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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1879)
220 1'AltOMiKB AND HOHADIL. VOIi. VIII, valor, would nt onco lend a hearer to nsk for tlio proof ofhls assertions. Wlien sur rounded by friends and those unncqunin ted with his character, then indeed it is easy enough to recount his marvelous deeds in war and conquest, to describe the wonderful skill with which he can wield tho sword, in defence of himself or others. But the Iiollowness of Bobadil's character is best seen by using his own words. Whilst speaking of his daring and skill lie says, "illy enemies have as saulted me somo't three, four, five, six of them together as I have walked along up. on the Exchange at my lodging: when I have driven lliem all along tho street in front of me, pitying to hurt them, and from my leniency sparing them. By my self, I could have slain them all, but I do light not in murder." Then after this wonderful exploit, hear his plan ''to spare the entire lives of the Queen's subjects in general, andjktnroo parts of her yearly charge in holding war against any enemy soever." And what is this wonderful plan ? Ho shall tell us. "I would select nine teen more to myself, throughout tho land, gentlemen they should be of good spirit, strong and able constitution ; I would choose them by an instinct, a character I have: and I would toaoli these nineteen tho special rules, as your punto, your re verso, your staccato, your montanto, till they could all play very nearly or alto gether as well as myself. This done say tho enemy were forty thousand strong, wo twenty would come into "the Held tho tenth of .March or thereabouts; and wo would challenge twenty of the enemy; they could not in their honor refuse us; wollwcwould kill them; challenge twenty more, and kill them; twenty more, kill them, twenty) more, kill them too; and thus would we kill every man his twenty a day, that's twenty score, twenty score, Units two hundred, live days a thousand, forty thousand, forty times five, two hundred days kills them all up by computation. And this, will I venture my poor gentleman carcass to porform, provided there be no treason practiced up on us, by fair and discreet manhood: Hint is civilly by the sword." Hut after this most wonderful plan has been disclosed, and he thus has related bin many excel' lencies as a soldier, ho is unfortunate enough to engage in a quarrel with) Downright, when, like a cringing hound he allows himself to bo soundly belabored. Then, 0 valiant spirit ol Mars, instead of appealing to that noble sword, ho goes to tho Justice for a warrant to arrest the brave citizen, who dared to chastise him as only such persons can bo chastised so punished, perhaps, because a truly noble nature such as Downrighl's, feels that men of Bobadil's typo leave a blot upon tho earth, lint who now shall serve the warrant upon tho offending Downright? Surely a man of such boldness and sol dierly skill as Bobndil would dare toper, form this simple deed I But no, when there is even tho probability of danger, the magistrate's varljt must he called. Then after Downright has quietly sub mitted, comes the crowning conlession of Bobadil's cowardice, "The varlel's a tall man afore heaven!" Hut wo must not neglect tho character of Parollos in our admiration for the lofty strains of Holm, till. This conception of Shakspero's Is butter by far than thatof Jonson's. While Jon. son creates Hobadil as an object of pitia ble contempt, without showing us any tiling of the life of the man, Shakspuro opens to us tho very nature of tho charac ter he portrays. Whilst Parolles may and does impose upon tho Count, yet to the readers and actors of the play, his character is wdl known, by them his na lure understood. Hobadil comes oefore us as one. whom we meet, at one glance read through and lay aside. Paiollcs cannot so soon bo disposed of. He moves in a higher rank as tho Count's attendunt, with his entire contldenae and trust. Even Helena understanding Ids zznrvmnmH