The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-05-23

Paper Read Before the ChautauQua Circle
XX yHO has not heard of the emf
A nent playwright and dram
Y Y atist of the English speak
ing world, the author of
Hamlet, Shakespeare; an author who
literally has made the written English
language what it is today, and in whose
mind and soul was reflected the deepest
thoughts, the loftiest ideals, the purest
sentiments, the fairest imaginations,
the beautifully dreamed dreams of his
nation and race? His was indeed the
master mind, who not only put into
existence the almost perfect dreams of
his time, but an author whose works
will live and last as a model as long as
civilized people shall live and study,
write and act, enjoy and reap Great
is indeed the mind that can crystalline
into one mature combination the deep
est thoughts and learning of philosophy,
the grandest and most pious ethics Of
moral and religious force and truth,
and the highest and most refined of
the dramatic art. This, Shakespeare
did. That is the reason why he still
lives among us today, and why he will
live generation after generation, long
after we are gone and our dust scat
tered to the four corners of the world.
II you ever saw and heard acted
"Hamlet," "a Midsummer Nights
Dream" and "The Merchant of Venice"
and even "Cymbeline," presented by
actors and scenic surroundings. re-
sponsive and appreciative music, that
was inspired with Shakespearian inspi-
ration, you will never forget 1t. No,
you never will. Provided, tho,
your soul was cast in the right mold,
that you are minor mind brother OF
the great author. For "only like can
inspire like" What Shakespeare has
Leen and still is to the dramatic art,
especially for the art of literature, for
his people and the world as a whole,
40 one can fully comprehend or appre-
ciate. 1t takes generations and ma
tions, age after age, and people after
people, with their comprehensive and
appreciations and responsiveness to get
q few glimpses of the greatness of this
single English author who, neverthe-
less, in spite of his birth was and is and
always will be cosmopolitan as to his
greatness of mind and the character of
his works.
And who has not heard of Goethe,
the eminent and great author and dram
atist Of the German racer 1t is only
necessary to mention the soul-stirring
drama 'tFaust" to bring a creeping sem
satfon into the minds and hearts of
every man and woman who have had
the enjoyment to see it acted by lead
ing actors upon the stage. But to the
appreciatiVe aud open mind, the author
will present himself in this very work
as demigod among dramatic authors.
He will walk thru the acts and scenes
as giant of mind, of sentiments, of
feelings, of conscience, and of heart.
And what Shakespeare was and is as
an English author and dramatist for
the English nation, so Goethe was and
is and always will be for those greater
and smaller people who have the Ger
man language in common. But also
of Goethe it must be said that his
works are not specific German. As the
man was cosmopolitan, SO his works.
And in them he lives and leads, as he
always will, among the civilized ma
ti0ns of the earth. And to a greater
and lesser degree he has inspired men
of literature and arts all over the face
of the globe, and will continue to do so
among countless generations. In these
he is brother spirit to the illustrious
Shakespeare. If there Is distinction
TO be made between Goethe and Shake
speare it can probably be stated in q
few words, that while Goethe limited
himself to the finer and more delicate
sentiments Of the heart, Shakespeare
covered the whole ground Of the char
acteristics of the human race In history,
art, philosophy, science, sentiments Of
the heart and religion and Of the hu-
man life as whole. -
Ihays deemed II necessaEy, to make