Have blown this coal betwixt my lord and me, Which Heay'n's dew quench! Therefore, I say again, I utterly abhor, yea, from my soul Refuse you for my judge; whom, yet once more, I hold my most malicious foe, and think not Wol. Madam, you do me wrong: I have no spleen against you; nor injustice By a commission from the consistory, Yea, the whole consistory of Rome. You charge me, The king is present: if it be known to him, In him It lies, to cure me: and the cure is, to Remove these thoughts from you: the which before You, gracious madam, to unthink your speaking, Queen. My lord, my lord, I am a simple woman, much too weak To oppose your cunning. You're meek, and humble mouth'd; You sign your place and calling, in full seeming, With meekness and humility: but your heart Is cramm'd with arrogancy, spleen, and pride; That again I do refuse you for my judge; and here, To bring my whole cause 'fore his holiness, [She courtesies to the King, and offers to depart. Cam. The queen is obstinate, Stubborn to justice, apt to accuse it, and She's going away. King. Call her again. Clerk. Katharine, queen of England, come into the court. Guild. Madam, you are call'd back. Queen. What need you note it? 'Pray you, keep your way; When you are call'd, return :- Now the Lord help, They vex me past my patience!—'Pray you, pass on :I will not tarry; no, nor ever more, Upon this business, my appearance make In any of their courts. SHAKESPEAR. JAFFIER AND BELVIDERA. Bel. [Without.] Lead me, lead me, my virgins, To that kind voice. Enter Belvidera. My lord, my love, my refuge! Happy my eyes, when they behold thy face! Jaff As when our loves Were in their spring! Has then my fortune chang'd thee? Kind, good, and tender, as my arms first found thee? With all the resolution of strong truth! I joy more in thee, Than did thy mother, when she hugg'd thee first, Jaff. Can there in woman be such glorious faith? O, woman! lovely woman! Nature made thee There's in you all that we believe of Heav'n; Eternal joy, and everlasting love ! Bel. If love be treasure, we'll be wondrous rich; Canst thou bear cold and hunger? Can these limbs, Endure the bitter gripes of smarting poverty? In some far climate, where our names are strangers, When in a bed of straw we shrink together, And the bleak winds shall whistle round our heads; Hush my cares thus, and shelter me with love? Bel. Oh! I will love thee, ev'n in madness love thee! Though my distracted senses should forsake me, I'd find some intervals, when my poor heart Should 'suage itself, and be let loose to thine. And, as thou sighing liest, and swell'd with sorrow, Into thy soul, and kiss thee to thy rest; Then praise our God, and watch thee till the morning. Jaff. Hear this, you Heav'ns, and wonder how you made her! Reign, reign, ye monarchs, that divide the world, Like gaudy ships, the obsequious billows fall, Like a poor merchant, driv'n to unknown land, BOOK VI. EPISTLES. TO THE REV. WILLIAM UNWIN. September 21, 1779. AMICO mio, be pleased to buy me a glazier's diamond pencil. I have glazed the two frames, designed to receive my pine plants. But I cannot mend the kitchen windows till, by the help of that implement, I can reduce the glass to it's proper dimensions. If I were a plumber, I should be a complete glazier, and possibly the happy time may come, when I shall be seen trudging away to the neighbouring towns with a shelf of glass hanging at my back. If government should impose another tax upon that commodity, I hardly know a business, in which a gentleman might more succesfully employ himself. A Chinese, of ten times my fortune, would avail himself of such an opportunity without scruple; and why should not I, who want money as much as any mandarin in China? Rousseau would have been charmed to have seen me so occupied, and would have exclaimed, with rapture," that he had found the Emilius, who (he supposed) had subsisted only in his own idea." I would recommend it to you to follow my example. You will presently qualify yourself for the task, and may not only amuse yourself at home, but may even exercise your skill in mending the church windows ; which, as it would save money to the parish, would conduce, together with your other ministerial accomplishments, to make you extremely popular in the place. |