The dramatic works of William Shakspeare Volume 5 ; embracing a life of the poet, and notes, original and selected... - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1850 Excerpt: ...and question now in hand Have glozed,--but superficially; not much Unlike young men, whom Aristotle' thought Unfit to hear moral philosophy. The reasons you allege, do more conduce To the hot passion of distempered blood, Than to make up a free determination 'Twixt right and wrong; for pleasure, and revenge, Have ears more deaf than adders to the voice, Of any true decision. Nature craves, All dues be rendered to their owners. Now, What nearer debt in all humanity, Than wife is to the husband? If this law Of nature be corrupted through affection; And that great minds, ofa partial indulgence To their benumbed wills, resist the same; There is a law in each well-ordered nation, To curb those raging appetites that are Most disobedient and refractory. If Helen, then, be wife to Sparta's king,--As it is known she is,--these moral laws Of nature, and of nations, speak aloud To have her back returned. Thus to persist In doing wrong, extenuates not wrong, But makes it much more heavy. Hector's opinion Is this, in way of truth; yet, ne'ertheless, My sprightly brethren, I propend3 to you 1 We may be amused at Hector's mention of Aristotle, but " let it be remembered (says Steevens), as often as Shakspeare's anachronisms occur, that errors in computing time were very frequent in those ancient romancea which seem to have formed the greater part of his library." a Through. 3 Incline to, as a question of honor. In resolution to keep Helen still; For 'tis a cause that hath no mean dependence Upon our joint and several dignities. Tro. Why, there you touched the life of our design. Were it not glory that we more affected Than the performance of our heaving spleens, I would not wish a drop of Trojan blood Spent more in her defence. But, worthy Hector, She is a theme...