still summer evening, has often fancied his voice at a distance, chanting a melancholy psalm tune among the tranquil solitudes of Sleepy Hollow.

From "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Abridged.

There, in his noisy mansion, skilled to rule,
The village master taught his little school.
The village all declared how much he knew;
'Twas certain he could write, and cipher too;
Lands he could measure, terms and tides presage,
And e'en the story ran that he could gauge.
In arguing, too, the parson owned his skill,
For, e'en though vanquished, he could argue still;
While words of learned length and thundering sound
Amazed the gazing rustics ranged around;

And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew
That one small head could carry all he knew.

Oliver Goldsmith.

THE FORUM SCENE FROM JULIUS CÆSAR

BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

It has often been truly said that the person who knows Shakespeare knows the whole world, and that to own his plays is to possess a complete library. Of the life of

the man who has given the world this "lordly pleasure-house" little is positively known. He was born in 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon, the son of a glove merchant. How he was educated no one can say, but about 1587 he went to London fortune-hunting and became an actor. His work as the greatest of dramatists began simply and naturally by his sometimes substituting for the poor lines in plays in which he acted, better

lines of his own. Many of his plays were produced at the Globe Theater in London, of which he was part owner. In Shakespeare's time all of the parts in a play were taken by men and boys. He died in 1616 at Stratford.

Julius Cæsar is one of the most famous of Shakespeare's historical plays. In the scene immediately preceding the one here given, Cæsar has been stabbed in the senate-chamber by conspirators, including his friend Brutus, Cassius, and others, who accused him of wishing to become king.

Brutus. Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear; believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe; censure me in your wisdom, and awake

I

your senses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cæsar's, to him say that Brutus' love to Cæsar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer,-Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves, than that Cæsar were dead, to live all free men? As Cæsar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honor for his valor, and death for his ambition. Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak, for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.

All. None, Brutus, none.

Brutus. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæsar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy, nor his offences enforced, for which he suffered death.

[Enter Antony and others, with Cæsar's body. ]

Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony, who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the ben

efit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth; as which of you shall not? With this I depart, that, as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country to need my death.

All. Live, Brutus, live! live!

First Citizen. Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

Second Citizen.

Third Citizen.

Give him a statue with his ancestors. Let him be Cæsar.

Fourth Citizen. Cæsar's better parts shall now be crown'd in Brutus.

First Citizen. We'll bring him to his house with shouts and clamors.

First Citizen. Peace, ho!

Brutus. Good countrymen, let me depart alone,

And, for my sake, stay here with Antony;

Do grace to Cæsar's corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Cæsar's glories, which Mark Antony
By our permission is allow'd to make.

I do entreat you, not a man depart,

Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.

[Exit Brutus.]

First Citizen. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony. Third Citizen. Let him go up into the public chair; We'll hear him.-Noble Antony, go up.

Antony. You gentle Romans,

All. Peace, ho! let us hear him.

Antony

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your

ears;

I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Cæsar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Cæsar was ambitious;
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Cæsar answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest,—
For Brutus is an honorable man,

So are they all, all honorable men,—
Come I to speak in Cæsar's funeral.

He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;

And Brutus is an honorable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransom did the general coffers fill;

Did this in Cæsar seem ambitious?

When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept;
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And Brutus is an honorable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,