For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time`,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The
pangs of despised love, the law's delay`,
The insolence of office, and the spurns

That patient merit of the unworthy takes ́;
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,
To groan and sweat under a weary life",
But that the dread of something after death,
That undiscover'd country from whose bourne
No traveler returns, puzzles the will;
And makes us rather bear the ills we have,
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all`;
And thus the native hue of resolution

Is sickli'd o'er with the pale cast of thought;
And enterprises of great pith and moment,
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.

THOMAS HOOD was born in 1798. He is chiefly distinguished as a humorist and comic poet. He was for a time the editor of the New Monthly Magazine. "The Plea of the Midsummer Fairies, "Song of the Shirt," and "Whims and Oddities," are among his most popular productions. He died in 1845. He ranks first among English poets of his style.

The following lesson presents an example, in which the matter included in the parenthesis, is disconnected with the main subject, and is, therefore, subject to the general principles of inflection.

1.

THOU happy, happy elf!

(But, stop, first let me kiss away that tear,)

Thou tiny image of myself!

(My love, he's poking peas into his ear`,)

Thou merry, laughing sprite,

With spirits, feather light,

Untouch'd by sorrow, and unsoil'd by sin ́; (My dear, the child is swallowing a pin`!)

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Thou little tricksy Puck!

With antic toys so funnily bestruck,

Light as the singing bird that wings the air,(The door! the door! he'll tumble down the stair`!) Thou darling of thy sire"!

(Why, Jane, he 'll set his pin-afore afire!)

Thou imp of mirth and joy!

In love's dear chain so bright a link,

Thou idol of thy parents;-(Hang the boy! There goes my ink`.)

Thou cherub, but of earth';

Fit play-fellow for fairies, by moonlight pale,
In harmless sport and mirth ́,-

(That dog will bite him, if he pulls his tail ́!)

That human humming-bee, extracting honey From every blossom in the world that blows,

Singing in youth's Elysium ever sunny",(Another tumble! That's his precious nose!) Thy father's pride and hope!

(He'll break that mirror with that skipping-rope!)

With pure heart newly stampt from nature's mint. (Where did he learn that squint?)

Thou young domestic dove!

(He'll have that jug` off with another shove ́,) Dear nursling of the hymeneal nest!

(Are these torn clothes his best?)

Little epitome of man!

(He'll climb upon the table`, that's` his plan,)

Touch'd with the beauteous tints of dawning life ́,

(He's got a knife!)

Thou enviable being"!

No storms, no clouds, in thy blue sky foreseeing,

Play on, play on`,

My elfin John!

Toss the light ball, bestride the stick,—

(I knew so many cakes would make him sick!)
With fancies buoyant as the thistle-down,
Prompting the face grotesque, and antic brisk ́,
With many a lamb-like frisk!

(He's got the scissors, snipping at your gown!)

Thou pretty opening rose!

(Go to your mother, child, and wipe your nose!)

Balmy and breathing music like the south", (He really brings my heart into my mouth!)

Bold as the hawk, yet gentle as the dove; (I'll tell you what`, my love,

I can not write, unless he 's sent above.)

XXIX.

SPEECH OF WALPOLE IN REPROOF OF MR. PITT.

WILLIAM PITT, afterward EARL OF CHATHAM, and SIR ROBERT WALPOLE, were distinguished English statesmen of the last century. Pitt entered the house of Parliament before he was twenty-one. At that time Walpole was a leading politician, and as Pitt opposed his measures with a force and eloquence seldom equaled, he drew upon himself the opposition of Walpole, as expressed in this extract, and which Pitt answered in the succeeding extract with a vigor and eloquence never surpassed.

In this and some succeeding lessons the emphatic words are marked, in addition to the inflections.

1. I was unwilling to interrupt the course of this debate, while it was carried on with calmness and decency, by men who do not suffer the ardor of opposition to cloud their reason, or transport them to such expressions as the dignity of this assembly does not admit.

