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A DRAMATIC CRITIC
rived from a distinguished commentator
— that Hamlet was a Dane, and that
Danes are fair, with the practical conclu-
sion that he played the Prince of Denmark
in a blond wig, seemed to me of no import
either for praise or blame; and as long as
he, or another actor, did not defeat the
Poet in letter or in spirit, I was willing
that he should find, indicate, and manipulate
the pictures-in-little of the elder Ham-
let and Claudius in any way that suited
his taste or convenience.- His conception
of the melancholy prince was a different
matter, and from first to last I held to the
opinion that he did not rightly indicate
the weaknesses of spirit and temperament
with which Shakespeare has chosen to
disable his otherwise noblest ideal, for
the reproof, correction, and instruction in
righteousness of mankind throughout the
ages. The general public did not much
concern itself, of course, with questions
as to the actor's fidelity to the dramatist's
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