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infusing him with self and vain conceit,-
as if this flesh, which walls about our life,
were brass impregnable; and humour'd thus,
comes at the last, and with a little pin

bores through his castle wall, and-farewell king!
cover your heads, and mock not flesh and blood
with solemn reverence; throw away respect,
tradition, form, and ceremonious duty;

for you have but mistook me all this while :
I live with bread like you, feel want, taste grief,
need friends:-subjected thus,

how can you say to me, I am a king?

W. SHAKESPEARE

1016

Bell.

BELLARIO-PHILASTER

IR, if I have made

Sa fault of ignorance, instruct my youth;

I shall be willing, if not apt, to learn; age and experience will adorn my mind with larger knowledge; and if I have done a wilful fault, think me not past all hope for once. What master holds so strict a hand over his boy, that he will part with him without one warning? Let me be corrected to break my stubbornness, if it be so, rather than turn me off; and I shall mend. Phil. Thy love doth plead so prettily to stay,

Bel.

that, trust me, I could weep to part with thee.
Alas, I do not turn thee off! thou know'st
it is my business that doth call thee hence;
and when thou art with her, thou dwell'st with me.
Think so, and 'tis so: and when time is full,
that thou hast well discharg'd this heavy trust,
laid on so weak a one, I will again

with joy receive thee; as I live, I will!

nay, weep not, gentle boy. 'Tis more than time thou did'st attend the princess.

I am gone. But since I am to part with you, my lord, and none knows whether I shall live to do more service for you, take this little prayer: heaven bless your loves, your fights, all your designs!

may sick men, if they have your wish, be well; and Heaven hate those you curse, though I be one! Phil. The love of boys unto their lords is strange;

I have read wonders of it: yet this boy
for my sake (if a man may judge by looks
and speech) would out-do story. I may see
a day to pay him for his loyalty.

BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER

1017 OSMYN on recoverinG HIS WIFE ALMERIA

Osm.

Y life, my health, my liberty, my all,

MY

how shall I welcome thee to this sad place? how speak to thee the words of joy and transport? how run into thy arms, withheld by fetters;

or take thee into mine, while I'm thus manacled and pinioned like a thief or murderer?

Shall I not hurt or bruise thy tender body, and stain thy bosom with the rust of these rude irons? Must I meet thee thus, Almeria ? Alm. Thus, thus; we parted, thus to meet again.

Thou told'st me thou would'st think how we might

meet

to part no more. Now we will part no more, for these thy chains, or death, shall join us ever. Osm. Hard means to ratify that word!-O cruelty! that ever I should think beholding thee

Alm.

a torture!—yet, such is the bleeding anguish
of my heart, to see thy sufferings.-O heav'n!
that I could almost turn my eyes away,
or wish thee from my sight.

O say not so;
tho' 'tis because thou lov'st me. Do not say,
on any terms, that thou dost wish me from thee.
No, no, 'tis better thus, that we together
feed on each other's heart, devour our woes

with mutual appetite; and mingling in

one cup the common stream of both our eyes,

drink bitter draughts, with never-slacking thirst.
Thus better, than for any cause to part.
What dost thou think? look not so tenderly
upon me-speak, and take me in thy arms—

thou canst not! thy poor arms are bound, and strive

in vain with the remorseless chains, which gnaw
and eat into thy flesh, festering thy limbs
with rankling rust.

W. CONGREVE

1018

Mess.

MESSENGER-MANOA

OH, whither shall I run, or which way fly

the sight of this so horrid spectacle,

which erst my eyes beheld, and yet behold ?
for dire imagination still pursues me.

But providence or instinct of nature seems, or reason, though disturbed and scarce consulted, to have guided me aright, I know not how, to thee first, reverend Manoa, and to these my countrymen, whom here I knew remaining, as at some distance from the place of horror, so in the sad event too much concerned. Man. The accident was loud, and here before thee with rueful cry, yet what it was we hear not. No preface needs, thou seest we long to know. Mess. It would burst forth; but I recover breath

and sense distract, to know well what I utter. Man. Tell us the sum, the circumstance defer. Mess. Gaza yet stands, but all her sons are fallen, all in a moment overwhelmed and fallen. Man. Sad; but thou knowest to Israelites not saddest the desolation of a hostile city.

