Shakespeare's Plays: A Chapter of Stage History. An Essay on the Shakesperian DramaJ. Wilson, 1875 - 47 pages |
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A. H. PAGET adaptation of Shakespeare afterwards poet-laureate Antony and Cleopatra artist audience Barry Barton Booth beauty Betterton boys Brutus Burbage died CHAPTER OF STAGE character Charles Kean Cibber's version Colley Cibber comedian comedy Coriolanus curtain Cymbeline daring Davenant's debased doubt dramatists Dream Drury Lane Duke's English stage eyes fancy fashion French Garrick grace grand companies Hamlet Henry VIII Ianthe imagination interpolated Irving Kemble King Henry King Lear King Richard KING WILLIAM STREET lady lovers Macbeth Macklin manager mighty nature never old adaptation original Othello pause Pepys performed as written persons Phelps piece poem poet poetic portrait prince produced Quin REC'D LD Richard III Romeo and Juliet scene scenery Shake Shakespeare's plays Shakesperian actor Shakesperian drama Shylock speare spirit STAGE HISTORY story style taste tell theatres in London thing thought tion tragedian Troilus and Cressida voice witches words writes
Popular passages
Page 10 - O, for a muse of fire, that would ascend The brightest heaven of invention ! A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, And monarchs to behold the swelling scene ! Then should the warlike Harry, like himself, Assume the port of Mars ; and, at his heels, Leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword, and fire, Crouch for employment.
Page 22 - Dream, which I had never seen before, nor shall ever again, for it is the most insipid ridiculous play that ever I saw in my life.
Page 10 - On this unworthy scaffold, to bring forth So great an object : Can this cockpit hold The vasty fields of France ? or may we cram Within this wooden O, the very casques, That did affright the air at Agincourt? O, pardon ! since a crooked figure may Attest, in little place, a million ; And let us, ciphers to this great accompt, On your imaginary forces work...
Page 10 - Whose high upreared and abutting fronts The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder: Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts; Into a thousand parts divide one man, And make imaginary puissance; Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them Printing their proud hoofs i...
Page 21 - Macbeth, a pretty good play, but admirably acted." [December 18, 1666]: to the Duke's house, and there saw Macbeth most excellently acted, and a most excellent play for variety. [January 7, 1667]: to the Duke's house, and saw Macbeth, which, though I saw it lately, yet appears a most excellent play in all respects, but especially in divertisement, though it be a deep tragedy; which is a strange perfection in a tragedy, it being most proper here, and suitable.
Page 15 - By-'r Lady, your ladyship is nearer to heaven than when I saw you last, by the altitude of a chopine.
Page 24 - ... or at best can but faintly glimmer through the memory, or imperfect attestation of a few surviving spectators. Could how Betterton spoke be as easily known as what he spoke; then might you see the muse of Shakespeare in her triumph, with all her beauties in their best array, rising into real life, and charming her beholders.
Page 24 - But alas! since all this is so far out of the reach of description, how shall I shew you Betterton? Should I therefore tell you, that all the Othellos, Hamlets, Hotspurs, Mackbeths, and Brutus's whom you may have seen since his time, have fallen far short of him; this still should give you no idea of his particular excellence.
Page 24 - This was the light into which Betterton threw this scene; which he opened with a pause of mute amazement. Then rising slowly, to a solemn, trembling voice, he made the ghost equally terrible to the spectator as to himself...
Page 14 - And let those, that play your clowns, speak no more than is set down for them : for there be of them, that will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh too ; though, in the mean time, some necessary question}: of the play be then to be considered : that's villainous ; and shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it.