The American Spectator

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Too Big For His Breaches

4.22.02 @ 12:01AM

BARD MESSAGES
Re: Francis X. Rocca's Where Did That Come From?

My personal favorite misuse of a quote from Shakespeare is the observation in Hamlet that firing the cannons after the King drains his goblet is "a custom more honored in the breach than the observance." I have often heard it used to refer to a custom that is infrequently or carelessly observed; in fact, it means that it would be more honorable not to observe the custom, indicating that it is a shameful practice.
-- Tom Boudreau

Francis X. Rocca writes: "Neither a borrower nor a lender be? Your dad probably told you the same; and, like the rest of Polonius's speech, it's not bad advice as far as it goes."

"So what then does it mean that Shakespeare puts those words in the mouth of a pompous old fool...."

In this case, Shakespeare borrowed it from Elizabeth I's counselor, Lord Burleigh (Wm. Cecil). One of his "ten precepts" being:

"5. Beware of suretyship for thy best friends. He that payeth another man's debts seeketh his own decay. But if thou canst not otherwise choose, rather lend thy money thyself upon good bonds, although thou borrow it. So shalt thou secure thyself, and pleasure thy friend. Neither borrow of a neighbour or of a friend, but of a stranger, whose paying for it thou shalt hear no more of it."
-- Patrick R. Sullivan
Kent, WA

I couldn't agree more. Another catastrophic misuse of Shakespeare is from Twelfth Night, where the note that lures the pompous Malvolio on to destruction reads, "Some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." I always cringe when anybody quotes those lines as if they were sincere. Thanks for a great column!
-- David N. Taylor

One might also include the oft-(mis)quoted "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers" as a passage interpreted wrongly when "quoted out of context." The line from Henry VI is spoken by one of several ignorant rebels, who are trying to figure out how to "take over" and believe that by killing all the lawyers they will be able to subvert the rule of law and replace it with their own subjective version. Note the next line -- "And we will make it a felony to drink small beer." It does provide a whole new meaning, doesn't it? By the way, I am a lawyer, but I sometimes believe that the more common understanding of the quote might not be a terrible idea!
-- Warren Mowry

TOMMY THOMPSON FLAMES OUT
Re: The Prowler's On Wisconsin: Tommy Talk:

Thompson left McCallum with a huge "systemic" budget deficit, made only FAR worse by the recession. Current total is around $1.3 billion. Thompson cannot negotiate the shark-filled waters of Washington, D.C. because he killed too many of his braincells while he was getting fat and lazy with 16 years of being elected again and again and again...

As far as conservatives are concerned, Tommy's return will be a sign
that Bush is declaring war on Wisconsin. Not a good thing for Bush, nor Wisconsin.

Keep Tommy in Washington, PLEASE.
-- L.A. Stich
Suburban Milwaukee

SPUD MISSIVES
Re: Dave Shiflett's Tater Trauma:

I share Dave Shiflett's love of the spud launcher. Here's
some instructions for scoff-laws in East Grand Rapids:
http://www.spudlauncher.com/pneumatics.htm
-- Rodger Schultz
http://rschultz.blogspot.com

I just read Dave Shiflett's column. I couldn't agree with him more.

Letter to the Editor

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