have done, to prove how far above ordinary merit I thought her exceeding excellence. I was a foola poor, ignorant, weak fool, who will readily take brass well gilt for the sterling metal. I had to learn my lesson, and in good time it was thoroughly taught me. Experience rubbed off the external shew of worth that had cheated mine eyes into admiration and my heart into respect; and the base stuff in all its baseness stood manifestly confessed before me. Woman!" added he with increasing bitterness, "go search the stagnant ditch that fills the air with pestilential poison-where toads and snakes fester among rotting weeds, and make a reeking mass of slime and filth around them, I tell thee, boy, nothing of all that vileness approacheth to the baseness of her disposition. Woman! She is an outrage upon nature, and a libel upon humanity.A fair temptation that endeth in most foul disappointment. The very apples on the shores of the dead sea, that are all blooming without and all rottenness within-a thing that hath never been truly described save under those shapes believed in in a past religion, whose features were human, and whose person bestial. Woman! She is the mother of infamy, ready to play the wanton with all the vices, and fill the world with a fruitful progeny of crimes. She is the cozener of honesty-the mockery of goodness a substantial deceita living lie!" "I pray you pardon me,” said his young com panion; "these are most intolerable accusations, and no warrant for them as I can see." "Warrant!" cried the usurer, now with his whole frame trembling with excitement; "I have had such warrant-such damnable warrant as leaveth me not the shadow of a doubt on the matter. I have heard-I have seen-I have felt!" continued he, grasping the shoulder of the youth convulsively, then seeming to make a mighty effort to conquer his emotions, which for a moment appeared almost to choke him, he added in a calmer voice-" But it matters not. Perchance thou wilt have the wit to discover all that I would have said. I am in no mind to let the gossips of the town meddle with my secrets. I like not they should say 'poor John a Combe!' for I care not to have their pity. Say not to any thou hast spoke to me on such a subject, and when thou hast a mind to pass an hour with Ten in the Hundred come to my dwelling; I should be glad to see thee, which I would say of no other person. Thou art the son of an honest man, and I have seen signs in thee that prove thou art worthy of thy father." Saying these words, John a Combe hastily took his departure down a turning in the street, leaving William Shakspeare marvelling hugely at what had passed between them. VOL. II. K CHAPTER IX. Follow a shadow, it still flies you, Let her alone she will court you. BEN JONSON. "And now I dare say," said Sir Bohert," that Sir Launcelot, though there thou liest, thou wert never matched of none earthly knight's hands. And thou wert the curtiest knight that ever beare shield. And thou wert the truest friend to thy lover that ever bestrod horse. And thou wert the truest lover of a sinful man that ever loved woman. And thou wert the kindest man that ever stroke with sword. And thou wert the goodliest person that ever came among presse of knights. And thou wert the meekest and the gentlest that ever eate in hall among ladies." A book of the noble historyes of Kinge Arthur, and of certeyn of his knightes. SIR VALENTINE found he had undertaken a most hard duty. The more he essayed to struggle with his own inclinations, the more strongly they rose against such usage. He tried to preach himself into a cheerful acquiescence with the obligation imposed upon him, from every text of honour, friendship, and chivalry, with which he was acquainted, but he found nature rather an unwilling convert, as she is at all times when her faith already resteth upon the religion of love. Nevertheless, he determined to do Sir Reginald the promised ser vice, however difficult of accomplishment it might be. In very truth he was one of those rare instances of friendship that act up to the character they profess. In numberless cases there are persons calling themselves friends, who are friends only to themselves. They are ready enough to take the name, but shrink from a proper performance of the character. Friendship in its honourablest state is a continual self-sacrifice on the altar of social feeling, combined with a devotion which ever inclineth to exalt the object of its regard above all humanity. A true friend alloweth himself as it were to be the shadow of another's merit, attending on all his wants, hopes, and pleasures, and ever keeping of himself in the back ground when he is like to interfere with his happiness. And yet there have been such despicable mean spirits who would hide their contemptibleness under so fair a cloak. They profess friendship but they act selfishness. Nay, to such a pitch do they debase themselves, that they would behold unfeelingly him they call their friend pining away his heart for some long expected happiness, and basely rob him of it when it required but their assistance to ensure it to his glad possession. The young knight was of a far different sort. Even with so powerful a competitor as love, he would give himself entirely to friendship. He knew that the assistance he had promised to render his friend would cost him his own happiness, but he could not for a moment tolerate the idea of building his enjoyment with the materials of his friend's felicity. He believed that if Sir Reginald knew what were his feelings towards the object of their mutual affection, he would on the instant resign his pretensions, that his friend's hopes might not be disappointed; and therefore the young knight was the more resolute in fulfilling the wishes of his faithful companion, and as an important step towards the consummation, kept the secret of his own love locked up closely in his breast. He heard Sir Reginald again express his desires, and again did he declare his readiness to assist in their realisation. He saw his friend depart to join Sir Philip Sydney, and experienced an exquisite satisfaction in knowing that the other had left him without the slightest suspicion of his own true feelings. Time passed on, and Sir Valentine strove to perform his task. He had seen but little of Mabel for a long time past, for she scarce ever ventured alone any distance from the house, fearing she might be again carried off as she had been before; and this accounted for her not having been seen for so long a period by the youthful Shakspeare. At last the young knight contrived to speak with her, and to his entreaties for her private company, to acquaint her with a matter of some importance it was necessary she should know, she named a |