against a painful truth, and listen to the song of siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is it the of wise men, engaged in the great and arduous strug for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number those, who, having eyes, see not, and having ears not, the things which so nearly concern their temp salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of sp it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth, a to provide for it.

I have but one lamp, by which my feet are guid and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no v of judging of the future, but by the past. And, ju ing by the past, I wish to know, what there has been the conduct of the British ministry, for the last years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen ha been pleased to solace themselves and the house.

Is it that insidious smile, with which our petition h been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betray with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious recepti of our petition comports with those warlike prepar tions, which cover our waters and darken our land.

Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love an reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwillin to be reconciled, that force must be called in to wi back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, si These are the implements of war and subjugation,-th last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose b not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other motive for it?

Has Great Britain any other enemy in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and

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THE HIGH SCHOOL SPEAKER.

15

armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for
us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent
over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which
the British ministers have been so long forging.

And what have we to oppose them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we any thing new to offer on the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves longer.

We have Sir, we have done every thing that could be done, to avert the storm which is now coming on. petitioned, we have remonstrated,—we have supplicated,—we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne.

THE SAME CONTINUED.

THEY tell us, sir, that we are weak,-unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed; and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? acquire the means of effectual resistance by

11

lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?

Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Beside, sir, we shall not fight alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us.

The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone,—it is to the active, the vigilant, the brave. Beside, sir, we have no election! If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat, but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged. Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston. The war is inevitable, and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry peace! peace!—but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field. Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Heaven!-I know not what course others may take, but as for me,-give me liberty, or give me death.

[Patrick Henry.

THE HIGH SCHOOL SPEAKER.

BRUTUS JUSTIFYING THE ASSASSINATION

OF CESAR.

17

ROMANS, Countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause; and be silent, that you may hear. Believe me for mine honor; and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe. Censure me in your wisdom; and awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cæsar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Cæsar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer,-not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more.

Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves, than that Cæsar were dead, to live all freemen? As Cæsar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him. There are tears, for his love; joy, for his fortune; honor, for his valor; and death for his ambition. Who's here so base, that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who's here so rude, that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who's here so vile, that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.

None! Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæsar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offenses enforced, for which he suffered death.

Here comes his body, mourned by Marc Antony; who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying. —a place in the commonwealth ;

THE HIGH SCHOOL SPEAKER.

as which of you shall not? With this I depa as I slew my best lover for the good of Rom the same dagger for myself, when it shall pl country to need my death.

HAMLET'S ADDRESS TO THE PLAYER

SPEAK the speech, I pray you, as I you, trippingly on the tongue; but if you mo many of our players do, I had as lief the to spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too m your hand, thus; but use all gently; for in torrent, tempest, and (as I may say) whirlwind passion, you must acquire and beget a tempera may give it smoothness. O! it offends me to to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear to tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the lings; who, for the most part, are capable of not inexplicable dumb-shows and noise: I would h a fellow whipped for o'erdoing Termageus; it o Herod: I pray you avoid it. Be not too tame but let your own discretion be your tutor: suit t to the word, the word to the action; with this s servance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of na anything so overdone is from the purpose of whose end, both at the first and now, was, a hold, as it were, the mirror up to nature; to sh her own feature, scorn her own image, and age and body of the time, his form and pressur this, overdone, or come tardy off, though it 1 unskillful laugh, can not but make the judiciou the censure of which one, must in your a o'erweigh a whole theater of others. O there