have the cream and quintessence of every one of theirs. In conference be neither superstitious nor believing all you hear (what opinion soever you have of the man that delivereth it), nor too desirous to contradict. For of the first grows a facility to be led into all kind of error; since you shall ever think that he that knows all that you know, and somewhat more, hath infinite knowledge, because you cannot sound or measure it. Of the second grows such a carping humour, as you shall without reason censure all men, and want reason to censure yourself. I do conclude this point of conference with this advice, that your Lordship shall rather go a hundred miles out of the way to speak with a wise man, than five to see a fair town.

The third way to attain knowledge is observation, and not long life or seeing much; because, as he that rides a way often, and takes no care of marks or notes to direct him if he come the same again, or to make him know where he is if he come unto it, shall never prove a good guide; so he that lives long and sees much, but observes nothing, shall never prove a wise man. The use of observation is in noting the coherence of causes and effects, counsels and successes, and the proportion and likeness between nature and nature, force and force, action and action, state and state, time past and time present. The philosopher did think that all knowledge doth much depend on the knowledge of causes; as he said, id demum scimus cujus causam scimus; and therefore a private man cannot prove so great a soldier as he that commands an army, nor so great a politique as he that rules a state, because the one sees only the events and knows not the causes, the other makes the causes that govern the events. The observation of proportion or likeness between one person or one thing and another, makes nothing without

example, nor nothing new: and although exempla illustrant non probant, examples may make things plain that are proved, but prove not themselves; yet when circumstances agree, and proportion is kept, that which is proba ble in one case is probable in a thousand, and that which is reason once is reason ever.

SHAKESPEARE

(A. D. 1564–1616.)

THE supreme poet, not of the English race alone, but of all mankind, William Shakespeare, was born at Stratford-onAvon, in Warwickshire, England, on a day in April, 1564. The precise day is not known; but the baptism of the child, which no doubt followed birth quickly, is registered April 24th. His parents were of a modest station in English middle-class society, and it is improbable that he received more than a quite moderate education; but his genius demanded little from schools. Says James Russell Lowell: "Shakespeare was doubly fortunate. Saxon by the father and Norman by the mother, he was a representative EnglishA country boy, he learned first the rough and ready English of his rustic mates, who knew how to make nice verbs and adjectives courtesy to their needs. Going up to London, he acquired the lingua aulica precisely at the happiest moment, just as it was becoming, in the strictest sense of the word, modern. . . . Shakespeare . . found a language already to a certain extent established, but not yet fetlocked by dictionary and grammar mongers. . . . What kind of culture Shakespeare had is uncertain; how much he had is disputed; that he had as much as he wanted, and of whatever kind he wanted, must be clear to whoever considers the question."

man.

About 1585 Shakespeare went from Stratford to London, and obtained some kind of employment in connection with a theatre, which led to his becoming, first, an actor, and then a writer of plays. His earliest original work as a dramatist, the comedy of "Love's Labor Lost, was produced on the stage in 1589, when Shakespeare was twenty-five years old. This was nearly at the middle point of his life; for he died in April, 1616, at just the completion of his fifty-second year. The greatest of his works, the tragedy of "Hamlet,"

was produced about 1601. His last play, "King Henry VIII." (of which he is believed to be the author only in part), was produced in 1612 or 1613.

THE ADVICE OF POLONIUS TO LAERTES.

(From "Hamlet," Act I., Scene 3.)

There, my blessing with you!

And these few precepts in thy memory:
See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,
Nor any unproportion'd thought his act.
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.
The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment
Of each new-hatch'd, unfledg'd comrade. Beware
Of entrance to a quarrel: but being in,

Bear 't that the opposed may beware of thee.
Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice:
Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,

But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy:

For the apparel oft proclaims the man ;

And they in France of the best rank and station
Are most select and generous, chief in that.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be:

For loan oft loses both itself and friend;
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
This above all, To thine own self be true;

And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell; my blessing season this in thee!

SIR HENRY WOTTON

(A. D. 1568-1639.)

SIR HENRY WOTTON, one of the minor poets of the Elizabethan age in England, was busied during most of his life in diplomatic and other public employments, and had but stolen hours to give to literature. He was a man of fine accomplishments, and, having become reduced in fortune, was appointed provost of Eton College in 1625. He died in 1639, at the age of seventy-one. His life was written by his friend, Isaac Walton.

THE HAPPY LIFE.

(By Sir Henry Wotton.)

How happy is he born and taught

That serveth not another's will
Whose armor is his honest thought,

And simple truth his utmost skill!

Whose passions not his masters are,
Whose soul is still prepared for death-

Untied unto the worldly care

Of public fame or private breath!

Who envies none that chance doth raise,
Or vice; who never understood
How deepest wounds are given by praise;
Nor rules of state, but rules of good;

Who hath his life from rumors freed,

Whose conscience is his strong retreat;