No welcome guest, it seems, unless I ask
My lord of Suffolk's leave-there was a time
When Warwick wanted not his aid to gain
Admission here.

Edw. There was a time perhaps

When Warwick more desired, and more deserved it.

War. Never. I've been a foolish, faithful slave; All my best years, the morning of my life, Hath been devoted to your service: what Are now the fruits? Disgrace and infamy: My spotless name, which never yet the breath Of calumny had tainted, made the mock For foreign fools to carp at,-but 'tis fit, Who trust in princes should be thus rewarded.

Edw. I thought my lord I had full well repaid Your services with honors, wealth, and power Unlimited,-thy all-directing hand

Guided in secret every latent wheel

Of government, and moved the whole machine:
Warwick was all in all, and powerless Edward
Stood like a cipher in the great account.

War. Who gave that cipher worth, and seated thee
On England's throne? Thy undistinguished name
Had rotted in the dust from whence it sprang,
And mouldered in oblivion-had not Warwick
Dug from its sordid mine the useless ore,

And stamped it with a diadem. Thou knowest
This wretched country,-doomed perhaps like Rome,
To fall by its own self-destroying hand,
Tost for so many years in the rough sea
Of civil discord, but for me had perished.
In that distressful hour, I seized the helm,

Bade the rough waves subside in peace, and steered
Your shattered vessel safe into the harbor.

You may despise, perhaps, that useless aid

Which you no longer want; but know, proud youth, He who forgets a friend, deserves a foe.

Edw. Know too, reproach for benefits received,
Pays every debt, and cancels obligation.

War. Why, that indeed is frugal honesty,
A thrifty, saving knowledge,-when the debt
Grows burdensome, and cannot be discharged,
A sponge will wipe out all, and cost you nothing.

Edw. When you have counted o'er the numerous

train

Of mighty gifts your bounty lavished on me,

You may remember next the injuries

Which I have done you,-let me know them all,

And I will make you ample satisfaction.

War. Thou canst not; thou hast

jewel

robbed me of a

It is not in thy power to restore;
I was the first, shall future annals say,
That broke the sacred bond of public trust
And mutual confidence; ambassadors,
In after times, mere instruments, perhaps,
Of venal statesmen, shall recal my name
To witness that they want not an example,
And plead my guilt to sanctify their own.
Amidst the herd of mercenary slaves

That haunt your court, could none be found but Warwick,

To be the shameless herald of a lie?

Edw. And weuld'st thou turn the vile reproach on

me?

If I have broke my faith, or stained the name
Of England, thank thy own pernicious counsels
That urged me to it, and extorted from me
A cold consent to what my heart abhored.

War. I've been abused, insulted and BETRAYED :
My injured honor cries aloud for vengeance.
Her wounds will never close!

Edw. These gusts of passion

Will but inflame them,-if I have been right
Informed, my lord, besides these dangerous scars
Of bleeding honor, you have other wounds
As deep, though not so fatal:-such, perhaps,
As none but fair Elizabeth can cure.

War. Elizabeth!

Edw. Nay, start not-I have cause
To wonder most ;-I little thought indeed,
When Warwick told me I might learn to love,
He was himself so able to instruct me ;
But I've discovered all-

War. And so have I ;

Too well I know thy breach of friendship there,
Thy fruitless, base endeavors to supplant me.

Edw. I scorn it, Sir,-Elizabeth hath charms, And I have equal right with you to admire them Nor see I aught so godlike in the form,

So all commanding in the name of Warwick,
That he alone should revel in the charms
Of beauty, and monopolize perfection.
I knew not of your love.

War. 'Tis false!

You knew it all, and meanly took occasion,
Whilst I was busied in the noble office
Your grace thought fit to honor me withal,
To tamper with a weak, unguarded woman,
To bribe her passions high, and basely steal
A treasure which your kingdom could not purchase.

Edw. How know you that ?—but be it as it may, I had a right, nor will I tamely yield

My claim to happiness, the privilege

To choose the partner of my throne and bed:
It is a branch of my prerogative.

War. Prerogative !-What's that? the boast of ty.
rants;

A borrowed jewel, glittering in the crown
With specious lustre, lent but to betray.

You had it, Sir, and held it from the people.

Edw. And therefore do I prize it,-I would guard
Their liberties, and they shall strengthen mine;
But when proud faction and her rebel crew
Insult their sovereign, trample on his laws,
And bid defiance to his power, the people,
In justice to themselves, will then defend
His cause, and vindicate the rights they gave.

War. Go to your darling people then, for soon,
If I mistake not, 'twill be needful; try

Their boasted zeal, and see if one of them
Will dare to lift his arm up in your cause,
If I forbid them.

Edw. Is it so, my lord?

Then mark my words. I've been your slave too long,
And you have ruled me with a rod of iron;

But henceforth know, proud peer, I am thy master,
And will be so, the king who delegates
His power to other's hands, but ill deserves
The crown he wears.

War. Look well then to your own;
It sits but loosely on your head; for know,
The man who injured Warwick never passed
Unpunished yet.

Edw. Nor he who threatened Edward-
You may repent it, Sir-my guards there—SEIZE
This traitor and convey him to the tower;

There let him learn obedience.

Translated from the French by Dr. Thomas Franklin.

The voice should break forth with great power on the word "seize," and also in several other places in this dialogue.

HAMLET AND HORATIO.

Horatio. Hail to your lordship!

Hamlet. I am glad to see you well. [Approaches.] Horatio!or I do forget myself.

Hor. The same, my lord, and your poor servant

ever.

Ham. Sir, my good friend, I'll change that name

with you.

And what makes you from Wittenberg, Horatio?

Hor. A truant disposition, good my lord.

Ham. I would not hear your enemy say so;
Nor shall you do mine ear that violence,
To make it truster of your own report
Against yourself. I know you are no truant:
But what is your affair in Elsinore ?

We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart.

Hor. My lord I came to see your father's funeral.

Ham. I pray thee do not mock me, fellow-student; I think it was to see my mother's wedding.

Hor. Indeed! my lord, it followed hard upon.

Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio! the funeral baked

meats

Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.
Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven,
Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio!
My father-methinks I see my father-

Hor. Where, my lord?

Ham. In my mind's eye, Horatio.