Alexander. It were a shame Alexander should desire to command the world, if he could not command himself. But come, let us go, I will try whether I can better my hand with my heart, than I could with mine eye. And, good Hephestion, when all the world is won, and every country is thine and mine, either find me out another to subdue, or on my word I will fall in love.

[Exeunt.

FINIS.

THE

EPILOGUE AT THE BLACK FRIERS.

WHERE the rainbow toucheth the tree, no caterpillers will hang on the leaves; where the glow-worm creepeth in the night, no adder will go in the day: We hope, in the ears where our travails be lodged, no carping shall harbour in those tongues. Our exercises must be as your judgment is, resembling water, which is always of the same colour into what it runneth. In the Trojan horse lay couch'd soldiers, with children; and in heaps of many words we fear divers unfit, among some allowable.* But as Demosthenes, with often breathing up the hill, amended his stammering; so we hope, with sundry labours 42 against the hair, to correct our studies. If the tree be blasted that blossoms, the fault is in the wind, and not in the root; and if our pastimes be mis-liked, that have been allow'd, you must impute it to the malice of others, and not our endeavour.-And so we rest in good case, if you rest well content.

* allowable, allow'd] i. e. praise-worthy, praised. See note on King Lear, Shaksp: 1778, vol. IX. p. 441. S.

42

against the hair,] This phrase occurs in the Merry Wives of Windsor, A. 2. S. 3. and Mr. Steevens observes, that it is " pro"verbial, and is taken from stroking the hair of animals a contrary way to that in which it grows. We now say against "the grain."

go, let them lift up baldness

So, in Dekker's Satiromastrix: " "to the sky; and thou shalt see twill turn Minever's heart "quite against the hair."

Middleton's Mayor of Quinborough, A. 3. S. 2:

"Books in women's hands are as much against

"The hair methinks, as to see men wear stomachers."

THE

EPILOGUE AT THE COURT.

E

We cannot tell whether we are fallen among Diomedes's birds or his horses; the one receiv'd some men with sweet notes, the other bit all men with sharp teeth. But as Homer's gods convey'd them into clouds, whom they would have kept from curses; and as Venus, lest Adonis should be prick'd with the stings of adders, cover'd his face with the wings of swans; so we hope, being shielded with your highness's countenance, we shall, though we hear the neighing, yet not feel the kicking, of those jades; and receive, tho' no praise (which we cannot deserve) yet a pardon, which in all humility we desire. As yet we cannot tell what we should term our labours, iron, or bullion; only it belongeth to your majesty to make them fit either for the forge or the mint; current by the stamp, or counterfeit by the anvil. For as nothing is to be called white, unless it had been named white by the first creator, so can there be nothing thought good in the opinion of others, unless it be christen'd good by the judgment of yourself. For ourselves again, we are like these torches, wax, of which, being in your highness's hands, you may make doves or vultures, roses or nettles, laurel for a garland, or elder for a disgrace.

*

elder for a disgrace.] Because Judas is said to have hung himself on an elder-tree

66

EDITIONS.

(1.) "A most excellent Comedie of Alexander, Campaspe, and Diogenes, played beefore the Queenes "Majestie on Twelfe-day at night, by her Majesties "Children, and the Children of Paules. Imprinted at "London for Thomas Cadman, 1584, 4to."

(2.)" Campaspe, played beefore the Queenes Majestie on New-yeares-day at night, by her Majesties Children, and the Children of Paules. Imprinted "at London for Thomas Cadman, 1584, 4to."

66

(3.)" Campaspe, played beefore the Queenes Ma"jestie on Twelfe-day at night, by her Majesties Chil"dren, and the Children of Paules. Imprinted at "London by Thomas Orwin, for William Broome, "1591, 4to."

(4.)" Campaspe, played before the Queenes Ma"jestie on Twelfe-day at night, by her Majesties Chil"dren, and the Children of Paules. London, Printed by William Stansby, for Edward Blount, 1632, ❝ 12mo."