On their journey homewards, the conversation naturally turned upon the drama; and many a fine passage, which May admired, was recited to her with all the eloquence and stage artifice which the actor was master of. And he would speak feelingly of "the gentle lady married to the Moor"--her love--the love of Desdemona, pure, exalted, all-enduring, such as death alone could quench--her wo and her fate, so replete with all that can agonise the human soul, and awaken its profoundest sympathies;--of Ophelia--"the fair Ophelia," the young, the beautiful, and the gentle--her devoted, child-like affection, her mournful distraction, and her untimely doom;--of Miranda, the island bride--the being of enchantment--half-earthly, half-heavenly--around whom the spirits of the air hovered, and ministered unto as vassals;--of Imogen, the fair and faithful--the patient, long-suffering, and finally fortunate Imogen;--of Cordelia--she of the seraph-spirit, pure and peaceful--whose love for a father surpassed that of the Roman daughter;--of Perdita, "the prettiest low-born lass that ever ran on the greensward"--the shepherdess and the princess;--of Juliet--the martyr of passion--she who drew poison from earth's sweetest flower, love, and died thereby; by love's own flame "kindled she was and blasted." These, and many other creations of fancy, which omnipotent genius has rendered almost real historical personages--not shadow, but substance--were the topics of discourse which were handled by our hero of the buskin, until the cottage of John Darling was reached. From the description which has been given of May's character, it need be no matter of surprise that the impression made upon her gentle bosom was profound; and, on taking leave of her, a request on the part of Mr Henry Wilkinson (such was the tragedian's name) to be permitted to visit her on some future occasion, made under cover of a pretext to inquire after the state of her health, was acceded to. Again and again Mr Wilkinson visited the cottage, and poured into the ear of the humble, unsuspecting, and happy inmate many a story of love, and hope, and joy--such as his knowledge of the drama, which was great, supplied him with. "These things to hear Would Desdemona seriously incline; But still the house affairs would draw her thence; Which ever as she could with haste despatch She'd come again, and with a greedy ear Devour up his discourse."