The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1901-05-01
SHAKESPEARE
AS A MINER.
Evidence of His Familiarity
with the Industry.

est miner was recently discovered who sol
aced himself with Shakespeare under all
vicissitudes Of fortune, says the American
Mining News. He had the divine vii.
liam at his fingers ends and could quote
him by the yard. Newspapers of the
west wrote him up as a prodigy OF learn.
Ing and philosophy, but several of the
east, where wisdom and wealth run cheek
by joWl, twitted him for neglecting the
pick and drill to prospect In the sterile re.
gions Of blank verse. Shakespeare, said
those wiseacres, never did anything for
legitimate mining, and why in thundera.
ton couldn't horny. handed miners leave
Shakespeare alonef
Now, u those carpers had known a
little more about both ends OF this grand
subject, they would have instinctively
recognized the practical as well as the
ethical side Of the California miners fav.
orite study. Everybody knows that
Shakespeare was a profound lawyer, an
oratorical butcher, a dainty glove maker,
a clever deer stealer, a Sltillful mariner,
an able physician, a soaring astrologist,
a distinguished courier, = temperance ad'
vocate, a roysterer, moun'ebank and high.
Wayman, also a bit OF a poet. !, wUIli
be strange indeed. then; II a man with all
these qualities should lack knowledge OF
mining aud me,allurgy, which, In comb.
nation, as all readers of the American
Mining news are aware, form the only
real wealth hproducing industry of the
world. But he was not wanting In this
regard any mote than IN any other field OF
human endeavor.
We do not claim that Shakespeare was
up TO all the modern tricks OF cyaniding,
chlorination. concentration, ETC., or that
he could distinguish between diamond
drill hole aud three compartment shaft;
but we do assert that William was good
Judge oi ores aud their treatment, and
knew u mine when he saw one. And
there were mines In his day as there are
now IN the advertising columns Of the
Sunday papers Of New York. II you
overhaul your Hamlet you will hnd a
great deal OF mining aud undermining from |
start to finish. some OF II bearing a re.
markable resemblance to the curious oper.
atoms TO the mining promoters and schem.
ers who infest the east today. After the |
Melancholy Dane kills Polonius behind
the auas, that iecherous, ueacherous, re.
Ltnll.ss ,,tlltan IA.
wants to know where his nephew has
gone. The Queen tells him:
"ro draw apart the body that he hath
kill'd;
Der whom his very madness, like some
ore
Among a mineral Of metals base,
Shows itself pure: he weeps for what Is
done"
This Is probably the only straight ref.
erence to q mine perhaps In the whole
range Of the dramas, but It possesses that
one touch ot nature that makes the whole
mining world kin. and shows that vii.
liam was well up In the business, even II
he did not write N. L. after his name.
It Is In the lighter touches, however,
the persiilage OF medieval mineralogy,
Us 1t were, that Shakespeare displays his
insight into the true inwardness Of the In.
ius,ry. No practical miner and few ex.
perieneed promoters, can read the casket
scenes OF the Merchant Of Venice without
feeling mingling ehills Of fear and thrills
,f hope. It appeals with equal force to
he gold disgers Of Alaska. the silver pro.
ineer Of Utah and Colorado. and the lead