51.

52.

53.

54.

55.

So cheered he his fair spouse, and she was cheer'd;
But silently a gentle tear let fall

From either eye, and wip'd them with her hair;
Two other precious drops that ready stood,
Each in their crystal sluice, he ere they fell
Kiss'd, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse
And pious awe, that feared to have offended.

Hadst thou but shook thy head, or made a pause,
When I spake darkly what I purposed;

Or turn'd an eye of doubt upon my face,

As bid me tell my tale in express words;

Deep shame had struck me dumb, made me break off,
And those thy fears might have wrought fears in me.

Long time in even scale

The battle hung; till Satan, who that day

Prodigious power had shown, and met in arms
No equal, ranging through the dire attack
Of fighting seraphim confused, at length

Saw where the sword of Michael smote, and felled
Squadrons at once.

Long time they thus together traveiled,

Till, weary of their way, they came at last,

Where grew two goodly trees, that faire did spred
Their armes abroad, with gray mosse overcast;
And their greene leaves trembling with every blast,
Made a calme shadow far in compasse round.

While some on earnest business bent

Their murmuring labours ply
Gainst graver hours, that bring constraint
To sweeten liberty,

Some bold adventurers disdain

The limits of their little reign

And unknown regions dare descry:

Still as they run they look behind,

They hear a voice in every wind
And snatch a fearful joy.

56. Though a scholar must have faith in his master, yet a man well instructed must judge for himself; for learners owe to their masters only a temporary belief, and a suspension of their own judgment till they are fully instructed, and not an absolute resignation or perpetual captivity.

57. Fame is the spur that the clear spirit doth raise, That last infirmity of noble mind,

58.

To scorn delights and live laborious days,

But the fair guerdon when we hope to find
And think to burst out into sudden blaze

Comes the blind Fury with th' abhorred shears

And slits the thin-spun life.

Since words are only names for things, it would be more convenient for all men to carry about them such things as are necessary to express the particular business they are to discourse on.

59.

Bless'd are those

Whose blood and judgment are so well commingled,
That they are not a pipe for fortune's finger

To sound what stop she please. Give me that man
That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him
In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart,
As I do thee.

60. Dangerous it were for the feeble brain of man to wade far into the doings of the Most High; whom although to know be life, and joy to make mention of His name, yet our soundest knowledge is to know that we know Him not as indeed He is, neither can know Him.

ON

ESSAY-WRITING.