The San Francisco call., 1899-12-21

Sweet are the uses Of adversely" NOR
allies the banished Duke, and external.
material adversely has come 20 him. 10
ROsalind and TO Orlando; but IL fortune
is harsh. nature-bOth external nature and
human character-is sound and sweet, and
Of real suffering there Is none In the play
All that Is evil remains in the society
which the deniZens OF the forest have LETT
behind: and both seriously, In the charac-
playfully. through Touchstone's mockery
OF court fOllies, criticism on what -
evil and artificial in society Is suggested,
in contrast with the woodland life. yet
Shakespeare never falls into the cOnven-
tional pastoral manner Orlando Is an
ideal of youthful strength, beauty and
noble innocence OF heart, ana hosailnd
bright. tender womanhood seems 70 grow
more exquisitely feminine In the male at
tire which she has assumed In selt-de-
fense. Her feelings are almost as quick
and fine as those OF Imogen (sne has not,
like Im6gen. known fear and sorrow. and
she uses her wit and bright play OF intel
lect as protection against her own eager
and vivid emotions. Possessed or de-
lighted consciousness of power 20 confer
happiness. she can daily with DISCUSSES
and-make what Is most serious 10 her az
the same time possess the charm or an
exquisite frOlic.-Edward Dowden.
The Heroine.
But his partial failure with the hero only
brings out the more fully his consum-
mate success with the heroine. she Is
acter and situation cannot be dtslocated.
RosaIind is created for the situation. and
the situation for Rosalind. she Is Wit
and womanliness." as Mr.. Verify says.
'in equal proportions" and IL Is precisely
this combination that makes ROsalind.
Beatrice is as witty, and Imogen more
wOmanly. but nowhere else In the range
of Shakespeare's women are the two quail
tiles so brought together that love stlmu-
lates wit and wit lends itself 10 love. Her
full character and powers are not dis
closed at once: in the earlier scenes her
Tepartees ere not perceptibly above the
level OF Celia or the clown: IL is not till
she IS safe I'm the forest and learns that
Orlando Is near and loves her that fancy
catches fire from feeling and rises In
brilliant cOruscatton. This Is the pecu-
liar quality of her wit II Is neither bods-
ferrous nor personal. She does not speak
pOniards, like Beatrice, but deals in
bright generalites, that give delight and
hurt not" When she wishes 20 wound
IL is not irony that she uses. Her gayCty
is the flower of youth and OF a brave and
high spirit-a part or her Inheritance OF
noble birth which sustains her in adver-
sity and is never forgotten In her mas
querade. Shakespeare has disdained for
her sake the obvious farcical opportunities
which the situation offers and sOmo Of
which ne has worked out IN Twelfth
Night But the charm OF Viola Is OF a
dependent kind. 10 which a little ridiCule
is not fatal. II may be thought that she
keeps Orlando too long In suspense. but 40
must be remembered that till their second
meeting there has been no word Of love
between them. that she has 10 assure her
sell OF MS .eeluRs ana neE own. ana tnfLL
the wOOing IL a real wOOing 10 her-aui.
In short, the situation has charms or lis
own which no witty woman could fore
go.-J. G. Smith.
The two cousins. Rosalind and Celia.
seem at first glance like variations OF tho
two cousins. Beatrice and Hero, in the
play Shakespeare had just finished. Rosa
lind and Beatrice In particular are akin
in their victorious Wit. Yet the differences
between them is very great: Shakespeare
never repeats himself. The wit OF Bea-
trice Is aggressive and challenging.
we see, as II were. the gleam Of n rapier
in t.. Rosalnd's wit Is gayety without a
radiance" which Oehlenschlager attri-
buted to Freia; her sportive nature masks
the depth OF her love. Beatrice can be
brought 10 love because she Is a woman
and stands I'm no respect apart from her
sex. but she IL not OF an amatory nature.
Rosalind Is seized with a passion for Or
lando the instant she sets eyes on him
pearance she Is defiant and combative. In
the highest OF spirits. We are introduced
10 ROSalind as a poor bird with a drOOp-
ing wing. her father IS banished she is
bereft OF her birthright. and Is living on
sunerance as companion TO the usurper's
In the palace where till lately she relgned
as princess. IL Is not until she has dom
ned the doublet and hose, appears in the
likeness of n page and wanders at her
own sweet will In the open air and the
greenwood that she RECEIVERS her radiant
humor. and roguish merriment flows from
her lips like the trilling Of a bird.-Georgs
Brandes.
Note-A paper on the musical structure
OF AS You Like It. by Or. Egan OF the
Catholic University Of America viii be-
presented on Monday next.