Ld. Eust. That you have forfeited Fram. Since it is not in my power to pre vent your committing an error, which you ought for ever to repent of, I will not be a witness of it. There are the letters. Ld. Eust. You may, perhaps, have cause to repent your present conduct, Mr. Frampton, as much as I do our past attachment. Fram. Rather than hold your friendship upon such terms, I resign it for ever. Farewell, my lord. Re-enter FRAMPTON. Fram. Il treated as I have been, my lord, I find it impossible to leave you surrounded by difficulties: Ld. Eust. That sentiment should have operat ed sooner, Mr. Framptom: Recollection is seldom of use to our friends, though it may sometimes be serviceable to ourselves. Fram. Take advantage of your own expres sion, my lord, and recollect yourself. Born and educated, as I have been, a gentleman, how have you injured both yourself and me, by admitting and uniting, in the same confidence, your rascally servant! Ld. Eust. The exigency of my situation is a sufficient exeuse to myself, and ought to have been so to the man who called himself my friend. Fram. Have a care, my lord, of uttering the least doubt upon that subject; for could I think you once mean enough to suspect the sincerity of my attachment to you, it must vanish at that instant. Ld. Eust. The proofs of your regard have been rather painful of late Mr. Framptor. Fram. When I see my friend upon the verge Book vj. of a precipice, is that a time for compliment? Shall I not rudely rush forward, and drag him from it! Just in that state you are at present, and I will strive to save you. Virtue may languish in a noble heart, and suffer her rival, vice, to usurp her power; but baseness must not enter, or she flies for ever. The man who has forfeited his own esteem, thinks all the world has the same consciousness, and therefore is, what he deserves to be, a wretch. Ld. Eust. Oh, Frampton! you have lodged a dagger in my heart. Fram. No, my dear Eustace, I have saved you from one, from your own reproaches, by preventing your being guilty of a meanness, which you could never have forgiven yourself. Ld. Eust. Can you forgive me, and be still my friend? Fram. As firmly as I have ever been, my lord.-- But let us, at present, hasten to get rid of the mean business we are engaged in, and forward the letters we have no right to detain. SCHOOL FOR RAKES, CHA P. I X. Duke and Lord. Duke. Now my co-mates, and brothers in exile, Hath not old custom made this life more sweet Sweet are the uses of adversity, Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, And this our life, exempt from public haunt, Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good in every thing. Lord. Indeed, my lord, The melancholy Jaques grieves much at that; Under an oak, whose antique root peeps out Duke. But what said Jaques ? Lord. O yes, into a thousand similies; First, for his weeping in the needless stream; Poor deer, quoth he, thou mak'st a testament As worldlings do, giving thy sum of more To that which had too much. Then being alone Left and abandon'd of his velvet friends: 'Tis right, quoth he, thus misery doth part The flux of company. Anon a careless herd, you look Full of the pasture, jumps along by him, Lord. We did, my lord, weeping and comment. ing Upon the sobbing deer. Duke. Show me the place; I love to cope him in these sullen fits, Lord. I'll bring you to him straight. Duke. W ΕΠΑΡ. Χ. SHAKESPEARE Duke and Jaques. how now, Monsieur, what a life is this, That your poor friends must woo your company? What? you look merrily. Jaq. A fool, a fool;—I met a fool i' th' forest; A motley fool; a miserable varlet! As I do live by food, I met a fool, Who laid him down and bask'd him in the sun In good set terms, and yet a motley fool. Good morrow, fool, quoth I; No, Sir, quoth he, Thus may we see, quoth he, how the world wags: Jaq. O worthy fool! one that hath been courtier, And says, if ladies be but young and fair, After a voyage,. Jaq. It is my only suit; Provided that you weed your better judgments so ? The why is plain, as way to parish-church; To speak my mind, and I will through and through |