Sicily, he conjectured he should find the fugitives here; and, following them with all speed, he happened to arrive just at this, the happiest moment of Leontes's life.

435

Polixenes took a part in the general joy. He forgave his friend Leontes the unjust jealousy he had conceived against him, and they once more loved each other with all the warmth of their first boyish friendship. And there was no fear that Polixenes would 440 now oppose his son's marriage with Perdita. She was no "sheep-hook" now, but the heiress of the crown of Sicily.

Thus have we seen the patient virtues of the longsuffering Hermione rewarded. That excellent lady 445 lived many years with her Leontes and her Perdita, the happiest of mothers and of queens.

NOTES.

ABBREVIATIONS, except a few of the most familiar, have been avoided in the Notes, as in other parts of the book. The references to act, scene, and line in the quotations from Shakespeare are added for the convenience of the teacher or parent, who may sometimes wish to refer to the context, and possibly to make use of it in talking with the young people. The line-numbers are those of the "Globe" edition, which vary from those of my edition only in scenes that are wholly or partly in prose.

The numbers appended to names of persons (as on pages 183, 197, etc.) are the dates of their birth and death. It must not be supposed that I would have these committed to memory as a part of the lesson, though it is well for the pupil to know at about what time an eminent man lived or wrote.

W. J. R.

CHARLES LAMB was born in London, in 1775. He was educated at the school of Christ's Hospital, and at the age of seventeen be-came a clerk in the office of the East India Company. There he remained until 1825, when he retired with a small pension. He was never married, but devoted his life to the care of his only sister, Mary Anne (1765-1847), who was subject to insane fits, in one of which she killed her mother. The Essays of Elia are the most famous of his writings. In conjunction with his sister he wrote a volume of Poetry for Children (1809), besides these Tales from Shakespeare (1807). He died on the 27th of December, 1834; and she on the 20th of May, 1847.