For why, who writes such histories as these
Doth often bring the reader’s heart such ease,
As when they sit and see what he doth note,
Well fare his heart, say they, this book that wrote!
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From “King Henry Eighth,” Act III. Sc. 1.
ORPHEUS, with his lute, made trees,
And the mountain-tops that freeze,
Bow themselves when he did sing;
To his music plants and flowers
Ever sprung, as sun and showers
There had made a lasting Spring.Every thing that heard him play,
Even the billows of the sea,
Hung their... -
From “The Merchant of Venice,” Act V. Sc. 1.
LORENZO.—How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!
Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music
Creep in our ears: soft stillness, and the night,
Become the touches of sweet harmony.
Sit, Jessica: look, how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold:
There ’s not the... -
From “Patient Grissell,” Act I. Sc. 1.
ART thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers?
O sweet content!
Art thou rich, yet is thy mind perplexed?
O punishment!
Dost thou laugh to see how fools are vexed
To add to golden numbers, golden numbers?
O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content!
“Work apace, apace, apace,... -
I Weigh not fortune’s frown or smile;
I joy not much in earthly joys;
I seek not state, I reck not style;
I am not fond of fancy’s toys:
I rest so pleased with what I have,
I wish no more, no more I crave.I quake not at the thunder’s crack;
I tremble not at news of war;
I swound not at the news of wrack;
I... -
From “Farewell to Follie,” 1617
SWEET are the thoughts that savor of content;
The quiet mind is richer than a crown;
Sweet are the nights in careless slumber spent,—
The poor estate scorns Fortune’s angry frown:
Such sweet content, such minds, such sleep, such bliss,
Beggars enjoy, when princes oft do miss.The homely house that...
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From “Valentinian”
COME, Sleep, and with thy sweet deceiving
Lock me in delight awhile;
Let some pleasing dreams beguile
All my fancies, that from thence
I may feel an influence,
All my powers of care bereaving!Though but a shadow, but a sliding,
Let me know some little joy!
We that suffer long... -
From “Astrophel and Stella”
COME, Sleep, O Sleep, the certain knot of peace,
The baiting-place of wit, the balm of woe,
The poor man’s wealth, the prisoner’s release,
The indifferent judge between the high and low,
With shield of proof shield me from out the prease 1
Of those fierce darts Despair at me doth throw;
O, make me in those civil... -
From “Second Part of Henry IV.,” Act III. Sc. 1.
KING HENRY.—How many thousand of my poorest subjects
Are at this hour asleep!—O sleep! O gentle sleep!
Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frighted thee,
That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down,
And steep my senses in forgetfulness?
Why rather, sleep, liest thou in smoky cribs,
Upon uneasy... -
This figure, 1 that thou here seest put,
It was for gentle Shakespeare cut;
Wherein the Graver had a strife
With Nature to outdo the life:
O, could he but have drawn his wit
As well in brass, as he hath hit
His face; the Print would then surpass
All that was ever writ in brass.
But since he cannot, Reader, look
Not at his...