Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

ACT III.

Pericles' Prayer during the Storm at Sea.

Thou God of this great vast,* rebuke these surges, Which wash both heaven and hell; and thou that hast Upon the winds command, bind them in brass,

Having call'd them from the deep! O still thy deaf'ning,

Thy dreadful thunders, gently quench thy nimble sulphurous flashes.

Virtue and Knowledge superior to Nobility and Wealth.

I held it ever,

Virtue and cunning† were endowments greater

Than nobleness and riches; careless heirs
May the two latter darken and expend;
But immortality attends the former,
Making a man a god.

・000

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.

It is generally supposed that this comedy was written at the command of Queen Elizabeth, who was so much amused at the humours of Sir John Falstaff in the historical plays, that she desired to have a representation of the fat knight in love. Shakspere is said to have written this play in fourteen days. The escapades of Falstaff occupy the most conspicuous place in it, whilst the episode of the loves of Fenton and Anne Page form a pleasing variety. Dr. Johnson says-" This comedy is remarkable for the variety and number of the personages, who exhibit more characters, appropriated and discriminated, than perhaps can be found in any other play."

*This vast extent of ocean.

+ Knowledge.

ACT III.

Inequality of means and position between lovers an obstacle to marriage.

He doth object, I am too great of birth;
And that, my state being gall'd with my expense,
I seek to heal it only by his wealth :
Besides these, other bars he lays before me,-
My riots past, my wild societies;
And tells me, 'tis a thing impossible

I should love thee, but as a property.

The sincerity of Fenton's love for Anne Page.
I will confess, thy father's wealth

Was the first motive that I woo'd thee, Anne:
Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value
Than stamps in gold, or sums in sealed bags;
And 'tis the very riches of thyself

That now I aim at.

ACT IV.

Legend of Herne the Hunter.

There is an old tale goes, that Herne the hunter,
Sometime a keeper here in Windsor forest,
Doth all the winter time, at still midnight,

Walk round about an oak, with great ragged horns;
And there he blasts the tree, and takes* the cattle;
And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain
In a most hideous and dreadful manner :

You have heard of such a spirit; and well you know, The superstitious idle-headed eld

Received, and did deliver to our age,

This tale of Herne the hunter for a truth.

*Strikes with disease.

ACT V.

Evils of a forced Marriage.

You would have married her most shamefully,
Where there was no proportion held in love.
The truth is, she and I, long since contracted,
Are now so sure, that nothing can dissolve us,
The offence is holy, that she hath committed:
And this deceit loses the name of craft,
Of disobedience, or unduteous title;
Since therein she doth evitate* and shun
A thousand irreligious cursed hours,

Which forced marriage would have brought upon her.

* Escape, avoid.

INDEX.

ACHILLES Surveying Hector, 89
Action to be carried on with resolu-
tion, 312
Advice, 136

Advice to a son about to travel, 29
Agincourt, scene before the battle
of, 279

Agincourt, speech of King Henry
before the battle of, 284
Allegiance, firm, 316

Ambition clad in humility, 50
Ambitious thoughts, 297

Angelo, his character as a Governor,
161

Anger, 312

Anger, effects of, 316

Antony after his defeat, 102

Antony taking leave of his servants,
103

Antony, his description of Brutus, 62
Antony, his despondency, 103
Antony, his luxury, 99

Antony, his oration over Cæsar's
body, 53

Antony, his virtues and vices, 100
Apemantus, his appeal to Timon, 81
Apology of Lord Say, 293
Appeal of the Chief-Justice to Henry
V., 268

Appearances, false, 275
Applause, 318

Ariel's description of managing the
storm, I

Ariel's song, 3, II
Army, a routed, 170

Arthur and Hubert, scene between,

221

Assassin, countenance of, 225

Assignation, 118

Aufidius, contrition of, 98

Authority, a father's, 117
Authority, privilege of, 162

BANISHMENT, 232

Banishment of Belarius described,
167

Beatrice, her awakened love for Be-
nedick, 129

Beatrice, her disdainful manner de
scribed, 128

Beatrice, her disposition described,
126

Beautiful boy described, 12
Beauty, 157, 188, 215

Beauty petitioning in vain, 19
Bees, commonwealth of, 272
Benedick's disparagement of Bea-
trice, 125

Benedick's recantation, 127
Benedick's ridicule of love, 126
Birth, high, 303

Boasters, 131, 214

Bolingbroke coming into London, 240
Braggarts, 130, 141
Brawler described, 195

Brutus and Cassius, quarrel scene
between, 57

Brutus and Cassius, parting of, before
the battle of Philippi, 62

Brutus, his address to the citizens, 52
Buckingham's prayer for Henry
VIII., 313

CESAR'S suspicions of Cassius, 50
Caliban's curses, 2, 4
Caliban's promises, 5
Calumny, 37

Capulet and Montague charged by
the Prince of Verona, 183
Capulet, his anger at Juliet, 199

[ocr errors]
« ZurückWeiter »