The age of Elizabeth

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Page 218 - These our actors, As I foretold you, were all spirits, and Are melted into air, into thin air, And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, The solemn temples, the great globe itself, Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, Leave not a rack behind: we are such stuff As dreams are made on; and our little life Is rounded with a sleep..
Page 213 - Shall I make spirits fetch me what I please, Resolve me of all ambiguities, Perform what desperate enterprise I will ? Ill have them fly to India for gold, Ransack the ocean for orient pearl. And search all corners of the new-found world For pleasant fruits and princely delicates...
Page 179 - MY loving people, we have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery. But I assure you, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear. I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and goodwill of my subjects...
Page 208 - LOVING in truth, and fain in verse my love to show, That she, dear she, might take some pleasure of my pain,— Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know, Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain,— I sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe, Studying inventions fine, her wits to entertain, Oft turning others' leaves, to see if thence would flow Some fresh and fruitful showers upon my sunburnt brain.
Page 192 - This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise, This fortress built by Nature for herself Against infection and the hand of war, This happy breed of men, this little world, This precious stone set in the silver sea...
Page 138 - Full little knowest thou, that hast not tried, What hell it is in suing long to bide ; To lose good days that might be better spent ; To waste long nights in pensive discontent; To speed to-day, to be put back to-morrow ; To feed on hope ; to pine with fear and sorrow ; To have thy Prince's grace, yet want her peers...
Page 206 - Nature never set forth the earth in so rich tapestry as divers poets have done, neither with so pleasant rivers, fruitful trees, sweet-smelling flowers, nor whatsoever else may make the too much loved earth more lovely. Her world is brazen, the poets only deliver a golden.
Page 206 - I never heard the old song of Percy and Douglas that I found not my heart moved more than with a trumpet...
Page 213 - I'll levy soldiers with the coin they bring, And chase the Prince of Parma from our land,** And reign sole king of all the provinces; Yea, stranger engines for the brunt of war Than was the fiery keel" at Antwerp's bridge, I'll make my servile spirits to invent.
Page 179 - I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a King of England too...

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