ontests

against　difficulties　shall　we　not　be　doubly　triumphant？　It　occurs　to　me；

by　the　way；　that　when　my　teacher　was　training　my　unreclaimed　spirit；　her

struggle　against　the　powers　of　darkness；　with　the　stout　arm　of

discipline　and　the　light　of　the　manual　alphabet；　was　in　two　senses　a

hand…to…hand　conflict。

No　essay　would　be　plete Shakspere。　In　the

field　which；　in　the　presumption　of　my　youth；　I　thought　was　my　own　he　has

reaped　before　me。　In　almost　every　play　there　are　passages　where　the　hand

plays　a　part。　Lady　Macbeth's　heart…broken　soliloquy　over　her　little

hand；　from　which　all　the　perfumes　of　Arabia　will　not　wash　the　stain；　is

the　most　pitiful　moment　in　the　tragedy。　Mark　Antony　rewards　Scarus；　the

bravest　of　his　soldiers；　by　asking　Cleopatra　to　give　him　her　hand：

〃mend　unto　his　lips　thy　favouring　hand。〃　In　a　different　mood　he　is

enraged　because　Thyreus；　whom　he　despises；　has　presumed　to　kiss　the　hand

of　the　queen；　〃my　playfellow；　the　kingly　seal　of　high　hearts。〃　When

Cleopatra　is　threatened　with　the　humiliation　of　gracing　Caesar's　triumph；

she　snatches　a　dagger；　exclaiming；　〃I　will　trust　my　resolution　and　my

good　hands。〃　With　the　same　swift　instinct；　Cassius　trusts　to　his　hands

when　he　stabs　Caesar：　〃Speak；　hands；　for　me！〃　〃Let　me　kiss　your　hand；〃

says　the　blind　Gloster　to　Lear。　〃Let　me　wipe　it　first；〃　replies　the

broken　old　king；　〃it　smells　of　mortality。〃　How　charged　is　this　single

touch　with　sad　meaning！　How　it　opens　our　eyes　to　the　fearful　purging

Lear　has　undergone；　to　learn　that　royalty　is　no　defence　against

ingratitude　and　cruelty！　Gloster's　exclamation　about　his　son；　〃Did　I　but

live　to　se