Bolingbroke. Why, Bishop, is Norfolk dead?
Carlisle. As sure as I live, my lord.

Boling. Sweet peace conduct his sweet soul to the bosom
Of good old Abraham !

King Richard II., Act iv. Sc. 1.

K. Rich. The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham's bosom.

K. Richard III., Act iv. Sc. 4.

See also K. Henry V., Act ii. Sc. 3, 'Arthur's bosom,' put into the mouth of Mrs. Quickly.

On the other hand, the torment of bad men after death, as represented in the case of the rich man in the same parable, is twice alluded to in King Henry IV., viz., in 1st Part, Act iii. Sc. 3; 2nd Part, Acti. Sc. 2; and on both occasions the allusion is put into the mouth of Falstaff, who handles it, as might be expected, with such characteristic levity, that in these instances I cannot complain of Mr. Bowdler for omitting it, as he has done. There is also made by Falstaff a reference to Lazarus in that play, 1st Part, Act iv. Sc. 2, which is partly dealt with by Mr. Bowdler in the same way. This likewise may be justified. On the other hand, two other passages of a similar character, and bearing upon the same point, are not to be found in the Family Shakspeare,' the omission of which is, I think, to be regretted. One is the speech of the Clown in All's Well, etc., Act iv. Sc. 5

I am for the house with the narrow gate, which I take to be too little for pomp to enter; some that humble themselves may; but the many will be too chill and tender; and they'll be for the flowery way, that leads to the broad gate, and the great fire.

The other is spoken by the porter at Macbeth's castle :

I had thought to have let in some of all professions that go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire.

Macbeth, Act ii. Sc. 3.

Warburton characterizes the former passage as 'impious trash.' Steevens condemns both as 'impious stuff.' For my own part, as I do not doubt they were written with earnestness, and with a wonderful knowledge of human nature-the latter passage, especially, as put into the mouth of a drunken man— so I believe they may be read with edification.

With regard to the condition and circumstances of the departed in the intermediate state, we have no Scriptural authority for concluding that they are not conscious of what is passing here. Our poet therefore has not exceeded the bounds which the Anglican Church allows to the pious opinions of her members, when, at the conclusion of King Henry VIII., he makes the King to say, on the occasion of the christening of his infant daughter-afterwards Queen Elizabeth:

When I am in heaven, I shall desire

To see what this child does, and praise my Maker.

Act v. Sc. 4.

Still less can we object to that which is put into the mouth of the Lady Constance, in King John,* to

This play was written, according to Mr. Malone, in 1596-the year in which Shakspeare lost his only son, Hamnet (see above, p. 199); or, according to Mr. Chalmers, in 1598. I have supposed that Shakspeare

the effect that the recognition of those whom we have known and loved in this world will be among the causes of our happiness in the world to come. Addressing Pandulph, the Pope's legate, she says:

Father cardinal, I have heard you say

That we shall see and know our friends in heaven;
If that be true, I shall see my boy again.

Act iii. Sc. 4.

Most strange, indeed, would it be, if we Christians might not entertain the hope which was the earnest expectation, the comfort, and the joy of the great and good among the heathen! 'Equidem,' says Cato to Scipio and Lælius, in the De Senectute of Cicero, 'Equidem efferor studio patres vestros, quos colui et dilexi, videndi,' i.e., after death. And he proceeds in this noble strain: 'O! præclarum diem, quùm ad illum divinum animorum concilium cœtumque proficiscar, quùmque ex hac turbâ et colluvione discedam!' And then, like Constance, he thinks of seeing again the son whom he had lost. Proficiscar enim non ad eos solum viros, de quibus ante dixi, verum etiam ad Catonem meum; whom he goes on to praise, as she had praised Arthur. So much is there of the same truth and nature where great minds, no matter how different their respective circumstances, are led to speak upon the same subjects!

was mindful of his own loss in putting the language quoted above, and other lines of the same play, into the mouth of Constance. See below, Sermon preached at Stratford, p. 397.

Nor is it on one occasion only that Shakspeare introduces that sentiment, so full, not only of affection, but of faith and hope. When Le Beau, in As you like it, recommends Orlando to withdraw from the court of the usurping Duke, he thus bids him farewell:

Sir, fare ye well;

Hereafter, in a better world than this,

I shall desire more love and knowledge of you.

Act i. Sc. 2.

So again in King Richard III., when Lord Rivers is being led to execution, he thus addresses Lord Richard Gray and Sir Thomas Vaughan, who were to suffer with him :

Come, Gray; come, Vaughan; let us all embrace-
Farewell, until we meet again in heaven.

Act iii. Sc. 3.

Notwithstanding the natural intensity of his own feelings, and the depth of affection for which we must give him credit, our poet does not fail to uphold the moderation which the Bible prescribes, in mourning for our departed friends. While of all such sorrow he teaches us not to be insensible, or to allow ourselves to forget the objects of it —

I must feel it as a man;

I cannot but remember such things were,

That were most precious to me;

Macbeth, Act iv. Sc. 3.

he would also warn us against excessive grief :

Some grief shows much of love,

But much of grief shows still some want of wit.

Romeo and Juliet, Act iii. Sc. 4.

Compare Ecclesiasticus xxii. 11, xxxviii. 17, 18.

But we pass on to still more solemn truths, fully certified to the Christian only, through the Revelation he has received. We know that after the intermediate state, and before the final and complete reward of God's true servants, will come the Judgment; and we also know that that judgment will differ from the trials which take place in this world, in two respects: Ist. It will be incorruptibly and infallibly just; and 2nd. The accused will be made to give evidence against themselves:

In the corrupted currents of this world,
Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice;
But 'tis not so above.

There is no shuffling: there the action lies
In his * true nature; and we ourselves compelled,
Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults,
To give in evidence.

Hamlet, Act iii. Sc. 3.

It is not a little remarkable that Shakspeare should have seized upon this latter point. He is supported in the view he takes by Bishop Pearson.† That great divine, expounding the seventh article of the Creed, thus writes, in an argument upon conscience :

It followeth that this conscience is not so much a judge as a

* See above, p. 16.

+ Born, 1612; died, 1636.