New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-20
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL
ADAM IN "AS YOU LIKE IT."
HIS CHARACTER THOROUGHLY DEFINED IN
sUAKEsPEARES TEXT, But SELDOM

HIS CHARACTER THOROUGHLY DEFINED IN
suAKEsPEAREs TEXT, But SELDOM
REPRESENTED on TIE STAGE
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The interest felt in the proposed production
Of Shakespeare's charming pastoral on Iuesuas
next BY the Professional Womans League mas
aroused the spirit of research to such degree
that venture to say two or three words about the
cast Of Adam The characters and scenes IN AS
Won Like II" are French. we know taken from
a novel by Lodge, who was Shakespeare co''
temporary, and from whom Shakespeare piaee'
them as follows: orchard and house or oliver
(saladyne Of Lodge in Bordeaux palace of Fred
erick Ohe usurpng King Tor.smond OF Lodse) III
Paris: Forest of Arden (Ardennes), in which the
rightful Duke Senior O<ins Gersmond OF Lodgel
lives banished. The period Is about the close OIL
the sixteenth century, II we choose TO Tx us
date. since Celia refers to Gargantua, the gan.
of the writer Rabelais. and Radicals ded III io'''
The time of the action of the play includes ABOUT
six months-from early spring to early autumn
during which the prescribed Oliver has had time
TO become
A wrotchcl ragged nan, o'ergrown with hair
The character Of Adam Che Adam Spencer OF
Iodge) has an especial CLAIM 10 critical study not
only for its exquisite portrayal of hdehty' purity
religious faith, wisdom and courage. cro"hsu WIN
the venerable dignity of old age, put also i'o''
the fact that Shakespeare played II hin'seh-ue
Stevens tells us-gving extracts from the manu-
script collections of Oldystha one of Shakespeare
younger brothers, who lived to good OH ase'
and who often came to London IN MS !oe'" "
visit his brother VIII, used to dwell upon one pay
in which he had seen Shakespeare take part
..Wheren being personate decrept oio man.
he wore a long beard and appeareh SO "e"N |'.-
drooninp and unable to walk that he was iorceu u
be supported and carried by another person 10
table at which he seated among some go CON-,
pany who were eating, ana one Vi 'heiN '""e
H5am,s character is thoroughly defined in Shake,
speares text. put Is very lad S' lived in Oid Sir
Rowiand's" house from seventeen years, si nU
almost foirscOre," the confidential pouy a,oao
therefore gentleman, and the gentiest geneii',h,
though without rank or title re htd s,er his
fortune was equal to one-half the legacy his as,ef
had bequeathed to Orlando-0riando' t Nv re- a
second father to whom he cont,ded all ms ~ ,hc
from whom he sought advice ana G con oaryce
faitrfui friend long retired from active Serkr,tL
and living the life OF prayer ana nleai.a.o 20 FORM
is the essence of old age we see i,e', lying his
whoie fortune to Orlando but voluntarily res nnar
ing the duties from wnic tbo ne power when feeds
the raven and caters for the sparrow; NT. tir
in shakespeare is more pathetic tnan thls pictduu
takes farewell of the old home, ana seems ~ ~ en-
" ~ison OF the dear dead master he had served ~
W. see him next in the savage forest, rant
ing in Orlando's arms-the TWO sIaese ain borne
hv Orlando TO the table Of the banlshed DUKE ine
1uka and hts companions rising 10 receive mn
DO Duke placing him in his own seat az lap,e
,he guest OF honor, because the emDouiiien. , 90
vir,uo,s old age before which crowns anu sS.p -
~, homage No further mention Is niaue Vi go,
h, name after he IS borne reVerenty avg - tt
,Iaf sylvan table. He does not Gle, eise ~
naars would have told What becomes OF MN IN
Pr has always been logically clear 70 me ."a a.
,iam is the 'od religious man whohl Jaques "e
iscts mentions In the last scene OF the Idst ~
,Sn oid man who converts Duke freuericn ~ ~
onI,, from the purpose OF making war UPON NE
Saan;ished brother but also brings MN INTO w. NC
rei,gious ME and induces him 10 restore ~. NC
c,nSn 70 his brother. We know tnat from .me
dava ~ ST Francis and 81. Dominick there na.e
Rem AZ there are STILL hundreds OF secuiars mar,
Rod and single taking the three great retsiv az
v"ws and keeping the religious rule, thoush sun
living in the world. II IS quite legitimate 10 haii
hsr Adam ms we'll his Old master among ILL.,.
In NV own dramatic classes for more thati tnir.!
veors past | have taught that TINS soiution y,
idam's disappearance Is not only Logical , puS
drnrmatic and poetic | have therefore attlred M"
in the scenes In which he appears III .ie & ~,
In The long frock which has been worn py tne o GU
men Of The middle classes In Europe LOT i.ow
years and which. yariously moulneu, mas pee''
adoptsd by the various religious oru.Ls' ,.,. Ian,
In the Hymen which closes the pay ariu
from which the cynical Jaques vo f,a nayds re-
tires) have always set the scene AFTER b 10 Td
lovely picture but with the added tor is, o, per.
erck and Adam side b. side, IN the ais1am. per- n
spective. dimy yet clearly SEEN eao" 'ao' "
the Franciscan cloak ana nood.,, t-r,rctIr-,f
! New-York, Nov. ls 1885,