166 A DISCOURSE Itf PRAISE 



rare qualities of compliment ; which as they be ex- 

 cellent in the things themselves, so they have always 

 besides somewhat of a queen : and as queens use 

 shadows and veils with their rich apparel ; methinks 

 in all her qualities there is somewhat that flieth from 

 ostentation, and yet inviteth the mind to contem 

 plate her more ? 



What should I speak of her excellent gift of 

 speech, being a character of the greatness of her 

 conceit, the height of her degree, and the sweetness 

 of her nature ? What life, what edge is there in 

 those words and glances wherewith at pleasure she 

 can give a man long to think; be it that she mean 

 to daunt him, to encourage him, or to amaze him ! 

 How admirable is her discourse, whether it be in 

 learning, state, or love ! what variety of knowledge ; 

 what rareness of conceit ; what choice of words ; 

 what grace of utterance ! Doth it not appear, that 

 though her wit be as the adamant of excellencies, 

 which draweth out of any book ancient or new, out of 

 any writing or speech, the best ; yet she refineth it, she 

 enricheth it far above the value wherein it is received ? 

 And is her speech only that language which the 

 child learneth with pleasure, and not those which 

 the studious learn with industry ? Hath she not 

 attained, besides her rare eloquence in her own lan 

 guage, infinitely polished since her happy times, 

 changes of her languages both learned and modern ? 

 so that she is able to negotiate with divers ambas 

 sadors in their own languages ; and that with no 



