When lovely woman stoops to folly, The Hermit. On Woman. Chap. xxiv. The only art her guilt to cover, To hide her shame from every eye, To give repentance to her lover, And wring his bosom, is to die. Ibid. To what fortuitous occurrence do we not owe every pleasure and convenience of our lives. For he who fights and runs away Can never rise and fight again.1 Ibid. Chap. xxi. The Art of Poetry on a New Plan (1761). Vol. ii. p. 147. One writer, for instance, excels at a plan or a titlepage, another works away the body of the book, and a third is a dab at an index.2 The Bee. No. 1, Oct. 6, 1759. The true use of speech is not so much to express our wants as to conceal them.3 No. iii. Oct. 20, 1759. All human race, from China to Peru, Written on a Blank Leaf of Dugdale's Monasticon. 1 See Butler, pages 215, 216. 2 There are two things which I am confident I can do very well: one is an introduction to any literary work, stating what it is to contain, and how it should be executed in the most perfect manner. 8 See Young, page 310. 4 See Johnson, page 365. BOSWELL: Life of Johnson, An. 1775. THOMAS PERCY. 1728-1811. Every white will have its blacke, And every sweet its soure. Reliques of Ancient Poetry. Sir Cauline. Late, late yestreen I saw the new moone, He that had neyther been kith nor kin Might have seen a full fayre sight. Guy of Gisborne. Have you not heard these many years ago He had one only daughter and no mo, Where gripinge grefes the hart wounde, A Song to the Lute in Musicke. 1 I saw the new moon late yestreen, Wi' the auld moon in her arm. From Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. 2 "As by lot, God wot;" and then you know, "It came to pass, as most like it was.". SHAKESPEARE: Hamlet, act ii. sc. 2. 8 Hey, Robin, jolly Robin, Tell me how thy lady does. SHAKESPEARE: Twelfth Night, act iv. sc. 2. 4 When griping grief the heart doth wound, And doleful dumps the mind oppress, Then music with her silver sound. SHAKESPEARE: Romeo and Juliet, act iv. sc. 5. The blinded boy that shootes so trim, King Cophetua and the Beggar-maid. "What is thy name, faire maid?” quoth he. And how should I know your true love From many another one? Oh, by his cockle hat and staff, Ibid. The Friar of Orders Gray. For violets pluckt, the sweetest showers Ibid. He that would not when he might, He shall not when he wolda." Ibid. 1 Young Adam Cupid, he that shot so trim, When King Cophetua loved the beggar-maid! SHAKESPEARE: Romeo and Juliet, act ii. sc. 1. 2 Shakespeare, who alludes to this ballad in "Love's Labour's Lost," act iv. sc. 1, gives the beggar's name Zenelophon. The story of the king and the beggar is also alluded to in "King Richard II.," act v. sc. 3. 8 Quoted in "Hamlet," act iv. sc. 3. 4 See Shakespeare, page 51. 5 See John Fletcher, page 183. 6 See Heywood, page 9. He that will not when he may, When he would, he should have nay. CERVANTES: Don Quixote, part i, book iii. chap. iv. We'll shine in more substantial honours, Winifreda (1720). And when with envy Time, transported, And I'll go wooing in my boys. King Stephen was a worthy peere, His breeches cost him but a croune; He was a wight of high renowne, And those but of a low degree; Itt's pride that putts the countrye doune, Ibid. Take thy old Cloak about Thee. A poore soule sat sighing under a sycamore tree; With his hand on his bosom, his head on his knee, Willow, willow, willow. When Arthur first in court began, And was approved king.* Sir Launcelot du Lake. Shall I bid her goe? What if I doe? 1 See Chapman, page 37. Corydon's Farewell to Phillis. Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus (Nobility is the one only virtue). — JUVENAL: Satire viii, line 20. 2 The first stanza is quoted in full, and the last line of the second, by Shakespeare in "Othello," act ii. sc. 3. 8 The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree, Sing all a green willow; Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee, Othello, act iv. sc. 3. 4 Quoted by Shakespeare in Second Part of "Henry IV.," act ii. sc. 4. 5 Quoted by Shakespeare in "Twelfth Night," act ii. sc. 3. But in vayne shee did conjure him To depart her presence soe; Having a thousand tongues to allure him, Dulcina. own. EDMUND BURKE. 1729-1797. The writers against religion, whilst they oppose every system, are wisely careful never to set up any of their A Vindication of Natural Society.1 Preface, vol. i. p. 7. "War," says Machiavel, "ought to be the only study of a prince;" and by a prince he means every sort of state, however constituted. "He ought," says this great political doctor, "to consider peace only as a breathingtime, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes ability to execute military plans." A meditation on the conduct of political societies made old Hobbes imagine that war was the state of nature. A Vindication of Natural Society. Vol. i. p. 15. I am convinced that we have a degree of delight, and that no small one, in the real misfortunes and pains of others.2 On the Sublime and Beautiful. Sect. xiv. vol. i. p. 118. Custom reconciles us to everything. Sect. xviii. vol. i. p. 231. There is, however, a limit at which forbearance ceases to be a virtue. Observations on a Late Publication on the Present State of the p. 273. The wisdom of our ancestors. Ibid. p. 516. Also in the Discussion on the Traitorous 1 Boston edition. 1865-1867. 2 In the adversity of our best friends we always find something which is not wholly displeasing to us. - ROCHEFOUCAULD: Reflections, xv. 3 Lord Brougham says of Bacon, "He it was who first employed the wellknown phrase of the wisdom of our ancestors,' SYDNEY SMITH: Plymley's Letters, letter v. LORD ELDON: On Sir Samuel Romilly's Bill, 1815. CICERO: De Legibus, ii. 2, 3. |