to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted

up

his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone. 25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near. 26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter and said, Behold, another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. 27 And the Watchman said, Methinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings. 28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe ? Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. 30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still. 31 And behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept : and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom ! my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son !

37. Hamlet and Horatio.
Hor. Hail to your lordship!

Ham. 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 And what makes you from Wittenberg, Horatio ?

5

25

Ham.

Hor. A truant disposition, good my lord.

Ham. I would not hear your enemy say so; 10 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. 15 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. Thrist, thrift, Horatio! the funeral baked meats 20 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 ?

In
my
mind's

eye,

Horatio.
Hor. I saw him once, he was a goodly king.

Ham. He was a man take him for all in all,
I shall not look upon his like again.

Hor. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight. 30 Ham. Saw! who?

Hor. My lord, the king your father.
Hor. Season your admiration for a while,

With an attent ear; till I may deliver, 35 Upon the witness of these gentlemen, This marvel to you.

Ham. For heaven's love, let me hear.

Hor. Two nights together had these gentlemen,
Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,
40 In the dead waste and middle of the night,

Been thus encountered : a figure like your father,
Armed at point, exactly, cap-à-pié,
Appears before them, and, with solemn march,

Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walked 45 By their oppressed and fear-surprized eyes,

Within his truncheon's length; whilst they (distilled
Almost to jelly with the act of fear)
Stand dumb, and speak not to him.

Ham. But where was this? 50

Hor. My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd.
Ham. Did you not speak to it?

Hor. My lord, I did ;
But answer made it none. Yet once, methought,

It lifted up its head, and did address
55 Itself to motion, like as it would speak;

But, even then, the morning cock crew loud ;
And at the sound it shrunk in haste away,
And vanished from our sight.

Ham. 'Tis very strange!
60 Hor. As I do live, my honored lord, 'tis true;

And we did think it writ down in our duty,
To let you know of it.

Ham. Indeed, indeed, Sir, but this troubles me.
Hold you the watch to-night?
65 Hor. We do, my lord.

Ham. Armed, say you ?
Hor. Armed, my lord.
Ham. From top to toe ?

Hor. My lord, from head to foot. 70 Ham. Then saw you not his face?

Hor. O yes, my lord : he wore his beaver up.
Ham. What, looked he frowningly?
Hor. A countenance more in sorrow than in anger.

Ham. Pale, or red ? 75 Hor. Nay, very pale.

Ham. And fixed his eyes upon you ?
Hor. Most constantly.
Ham. I would, I had been there.

Hor. It would have much amazed you. 80 Ham. Very like, very like ; staid it long?

Hor. While one with moderate haste might tell a hun

dred.
Ham. His beard was grizzled ?-no?-

Hor. It was, as I have seen it in his life, 85 A sable silvered.

Ham. I'll watch to-night; perchance 'twill walk again.
Hor. I warrant you, it will.
Ham. If it assume my noble father's person,

I'll visit you.

have some

I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape, 90 And bid me hold my peace.

I

pray you, sir,
If you have hitherto concealed this sight,
Let it be tenable in your silence still ;
And whatsoever else shall hap to night,

Give it an understanding, but no tongue; 95 I will requite your love : so fare you well. Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve,

Shakspeare. 38. An idea of faith impressed on a child.

Children are very early capable of impression. I imprinted on my daughter the idea of faith, at a very early age. She was playing one day with a few beads, which

seemed to delight her wonderfully. Her whole soul 5 was absorbed in her beads. I said_“My dear, you

beads there." Yes, Papa !"- And you seem to be vastly pleased with them.". -"Yes, Papa !!!—" Well now, throw 'em behind the fire.” The

tears started into her eyes. She looked earnestly at 10 me, as though she ought to have a reason for such a

cruel sacrifice. Well, my dear, do as you please : but you know I never told you to do any thing, which I did not think would be good for you.” She look

ed at me a few moments longer, and then-summon15 ing up all her fortitude-her breast heaving with the

effort-she dashed them into the fire.--" Well,” said 1;“there let them lie: you shall hear more about them another time; but say no more about them now.”.

Some days after, I bought her a box full of larger beads, 20 and toys of the same kind. When I returned home, I

opened the treasure and set it before her: she burst into tears with ecstasy. Those, my child,” said I,

are yours : because you believed me, when I told you

it would be better for you to throw those two or three 25 paltry beads behind the fire. Now that has brought

you this treasure. But now, my dear, remember, as long as you live, what Faith is. I did all this to teach you the meaning of Faith. You threw your beads away when I bid you, because you had faith in me, that

60

1

30 I never advised you but for your good.

Put the same confidence in God. Believe every thing that he says in his word. Whether you understand it or not, have faith in him that he means your good.”

Cecil.

be so.

Dubius is such a scrupulous good man-
Yes—you may catch him tripping if you can.
He would not, with a peremptory tone,

Assert the nose upon his face his own;
5 With hesitation admirably slow,
He humbly hopes-presumes-

S-it

may His evidence, if he were called by law To swear to some enormity he saw,

For want of prominence and just relief,
10 Would hang an honest man, and save a thief.

Through constant dread of giving truth offence,
He ties up all his hearers in suspense ;
Knows, what he knows, as if he knew it not ;

What he remembers, seems to have forgot; 15 His sole opinion, whatsoe'er befall,

Centering at last in having none at all.
Yet though he tease and baulk your listening ear,
He makes one useful point exceeding clear;

Howe'er ingenious on his darling theme 20 A sceptic in philosophy may seem,

Reduced to practice, his beloved rule
Would only prove him a consummate fool;
Useless in him alike both brain and speech,

Fate having placed all truth above his reach,
25 His ambiguities his total sum,
He might as well be blind, and deaf, and dumb.

Cowper.

Some fretful tempers wince at every touch,
You always do too litile or too much :
You speak with life, in hopes to entertain,
Your elevated voice goes through the brain ;