Above the ill fortune of them, or the need. My Shakespeare, rise! I will not lodge thee by Chaucer, or Spenser, or bid Beaumont lie 20 And we have wits to read and praise to give. That I not mix thee so my brain excuses- 26 Triumph, my Britain, thou hast one to show To whom all scenes of Europe homage owe. 51 But antiquated and deserted lie, 60 Weep with me all you that read And know, for whom a tear you shed In grace and feature, (Such as thine are) and strike the second Twas a child that so did thrive Or, for the laurel, he may gain a scorn; Lives in his issue, even so the race As heaven and nature seemed to strive Years he numbered scarce thirteen Yet three filled zodiacs had he been 65 And did act, what now we moan, Of Shakespeare's mind and manners brightly shines In his well turnèd and true filèd3 lines, Old men so duly, 5 ΙΟ As, sooth, the Parcae thought him one, He played so truly. In each of which he seems to shake a lance, So, by error, to his fate As brandished at the eyes of ignorance. 70 15 20 GO AND CATCH A FALLING STAR * plans. ' polished. Queen Elizabeth. 6 Go and catch a falling star, Get with child a mandrake root, Tell me where all past years are, Or who cleft the Devil's foot; years. 7 the Fates. Sleep within this heap of stones; Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; They preach, "In greatness is no trust." For those whom thou think'st thou dost Here's an acre sown indeed Dropt from the ruined sides of kings. JOHN FLETCHER (1579-1625) SWEETEST MELANCHOLY Wherein you spend your folly! O sweetest melancholy! 15 5 Welcome, folded arms and fixèd eyes, SIR THOMAS NORTH (1535?-1601?) THE DEATH OF CÆSAR The Romans inclining to Cæsar's prosperity, and taking the bit in the mouth, supposing that to be ruled by one man alone, it would be a good mean for them to take breath a little, after so many troubles and miseries as they had abidden in these civil wars, they chose him perpetual Dictator. This was a plain tyranny: for to this absolute power of Dictator they added this, never to be [10 afraid to be deposed. Cicero propounded before the Senate that they should give |