Wretched mendicant, already That thou wast my slave so lately? What thou hast been, little matters. Thou refused'st? Beau. So soon failest Thou in the respect thou owest Unto me as richer, fairer ? Disc. All of us are equal now, Having laid aside our garments; For in this poor winding sheet No distinction more remaineth. Rich M. Do you go before me, villain ? For, once dead, thou art the shadow Of the sun which thou wast lately. Rich M. Some strange fear in me the prospect Of the Author's presence wakens. Begg. Author of the earth and heaven, All thy company, the players, Who that briefest comedy Played of human life so lately, And thy glorious seat unveilèd. With music the celestial globe opens once more;-but the little which remains may without difficulty be guessed; at all events it is too serious and solemn to be followed into its details, at least with our feelings and associations— seriously and solemnly although this, as all the rest, is both intended and carried out by the great Christian Poet, my brief specimens of whom have now come to their conclusion. APPENDIX. A PERSIAN proverb says, "You may bring a nosegay to the town; but you cannot bring the garden." This is true, and "Beauties of Shakespeare," or "Beauties" of any one else who is indeed beautiful, abundantly attest the truth of the adage. For these "beauties" are in the first place but gathered flowers, instead of growing flowers; and then besides, they form generally the most insignificant portion of the wealth, whereof they are presented as specimens and representatives. Still, if they are only offered and accepted at what they are worth, there is no reason why they should not be made; nor should I object to "Beauties of Calderon," if any one were to bring them together. At the same time, the few extracts from him which form the present appendix, are not presented in this sense, or under this aspect; but rather to give the reader, who may know of him only through this little volume, some further examples besides the few which the notes have offered, of his metres, his diction, his skill in wielding and calling out the powers of his native tongue. I have of course sought out and selected passages of beauty, as being those by which he would be most justly represented. I. It has been mentioned already that assonants constitute the staple of his verse. Here is a rich and poetical description in this metre of a great armament at sea, as it appeared to one who beheld it slowly advancing from a distance. It occurs in The Steadfast Prince. Yo lo sé, porque en el mar Si eran naos, ó si eran rocas ; Sútiles pinceles logran Unos visos, unos lejos, |