on. There
is a grandeur in the earthly king's grounding his counsels in those of
the heavenly King; and in his blending his own particular act of exerted
kingly sway into the general system of things in the universe. The turn
from the somewhat magniloquent dissertation to the parties immediately
interested--the gentle disposing, between injunction and persuasion, of
Emelie's will, and the frank call upon Palamon to come forward and take
possession of his happiness, are natural, princely, and full of dramatic
grace. Thus,--

CHAUCER.

Lo the oke that hath so long a norishing
Fro the time that it ginneth first to spring,
And hath so long a lif, as ye may see,
Yet at the laste wasted is the tree.
Considereth eke, how that the harde stone
Under our feet, on which we trede and gon,
It wasteth as it lieth by the way;
The brode river some time waxeth dry;
The grete tounes see we wane and wende;
Then may ye see that all things hath an end.
Of man and woman see we wel also,
That nedes in on of the termes two,
That is to sayn, in youth or elles age,
He mote be ded, the king as shall a page;
Som on his bed, some on the depe see,
Som in the large field, as ye may see;
Ther helpeth nought, all goth that ilke wey;
Than may I say that alle things mote dey.
What maketh this but Jupiter the king?
The which is prince, and cause of alle thing,
Converting alle unto his propre will,
From which it is derived, soth to telle.
And here againes no creature on live
Of no degree availeth for to strive.
Then is it wisdom, as it thinketh me,
To maken virtue of necessite,
And take it wel, that we may not eschewe,
And namely that to us all is dewe.
And who so grutcheth ought, he doth folie,
And rebel is to him that all may gie.
And certainly a man hath most honour
To dien in his excellence and flour,
Whan he is siker of his goode name.
Than hath he don his friend, ne him, no shame;
And glader ought his friend been of his deth
Whan with honour is yelden up his breath,
Than whan his name appalled is for age;
For all foryetten is his vassalage
Than is it best, as for a worthy fame,
To dien when a man is best of name.
The contrary of all this is wilfulnesse.
Why grutchen we? Why have we heavinesse,
That good Arcite, of chivalry the flour,
Departed is, with du