Admirez les bontez, admirez les tendresses, De ces vieux esclaves du sort. Ils ne sont jamais las d’aquérir des richesses, Pour ceux qui souhaitent leur mort. _Belinda._ Lard, he has so pester’d me with flames and stuff--I think I shan’t endure the sight of a fire this twelvemonth. _Old Bachelor, act 2. sc. 8._ To account for effects by such fantastical causes, being highly ludicrous, is quite improper in any serious composition. Therefore the following passage from Cowley, in his poem on the death of Sir Henry Wooton, is in a bad taste. He did the utmost bounds of Knowledge find, He found them not so large as was his mind. But, like the brave Pellæan youth, did moan, Because that Art had no more worlds than one. And when he saw that he through all had past, He dy’d, lest he should idle grow at last. Fanciful reasoning, _Falstaff._ Imbowell’d!---- if thou imbowel me to-day, I’ll give you leave to powder me, and eat me to-morrow! ’Sblood, ’twas time to counterfeit, or that hot termagant Scot had paid me scot and lot too. Counterfeit? I lie, I am no counterfeit; to die is to be a counterfeit; for he is but the counterfeit of a man, who hath not the life of a man: but to counterfeit dying, when a man thereby liveth, is to be no counterfeit, but the true and perfect image of life, indeed. _First Part Henry IV. act 1. sc. 10._ _Clown_. And the more pity that great folk should have countenance in this world to drown or hang themselves, more than their even Christian. _Hamlet, Act 5. sc. 1._ _Pedro._ Will you have me, Lady? _Beatrice._ No, my Lord, unless I might have another for working days. Your Grace is too costly to wear every day. _Much ado about nothing, act 2. sc. 5._ _Jessica._ I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a Christian. _Launcelot._ Truly the more to blame he; we were Christians enough before, e’en as many as could well live by one another: this making of Christians will raise the price of hogs; if we grow all to be pork-eaters, we shall not have a rasher on the coals for money. _Merchant of Venice, act 3. sc. 6._ In western clime there is a town, To those that dwell therein well known; Therefore there needs no more be said here, We unto them refer our reader: For brevity is very good, When w’ are, or are not understood. _Hudibras, canto 1._ But Hudibras gave him a twitch, As quick as lightning, in the breech, Just in the place where honour’s lodg’d, As wise philosophers have judg’d; Because a kick in that part, more Hurts honour, than deep wounds before. _Ibid. canto 3._ Ludicrous junction of small things with great, as of equal importance.