Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-05-21

force as the man Shakespeare, and the
proofs around us of his birth and death
in this town, and his burial within
these walls, whose inscriptions we read
to-day. The art of printing was
scarcely century old when he was
born, and books were rare, costly, and
not easily accessible to mon of narrow
fortune. 1t is an easy matter to prove
the dates of the slow emission Of booka,
but their possession By Shakespeare is
only to DO inferred from his writings.
and the fact remains that his actual
ownership was of two volumes, one OF
which contains his initials and one his
Photographic signature, and that beyond
these signatures and tho one appended
to his last will no other pen stroke by
the leading man of letters in the liter
allure of our language has been pre-
served, solely excepting the three mono.
syllable words interlined by him in his
last will. relate these bare facts, be-
cause they increase tho awe and won
der which must be felt in their CON
temptation and the impressive illustra-
ton they convey of the infinite and
marvellous power Of Divinity in tho
bestowal of an understanding and
mind upon a man who became an in
terpreter of the human heart-its hopes,
fears, passions and capabilities, teach
ing, as no other uninspired man has
taught, what piece of work is man
How noble in reason How infinite in
faculty! In form and moving how ex-
press and admirable! In action how
like an angel! In apprehension how
like god The beauty of the world !!
The paragon of animals. - Ii the capa-
bilities of individual free will, of the
dignity of each true and FREQ soul were
ever proclaimed trumpet tongued to
mankind, surely they were in the per.
sonaity of Shakespeare, the man. No
eured darling he of luxury and for
tune, no petted pupil and wonder of
the schools, no heir to the purple of
power, no cynosure of fashionable adj
miration, or laurelled victor in tho
arena of social contest. He twas not
for a day but for all time, nor was he
for one rank or class of men alone, nor
indeed for the country alone on whose
soil he was born, whose language was
his mother tongue, whose hills and
valleys. forests, streams, green fields,
and wet, bird haunted lawns" he so
dearly loved, and by whose close touch
he was led into the inner sanctuary Of
Nature herself; he was meant for hu,
manity. Undermined by seas. unpirt by
mountain ranges. answered by diver
stiles Of race, letters and language; the
touch of nature lie impaired "makes
the whole world kin. 2 Herein is
outlined the purpose and meaning Of
Shakespeare, Incorporating tho great
truth that intellectual gifts are not
bestowed or controlled by human stat.
utes nor the arrangement of human
law, that the inequalities created by
unjust laws and unequailed privileges
are against nature and therefore, I'M.
wise, injurious and commonly futile.
Ills instructions ever generous and
magnanimOus are in favor of considera-
tion for the week and resistance to
oppression, of the golden rule which
should ever accompany the execution
OF the great trust Of public powers.
This was his measure of human worth
and greatness, and the light of his
Illustrations was light from heaven,
In the progress of discovery the press
was born, and grew into use.
Then dead souls woke, the thoughts Of men,
nose bones were dust revived again;
The clOisters silence found tOna he:
Old prophets spoke, old poets sung
And the mind Of Shakespeare was
enabled to meet kindred minds of arcs
long past. The era of religious refOrma
tion and liberty onened the portals of
free reading, and liberated truths that
never again could be imprisoned or
obscured. Self education, the best
elucation, became possible to this un.
aided Warwickshire youth, and it is
easy to trace the sources of his learn
ing in the histories Of Plutarch and in
the chronicles and annals Of his own
time and country, and with such ma
terlals no constructed a porch Of his
own In the temple of literature, and
gavc to mankind those wonderful
dramas ID which tho wide range of
human life III action. in whose pro-
gros9ive scenes were depicted every
phase Of human emotion, aud the vary
ing changes Of the hopes and fears,
passions and mysteries rrimpa and
virtues, weakness and power wisdom
and folly, woven together in Il web of
contrasting yet inseparuble colurs, and
above all arises tho sweet sad music of
humanity,
From whose pathetic soul-fei springs.
Sgcni surgins the NirgilmI cry,
Inc sense Of tears in mortal things.
Here We feel and perceive tic singu.
lar eminGncC uf the man. Size beaIitv
and beneliepnre Of the gifts with which
he was endowed, and how as a beacon
on the crassuf life, how as harbinrnr
Of hope, how ag exhibiting the l4ph
CAPACITIES OF human nature. he IA A
blessing and announcement ia an. Ia
the man upon whom rests the weirht
OF public or private cares, to the wetrv
and discpnsolate, to tho poor with HIS
hopes, and TO the rich with his fears
to the young whose visions glow in
rosy anu golden light; to the old before
whom graYer hues present themselves
TO each and 10 all the genius Of
Shakespeare IN a benediction an ever
flowing fountainof rcfre5hment, comfort
and tlclnctgton. All will remember
how the hand of the dying poet of aul
own day was stretched out in the dark
when BIO heard that
One clear call
and as Tennyson was crossing tie ban
to meet mis- Pilot face TO face, .
he held in his hand the book Of Shake.
apeare AMI died with his iinger uuot
the dirse in "tymbeline. y ii tho OK
cellont Introductory address by tic
| Vicar it was made known to us tina
this window is tile contribution o
Americans. The reflection is timnly
far it contains recognition tha
shakespeare is a common bond Of feel
ing AM! sympathy and admiration be
tween the two great familiea of the
l4n@!iah spoaking people. Those wht
taye made thoir homes In lands beyont
tae sea have chosen for themselves !
different framework of society, huyin.
eXcnan ed a monarchy for i republic
but laws and guYernmants ara aal
j MeAns % an end. ID civil Aul rnlinLnn.