subjects, health and prosperity to Great Britain and Germany, and
love and truth for Frederick and Elizabeth."

The three thousand guests standing responded with a storm of cheers, and
then the King remarked:

"We are honored to-night by the presence of William Shakspere, our most
loyal and intellectual subject, who will now address you in logic and
philosophy from his own matchless plays."

(Lord Bacon looked as if he wanted to crawl under the table at the King's
compliment to the Bard of Avon.)

Shakspere arose, dressed in a dark purple suit, knee breeches and short
sword by his side, bowed majestically, and for two hours entranced the
royal assembly with these eloquent pen pictures of humanity:

_My good friends;
I'll skip across the fields of thought
And pluck for you the sweetest flowers,
That I have from Dame Nature caught
To cheer the lingering, leaden hours.
While vice and virtue side by side
Go hand in hand adown the years,
Virtue alone, remains the bride
To banish all our falling tears;
And here to-night like stars above
These flowers of beauty blush and bloom--
Commanding honest human love,--
Immortal o'er the voiceless tomb!_

Othello thus defends himself against the charge of bewitching Desdemona:

_"Most potent, grave and reverend signiors,
My very noble and approved good masters,
That I have taken away this old man's daughter,
It is most true; true, I have married her;
The very head and front of my offending
Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in speech,
And little blessed with the set phrase of peace;
For since these arms of mine had seven years' pith,
Till now some nine moons wasted, they have used
Their dearest action in the tented field;
And little of this great world can I speak,
More than pertains to feats of broil and battle;
And therefore, little shall I grace my cause
In speaking for myself; yet, by your gracious patience
I will a round unvarnished tale deliver
Of my whole course of love; what drugs, what charms,
What conjuration, and what mighty magic,
(For such proceeding I am charged withal)
I won his daughter with!"_

* * * * *

_"Her father loved me, oft invited me;
Still questioned me the story of my life,
From year to year; the battles, sieges, fortunes
That I have passed.
I ran it throu