through the revelation of the Seen. And then he finds the strength and sustenance with which Shakspere has enriched the world. "The true question to ask,' says the Librarian of Congress, in a paper read before the Social Science Convention, at New York, October 1869, The true question to ask respecting a book, is, Has it helped any human soul !' This is the hint, statement, not only of the great Literatus, his book, but of every great Artist. It may be that all works of art are to be first tried by their art-qualities, their image-forming talent, and their dramatic, pictorial, plot-constructing, euphonious, and other talents. Then, whenever claiming to be first-class works, they are to be strictly and sternly tried by their foundation in, and radiation, in the highest sense, and always indirectly, of the ethic principles, and eligibility to free, arouse, dilate." What shall be said of Shakspere's radiation through art of the ultimate truths of conscience and of conduct? What shall be said of his power of freeing, arousing, dilating? Something may be gathered out of the foregoing chapters in answer to these questions. But the answers remain insufficient. There is an admirable sentence by Emerson: "A good reader can in a sort nestle into Plato's brain, and think from thence; but not into Shakspere's. We are still out of doors." We are still out of doors; and for the present let us cheerfully remain in the large, good space. Let us not attenuate Shakspere to a theory. He is careful that we shall not thus lose our true reward; "The secrets of * Whitman. Democratic Vistas, p. 67. Nature have not more gift in taciturnity." * Shakspere does not supply us with a doctrine, with an interpretation, with a revelation. What he brings to us, is this-to each one, courage, and energy, and strength, to dedicate himself and his work to that,-whatever it be,—which life has revealed to him as best, and highest, and most real. * Troilus and Cressida, Act iv. Scene 2. INDEX. Alcibiades, practical wisdom of, 390. All's Well that ends Well, date of, Antony and Cleopatra, contrasted As You Like It, characteristics of, Bacon and Shakspere compared, 18. Beauty, feeling for, in last plays, Berowne as exponent of Shakspere's Bolingbroke, causes of success of, Cæsar, character of, 284; weakness Capulet and Montague, strife of, 105. Chasles, M., criticism of Romeo and Farce, unpleasing to Shakspere, 342. | Henry VI., as a prisoner, 179; of, 91. Fleay, Mr., on Witches of Macbeth, Friar Laurence, position of, in play, 120. Furnivall, on Shakspere's part in Gertrude, Queen, emptiness of Goethe, criticism of Hamlet of, 128. Greatness of Shakspere's heroes, 317. Grotesque, perception of, useful, 354. Hamlet, indications of later style in, Hebler, on symmetry of some plays, Helena, Bertram's good, sole aim of, Henry V., conduct in war of, 219; Henry VI., authorship of first part, causes of failure of, 174; timid Henry VIII., authorship of, 413. 22. Horatio and Hamlet, 153. Iago, personification of fraudful evil, Ideal and Real, conflict of, in mind Impartiality of Shakspere, source Incongruity, tragic and comic, 351. Interest of Shakspere in his art Jameson, Mrs., on Cleopatra, 314. Julius Caesar, date of, Preface ; Katharine, love of Henry V. to, 191. King John, fails from weakness of Knowledge of a great mind a great | Prospero, conduct of, to his enemies, Kreyssig, on Shakspere's freedom Laertes, superficiality of, 137. Macbeth, and the Witches, 249; and -411; Shakspere's ideal character, Reconciliation, characteristic of last Reformation in England, charac- Renascence, ethics of, 11; posi- tivism characteristic of, 23. Lady M. contrasted, 251; dis-Richard III., uniqueness of, and re- Maginn, on Theseus, 69. Margaret, Queen, an avenging fury, 191. Marlowe, influence of, on Shak- Mental progress, style a sign of, 61. Middle Ages, ethics and idealism Morality of Shakspere's writings, Morgann M., criticism of Falstaff, Mysteries of Life, Shakspere's treat- Ophelia, compared with Juliet, 139. Othello, forcefulness of, 234; semblance to Marlowe's work, Richard III., cynicism and devilry Roman Plays, measure of greatness Romeo and Juliet, feeling evoked 116: development of character of, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, 149. 141. Ruskin on Iago, 237. Satire, late and early, of Shakspere Periods, four, in art-life of Shak- Second period, characteristics of, spere, 357, 362, 371. Polonius, morality of, 141. Portia and Brutus, noble relations Posthumus, reconciliation of, with Progress of Shakspere, cautious, 53. 368. Shakspere, as a poet of feudalism, 319; caution of, in trying styles, |