Mess. Feed on that first, there may in grief be surfeit. Man. Relate by whom.

By Samson.

Mess.
Man.
That still lessens
the sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy.
Mess. Ah! Manoa, I refrain too suddenly

to utter what will come at last too soon;
lest evil tidings with too rude irruption
hitting thy aged ear should pierce too deep.
Man. Suspense in news is torture, speak them out.
Mess. Take then the worst in brief, Samson is dead.
Man. All by him fell thou say'st, by whom fell he?

What glorious hand gave Samson his death's wound?

Mess. Unwounded of his enemies he fell.

Man. Wearied with slaughter then, or how? explain.
Mess. By his own hands.

1019 Man.

Mess.

Self-violence! what cause brought him so soon at variance with himself among his foes?

Inevitable cause,

at once both to destroy and be destroyed. The edifice, where all were met to see him, upon their heads and on his own he pulled. Man. Oh, lastly over-strong against thyself!

a dreadful way thou tookest to thy revenge. More than enough we know: but, while things yet are in confusion, give us, if thou can’st, eye-witness of what first or last was done, relation more particular and distinct. Mess. Occasions drew me early to this city, and as the gates I entered with sun-rise, the morning trumpets festival proclaimed through each high street. Little I had dispatched when all abroad was rumoured that this day Samson should be brought forth to show the people proof of his mighty strength in feats and games. I sorrowed at his captive state, but minded not to be absent at that spectacle.

The building was a spacious theatre,

half round, on two main pillars vaulted high,
with seats where all the lords and each degree

of sort might sit in order to behold;

the other side was open, where the throng

on banks and scaffolds under sky might stand;

I among these aloof obscurely stood.

The feast and noon grew high, and sacrifice

had filled their hearts with mirth, high cheer, and

wine,

when to their sports they turned. Immediately
was Samson as a public servant brought,

in their state livery clad; before him pipes
and timbrels; on each side went arméd guards,
both horse and foot, before him and behind
archers and slingers, cataphracts and spears.
At sight of him the people with a shout

rifted the air, clamouring their god with praise, who had made their dreadful enemy their thrall. 1020 He patient, but undaunted, where they led him came to the place, and what was set before him, which without help of eye might be assayed,

to heave, pull, draw, or break, he still performed, all with incredible, stupendous force,

none daring to appear antagonist.

At length for intermission sake they led him
between the pillars; he his guide requested
-for so from such as nearer stood we heard,—
as over-tired to let him lean awhile

with both his arms on those two massy pillars,
that to the archéd roof gave main support.
He unsuspicious led him; which when Samson
felt in his arms, with head awhile inclined,
and eyes fast fixt he stood, as one who prayed,
or some great matter in his mind revolved.
At last with head erect thus cried aloud:
'Hitherto, Lords, what your commands imposed
I have performed, as reason was, obeying,
not without wonder or delight beheld:
now of my own accord such other trial

I mean to show you of my strength, yet greater,
as with amaze shall strike all who behold.'
This uttered, straining all his nerves he bowed,
as, with the force of winds and waters pent,
when mountains tremble, those two massy pillars
with horrible confusion to and fro

he tugged he shook, till down they came and drew
the whole roof after them with burst of thunder
upon the heads of all who sat beneath,
lords, ladies, captains, counsellors, or priests,
their choice nobility and flower, not only
of this but each Philistian city round,
met from all parts to solemnize this feast.
Samson, with these immixed, inevitably
pulled down the same destruction on himself;
the vulgar only scaped who stood without.

J. MILTON

1021

Lor.

LORENZO-JESSICA

HOW sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!

here will we sit, and let the sounds of music creep in our ears; soft stillness and the night become the touches of sweet harmony. Sit, Jessica. Look, how the floor of heaven is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold;

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