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TOPICS: Character and Text, Following the Thought, Antithesis, Consonants

Much Ado About Nothing          Act 2, Scene 3          Benedick


7    I do much wonder that one man, seeing how much


8    another man is a fool when he dedicates his


9    behaviors to love, will, after he hath laughed at


10    such shallow follies in others, become the argument


11    of his own scorn by failing in love: and such a man


12    is Claudio. I have known when there was no music


13    with him but the drum and the fife; and now had he


14    rather hear the tabour and the pipe: I have known


15    when he would have walked ten mile a-foot to see a


16    good armour; and now will he lie ten nights awake,


17    carving the fashion of a new doublet. He was wont to


18    speak plain and to the purpose, like an honest man


19    and a soldier; and now is he turned orthography; his


20    words are a very fantastical banquet, just so many


21    strange dishes. May I be so converted and see with


22    these eyes? I cannot tell; I think not: I will not


23    be sworn, but love may transform me to an oyster; but


24    I'll take my oath on it, till he have made an oyster


25    of me, he shall never make me such a fool. One woman


26    is fair, yet I am well; another is wise, yet I am


27    well; another virtuous, yet I am well; but till all


28    graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in


29    my grace. Rich she shall be, that's certain; wise,


30    or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her;


31    fair, or I'll never look on her; mild, or come not


32    near me; noble, or not I for an angel; of good


33    discourse, an excellent musician, and her hair shall


34    be of what colour it please God. Ha! the prince and


35    Monsieur Love! I will hide me in the arbour.

Hamlet                            Act 3, Scene 2                            Hamlet

HAMLET
54     Horatio, thou art e'en as just a man

55        As e'er my conversation coped withal.
HORATIO
56    O, my dear lord,--
HAMLET
            Nay, do not think I flatter;
57        For what advancement may I hope from thee
58      That no revenue hast but thy good spirits,
59   To feed and clothe thee? Why should the poor be flatter'd?
60   No, let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp,
61   And crook the pregnant hinges of the knee
62   Where thrift may follow fawning. Dost thou hear?
63   Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice
64   And could of men distinguish, her election
65   Hath seal'd thee for herself; for thou hast been
66   As one, in suffering all, that suffers nothing,
67   A man that fortune's buffets and rewards
68   Hast ta'en with equal thanks: and blest are those
69   Whose blood and judgment are so well commingled,
70   That they are not a pipe for fortune's finger
71   To sound what stop she please. Give me that man
72   That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him
73   In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart,
74   As I do thee.--Something too much of this.--
75   There is a play to-night before the king;
76   One scene of it comes near the circumstance
77   Which I have told thee of my father's death:
78   I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot,
79   Even with the very comment of thy soul
80   Observe mine uncle: if his occulted guilt
81   Do not itself unkennel in one speech,
82   It is a damned ghost that we have seen,
83   And my imaginations are as foul
84   As Vulcan's stithy. Give him heedful note;
85   For I mine eyes will rivet to his face,
86   And after we will both our judgments join
87   In censure of his seeming.