2. I have hitherto deferred answering the gentleman, who declaimed against the bill with such fluency and rhetoric, and such vehemence of gesture; who charged the advocates for the expedients now proposed, with having no regard to any interests but their own, and with making laws only to consume paper, and threatened them with the defection of their adherents, and the loss of their influence, upon this new discovery of their folly and ignorance. Nor, do I now answer him for any other purpose, than to remind him how little the clamor of rage and petulancy of invective, contribute to the end for which this assembly is called together; how little the discovery of truth is promoted`, and the security of the nation established, by pompous diction and theatrical emotion.

3. Formidable sounds and furious declamation, confident assertions and lofty periods, may affect the young and inexperienced; and perhaps the gentleman may have contracted his

habits of oratory, by conversing more with those of his own age, than with such as have more opportunities of acquiring knowledge, and more successful methods of communicating their sentiments. If the heat of temper would permit him to attend to those, whose age and long acquaintance with business give them an indisputable right to deference and superiority, he would learn in time to reason, rather than declaim ́; and to prefer justness of argument and an accurate knowledge of facts`, to sounding epithets and splendid superlatives ́, which may disturb the imagination for a moment, but leave no lasting impression upon the mind. He would learn, that to accuse and prove are very different`; and that reproaches, unsupported by evidence', affect only the character of him that utters them.

4. Excursions of fancy and flights of oratory', are indeed pardonable in young men, but in no other; and it would surely contribute more, even to the purpose for which some gentlemen appear to speak, (that of depreciating the conduct of the administration), to prove the inconveniences and injustice of this bill, than barely to assert them, with whatever magnificence of language, or appearance of zeal, honesty, or compassion.

XXX. - PITT'S REPLY TO SIR ROBERT WALPOLE.

See note at the head of the preceding Exercise.

(Observe in this, examples of antithesis and relative emphasis.)

1. THE atrocious crime of being a young man, which the honorable gentleman has, with such spirit and decency, charged upon me, I shall neither attempt to palliate nor deny; but content myself with hoping, that I may be one of those whose follies cease with their youth ́, and not of that number, who are ignorant in spite of experience. Whether youth can be imputed to a man as a reproach ́, I will not assume the province of determining`; but surely age may become justly contemptible, if the opportunities which it brings have passed away without improvement, and vice` appears to prevail', when the passions have subsided. The wretch, who, after having seen the consequences of a thou

sand errors, continues still to blunder, and whose age has only added obstinacy to stupidity', is surely the object either of abhorrence or contempt, and deserves not that his gray hairs should secure him from insult. Much more 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 can not enjoy, and spends the remains of his life, in the ruin of his country.

2. But youth is not my only crime; I am accused of acting a theatrical part. A theatrical part may either imply some peculiarity of gesture, or a dissimulation of my real sentiments, and an adoption of the opinions and language of another man. In the first sense, the charge is too trifling to be confuted; and deserves only to be mentioned, that it may be despised. I am at liberty, like every other man, to use my own language; and though, perhaps, I may have some ambition to please this gentleman, I shall not lay myself under any restraint, nor very solicitously copy his diction or his mien, however matured by age, or modeled by experience..

3. But, if any man shall, by charging me with theatrical behavior, imply, that I utter any sentiments but my own', I shall treat him as a calumniator and a villain`; nor shall any protection shelter him from the treatment he deserves. I shall, on such an occasion, without scruple, trample` upon all those forms with which wealth and dignity intrench themselves, nor shall any thing but age restrain my resentment; age, which always brings one privilege, that of being insolent and supercilious, without punishment.

4. But, with regard to those whom I have offended, I am of opinion, that if I had acted a borrowed part ́, I should have avoided their censure: the heat that offended them, was the ardor of conviction, and that zeal for the service of my country which neither hope nor fear shall influence me to suppress. I will not sit unconcerned while my liberty is invaded, nor look in silence upon public robbery. I will exert my endeavors, at whatever hazard, to repel the aggressor, and drag the thief to justice`, whoever may protect him in his villanies, and whoever may partake of his plunder.