New-York tribune., 1908-02-02
( NAD WORLD.
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.

From "Od shrines and Ivy
Whatever eIse may be said as TO the drfrr of
-Antony and Cleopatra this certainly may with
truth be said that to strong natures that sicksn
rnaer the weight OF convention and weary
with looking upon the littleness OF human nature
In its ordinary FORMS IT affords great and splen-
did. howsoover temporary, relief and refreshment
Tho winds of power blow through IL; the strong
meridian sunshine blszes over 10; the trumpet
blares In It's music and its fragrance Is the scent
Of q wilderness OF roses Shakespeares vast I'm
agination here Ioosed upon colossal images
and imperial splendors. The passions that clash
or mingle IN this piece like the ocean sUrges-
fierce glitterng terrible. glorious. The theme Is
the ruin of a demi-god- The adjuncts are empires.
Wealth Of every sort Is poured forth with regal
and nmitless profusion- The language glOvs with
q prodigal emotion and towers to a superb height
OF eloquence. It does net signify. modifying
tho effect OF all this tuuult and glory. that the
stern truth Of mortal evanescenee is suggested all
the way and simply disclosed at last IN a trsgfcaI
wreck of honor. love. and life. While tho pagean,
endures 1T endures I'm diamond Hight. and when IL
fades and crumbles the change is instantaneous 10
darkness and death
". The odds is son.
And there Is nothing left remarkable
Beneath the visiting moon"
There is no need to inquire whether shakesoear,
who closely followed Plutarch. IN telling the
Roman and Egyptian story-has been true IN.
historical fact. His characters declare themselves
with absolute precision and they not 70 ,.
mistaken. Antony and Cleopatra IN middls
life and the only possible or admissible ideaI %
them is that which separates them at once and
forever from the gentle. puny. experimental emo
tions Of youth. and invests them with the 10
veloped powers and fearless and exultant passion.
of men and women to whom the world and Nss
are a fact and not a dream They do not paltsr
For them there is but one hour. which is n.
present. and life. which they VIII entirely
and absolutely fulfil. They have passed out OF ths
mere instructive life OF the senses. into tha, nor.
intense and thrilling life wherein the senses ars
fed and governed by the imagination Shakespeare
has filed this wonderful play with lines that tell
unerrtngIy his grand meaning IN this respect-ines
that to shakespearian scholars. are IN tho alpha
bet Of memory
There's begsary in the love that can Ss r-cs-
oned-"
There's not a minute OF our lives should stretch
Without some pleasure now
Let Rome In Trber melt and the wide a-ch
OF the ranged empire fall Here Is ny spacsF"
20, thou day OF the world.
Chain mine armed neck! Leap thou, attire and all
Through proof OF harness. to my heart ard Tiers
Rtds on the pants triumphant"
Fall not a tear. sayi ons o. them rates
All that Is and lost Give me Kiss.
Even this repays me-"
Hero is no Orsino. signing for the music that
Is the food of love: no Romeo taking the measur.
of unmade grave: no Hamlet lover bidt.ns
his mistress 60 10 q nunnery. You may. inGeei.
IL you possess the subtle, poetic sense. hear.
through this story. the faint. far-o rustic Of
garments OF the coming Nemesis. the lOw moan
OF the funeral music that will sing those imperial
lovers to their rest-for nothing Is Inevitably
doomed than mortal delight IN mortal love. BIZ
In tho mean time 10 n ths present vitality ard
not the moral implication OF the subject that act
must be concerned TO show. and observers 20
recognize and comprehend. upon the stage. tf this
tragedy Is to Be rightly acted and rightly
Antony and Cleopatra are lovers but rot lovers
only. II Is the splendid stature and infinite vart-
ETY. Of character In them that render them puisssat
In fascination Each OF them speaks great
thoughts IN great language Each displays no5,s
imagination. Each becomes majestic n the hour
Of danger and pathetically heroic In the hour of
death The dying speeches OF Antony ars n ths
highest vein that Shakespeare ever reached. ant,
when you consider what IS implied well ss
what Is said. there Is nowhere in him more lotty
line than Cleopatras
Give me my robe. put on my crown; hav.
Immortal iongings II net
Antony al the last Is a ruin. and like a ruiR.-d4-<
weird grim, haggard.-he seems 20 stand beneath
cold and lurtd sunset. wherein the black clouds
gather. while the rising wind blows nns-ciless ard
terrible over intervening waste OF rock and
desert These images indicate the spirit and a.
mosphere OF Shakespeare's conception. " ".