of the people, soon became assimilated with the national tone of thought, and the English language was now fixed and consolidated. Whatever changes it may have undergone, either from the loss of obsolete words, or the introduction of new terms, it has, from this period, remained in the same state both as regards its idiomatic forms, and structural character.

PERIOD OF MODERN ENGLISH.

A.D. 1550-1850, &c.

1. Extract from Sackville's "Mirror for Magistrates.”

1557.

In black all clad, there fell before my face
A piteous wight, whom woe had all forwast;
Forth from her eyen, the crystal tears outbrast,
And, sighing sore, her hands she wrong and fold,
Tearing her hair, that ruth was to behold.

Her body small, forwithered and forspent,

As is the stalk with summer's drought opprest;
Her wealked face with woful tears besprent,
Her colour pale, and, as it seemed her best,
In woe and plaint, reposed was her rest;

1 Thomas Sackville, Earl of Dorset, was born in 1536 at Buckhurst, in Sussex, and died in 1608. His works are:- -the "Tragedy of Ferrex and Porrex," afterwards called "Gorboduc," and the "Induction," or Preface, to the "Mirror for Magistrates.” The "Induction" is considered to possess great merit. The style is graphic in the portraiture of the allegorical personages introduced, and the language is stately and solemn. Spenser is said to have taken Sackville as a model on which to form his style.

And as the stone that drops of water wears,
So dented were her cheeks with fall of tears.

I stood aghast, beholding all her plight,

Tween dread and dolour, so distrained in heart
That, while my knees upstarted with the sight,

The tears outstreamed for sorrow of her smart;
But, when I saw no end that could apart
The deadly dole which she so sore did make,
With doleful voice, then thus to her I spake, &c.

2. From Roger Ascham's "Schoolmaster: "—about

1563.1

Learning teacheth more in one year than experience in twenty; and learning teacheth safely when experience maketh miserable than wise. He hazardeth

sore that waxeth wise by experience. An unhappy master he is that is made cunning by many shipwrecks; a miserable merchant that is neither rich nor wise but after some bankrouts. It is costly wisdom that is bought by experience. We know by experience itself that it is a marvelous pain, to find out but a short way by long wandering. And surely, he that would prove wise by experience, he may be witty indeed, but even like a swift runner that runneth fast

1 Roger Ascham was born in 1515, at Kirby Wiske, near North Allerton, in Yorkshire, and died December 30th, 1568. He was tutor to the Lady-afterwards Queen-Elizabeth. In 1563, he was invited by Sir Richard Sackville to write "The Schoolmaster," a treatise on education, which he completed, but did not publish. Dr. Johnson says, that "The Schoolmaster" contains the best advice that was ever given for the study of languages.

out of his way, and upon the night, he knoweth not whither. And verily they be the fewest in number that be happy or wise by unlearned experience. And look well upon the former life of those few, whether your example be old or young, who, without learning, have gathered by long experience, a little wisdom, and some happiness; and when you do consider what mischief they have committed, what dangers they have escaped (and yet twenty for one do perish in the adventure), then think well with yourself, whether ye would that your own son should come to wisdom and happiness by the way of such experience or no.

3. From Sir Philip Sidney's "Arcadia:"—about 1580.I

There were hills which garnished their proud heights with stately trees; humble valleys, whose base estate seemed comforted with the refreshing of silver rivers; meadows enamelled with all sorts of eye-pleasing flowers; thickets, which being lined with most pleasant shade, were witnessed so to by the cheerful disposition of many well-tuned birds; each

1 Sir Philip Sidney was born, 1554, at Penshurst in Kent; and died of a wound received in the battle of Zütphen, 1586. His character has been regarded as a model of the English gentleman of that age. His works display great brilliancy of imagination, with a chasteness of sentiment well calculated to refine the taste of the times. The "Arcadia," his principal work, was never completed, nor was it published in his lifetime. He also wrote sonnets, songs, and various other miscellaneous pieces.

pasture stored with sheep feeding with sober security; while the pretty lambs, with bleating oratory, craved the dam's comfort; here a shepherd's boy piping, as though he should never be old; there a young shepherdess knitting and withal singing; and it seemed that her voice comforted her hands to work, and her hands kept time to her voice music.

4. From Spenser's Faerie Queene :—about 1590.1 (Adventure of Una with the Lion.)

Yet she, most faithful lady, all this while
Forsaken, woeful, solitary maid,

Far from all people's praise, as in exíle,

In wilderness and wasteful deserts strayed,
To seek her knight; who, subtily betrayed
Through that late vision which the enchanter wrought,
Had her abandoned; she, of nought afraid,

Through woods and wasteness wide him daily sought,
Yet wished tidings none of him unto her brought.

One day, nigh weary of the irksome way,

From her unhasty beast she did alight;
And on the grass her dainty limbs did lay,

In secret shadow, far from all men's sight.
From her fair head her fillet she undight,
And laid her stole aside; her angel's face

As the great eye of Heaven, shinèd bright,
And made a sunshine in the shady place,

Did never mortal eye behold such heavenly grace.

' Edmund Spenser, one of the four greatest poets of England, is generally classed with Chaucer, Shakspere, and Milton. He was born in East Smithfield, London, in 1553, and died in King Street, Westminster, in 1599. The "Faerie Queene" is his great work. It is full of beauty and melody, and captivating by its chivalrous and moral tone.

It fortunèd, out of the thickest wood,

A ramping lion rushèd, suddenly, Hunting, full greedy, after savage blood: Soon as the royal virgin he did spy,

With gaping mouth at her ran greedily, To have at once devoured her tender corse.

But to the prey when as he drew more nigh, His bloody rage assuagèd with remorse,

And, with the sight amazed, forgot his furious force.

Instead thereof, he kissed her weary feet,

And licked her lily hands with fawning tongue; As he her wrongèd innocence did weet, –

O, how can beauty master the most strong! And simple truth subdue avenging wrong! Whose yielded pride, and proud submission,

Still dreading death, when she had markèd long, Her heart 'gan melt in great compassion, And drizzling tears did shed for pure affection.

"The lion, lord of every beast in field,”

Quoth she, "his princely puissance doth abate :
And mighty proud to humble weak does yield,
Forgetful of the hungry rage which late
Him pricked, in pity of my sad estate :

But he, my lion, and my noble lord,

How does he find in cruel heart to hate

Her that him loved, and ever most adored,

As the God of my life! why hath he me abhorred !"

Redounding tears did choke th' end of her plaint, Which softly echoed from the neighbour wood; And, sad to see her sorrowful constraint,

The kingly beast upon her gazing stood, With pity calmed down fell his angry mood. At last, in close heart shutting up her pain, Arose the virgin born of heavenly brood, And to her snowy palfrey got again

To seek her strayèd champion if she might attain.