'■ \ Ancient Epic Poem. 1 1 9 



the pulpit to exhibit the delicacy and power, 

 with which he has insinuated the lesson of 

 innocent moderation and content, in the pa- 

 thetic solilorniv of tl\(^ r'Hre-wom monarch, 

 Henry IV. 



2oH ; 



6fi «iecp, O gentle sleep, 



Nature's son nurse, how have I frighted thee, 

 Tliat thou no more will wtigh my eyelids down 

 And steep my senses in forget fulness ? 



llien, after some lines of the sublime^t con- 

 ception, in which, with the most splendid 

 imagery, is contrasted his own elevated rank 

 with the lowliest situations in life, he closes 

 with this affecting apostrophe,.wherein, without 

 the form of one moral precept, Jie reaches that 

 moral conviction, which Solomon, with all his 

 graver \Vdsdom, perhaps, shall fail to attain. 



Canst tniiT, O partial stetp, give thy repose 



To the wet -sea-boy in (he rurlesl hour 



And in the cajmest and most stillest night 



With all appliances and means to boot 



Deay it to a King ? Then, happy lo*v lay down ; 



Unhappy lies the head, that wears a crown. 



•'^ The pteccdilTg charalcter of Henry, as por- 

 trayed by Shakesjicare, suggests this additional 

 line; in which We dignir r'*^he moral lies, •' 



oj r»"A ,Qrcv^iv,qcnbiHcfetl wUh Ibc senic of crinoc. 



