and animation of Sheridan Knowles and the

later writers.

The name of Shakespeare, the bright particular star of poetry and the drama, is "conspicuous by its absence," the reason being that one of the series to which the present volume belongs is devoted exclusively to selections from his works.

QUOTATIONS

FROM THE

BRITISH DRAMATISTS.

THE VALUE OF MIRTH.

Man hardly hath a richer thing

Than honest mirth, the which well-spring
Watereth the roots of rejoicing,

Feeding the flowers of flourishing.

THE POWER OF MUSIC.

Heywood.

Music has charms to soothe the savage breast, To soften rocks, or bend the knotted oak. I've read that things inanimate have moved, And, as with living souls, have been inform'd By magic numbers, and persuasive sound.

Congreve.

TRAGEDY AND COMEDY.

Fellows both, both twins, but so unlike
As birth to death, wedding to funeral :
For this that rears himself in buskins quaint,
Is pleasant at the first, proud in the midst,
Stately in all, and bitter death at end.

That in the pomps doth frown at first acquaint

ance,

Trouble the midst, but in the end concludes
Closing up all with a sweet catastrophe.
This grave and sad, distain'd with brinish tears;
That light and quick, with wrinkled laughter
painted :

This deals with nobles, kings, and emperors, Full of great fears, great hopes, great enterprises.

This other trades with men of mean condition. His projects small, small hopes, and dangers little :

This gorgeous, broider'd with rich sentences; That fair, and purfled round with merriments. Both vice detect, and virtue beautify,

'v being death's mirror, and life's looking

lass.

Brewer.

THIS WORLD.

What is this world? Thy school, O misery! Our only lesson is, to learn to suffer;

And he who knows not that, was born for nothing.

AMBITION.

Ambition is the mind's immodesty.

THE TRUE WELCOME.

Young.

Davenant.

Cheerful looks make every dish a feast,
And 'tis that crowns a welcome.

Massinger.

ETERNITY.

The longest time that man may live,
The lapse of generations of his race,
The continent entire of time itself,
Bears not proportion to eternity;
Huge as a fraction of a grain of dew,

Co-measured with the broad unbounded ocean!

There is the life of man-1
-his proper time,

Looking at which, this life is but a gust,
A puff of breath that 's scarcely felt ere gone!

Knowles.

THE HAPPINESS OF MARRIAGE.

The joys of marriage are the heaven on earth, Life's paradise, great princess, the soul's quiet, Sinews of concord, earth by immortality, Eternity of pleasures.

A PHILOSOPHIC BEGGAR.

Ford.

Why, all good men's my means; my wit's my plough:

The town's my stock, tavern's my standing house,

(And all the world know there's no want:) all gentlemen

That love society, love me; all purses

That wit and pleasure opens, are my tenants; Every man's clothes fit me; the next fair lodging

Is but my next remove; and when I please
To be more eminent, and take the air,

A piece is levied, and a coach prepared,