The same fond mother bent at night O'er each fair sleeping brow; The Indian knows his place of rest, The sea, the blue lone sea, hath one- One sleeps where southern vines1 are dressed He wrapped his colours round his breast 5 6 And one-o'er her the myrtle showers Its leaves, by soft winds fanned; And parted thus they rest, who played They that with smiles lit up the hall," And cheered with song the hearth—10 And nought beyond, O Earth! Each folded flower, each child. 2 West, North America. 3 Pearls are obtained from the pearl-oyster, and occasionally from the common oyster and other shell-fish. The pearl-oyster occurs most plentifully in the Indian Ocean. 4 Vines, grape-trees. 5 He wrapped, etc., He died fighting bravely. 6 Spain, a country in the south-west of Europe, once the scene of many battles between the English and French. 7 Faded, died gradually. 8 Italian flowers, flowers of Italy-a country at the south of Europe. 9 Hall, a large room at the entrance of a house or palace. 10 Hearth, fireside. PRINCE ARTHUR.-Shakespeare. Enter2 HUBERT and Two Attendants. Hub. HEAT me these irons hot; and look thou stand3 Within the arrast: when I strike my foot Upon the bosom of the ground, rush forth, 1 Attend. I hope your warrant will bear out the deed. Hub. Uncleanly scruples !7 Fear not you look to't.— [Exeunts Attendants. Young lad, come forth; I have to say with you. Enter ARTHUR. Good morrow, little prince. Arth. Good morrow, 9 Hubert. Hub. Mercy on me! Arth. 1Prince Arthur. This extract is taken from the play of " King John." The scene is founded upon the report that John, fearing a rebellion in favour of his nephew Arthur, gave orders to blind the boy with red-hot irons. Arthur was the son of Geoffrey, the eldest brother of John. 2 Enter, players representing Hubert (warden of the castle in which Arthur was confined) and two attendants, appear upon the stage and repeat the sentences set down. Look thou stand, take care to stand. Arras, tapestry, hangings of wool or silk adorned with needlework, often representing figures of men, animals, etc., and used formerly to cover the walls of elegant apartments. Such hangings placed before a recess would afford means of concealment to the attendant. Warrant, written authority. Bear out the deed, authorise the crime; secure the actors from blame. 7 Uncleanly scruples, foolish, unreasonable doubts. Exeunt, a Latin word meaning go out. 9 Good morrow, good morning. 10 As little prince, I having such claims to be a greater prince, am as little prince as can be. 11 Methinks, it seems to me. Only for wantonness. By my christendom, Is it my fault, that I was Geoffrey's son ? [Aside. You look pale to-day; In sooth, I would you were a little sick; Arth. Hub. And will you? eyes P And I will. Arth. Have you the heart? When your head did but ache, I knit my handkerchief about your brows, Wantonness, sport, diversion. 2Christendom, countries inhabited by Christians; sometimes means Christianity. The expression might be explained as-"By my faith." So, if. 4 Uncle, King John. Prate, prattle. Aside. This speech is spoken so as not to be heard by Arthur. 7Sooth, truth. 8 Would wish. Warrant, maintain. 10 Rheum, moisture. And I did never ask it you again. head; And with my hand, at midnight, held your If Heaven be pleased that you must use me ill, So much as frown on you? Hub. I have sworn to do it; And with hot irons must I burn them out. Arth. Ah, none, but in this iron age, would do it.5 Approaching near these eyes would drink my tears, Even in the matter of mine innocence. Are you more stubborn hard than hammered iron? 1 Anon, now and then. Lack, require, want, wish. 3 Crafty, artful. An. Tooke, in his "Diversions of Purley," says "an" is the original imperative of the verb grant, while "if" is derived from "give." He devotes many pages to the discussion of this almost obsolete conjunction. In old writers it was used frequently to supply the place of if, as, "An it please you." Ah, none, etc. There is not a man (excepting those living in these cruel times) who would do it. His, is the original form of the pronoun its. Until the time of Elizabeth, the word its seems to have been unknown. It is said never to occur in the original text of the Bible, his being used exclusively. "But, only. I would not have believed him. No tongue but Hubert's. Hub. Come forth! [Stamps. Re-enter Attendants with Cords, Irons, etc. Do as I bid you do. Arth. O save me, Hubert, save me! My eyes are out, Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men. Hub. Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here. Arth. Alas, what need you be so boisterous rough? I will not struggle, I will stand stone-still. For Heaven's sake, Hubert, let me not be bound! I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word, Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you, Hub. Go, stand within; let me alone with him. [Exeunt Attendants. Arth. Alas! I then have chid away my friend; Hub. Come, boy, prepare yourself. Arth. Is there no remedy? None, but to lose your eyes. Arth. O Heaven! that there were but a mote in A grain, a dust, a gnat, a wandering hair, Any annoyance in that precious sense,2 yours, Then, feeling what small things are boisterous there, Your vile intent must needs seem horrible. Hub. Is this your promise? Go to; hold your tongue, Arth. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues Must needs want pleading for a pair of eyes: Let me not hold my tongue; let me not, Hubert! 'Angerly, grily. 2Sense, the sense of sight. Boisterous, painful. |