Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-05-11
PROPHETS AND POETS
A CLAIM OF MENTAL CONNECTION IN
THEIR WORK.
The Argument of AN English Preacher
That There Was a Certain Community of
Genius Between the Ancient Writers and
Shakespeare.

|
Bell claims 10 break new ground. IL is his
endeavor 90 establish certain intellectual
and psychical identity-a community Of
genius, 80 TO speak -between the Hebrew
prophets and the British bard i'm that their
prophecies were poetic and his poesy was
prophetic.
IL Is certain that Shakespeare works
contain large number of surprising fore
casts, realized by the discoveries and in
ventions OF modern times; that he was
gifted with president perceptiveness, en-
abling his minds eye TO see ''the vision
OF the world and all the wonder that would
be. In this respect he was undoubtedly
akin TO some of the Hebrew prophets, who
on their part resembled him in the faculty
OF poetic conception displayed not only
conjecturally in relation TO potentialities
OF the unknown future, but descriptively
In connection with contemporary actuali
ties
These and other PARTIES Of capacity in
men of genius belonging TO different pc
RODS of time have ere now suggested them
selves to thoughtful minds without mum
Der. Hence, as Mr. Bell remarks, no apol-
ogy Is needed in these days for comparing
the prophecies of the Old Testament with
the plays of Shakespeare. "They may not
dence in their voices, nor appeal always TO
the same sentiments and emotions. Never
theless they sometimes approach one an
other very closely, and their meaning often
runs in parallel lines" With a candor
rarely manifested by one of his cloth, the
reverend essayist frankly admits that the
Bible Is no longer regarded by the major
ity of intelligent persons as "a book Of
theological dogmas, a systematic body Of
divinity, a mere supplier of texts for preach.
ers and professors. 1t is now felt TO be a
book dealing with the passion of life, APP
pealing To the hearts Of life in all men "
These are characteristics which it possesses
in common with Shakespeare works
Mr.. Bell is not the only interpretive
thinker who has recognized the existence
of these and other affinities between
Shakespeare and the prophets, or who has
heard now and again some "of the in
tenser notes of the Hebrew harp sounding
through the Shakespearean drama" He
has, however, as far as we know, taken
the initiative in instituting immediate and
distinctive comparisons between Biblical
and theatrical heroes, his assortment of
whom would in more than one case, ap-
pear at first sight to be characterized by a
strange incongruity. For instance, he links
together Eli the prophet and Hamlet the
Dane, as well as Saul and Macbeth, Jon.
athan and Horatio, King David and Har
ry of Monmouth.
How Hamlet and Eli resemble one an.
other is not Immediately manifest to the
average intelligence, while, as Mr.. Bell
admits, the main points of unlikeness be
tween them are prominent and outstand-
ing enough. eli was at once high priest
and judge in a confusing period Of He
brew history. When we make his acquaint-
ance, he is already gray and old, dwelling
in Shiloh, where he performs his official
functions We see that the failure Of his
powers adds TO the difficulty and pathos
of his position and perhaps serves TO make
the more apparent TO us his characteristic
weakness of nature
Hamlet, on the other hand, Is young.
cultured, possessed Of rare powers of re
Election, the more purely intellectual of all
Shakespearean characters.
so wide is the interval between Eli,
the gray bearded Hebrew, and Hamlet.
the youthful Dane, so marked are their
contrasts, that no connection seems posi-
BILE between them, and yet there is a com
mon ground on which they meet and touch
each other in spite Of all their points OF
disagreement.
This common ground, according to Mr.
Bell, consists is a like infrmity of charac
ter and reveals 1.-THE action of the selfsame
moral law" In either case the burden Of
responsibility seems more than each of
them Fan bear.
Ell and Hamlet both discern what re
quires TO be done, alike are warned by the
voice OF admonition and hear the call Of
duty, but they both break down on the
al Of g. IL, al
rectness and sreadfastness Of will, in
promptitude and vigor of conduct Hence
instead of bringing order out Of disorder
and harmony out Of discord they make
confusion worse COMPOUNDED and become
involved at length in the tolls OF wide
spreading, irremediable disaster" Like
Hamlet, Eli had not perseverance and con
sistency of purpose. He betrayed tenden
cy TO let things drift and 70 "unpack his
heart with words"
The prophet and the prince resent led
one another in being failures as practi-
cal men" They knew well enough what
they ought to have done, but knowledge
with them did not become changed into
moral determination. "They missed their
mark by not doing the right thing at the
right time" From the above it may be
gathered that Hamlet's likeness TO Eli, as
defined by Mr.. Bell, Is relative rather than
positive, parity of weakness, not of
strength; of defects, not Of qualities
Saul and Macbeth certainly appear to re.
semble one another more closely I'm story as
well as in character than Eli and Hamlet
The elected king of Israel and the Scottish
usurper, as young men, were honorable
and valiant, Kindly and generous. They
stood high IN public estimation until they
began "to yield to strange suggestions
to think and act for themselves alone, for
getful of the duties they owed to others,
neglectful of the responsibilities that be
longed TO their personal or official position
There lay the fatal flaw in saul and Mac
beth alike.
"They were tempted TO use their high
office and place, not as means of render
ing large service to others, but for the
ends of self ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and despotic
rule. They seem intended TO suggest. as
existing originally in themselves posi-
bilities and promises of good which never |
got fair chance 60 come TO real frution. |
Saul, as described i'm the Biblical narTa
tive, Macbeth rs dramatizcd by Shake |
speare, alike trausgressed the true law 81 |
IA Il Il. 4 Al