I must up-fill this osier cage of ours, none but for some, and yet all different. 516 O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies 517 in herbs, plants, stones, and their true qualities: poison hath residence, and medicine power: for this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part; in man as well as herbs,-grace, and rude will, full soon the canker death eats up that plant. W. SHAKESPEARE THESEUS GOING A HUNTING ND since we have the vaward of the day, AND my love shall hear the musick of my hounds: uncouple in the western valley; let them go:dispatch, I say, and find the forester. We will, fair queen, up to the mountain's top, of hounds and echo in conjunction. My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind, was never holla'd to, nor cheer'd with horn, in Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly. W. SHAKESPEARE 518 I ANTONY OVER THE BODY OF CESSAR COME not, friends, to steal away your hearts; but, as you know me all, a plain blunt man, I tell you that, which you yourselves do know; and bid them speak for me: But were I Brutus, W. SHAKESPEARE 519 THEN he grew proud, yet gentle in his pride, and full of tears, which well became his youth, as showers do spring. For he was quickly moved, and joy'd to hear sad stories that we told of what we saw on earth, of death and woe, no pain, no growing old, no death at all: and that the pretty damsels, whom we said he must not love, for they would die and leave him, should evermore be young and beautiful; or, if they must go, they should come again, 520 LEONATO LAMENTING HIS DAUGHTER HERO'S D% SHAME not live, Hero; do not ope thine eyes; for did I think thou wouldst not quickly die, thought I thy spirits were stronger than thy shames, myself would, on the rearward of reproaches, strike at thy life. Grieved I, I had but one? O, one too much by thee! Why had I one? W. SHAKESPEARE 521 THE APPROACH OF MACBETH'S FATE MACBETH-SEYTON WHAT is that noise? M. W S. It is the cry of women, my good lord. M. I have almost forgot the taste of fears: S. the time has been, my senses would have cool'd Iwould at a dismal treatise rouse and stir as life were in 't: I have supp'd full with horrors; direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts, cannot once start me.-Wherefore was that cry? The Queen, my lord, is dead. M. Life's but a walking shadow; a poor player, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, 522 A GRIM old king, W. SHAKESPEARE whose blood leapt madly when the trumpets brayed to joyous battle 'mid a storm of steeds, won a rich kingdom on a battle-day; but in the sunset he was ebbing fast, ringed by his weeping lords. His left hand held the warrior with a stab let out his soul, which fled and shrieked through all the other world, 'Ye dead! my master comes!' And there was pause till the great shade should enter. A. SMITH 523 Cal. CALANTHA, DAUGHTER TO THE KING OF LACONIA, PLACING A CHAPLET UPON ITHOCLES HRISTALLA, Philema, the chaplet-Ithocles, CHRISTALLA, and chosen fortune of an high attempt, is borne to past the view of common sight, that I myself, with mine own hands, have wrought to crown thy temples, this provincial garland; accept, wear, and enjoy it as our gift deserved, not purchased. Ith. Let me blush, acknowledging how poorly I have served, what nothings I have done, compared with the honours heaped on the issue of a willing mind; in that lay mine ability, that only: is pleased to style victorious, there, to such, voicing the leader-on a demigod; whenas, indeed, each common soldier's blood drops down as current coin in that hard purchase, as his, whose much more delicate condition hath sucked the milk of ease: judgment commands, but resolution executes. I use not, before this royal presence, these fit slights, as in contempt of such as can direct; my speech hath other end; not to attribute all praise to one man's fortune; for, in a word, all there did strive their best, and 'twas our duty. J. FORD 525 Ca. N WOT kill her? Rack me, ye powers above, with all your choicest torments, if I not practise cruelty upon her, and wreak revenge some way yet never known. Mo. That task myself have finished, I shall die 526 before we part: I have drank a healing draught when I am dead, as presently I shall be, of a poor wretch once honoured with thy love. DESCRIPTION OF PARADISE HUS was this place THU a happy rural seat of various view; groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm; of some irriguous valley spread her store, J. MILTON 527 The eldest of our valiant father's hopes, so sadly orphaned, side by side we stood, |