WOLSEY'S CHARACTER.1 The dark side. HE was a man Of an unbounded stomach,2 ever ranking The bright side. THIS Cardinal, Though from an humble stock, undoubtedly (1) "Henry VIII.," Act iv., scene 2. Queen Katharine describes the evil, and Griffith, her gentleman-usher, the good, of Wolsey's character. (2) Stomach-in the old sense-arrogance, haughtiness. (3) By suggestion, &c.-By secret influence ruled all the kingdom. Some take tied to mean tithed. (4) Simony-the buying or selling of church preferment; so ealled from Simon Magus. See Acts viii. 20. (5) I' th' presence-from the Latin in præsentia, at the present time-to suit his immediate purpose; or perhaps it means, in the king's presence. (6) Ipswich and Oxford-Wolsey founded a college, which had a very brief existence, in his native town of Ipswich, as well as the noble college of Cardinal's, now called Christ Church, Oxford. (7) That did it-that made or founded it. So excellent in art, and still so rising, So work the honey bees; Creatures that, by a rule in nature, teach Who, busied in his majesty, surveys To be, or not to be, that is the question :- 6 (1) He felt himself-i. e. he felt himself little, and found the blessedness of being so. (2) "Henry V.," Act i., scene 2. (3) King-king seems here used in the general sense of sovereign-the reference is of course to the queen bee. (4) Make boot upon-despoil, feed on. (5) "Hamlet," Act iii., scene 1. (6) Sea of troubles-Pope proposed to alter this into "a siege of troubles,” upon which Mr. Knight, in his pictorial edition, remarks, "Surely the metaphor of the sea, to denote an overwhelming flood of troubles, is highly beautiful." This is unquestionable. The difficulty however lies in the expression "to take arms against a sea," which, strictly speaking, presents an incongruous image. If we consider the words "a sea" as unemphatic, and merely used for "a host" or great number, the whole will be harmonised. And, by opposing, end them? To die-to sleep- For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought; (1) No more-i.e. to die is no more than to sleep; this was Hamlet's first notion, which he afterwards corrects. (2) Coil-rope wound into a ring, hence, perhaps, from the noise made in coiling a rope-stir, murmur, tumult. "To shuffle off this mortal coil" is to get free from the entanglements and perplexities of life, or, in a secondary sense, from its busy stir. (3) Quietus-a law term-final discharge, complete acquittance. (4) Bodkin-a small sword. (5) Fardels-from the French fardeau, a parcel-burdens. (6) Grunt-lament loudly. This, and not groan, is the true reading. (7) With this regard-i. e. from this view of the object-in consequence of the check which conscience gives. DOVER CLIFFS.1 How fearful And dizzy 'tis to cast one's eyes so low! The crows, and choughs, that wing the midway air, ANTONY'S FUNERAL ORATION OVER CESAR'S BODY. FRIENDS, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears! The evil that men do lives after them; Hath told you Cæsar was ambitious; If it were so, it was a grievous fault, (1) "King Lear," Act iv., scene 6. These lines are generally considered as an actual description, but a reference to the connection in which they occur will show that, though suggested by the scenery of the Dover Cliffs, they only represent an imaginary picture. This consideration may serve to account for the discrepancy which is usually felt between the actual scene and this description. (2) Samphire-a plant used for pickling. (3) Cock-a small man-of-war's boat. (4) And the deficient, &c.-i. e. and I, my sight failing me, topple down headlong. (5) "Julius Cæsar," Act iii., scene 3. This speech is a masterpiece of oratory, exhibiting in one view nearly all the resources of the art. The ingenuity with which Antony "wields at will" the fickle populace of Rome in the midst of their greatest excitement, dextrously concealing his purpose until they were prepared themselves voluntarily to aid it, can hardly be too much admired, while his success by such means confirms uth of the dogma, that "Reason and Rhetoric have nothing in common." Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest- He hath brought many captives home to Rome, When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept; Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? And, sure, he is an honourable man. speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, You all did love him once-not without cause- But yesterday, the word of Cæsar might (1) Lupercal-a spot at the foot of Mount Aventine, at Rome, where the Lupercalia (games commemorative of the founder of Rome) were annually celebrated. Perhaps "on the Lupercal" refers only to the day, and not to the place. (2) None so poor-i. e. "the meanest man is now too high to do reverence to Cæsar."-Dr. Johnson. |