with bootless labour swim against the tide, and spend her strength with over-matching waves. W. SHAKESPEARE 867 Cas. URG CASSIUS-BRUTUS RGE me no more, I shall forget myself; Bru. Away, slight man! Cas. Is't possible? Bru. Hear me, for I will speak. Must I give way and room to your rash choler? shall I be frighted, when a madman stares? no Cas. O ye gods! ye gods! must I endure all this? and make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge? Cas. Is it come to this? Bru. You say, you are a better soldier: let it appear so; make your vaunting true, and it shall please me well: for mine own part, 868 Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, for Cassius is a-weary of the world: hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother; Bru. 869 when thou didst hate him worst, thou lov❜dst him better than ever thou lov'dst Cassius. Sheath your dagger: be angry when you will, it shall have scope; do what you will, dishonour shall be humour. O Cassius, you are yokéd with a lamb that carries anger as the flint bears fire; who, much enforcéd, shows a hasty spark, and straight is cold again. W. SHAKESPEARE REPROOF TO A FLATTERING COURTIER AREST thou mention DA affection, or a heart, that ne'er hadst any? dost draw a cloud of words before his eyes, dare go the straightest way which still's the shortest, of him thou flatterest. 870 J. FLETCHER THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF YORK DUKE OF EXETER SUF UFFOLK first died: and York, all haggled over, comes to him, where in gore he lay insteeped, and cries aloud, Tarry, dear cousin Suffolk! Upon these words I came and cheered him up: So did he turn, and over Suffolk's neck He threw his wounded arm and kissed his lips, The pretty and sweet manner of it forced Those waters from me which I would have stopped; And all my mother came into mine eyes, W. SHAKESPEARE 871 KING HENRY V-ARCHBISHOP of CanterburY— K. H. EARL OF WESTMORELAND E must not only arm to invade the French, W but lay down our proportions to defend against the Scots who will make road upon us Cant. They of those marches, gracious sovereign, our island from the pilfering borderers. K. H. We do not mean the coursing snatchers only, hath shook and trembled at the ill neighbourhood. Cant. She hath been then more feared than harmed, my liege. W. But there's a saying very old and true- W. SHAKESPEARE 872 ARCHBISHop of canterbURY AND BISHop of ELY TO KING HENRY V Cant. GRACIOUS Lord, stand for your own: unwind your bloody flag; look back unto your mighty ancestors: go, my dread lord, to your great-grandsire's tomb, O noble English, that could entertain all out of work and cold for action! Ely. Awake remembrance of these valiant dead, and with your puissant arm renew their feats: you are their heir, you sit upon their throne; the blood and courage, that renowned them, runs in your veins: and my thrice-puissant liege is in the very May-morn of his youth, ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises. W. SHAKESPEARE 873 HA DIVERS PROVIDENCES AD we no winter, summer would be thought not half so pleasing: and, if tempests were not, such comforts could not by a calm be brought; for things save by their opposites appear not, both health and wealth is tasteless unto some, and so is ease and every other pleasure; till poor or sick or grievéd they become; and then they relish these in ampler measure. God, therefore, full as kind, as He is wise, and make His chastisements less bitter to us. the flowers and blossoms of our hopes away, which into scarcity our plenty turns, and changeth new-mown grass to parchéd hay; anon His fruitful showers and pleasing dews, commixed with cheerful rays, He sendeth down; and then the barren earth her crop renews, which with rich harvests hills and valleys crown; for as, to relish joys, He sorrow sends, so comfort on temptation still attends. G. WITHER 874 Coun. THE COUNTESS TERTSKY TO HER NIECE THEKLA, THOU HOU seest it with a lovelorn maiden's eyes. Cast thine eye round, bethink thee who thou art. Into no house of joyance hast thou stepped, for no espousals dost thou find the walls deck'd out, no guests the nuptial garland wearing. Here is no splendour but of arms. Or think'st thou that all these thousands are here congregated to lead up the long dances at thy wedding? Thou seest thy father's forehead full of thought, thy mother's eye in tears: upon the balance lies the great destiny of all our house. Leave now the puny wish, the girlish feeling, O thrust it far behind thee! Give thou proof, thou'rt the daughter of the Mighty-his who where he moves creates the wonderful. Not to herself the woman must belong, annexed and bound to alien destinies. But she performs the best part, she the wisest, who can transmute the alien into self; meet and disarm necessity by choice, and what must be, take freely to her heart, and bear and foster it with mother's love. |