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If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cæsar's, to him I say that Bru'tus' love to Cæsar, was no less than his. If, then, that friend demand | why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer: | Not that I loved Cæsar, less," | but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves', than that Cæsar were dead, and live all free men?

As Cæsar loved me, I weep, for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice' at it; as he was valiant, I honhim; but, as he was ambitious, I slew, him. | There are tears for his love, joy' for his fortune, | hon or for his valor, and death, for his ambition.

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Who is here so base that [he] would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. | Who is here so rude that [he] would not be a Ro'man? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that [he] will not love his country? If any, | speak; for him' have I offended. | I pause for a reply. I

None'! Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæsar, than you should do to Brutus. | The question of his death is enrolled in the Ca'pitol; | his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; | nor his offences enforced, for which he suffered death. |

Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth; as which of you shall not? With this, I depart. That, as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need, my death. |

.Cæsar less; not Cæ'sar-less. The words in brackets are not in the original; they are introduced to make the language good English.

ANTONY'S ORATION OVER CÆSAR'S RODY.
(SHAKSPEARE.)

Friends', Ro'mans, countrymen! | lend me your ears. [
I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him. |
The evil that men do, | lives after them; |
The good is oft interred with their bones. :|
So let it be with Cæsar. | The noble Brutus
Hath told you, Cæsar was ambitious. |
If it were so, it was a grievous fault; |
And grievously hath Cæsar answer'd it. |
Here, under leave of Brutus, and the rest, |
(For Brutus is an honorable man; |
So are they all, all honorable men) |
Come I to speak in Cæsar's funeral. |

He was my friend, | faithful, and just to me |
But Brutus, says, he was ambitious; |
And Brutus is an honorable man. |

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:|

Did this in Cæsar seem ambitious? |

When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept. ! Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. I

Yet Brutus says, he was ambitious; |

And Brutus is an honorable man. |

You all did see that, on the Lupercal, 1

I thrice presented him a kingly crown', |

Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? · Yet Brutus says, he was ambitious; |

And Brutus is an honorable man. |

I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke ; |
But here I am to speak what I do know. |

You all did love him once, not without cause,

What cause withholds you then to mourn for him? | O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts'; |

• Lupercalia, solemn sacrifices, and plays, dedicated to Pan, kept the 15th of February.-CICERO.

And men have lost their reason! Bear with me; |
My heart is in the coflin there with Cæsar;|
And I must pause till it come back to me. |

But yesterday, the word of Cæsar, might
Have stood against the world: now lies he there;
And none so poor to do him reverence. |
O masters! if I were disposed to stir

Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do Brutus wrong. and Cassius wrong, |-
Who, you all know, are hon.orable men. |
I will not do them wrong; | I rather choose
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself, and you', |
Than I will wrong such honorable men. |

But here's a parchment, with the seal of Cæsar. ¦
I found it in his closet: 't is his will. I
Let but the commons hear this testament; |
(Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read) |

And they would go, and kiss dead Caesar's wounds, |
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood; |
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory, |

And, dying, mention it within their wills, I
Bequeathing it, as a rich legacy,

Unto their issue. I

If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. |
You all do know this mantle: I remember
The first time ever Cæsar put it on ; |

"I was on a summer's evening, in his tent :|
That day he overcame the Ner vii” — |

Look! in this place, ran Cassius' dag ger through:1

See what a rent the envious Casca made: |

Through this, the well-beloved Bru'tus stabb'd ; |
And as he pluck'd his cursed steel away, I
Mark how the blood of Cæsar follow'd it !' |
This was the most unkindest cut of all. ; |
For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, |

The meanest man is now too high to do reverence to Cæsar. -
JOHNSON.
Nèr vé-i.

Ingratitude, more strong than traitor's arms,,
Quite vanquish'd him. |

Then burst his mighty heart,

And, in his mantle muffling up his face, |

E'en at the base of Pompey's statue,

(Which all the while ran blood!) great Cæsar fell. |
O what a fall was there, my countrymen! |
Then I', and you', and all of us, fell down, |
Whilst bloody treason flourish'd' over us. |
O now you weep; and I perceive you feel
The dint of pity. These are gracious drops. |
Kind, souls! what! | weep you when you but behold
Our Cæsar's ves'ture wounded? | Look you here! |
Here is himself', | marr'd, as you see, by traitors. |
Good friends, sweet' friends! | let me not stir you up
To such a sudden flood of mutiny —

They that have done this deed, are honorable! |
What private griefs they have, alas! I know not, |
That made them do it- they are wîse and hôn'orable; |
And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you! |
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts: |
I am no orator, as Brutus is; |

But, as you know me all, a plain, blunt man, |
That love my friend; | and that they know full well', |
That gave me public leave to speak of him. |
For I have neither wit', nor words', nor worth',
Ac'tion, nor utterance, nor power of speech', [
To stir men's blood: | I only speak right on'. ]
I tell you that which you yourselves do know; |
Show you sweet Cæsar's wounds, poor, poor, dumb
mouths,

And bid them speak for me. But, were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony |
Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Cæsar, that should move
The stones of Rome to rise in mutiny.

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That is, flourished the sword. — STEEVENS.

WOMAN.

(R. H. TOWNSEND.)

Sylph of the blue, and beaming eye!
The Muses' fondest wreaths are thine,
The youthful heart beats warm, and high, 1
And joys to own thy power divine !]
Thou shinest o'er the flowery path |

Of youth; | and all is pleasure there ! |
Thou soothest man, | whene'er he hath |

An eye of gloom - | a brow of care. |
To youth, thou art the early morn', |

With light, and melody, and song,"
To gild his path'; | each scene adorn', |
And swiftly speed his time along. |
To man, thou art the gift of Heav'n, |
A boon from regions bright above; |
His lot, how dark, had ne'er been giv'n |
To him the light of woman's love I |

When o'er his dark'ning brow, | the storm |
Is gath'ring in its power, and might', |
The radiant beam of woman's form',|
Shines through the cloud, and all is light!!
When dire disease prepares her wrath |
To pour in terror from above', |
How gleams upon his gloomy path', |
The glowing light of woman's love. !|

When all around is clear, and bright',

And pleasure lends her fairest charm; And man, enraptur'd with delight', |

Feels, as he views, his bosom warm, Why glows his breast with joy profuse', And all his deeds, his rapture prove.? | It is, because the scene he views' |

Through the bright rays of woman's love!

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