroes have
most admirable characters. His young
men were healthy, brave, well bred, culti-
waited, self restrained No one supposes
that be was teetotaler, but / do not be-
lieve be was Incorporate according TO the
standard Of his day. His references to re-
ligious subjects are proofs of his religious
feelings, and he makes remarks that an ir-
religious writer would have omitted. The
i46th sonnet is deeply religious, personal
utterance Of Shakespeare's.
His moral convictions were sound and
healthy, and he habituslly contemplated
human duty as a sacred thing. and the
paramount duty Of living for others was
often set forth. He never allowed evil TO
be overcome with evil, but always evil
with good. OF dogmatism he was free,
and Of the true spirit Of religion he was
full He was Of an eminently practical
turn of mind. and it has been shown that
he was shrewd business man. He was a
man, however, with all the frailties and
infrmities of human nature. "a man who
has not read Shakespeare should have pub
lie prayers offered up for him. Spring
field Republican.