Middletown transcript., 1911-09-02
ON READING SHAKESPEARE

The unexplained phenomenon
of the centuries is Shakespeare.
Out of his own marvellous crea.
tive brain, teeming with living
shapes as never any mind before
but his Makers, Shakespeare
has spoken into being whole
world of characters, such exact
and cunning counterparts OF
Gods that amazed at their mum.
ber, their variety and their truth,
one is hardly TO be persuaded that
Diety Himself has not again
touched dead nothingness with
His life.giving fingers.
In the works of Shakespeare
the human intellect touched its
very zenith. Above the loftiest
peaks of mans achievement, his
rises in solitary sublimity, its
dizzy top lost in the mists that
encircle the throne of Intnity.
In a wider and deeper sense than
Homer, Shakespeare belongs to
Humanity; and already far more
than the blind Greek bard, is he
become "human natures daily
food; and with the passing of
the years, yet more and more
will he become, as the English
language, his genius so largely
helped 10 form, expands in its
worldwide conquest. Truly,
next to the works of God in Ma.
ture, his are a wondrous store
house of knowledge and beauty |!
Nor is this a high flown eulogy |
by one who born to that speech,
is therefore partial in his judg-
ment. This artistic supremacy
of the great dramatist,is the con-
census of the learned of every
nation; all languages freely con.
fess his literary kingship. No
praise of him, and hardly any
critical appreciation of his plays,
has equaled that of his French
aAd German critics and admir-
ers.
No single production of the
human mind has been so univer-
sally admired, read, and studied
as the play of Hamlet. The crit
les and esssyists of every nation
having a polite literature, have
expended their learning and their
ingenuity in comment, discus
sion and critique upon this mas
terpiece.
No one has fully realized the
vast capabilities and the mani
fold beauties of the English Ian
guage, till he has read and stud.
led the works of Shakespeare;
and no other work, save the or
acles of God, will give the stud
ent such a mastery of that ton.
que.
What if it be indeed true, as
has been said, that to discern the
beauties of the worlds greatest
poet.dramatist, requires a sixth
sense.
Is it not a privilege, though at
cost of some brain sweat and toll, I
to add such a divine faculty to
the souls repertoire ? Who would
net, like Jacob of old doubly slav-
ing for his beloved Rachael, also
gladly serve long and hard for
such a mistress ? Is Shakespeare
to use his own phrase-''ca-
Ware to the general" ? Theirs is
the fault, not his, for it need not
be so. Few writer's possessing a
tithe of his depth and wisdom,
are so clear, with so simple a die.
tion-often in monosyllables or
but a little more.
Since this is true, is it not the
duty Of everyone who would get
the most out of the nobler part of !
him his intellectual life on
purely selfish grounds to fit him.
self to read and understand this {
author? His is an.
other Aladdin's cave heaped with I
the varied riches of the mind, and !
all may enter and filch away its
inexhaustible stores, only like
Aladdin they must have the open
sesame word that unlocks the
doors of its treasure house.