should desire you to touch him, for his biting is immortal; those that do die of it do seldom or never recover."

The perversion of language in the above is delicious, and to my mind equal to anything that Dogberry says in "Much Ado About Nothing"; and is another example of Shakespeare's favorite method of expressing humor by the misuse of words by his clowns and fools.

Ignoring the warning of the clown, the queen eagerly inquires: "Rememb'rest thou any that have died on't?" To which the garrulous old fellow responds: "Very many, men and women, too. I heard of one of them no longer than yesterday; a very honest woman, but something given to lie, as a woman should not do but in the way of honesty; how she died of the biting of it, what pain she felt. Truly she makes a very good report of the worm; but he that will believe all that they say, shall never be saved by half that they do."

The unconscious but direct reference to Cleopatra herself in the above is passed without notice,

or in the extremity of her grief, unperceived; and the clown is dismissed.

But the fellow is not to be gotten rid of so easily; he starts to go, but returns repeatedly with continued warnings as to the dangerous character of the worm: "Look you, the worm is not to be trusted," and "Give it nothing, I pray you, for it is not worth the feeding."

To this last admonition, Cleopatra inquires: "Will it eat me?" The clown takes this question as a reflection on himself, and replies with some emphasis: "You must not think I am so simple, but I know the devil himself will not eat a woman; I know that a woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil dress her not. But, truly, these same whoreson devils do the gods great harm in their women, for in every ten that they make, the devils mar five." And with the parting salutation: "I wish you joy of the worm," the clown finally takes his departure.

Ordinary students of Shakespeare must have noted that in spite of the fact that the poet has

given us some of the noblest ideals of womanhood, there are passages in his plays of the keenest satire, and bitterest denunciation of women.

How far his own unfortunate experience with the sex may have influenced his mind, it is not my purpose to discuss here; but in the two passages spoken by the clown, that I have quoted above, I cannot but think there is an echo from the heart of the man, that as the poet sounds the key-note of an uncongenial marriage, an unappreciative mistress, and a friend's duplicity.

It is interesting to note, that in the two great tragedies, "Julius Cæsar" and "Antony and Cleopatra," the only scenes of humor, in both instances equally brief, are placed, in the former at the beginning of the play, and in the latter almost at its conclusion.

THE GRAVE-DIGGERS

IN

HAMLET

"Has this fellow no feeling of his business, that he sings at grave-making?"

T would scarcely seem possible that a grave

IT

yard attached to a church, with a half-dug grave in the foreground, for the scene; midnight or near thereto, for the time; a pickax, a spade, a heap of fresh earth, some human skulls and bones for the properties; and two grave-diggers for the dramatis persona would furnish a location and material for comedy and humor, yet in the first scene of the fifth act of the tragedy of "Hamlet," Shakespeare has taken these materials and conditions, and given us a series of incidents, a variety of character, and a dialogue replete with the most delightful comedy, brilliant repartee, ready wit and subtle humor.

The circumstances are these: A young lady attached to the court of the King of Denmark has been drowned. The general opinion being that she committed suicide. In the time of Shakespeare, and prior thereto, such unfortunates were denied Christian burial. Their remains were interred outside of consecrated ground without service or any of the rites of the Church. In fact, it was not unusual to bury them at the intersection of the highways, very deeply, and to drive a strong stake through the body. The object of this barbarous proceeding being, to empale and destroy the evil spirit, which the prevailing superstition supposed to be in possession of the suicide. In the present instance, the King has commanded that the remains of the unfortunate lady should be buried in the consecrated ground of the churchyard.

The King's command, violating all the ancient and accepted traditions of the church, arouses the indignation of the old sexton, who combines the office of grave-digger. To this personage Shakespeare has given such a strong individuality, such