Essays on Life 



proceeds much farther, we shall assuredly 

 have no more Mrs. Newtons and Mrs. Brom- 

 fields ; but whatever is is best, and, on the 

 whole, I should propose to let things find 

 pretty much their own level. 



However this may be, who can question 

 that the treasures hidden in many a country 

 house contain sleeping beauties even fairer 

 than those that I have endeavoured to waken 

 from long sleep in the foregoing article ? 

 How many Mrs. Quicklys are there not 

 living in London at this present moment ? 

 For that Mrs. Quickly was an invention of 

 Shakespeare's I will not believe. The old 

 woman from whom he drew said every word 

 that he put into Mrs. Quickly 's mouth, and 

 a great deal more which he did not and 

 perhaps could not make use of. This ques- 

 tion, however, would again lead me far from 

 my subject, which I should mar were I to 

 dwell upon it longer, and therefore leave 

 with the hope that it may give my readers 

 absolutely no food whatever for reflection. 



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