The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-09

| Of benefit 10 the
scores Of young la
dies and gentlemen
rpE.r.E pr4ppr who were fortunate
| enough TO hear one
of the greatest opponents Of Shake
spearean characters and one of the most
| profound Shakespearean students this
country has ever produced.
IL is known fact that but few actors
of recognized ability possess the power OF
so disassoc.aiing themselves from their
work upon the stage as 10 be able TO un-
dersiandingIy discuss the authors and
| the characters of notable plays upon lines
other than their individual conception Of
the play or parts suggest Warde has this
rare ability. On the lyceum platform
he uses but so much OF his stage work as
is necessary 10 illustrate point or ex-
plain II situation. ard hence treats OF the
greatest dramatic poet the world has ever
known from the students point of view.
depending not so much upon his eiocut.on
or trick of manner or gesture to impress
the listener. az upon the lines themselves,
in showing their hidden beauty. their
wealth of thought and philosophy. their
depth OF passion or pathos. and over and
above all, their fidelity 10 human nature
and their truth
4 Lifetime Devoted to study.
In introducing his lecture Mr.. .Warde
saia his object was to interest the
pupils of the high school In Shakespeare.
To encourage them TO read and study it
and To give them the benefit of his ex-
pcriegce or a lifetime devoted to the
study and portrayal Of Shakespeare's
characters. IL was a matter Of regret.
he said. that 50 little was really known
OF Shakcapeare's life. The knowledge
might almost be- summed up In saying he
was born, he lived, he wrote he died. To
:. fe Ia 80 a * ba
amount Of misconception and conjecture
that surrounds the life and works OF the
poet. What is known of Shakespeare the
speaker then briefly rec.ted He told of
his parentage. hts father being a man of
some distinction. and traced the authors
youth and early trials ending in his hav-
ing To flee from his native town. Stratford-
or-Ayon. because he had satIrzed the
lord of the manor of that place. who had
punished him for deer stealing. Before
this Shakespeare had committed wha,
was. perhaps. the greatest sndiscretion of
his i,fe He had at the age OF Is married
woman eight years older than himself
when in no position 10 undertake the cares
OF a family.
Net that i object 10 marriage" said
MIR. Warde. ''on the contrary. | think
i every mans duty TO marry when he
reaches the years Of discretIon-lf he ever
does-i,ut | do hold that such a mar
rage as that of Sfakesreares was most
indiscreet."
How the poet first began to- write plays.
his career as an actor and his later life.
or much Of It as is known. were briefly
reviewed. Shakespeare died on the ami
yersary Of h.s birth. April % 1916 At The
age of - years and the speaker wen; on
80 show. by quotation from Julius
Caesar how he had propheticaiiy L.
seribed just such death as MS own
proved 10 bo. rec!ting the speech OF Gas
slus when dying beginning This day |
hreathei FIRST the breath Of llfe." etc
All through his lecture Mr.. Warde Hits
;rated his points with quotations which
we're all the more enjoyed from the I'm
ished manner OF their delivery.
an Absurd Charge.
The speaker then took up the charge that
has hcen made. that Shakespeare never
wrote the plays and sonnets that hear
his name, but that they were the children
az the hra,n and tho product ~ the pen
Of Lord Bacon. The absurd theory start
al with cordelia Bacen. a woman who
lived IN st. Louis and claimed TO BE- a
descendant Of Lord Bacon and who d.esi
in au asylum for the insane tFnfortuu-
asely the vagar'es az a crazy woman had
found supporters ard her absurd thc1fv
disciples or These bot enc was worthy
81 serious consideration. Fmm@lv Ignatias
ncHnsIlv. of Minnesota. the author - a
rryptosram which had proven to It's writ
er'x satisfaction only that Lord Bacon
wrote Shakespeare plays. Such attacks
rs that az Dr. Owens of Detroit. were
isnEhe9 at As VERSE than absurd
After all Try years - sspdy of his
works. after realizing she world uf pas
sion me Il gAts % fancy. the exquisite
wit az his poems and plays, after realz-
ing fn8t there IS rot Single chord -
human emotion that his fingers have rot
touch 3. I would as soGn doubt The asl-
theu;scitv - the Lords prayer nat
learned 90 Hsp NJ my mothers knee as "a
aessat THAT William Shakcsresre wrote ne
works that bear bis name" xad Nr
Warse.
'"rhe works Of Shakesuea-e." ha con-il-
ge} are fhe greatest Incentive ~ sfufy
the greatest help Sc education ;he sttl!rut
can Esd. IN fat. they arr n t1efnsalves
"a liberal education" anl then =, went ~
10 shaw haW from ssGav - Julius
Caesar gtoTe - Roman history caalE 80
learned ,ean frptu the average text sSs1sk
pne fsct concerning Shakesp,are, he want
esl - impress upoD the students ans TIA.
VAS 1aai ~ wa- ALWAYS an ardent APOSTLE
~ Christi nitv. Nof r character is ali rs
pays essli - found 10 matter hoa ii
cieW>, tbs; 3}d no; a kaos3st5xe God a. re
s'srrs Fse Taler ~ ;hs universe. Thare sss
5ee rr5r-lple ~ trssasi Christianity v1n-
nsug through MS works. F.veryaaers, r.
acknowledged tne fFescy ~ rsravs- sr.s
rTsys~ after gsrayet fraTr cardinals. ksr-s
and srl3iers. from rVntila ard Iew. were
quoted IA proet
pom't lie sfrisd of aa~sp~are
Vet on'y waz Sssksssrare a rsaar ~
pslTe &a8 sweet rel3xzoa hzt re- ever
fscakn ssS., ress w34sae gcstTay}ar sir ana
xscr 81 .ss&sr svsost ha}e.sfss rYsesys 8aa -
ga