The Washington herald., 1907-06-02
William shakespeare by Walter
Raleigh.

should have been up to the present, no
biography of William Shakespeare. But
the omission has only just been rectihed
by an admirable essay contributed by |
Walter Raleigh.
This is more than mere biography !
more than a chronicle Of the events of /
Shakespeare's life. which, i'm the main J
are well known. II Is a critical and schol- /
arly estimate of Shakespeare, the man, and /
his work; criticisms Of the plays as sub |
tie and as thoroughgoing as those Of /
Schlagel. and with particular reference
10 the wonderful ShakespcIrean sonuets /
ard what their author meant TO express :
by them
During his life Shakespeare had no great
fame The age on which he lived was
too near him 70 see him truly. and it was
not until the Folio Edition Of his works
was published in 1923 that Shakespeare s /
dramatic writings attracted the attention
Of the EugIisl-speaking world. Then it
was that Ben Jonson invokcs him as The
soul OF the age. the applause. delight,
and wonder of the stage Nine years
later. Milton considers him simply as the
author of a marvellous book But all the
same while the Restoration Theater
was mangling and parodyiug the tragic
masterpieces. love for Shalsespeare's work
was kept alive and a new generation OF
readers sounded 10y its praise the glory
Of the Bard Of Avon Then followed two
centuries of enormous study, editions, an-
notations. treatisos-uu-u coming 20 our
own day We find that Sh8kcspeare's plays
have become the very standard and meas
ure of poetry among English-speaking
peoples
Il is very interesting % follow Mr.. Wal
fer Raleigh in his estimate of Shakes
peares character. Tt was a difficult char
acter 90 understand. it was not could
not have been, all of piece. neat. har-
m0ui0us, and symmetrical His was
master-miud, not easily to Doe compre-
heuded. a man of broad views and cath
Ollie taste Mr.. Raleigh shows that 10
understand Shakespeare property one
must understand thoroughly fhe language
fin which be wrote. and our essayist is .u-
Cliued t0 give Shakespeare high praise
for his handling Uf his native speech.
SAYS he.
The i-gmarir l--mwaria-s a race mot vst wholly
extinct. make rules fr language as Artist De made
rria= t-- Oh. epic poem. and impose their Chill
models ou Submissive afaa.~rr. Much NJ Shakes
Irars Language is language hot from the mind and
only partially hardened into grammar. T. cannot ha
.d-zi save d. those whose ear rf apprehension goes
sI- Har % meet his case ct expression
Later in the essay. Nr. Raleigh points
out that sufficient treatise ON Shakes
peares English is stuI 20 seek but that he
was great inventor of words there is no
doubt. Examinations are fitted as they
come. RUBY" rubbed" and "rubi0us
are aI used adfeetvclv; irregular is va
ried hv 'irrr EuI0us.' temporal nv 'tem-
purary.' distinction" hy distinguish
went." and "cousrirator." by ''conspirer
He strikes ont. at a sudden need words
like "0proselass" and "vHsfidity." up
righteausIE'' and "inaid.h.e. Mr Ra-
leigh points out the brilliant effects he
gained hv the coinage of verbs as in
Cle0Uarras description Of Oetavia-
Your wife O-aria with Der modest eyes.
And still conclusion. zllu acquire Up honor
ps-urir- upon ma.
Perhaps the most interesting chapter in
this essay is that which deals with
Shakespe8ros poetry. Especially interest
ing is the discussion as 20 the "Sgu-
nets lfr Raleigh believes with Prof
D0wdeu that I'm the "Sonuets' Shakes
paare expressed himself. They were pri-
vate documents not intended 10y the poet
for our parusal. but were addressed To
individuals Through them the voice of
the poet is heard I'm many tones now
pleading with his friend. now railing
against the woman that has ousUaTed
him. here a hymn of passionate devo-
ti0u, there strain of yeijed iunueudo-
cIe8r-sigh-rd indecent. cynical The
workings of his mind are laid bare, and
reveal him. IN no surprising light. as sub
jaCt 90 passion removed by rha width ~
the spheres from those prudent and self
contained natures whom he has Sketrhed
with grave irony I'm The niuety-foUrth
sonnet:
Tr-r that have power 10 tur. and win DO none,
That Do u.r DO rHa thing they most dn show,
Who. moving others. ARE themselves as stone.
Tru.9aa rr'f and t7 temptation slow.
They rightly fs inherit h.afus uanas
Nui husband Nature riches from CvrTu-H-
Targ an. rha lords and owners of their faces.
O-Hr= r-- stewards ~ their excellence
The discussion ms to- shakcspcare's he
GInuings on the stage is intensely inter
estiuc and will add greatly Co the uu-
derstaudnE with which one takes up the
serious study of Shakespeare. The growth
t0 the Shakez1cBreFn drama from the
Morris dance and the ancient plays and
pastimes is iutelH-aurly followed. and the
Tauia- of players is fully described
The whole essay is written IN a tone
of rather awesome and fearful admlra-
ton but it suits the subject we'll Mr..
Raleigh is "a man admirably equipped by
fine scholarship for the task he has set
himself here. and ha has acquitted him
self with great credit. He has made q
book that no student Of the greatest
English poet can well 10 without. And
thus Mr Raleigh closes.
Not marble. rrr the ri'1e5 monuments
0i princes =lal oaf're this powerful rhyme
So he had written tn his "Sonnets.' ''
When tire end drew near. his care was
only TO forgive his enemies. and % COM
fort the young, who are awod and dis
Cuietei 10y the show 0f grief in their eld-
ers. Miranda ana Ferdinand watch
Prospero as be struggles in the throes
Of imagination. Then Dc comes 10 himself
and speaks.
Y-u 5r jock. mr. son. I'm q u1Td sort
As E srE were 5i=msved Ea cheerful. sir.
Our raEHl= NOW are ended These rr actors.
As 7 frafHa yol were an spirits and
Sra melted into Dir. into thin cir.
And like che b3--'-=s fabric of this vision.
Tho c'audcut towers the gorgeous Uaacrs,
Tho solemn temples. the great globe ITSELF
Yea all which 81 inherit shall dissolve.
And lss this irzrt-tautial Pageant faded
Leave not q rack behind. are ~Irb stuff
As dreams sra mad, on. and our ht-le life
Is run1TI with d Sleep
IN AN the work Of Shakespeare there is
nothing more like himself than those quiet
words OF parting. BE cheerful. sir. oul
TevaiS EoW are ended
Yet they are not ended, and the gen.
cratious who have come after him. and
have read his book and have loved hin
with an iualterabe personal affection
must each. ms they pass the way that n,
went pay him their tribute Of praise
His living brood have survived him. TO be
the companions and friends Of mon and
vnmnn IS vet nhnrn LIS mnnnmenf /.