Ilistoire et EUniens, Zoj 



Sous le souHle glace de la reflexion 

 Ainsi lombe et s'etciilt la rcsolulion ; 

 Cel interel si grand ('poiwante raiidace ; 

 La sagesse s'arrelc, el raction s'elFace. 



Voltaire et, apr^s lui , M. Duds, ont imite 

 ce monologue celebre, C'est le morceau le plus 

 difficile peut-etre a rendre en vers francais. Nous 

 laissoiis au lecteur le plaisir d'adjuger la palme. 



Human Life. 



« All the world's a si age, 

 » And all the men and women merely players : 

 » They have their exits , and their entrances ; 

 » And one man in his time plays many parls 

 M His acts being seven ages. At first , the infant , 

 » Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms ; 

 » And , then , the whining school-boy , with his satchel , 

 » And shining morning face , creeping like snail 

 » Unwillingly to school. And , then , the lover 

 » Sighing like furnace , with a woeful ballad 

 » Made to his mistress eye-brow. Then , the soldier 

 » Full of slrange oaths , and bearded like the pard , 

 » Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel, 

 » Jeeking the bubble reputation 



» Even in the cannon's mouth. And then , the justice 

 » In fair round belly , wilh good capon lin'd , 

 » With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut, 

 » Full of wise saws and modern instances ; 

 » And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifl!> 

 » Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon , 

 » With spectacles on nose , and pouch on side j 

 » His youthful hose widl sav'd , a ^v•orld too wide 



