The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-04-09
Especial Correspondence.l

Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK, March 31.-The wonder
Of Shakespeare's genius increases with
the passing years. Three poets only
have been compared with him-Honer,
Dante, Goethe. But what are they, sim
gle or combined, to him? Shakespeare
stands, and, it should seem, must always
stand, alone, unapproached and unap-
proachable. The language in which he
wrote-our rich, sinewy, nervous Eng
hsh-must be immortal, were there no
other reasons, from the mere fact of his
writing in it. IF all the English classics
were irretrievably lost, except Shake
speare's dramas, these alone would prove
English to have been the master tongue.
He appears to have comprehended human
nature completely, and he has expressed
his comprehension in words SO vivid,
picturesque and beautiful that they can
never die. His works are an inspired
abridgement of the history-mental,
moral and spiritual-of mankind. He
has set the weaknesses, the virtues and
the passions CT the human family to i'm
perishable music, which will echo, to
the last. through the galleries of time.
Nomarvel that it has been maintained
that his writings are the product of many
minds. How could one mind create an
intellectual world and endow it with
typical inhabitants? It is almost impos-
sible to answer the question, but to pre-
suppose anything else approaches the alb
surd. Throughout the plays now cred
tied to Shakespeare, with perhaps one
or two exceptions, run the same match
less expression and quality OF thought.
There is every reason for believing that
they must have come from single mas
ter brain. Two brains that could have
so sounded the depths of the soul, so
interpreted it's passions, are not to be
discovered, even in the Elizabethan era.
The conviction of the unity of those
mighty dramas is overwhelming and
irresistible. Unless we accept Shake
speare as their sole author, we are landed
in chaos; driven to desperation by any
number Of opposite theories.
More learned and ingenious nonsense
has been written by the critics OF and
commentators on the poet than would
make a good sized library. And it is
still written, and will be for future ages,
in every civilized land. Who would
understand him should go direct to his
pages.
Essentially Gothic, original, indi.
vic Il, rule defying as his genius is, ii
CO ,els sympathy and admiration from
ey large, penetrating mind. Being
northern and Teutonic, it does not APP
peal to the Latin or Slav races generally,
but their intellectual giants are drawn
to him instinctively. The French, with
their nicely of art, their verbal exact
ness. their spick and span phrases, can
not as people appreciate him. Voltaire,
prodigiously gifted and versatile as he
was. called him barbarian. He is the
contrary of Corneille and Racine, and
all the grander for so being. But lat
terly the leading thinkers and scholars
Of France have grown to his height,
while repealed by his lack Of form.
Taine speaks Of his extraordinary char
acter of mind, all powerful, excessive,
equally master of the sublime and the
base; the most creative that has ever,en-
gagged in the exact copy Of the details Of
actual existence; nature poetic, i'm
moral, inspired, superior to reason blythe
sudden revelations of his seer's madness.
Commentators yet continue to dispute
whether the poet was learned Or I'M
learned; whether he had more magma
ton or more observation; whether he
was pure genius or patient laborer.
AS O man he must ever remain mys-
terry. For all that is known of him
personally, he might have lived thou
sands Of years ago. His individuality
is well nigh as obscure as that Of Homer,
who preceded the historic period. There
is no authentic record Of his birth, but
it is probable that both birth and Death
occurred April %, in 1854 and 1916. His
parents names have been preserved,
and the name of his wife, whom he
welded from urgency. He left STRAIT
ford-on-Avon, his native place; went to
London; was an Indifferent actor; wrote
his dramas for the theater with profit
returned to Warwicks]!ire in prosperous
circumstances, and in a few years died
there, as supposed, at the age of fifty
two. Beyond these leading facts and
few others, the rest is chiefly conjec-
ture. Not a line of his manuscript is
preserved, except three or four of his
signatures. His sole monument is his
plays; but they are eternal.
The poet, with data so limited, with
reputation so overshadowing, has natu
rally been idealized, not mentally-that
would be superintendent personally,
characterally, morally. His SO named
portraits are innulnerable and familiar
toeyerybody, but there is no good reason
for believing any one of them authentic.
We like to think of him as the author OF
"Bamlet," Macbeth" aud 'Othello"
should look, and SO we have him to a
decree in the Chandos portrait, which is
no portrait at all. Could we see him in
the flesh today, he would Lot answer to
our imagining; hence we should incline
to pronounce him an imposter. Nature
soI1o,, incaSes t7anSrendent genius in