tor, the winged messenger of day struts in more stately guise, as the herald whose "lofty shrill-sounding voice" summons the Light into the lists to dispute with the Black Prince in warlike debate: Again in a mystical sense, the clarion call of chanticleer announces the Light of the world, who brings hope and spiritual strength, turns aside the sword of Satan, and renews confidence of pardon in the sinner: "Gallo canente spes redit, Aegris salus refunditur, They were now near the close of Christmas-tide and the words of Horatio suggested to Marcellus another belief current among Christian folk. "Some say," he affirms, that at Behold! the Herald of the Day- Now wakes the splendors of the dawn. And as he sings, the morning star The clarion call of chanticleer Unto the sick brings health again; The robber's sword is sheathed in fear; And trust returns to fallen man. Vid. "American Eccles. Review', Vol. XV, "Aeterne Rerum Conditor", by H. T. Henry. the season of the Savior's birth," when "the bird of dawning singeth" the changing watches of the night, evil spirits are curtailed in their powers, and may not enter our upper air, nor seek in witches' forms to harm any mortal of the human race. The reason, he assigns, is characteristically Christian: the season is so holy and so full of divine grace. The belief, no doubt, arose from the fact that, when our Savior was born at midnight about the time of the first cock-crow, angels sung the first Christmas carol to the Shepherds on the hills of Bethlehem. As a Christian, Marcellus would naturally be lieve that, when the Heavenly Host descended to sing the birth of the Light of the world, the spirits of evil and of darkness would fly away in terror and dismay. Horatio in reply professes to accept the popular belief with certain limitations. Of him a German critic' writes: "Horatio believes the traditions of Christian superstitions only in part, and according to his tone, not at all." This last thought is unwarranted by the text, as well as by "its tone," which is clearly not Shakespeare's but rather the critic's own. Gervinus, as a Rationalist was necessarily hostile to Christianity, as he knew it in its Protestant form, and rejecting it for Rationalism, he also rejected the real Christianity of the ages, of which he had not even an elementary knowledge. His dogmatic and irreligious tenets had, moreover, so dimmed his mental vision as to make all things Christian appear as a mass of superstition. Hence, unable, in the present instance, to comprehend the Christian sentiments of Horatio and Marcellus, he fails to distinguish between the real and mystical sense, as well as between folk-lore and Christian The holiness of Advent is such as to cause cocks to crow all night long." (Trench's Commentary, p. 47). These words, which are not in accord with the text, clearly arise from a confusion of ideas. Advent like Lent is, not a joyous, but a penitential season in preparation for the great festival of Christmas. It closes when on the eve of Dec. 25th, the holy season, known, as Christmas-tide, begins, and of this season Marcellus speaks. 7 Gervinus: "Shakespeare's Commentaries', p. 562. tradition. The latter is not necessarily one with the former. A popular belief is identified with Christian tradition only when it is a truth which the Church teaches as a matter of Catholic Faith. A man like Horatio was, therefore, free to accept or to reject in part the words of Marcellus without being thereby less of a Christian. : A Rationalist, while grasping the literary sense of the text, is naturally blind to its mystical meaning. To him there is no Savior born; to him angelic hosts bring no heavenly greetings; to him the birth-day of the Lord is neither "hallowed nor full of grace." It is, however, otherwise with Christians to them, because of "good will," angels bring "glad tidings;" to them is born a Savior; to them comes "the Light of the world," who shall shatter by His power divine the Satanic realm of darkness, and restore to all of good will their lost liberty and inheritance. It is then in this mystical sense that the Christian scholar accepts the words of Marcellus. The scene closes as the dawn of day is fast approaching. Horatio exhorts his companions to go with him to "young Hamlet;" it is their duty to inform him of the strange event. His father's ghost, so dumb to them, will surely speak to him. Thus the audience roused to great expectations, is eager for the entrance of the chief character, who alone can unseal the lips of the mysterious visitor. SCENE SECOND A PUBLIC AUDIENCE At the close of the first scene the spectator, left in highly excited mood and aroused to curiosity concerning the secret of the ghostly visitor, is given relief in the second. This not only introduces him to the chief characters, but also prepares him for a perfect understanding of the near preternatural revelations. The King and Queen, enthroned in full state with numerous attendants, hold the first public reception since their recent marriage. Though we are introduced to Claudius, the brother of Hamlet's father, and to the Queen, who a few weeks after her husband's death had married her brother-in-law, we are, like the citizens of Denmark, left in ignorance of Gertrude's guilt, and of the King's crimes of seduction and murder. Foremost among the attendants is Polonius, the old prime-minister of state. In fear of Hamlet's lasting aversion, he had adroitly turned to his own interest the threatened war of Norway by a successful intrigue to set aside the rights of the crown prince in favor of an uncle, whom he deemed more subject to his diplomatic skill. There is also the young courtier, Laertes, a superficial character as opposite to Hamlet, as pole is to pole. Present in public court, but clad in mourning, and holding aloof in sullen silence from the festive throng, is seen for the first time the hero of the tragedy. The spectator is to see his grand character portrayed in the progress of the drama, as in a scroll unrolled before his eyes. At this public reception Claudius bears himself with royal dignity, and in his speech discloses prudence, diplomacy, and consciousness of responsibility. The speech com BRA prises two distinct parts. The first, formal and artificial, is couched in highly colored and affected language, which. clearly reveals the secret strain under which the murderer labors. His studied words and phrases, scarcely conceal his hypocrisy and the emptiness of his assumed grief. His public boast that a month after his dear brother's death, he yet keeps his memory green, is full of irony. He feels that his shameful haste in marrying the wife of his brother, while the whole state wore "one brow of woe," has not met with popular approval, hence, he pleads in excuse that discretion had urged him, notwithstanding his doleful feelings, to take his "sometime sister" for his queen. His hasty wedding, it is true, had given mirth to the funeral and a dirge to the marriage, but with tearful eyes he had entered upon it for the interests of the realm, and was impelled thereto by wise councillors of state, whose words of wisdom and prudence forbade him to resist. He closes the first part of his speech with thanks to all for their favor. The second part presents a remarkable contrast both in language and in tone. Now free from restraint, he discourses on affairs of state naturally and with ease, and in a dignified, yet straightforward manner. The topic is his present relation with the Norwegian king. Young Fortinbras, supposing that the elder Hamlet's death had left Denmark in a disordered state, considered the moment opportune for demanding the restoration of the territory lost to his father. For the enforcement of the claim he was actually gathering an army of invasion. In consequence, Claudius informs the court that he is presently despatching two ambassadors to Norway to protest to the old king against the warlike preparation of his nephew. On the departure of the embassy, the King graciously turns his attention to Laertes. His father as a willing tool |