Thou art like my rappee, here, a most ridiculous superfluity; but a pinch of thee now and then is a more delicious treat. CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. Yea—but what am I? A scholar, or a schoolmaster, or else some youth? A lawyer, a student, or else a country clown? A brumman, a basket-maker, or a baker of pies? A flesh, or a fishmonger, or a sower of lies? A louse, or a louser, a leek or a lark, A dreamer, a drommell, a fire or a spark? A caitiff, a cut-throat, a creeper in corners, A hairbrain, a hangman, or a grafter of horners? A merchant, a maypole, a man or a mackarel, A crab or a crevise, a crane or a cockerell? APIUS AND VIRGINIA. It may appear to some ridiculous Thus to talk knave and madman, and sometimes Come in with a dried sentence, stuft with sage. WEBSTER. _Etsi verò, quæ in isto opere desiderentur, rectiùs forsan quàm quivis alius, perspiciam; et si meo planè voto standum fuisset, id, in tantâ, quæ hodie est librorum copiâ, vel planè suppressissem, vel in multos annos adhuc pressissem; tamen aliquid amicis, aliquid tempori dandum; et cum iis qui aliquid fructus ex eo sperant, illud communicandum putavi. Hunc itaque meum qualemcunque laborem, Lector candide, boni consule; quod te facilè facturum confido, si eum animum ad legendum attuleris, quem ego ad scribendum, veritatis nimirum aliisque inserviendi cupidum._ SENNERTUS. CONTENTS. CHAPTER CLXXII.—p. 1. DESCARTES' NOTION CONCERNING THE PROLONGATION OF LIFE. A SICILIAN PROPOSAL FOR BREEDING UP CHILDREN TO BE IMMORTAL. ASGILL'S ARGUMENT AGAINST THE NECESSITY OF DYING. O harmless Death! whom still the valiant brave, The wise expect, the sorrowful invite; And all the good embrace, who know the Grave A short dark passage to eternal light. SIR WILLIAM DAVENANT. CHAPTER CLXXIII.—p. 30. MORE CONCERNING ASGILL. HIS DEFENCE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, HIS EXPULSION, FARTHER SPECULATIONS AND DEATH. Let not that ugly Skeleton appear! Sure Destiny mistakes; this Death's not mine! DRYDEN. CHAPTER CLXXIV.—p. 48. THE DOCTOR INDULGES IN THE WAY OF FANTASTIC AND TYPICAL SPECULATION ON HIS OWN NAME, AND ON THE POWERS OF THE LETTER D., WHETHER AS REGARDS DEGREES AND DISTINCTIONS, GODS AND DEMIGODS, PRINCES AND KINGS, PHILOSOPHERS, GENERALS OR TRAVELLERS. My mouth's no dictionary; it only serves as the needful interpreter of my heart. QUARLES. CHAPTER CLXXV.—p. 56. THE DOCTOR FOLLOWS UP HIS MEDITATIONS ON THE LETTER D. AND EXPECTS THAT THE READER WILL BE CONVINCED THAT IT IS A DYNAMIC LETTER, AND THAT THE HEBREWS DID NOT WITHOUT REASON CALL IT DALETH—THE DOOR—AS THOUGH IT WERE THE DOOR OF SPEECH.—THE MYSTIC TRIANGLE. More authority dear boy, name more; and sweet my child let them be men of good repute and carriage.— LOVE'S LABOUR LOST. CHAPTER CLXXVI.—p. 66.