The Philosophy of Shakspere

MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS Peace" Blessed are the peace-
makers," &c.death's symptomsma crisis in pain and evil thejus-
tice of earth and heaven prayer should come from the heartmun-
wise prayers every thing has its use and abuse.worldly maxims
doing evil that good may come judging by the event judg-
ment affected by passion.servile praise" let well alone "rash-
nessmand its cure firmness in wrong becomes obstinacy.
growth of thought undue respect to antiquity adoption and
nature doubt worse than certainty effect of night on the senses

variety pleasing poverty and honesty what is poverty?m

kind intentions appreciated preservation from danger" put not

your trust in princes, &c."who is the heretic?special absurdity

of learned folly" nemo mortalium omnibus horis sapit"civil

dissension a time for all things old age not the time for jesting

~" carpe diem "foolery a science flattery dangerous degrees

in crime author's remarks

220

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228

gow, my co-mates, and brothers in exile,

Hath not old custom made this life more sweet
Than that of painted pomp ? Are not these woods
More free from peril than the envious court?
Here feel we but the penalty of Adam,
The season's difference; as, the icy fang
And churlish chiding of the winter's wind;
Which, when it bites and blows upon my body,
E'en till I shrink with cold, I smile, and say-
This is no flattery: these are counsellors
That feelingly persuade me what I am,-
Sweet are the uses of Adversity;
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.*

As you like it. Act ii. Scene 1.

* It seems that after the superstition of the existence of a jewel in the toad's head had exploded. belief in a charm appertaining to a peculiar knot of bony structure, discovered there by some anatomists, still continued amongst the vulgar.

ITS UNIVERSALITY.

Duke Senior. Thou seest, we are not all alone unhappy; This wide and universal theatre

Presents more woeful pageants than the scene
Wherein we play.

Ibid. Act ii. Scene 7.

ITS BENEFITS.

K. Hen. V. There is some soul of goodness in things evil, Would men observingly distil it out.

Besides, they are our outward consciences,
And preachers to us all; admonishing
That we should dress us fairly for our end.-
Thus may we gather honey from the weed,
And make a moral e'en of the devil himself.

King Henry V. Act iv. Scene 1.

K. Hen. V. 'Tis good for men to love their present pains, Upon example: so the spirit is eas'd:

And when the mind is quickened, out of doubt,
The organs, though defunct and dead before,
Break up their drowsy grave, and newly move

With casted slough and fresh legerity.

Ibid.

AS A TRIAL OF CHARACTER.

Agamemnon. The ample proposition that hope makes,

In all designs begun on earth below,

Fails in the promised largeness: checks and disasters
Grow in the veins of actions highest rear'd;
As knots, by the conflux of meeting sap,

Infect the sound pine, and divert his grain

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The Philosophy of Shakspere: Extracted from His Plays