The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-10-29

"You must remember" said Mr.. Ros
enberE. that I know Shakespeare tnly
in Schlegel's translation"
"And that have not read line nj
Shakespeare for about tventy-ons
years." added uncle Sam.
Hamlet is his finest play" ven.
tured to observe.
Good; that is what said" quotb
Mr.. Rosenberg triumphantly.
"Well. I don't think So" said uncle
Sam energetically, "and am inclined
to accept Hamlet's definition Of him-
self. that he was a dull. .muddy-mettled
rascal who didn't know his own mind.
or who had very little mind to know.
The whole play is nothing more than
an ingenious sermon against the lazy
habit Of taking an afternoon nap. with
interesting examples Of the evils which
arose out of o particular instance"
You have seen Hamlet per.
formed?" l inquired. astonished at my
uncle's extraordinary opinion.
"Oh, yes, several times; by Irving
in London. Barnay In Berlin and Booth
In New York. And some years ago
/ saw 1t performed by a company OF
strolling players in q mining town In
Colorado. The performance was given
in q barn, and in the interval between
the first and second acts Hamlet and
Ophella danced to q jig-like melody
played on a tin whistle by the King.
while Polonius and the Queen sold
whisky to the audience"
How horrible" / excl =: ID, with
undisguised disgust. 1T Id posi-
lively make me Ill to see :. finest
production Of human genius r. scented
In such q fashion"
do you regard Hamlet as the finest
production Of human genius:' asked
uncle Sam.
Undoubtedly. And fer the second
best production Of human genius !
should turn to another play by the
same hand"
We'll, I'm glad to find you've the
courage of your opinions; sometimes
I've felt disposed to kick you for your
invariable agreement with my re-
marks. Now think 'Timon Of Athens
Shakespeare's greatest play"
".Timon Of Athens! why. 1t is not
much read, and seldom or never per-
formed. Surely you are jesting. un-
Gle. Why do you prefer it,"
Because 1t teaches lesson which
many men spend the greater part OF
their lives In learning, and not few
fall to learn at ALL"
What lesson is that. Mr.. Truman"
inquired Mr.. Dennis O'Ccnnor.
THAT no matter how great have been
the services of a man to his country,
no matter how exceptional and varied
his ability, II he be without money the
world Is either actively against him
or. what Is worse, ignores him utterly.
In .Timon OF Athens Shakespeare
shows that Notwithstanding the multi
pliclty Of creeds professed by men
the world over. money Is the idol wor.
SHIPPED by the vast majority Of man.
kind; and that, too. with devotion
unknown In the tabernacles Of the
hypocrites. Let him who doubts my
assertion study the faces Of the people
In an audience and the traders In a
bourse, and, having compared them,
note which set betrays most earnest.
ness Of purpose"
You observe other things besides
prices current, Mr.. Truman re-
marked Mr.. Rosenberg.
.sToo exclusive devotion to art Is
not conducive to success In II. ! con-
slider all that passes before me-" re-
Joined uncle Sam.
If that Is 50. your protege, Price.
will never become an American" said
Mr.. Austin Gilmer, who had been at
tcntively listening to this conference.
Have you noticed, Trueman. how des-
perately hard that fellows labors to
initiate the accent and expressions Of
New Yorkers?'
"Oh, yes. / have observed him. re-
piled uncle Sam. His efforts to
Americanize himself fail as ridiculous
ly as the efforts Of some Americans
to Anglicize themselves. The trans
formation, II II comes at all, must come
unsought. and is always Of slow
growth"
Il should know Mr.. Price for an
EnglIshman, II met him in the moon,"
remarked Mr.. Mather. LAS for his
efforts to Americanize himself, they
are worth 50 little to him that they
have altogether escaped my notice"
You are as heavy and dull rs your
Puritan ancestor" said Mr.. CLINE" to
Mr.. Mather.