What? set thee down, because the air
Ruffles too boldly thy brown hair?
Walk then, and as thy tiny boot
Presses the greenness of the sod,
Teach me to see that tottering foot
Uplifted and set down by God;

Teach me a stronger, tenderer hand than mine
Sways every motion of thy infant frame;

Bid me take hold, like thee, and not repine,-
Weak with my errors and deservéd shame.

How? home again? ah, that soft laughter
Tells me what voice thou hankerest after.
Run, run, with that bright shining face,
And little hands stretched forth apart,
Into a mother's fond embrace,
Close, closer to her heart.

I too will turn, for I discern a voice

Which whispers me that I am far from home;
Bids me repent, and led by holier choice
Back to a Father's open bosom come.

W. C. Roscoe.

Hot.

CCXXXVI.

KING HENRY IV.

ACT I. SCENE III.-London. The Palace.

KING, HOTSPUR, and others.

Y liege, I did deny no prisoners.

But I remember, when the fight was done, When I was dry with rage and extreme toil, Breathless and faint, leaning upon my sword, Came there a certain lord, neat, and trimly dressed, Fresh as a bridegroom; and his chin new reaped Showed like a stubble-land at harvest-home; He was perfuméd like a milliner;

*

And 'twixt his finger and his thumb he held
A pouncet-box, which ever and anon

He gave his nose and took't away again ;

Who therewith angry, when it next came there,
Took it in snuff'; and still he smiled and talked,
And as the soldiers bore dead bodies by,
He called them untaught knaves, unmannerly,
To bring a slovenly unhandsome corse
Betwixt the wind and his nobility.

With many holiday and lady terms

He questioned me; amongst the rest, demanded
My prisoners in your majesty's behalf.

I then, all smarting with my wounds being cold,
To be so pestered with a popinjay,

Out of my grief and my impatience

Answered neglectingly, I know not what,

He should, or he should not; for he made me mad
To see him shine so brisk and smell so sweet

And talk so like a waiting-gentlewoman

Of guns and drums and wounds,-God save the mark!—

And telling me the sovereign'st thing on earth
Was parmaceti for an inward bruise;
And that it was great pity, so it was,
This villanous salt-petre should be digged
Out of the bowels of the harmless earth,
Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed
So cowardly; and but for these vile guns,
He would himself have been a soldier.
This bald unjointed chat of his, my lord,
I answered indirectly, as I said;
And I beseech you, let not his report
Come current for an accusation

Betwixt my love and your high majesty.

W. Shakespeare.

Snuff. Aromatic powders were used as snuff before the introduction tobacco. To take in snuff' also means to take offence.

Hot.

CCXXXVII.

KING HENRY IV.

ACT II. SCENE III.-Warkworth Castle.

Enter HOTSPUR reading a letter.

UT, for mine own part, my lord, I could be well contented to be there, in respect of the love I bear your house.' He could be contented: why is he not, then? In respect of the love he bears our house: he shows in this, he loves his own barn better than he loves our house. Let me see some more. The purpose you undertake is dangerous ;'—why, that's certain: 'tis dangerous to take a cold, to sleep, to drink; but I tell you, my lord fool, out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety. 'The purpose you undertake is dangerous; the friends you have named uncertain; the time itself unsorted; and your whole plot too light for the counterpoise of so great an opposition.' Say you so, say you so? I say unto you again, you are a shallow cowardly hind, and you lie. What a lack-brain is this! I protest, our plot is a good plot as ever was laid; our friends true and constant: a good plot, good friends, and full of expectation; an excellent plot, very good friends. What a frosty-spirited rogue is this! Why, my lord of York commends the plot and the general course of the action. 'Zounds, an I were now by this rascal, I could brain him with his lady's fan. Is there not my father, my uncle and myself? Lord Edmund Mortimer, my lord of York and Owen Glendower? Is there not besides the Douglas? Have I not all their letters to meet me in arms by the ninth of the next month, and are they not some of them set forward already? What a pagan rascal is this! an infidel! Ha! you shall see now in very sincerity of fear and cold heart, will he to the king and lay open all our proceedings. O, I could divide my

self and go to buffets, for moving such a dish of skim milk with so honourable an action! Hang him! let him tell the king! we are prepared. I will set forward to-night. W. Shakespeare.

CCXXXVIII.

KING HENRY IV.-SECOND PART.

ACT II. SCENE III.-Warkworth. Before the Castle.

Enter NORTHUMBERLAND, LADY Northumberland, and Lady PERCY.

North.

PRAY thee, loving wife, and gentle daughter,

Give even way unto my rough affairs :

Put not you on the visage of the times

And be like them to Percy troublesome.

Lady N. I have given over, I will speak no more : Do what you will: your wisdom be your guide.

North. Alas, sweet wife, my honour is at pawn ;

And, but my going, nothing can redeem it.

Lady P. O yet, for Heaven's sake, go not to these wars! The time was, father, that you broke your word,

When you were more endeared to it than now;

When your own Percy, when my heart's dear Harry,
Threw many a northward look to see his father
Bring up his powers; but he did long in vain.
Who then persuaded you to stay at home?

There were two honours lost, yours and your son's.
For yours, the God of heaven brighten it!
For his, it stuck upon him as the sun
In the grey vault of heaven, and by his light
Did all the chivalry of England move
To do brave acts: he was, indeed, the glass
Wherein the noble youth did dress themselves:
He had no legs that practised not his gait ;

And speaking thick, which nature made his blemish,

Became the accents of the valiant ;

For those that could speak low and tardily
Would turn their own perfection to abuse,
To seem like him so that in speech, in gait,
In diet, in affections of delight,

In military rules, humours of blood,

He was the mark and glass, copy and book,

That fashioned others. And him, O wondrous him!
O miracle of men! him did you leave,
Second to none, unseconded by you,
To look upon the hideous god of war
In disadvantage; to abide a field

Where nothing but the sound of Hotspur's name
Did seem defensible: so you left him.
Never, O never, do his ghost the wrong

To hold your honour more precise and nice
With others than with him! let them alone :
The marshal and the archbishop are strong :
Had my sweet Harry had but half their numbers,
To-day might I, hanging on Hotspur's neck,
Have talked of Monmouth's grave.

Beshrew your heart,

North.
Fair daughter, you do draw my spirits from me
With new lamenting ancient oversights.

But I must go and meet with danger there,
Or it will seek me in another place

And find me worse provided.

Lady N.

O, fly to Scotland,

Till that the nobles and the arméd commons

Have of their puissance made a little taste.

Lady P. If they get ground and vantage of the king, Then join you with them, like a rib of steel,

To make strength stronger; but, for all our loves,
First let them try themselves. So did your son;
He was so suffered so came I a widow;
And never shall have length of life enough
To rain upon remembrance with mine eyes,