I call thee, and thou dost not speak: "Well might I know death's hue and mien; And bravest there of all; How could I think a warrior's frame "I will not bear that still cold look- Lift brightly up, and proudly, Once more thy kindling eyes: Hath my word lost its power on earth? I say to thee, arise! "Didst thou not know I loved thee well? Thou didst not! and art gone, In bitterness of soul, to dwell That seemed to thee so stern. "Thou wert the first, the first fair child That in mine arms I pressed; Thou wert the bright one that hast smiled Like summer on my breast. To the chase thy steps I led, "Lay down my warlike banners here, And bury my red sword and spear, And thus his wild lament was poured Through the dark resounding night, From the searching stars of heaven he shrank- Hamlet on His Mother's Marriage. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. O, that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself into a dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God! How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on 't! o fie! 'tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature Hyperion to a satyr: so loving to my mother, By what it fed on: and yet, within a month Let me not think on 't-Frailty, thy name is woman!- O God! a beast that wants discourse of reason Than I to Hercules: within a month; Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears She married! It is not, nor it cannot come to good: But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue! -Hamlet, i., 2. TONE OF SARCASM. (See Tone Drill No. 182.) [The tone of Sarcasm denotes a keen disrespect, bordering sometimes on cruelty. The speaker seems to snarl and bite, and, at times, to enjoy his verbal torture of the victim.] Reply to Mr. Corry. HENRY GRATTAN. He Has the gentleman done? Has he completely done? was unparliamentary from the beginning to the end of his speech. There was scarce a word that he uttered that was not a violation of the privileges of the House. But I did not call him to order. Why? Because the limited talents of some men render it impossible for them to be severe without being unparliamentary. But before I sit down I shall show him how to be severe and parliamentary at the same time. On any other occasion, I should think myself justifiable in treating with silent contempt anything which might fall from that honorable member; but there are times when the insignificance of the accuser is lost in the magnitude of the accusation. I know the difficulty the honorable gentleman labored under when he attacked me, conscious that, on a comparative view of our characters, public and private, there is nothing he could say which would injure me. The public would not believe the charge. I despise the falsehood. If such a charge were made by an honest man, I would answer it in the manner I shall do before I sit down. But I shall first reply to it when not made by an honest man. Reply to Mr. Walpole. WILLIAM PITT. The atrocious crime of being a young man, which the honourable gentleman has, with such spirit and decency, charged upon me, I shall neither attempt to palliate nor deny; but content myself with wishing that I may be one of those whose follies may cease with their youth, and not of those who continue ignorant in spite of age and experience. Whether youth can be attributed to any man as a reproach, I will not, Sir, assume the province of determining; but surely, age may justly become contemptible, if the opportunities which it brings have passed away without improvement, and vice appear to prevail when the passions have subsided. The wretch who, after having seen the conse quences of a thousand errors, continues still to blunder, and in whom age has only added obstinacy to stupidity, is surely the object either of abhorrence or contempt; and deserves not that his gray head should secure him from insults. Much more, Sir, is he to be abhorred who, as he has advanced in age, has receded from virtue, and become more wicked with less temptation; who prostitutes himself for money which he cannot enjoy, and spends the remainder of his life in the ruin of his country. Shylock to Antonio. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. You come to me, and you say, "Shylock, we would have moneys:" you say so; A cur can lend three thousand ducats ?" or "Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last; -Merchant of Venice, i., 3. |