There have been other great actors and actresses, all of whom (if English) have been famous in Shaksperean roles--Adelaide Neilson, Charlotte Cushman, and the American Edwin Forrest--and even many foreigners have tried Shakspere. Salvini was the greatest of Othellos, and Adelaide Ristori was famous as Lady Macbeth. Even Bernhardt has taken the part of Hamlet. In our own time Henry Irving and Ellen Terry have been the best known performers of Shakspere’s characters; but it would seem that all talented actors and actresses sooner or later test their greatness by attempting these roles. The true way to study Shakspere is by becoming fond of his characters; and this can be done most successfully only by seeing them on the stage. But we can learn to picture in our minds the parts they played in the great human drama, fashioning from imagination the scenes and personalities. Children should be introduced to Shakspere in the delightful “Tales from Shakspere” by Charles and Mary Lamb. The first thing is to get the stories and the great characters, and the poetic antique language of Shakspere himself may make this a little difficult at first. Then we may read such a book as Mrs. Jameson’s “Heroines of Shakspere,” in which we find the women of Shakspere’s plays described in simple modern language. Then let us read the plays themselves, without thought of notes or comments, for the mere human interest of the story and the characters. Probably the best play to begin with is the Merchant of Venice. Read it rapidly, passing lightly over the more commonplace portions. First you will come to the scene at Portia’s house, when the wooers are opening the caskets in the hope that they may be lucky enough to win the wealthy lady. But Portia really loves Bassanio and wants him to choose aright, as he does, and she is charmingly happy because he is successful. But the great scene of the play is in the fourth act, when Shylock brings Antonio before the court, demanding his pound of flesh. Portia, disguised as a lawyer, appears to save his life. How graciously she does it! How much a man and woman too she is! How beautiful her speech about mercy, “dropping as the rain from heaven”! Once having read the play through like this, for the story and the characters, lay it aside and at some future time read it again more thoroughly, stopping to enjoy Launcelot Gobbo, the clown, and the talkative Gratiano. So with each rereading the interest in the play will grow, till you have become very fond not only of Portia and her friends, but of Shakspere, too. Next to the Merchant of Venice the most popular of Shakspere’s plays is Romeo and Juliet. In this the balcony scene is the most famous, in which Romeo comes to woo Juliet; but among the characters the most interesting will perhaps be Mercutio, Romeo’s talkative and jolly friend, and Juliet’s queer old nurse.