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Swinburne, Algernon Charles, 1837-1909

"A Study of Shakespeare"


{245b} Or than this play to a genuine work of Shakespeare's. "Brick to
coral"--these three words describe exactly the difference in tone and
shade of literary colour.
{246} Here for the first time we come upon a verse not unworthy of
Marlowe himself--a verse in spirit as in cadence recalling the deep
oceanic reverberations of his "mighty line," profound and just and simple
and single as a note of the music of the sea. But it would be hard if a
devout and studious disciple were never to catch one passing tone of his
master's habitual accent.--It may be worth while to observe that we find
here the same modulation of verse--common enough since then, but new to
the patient auditors of _Gorboduc_ and _Locrine_--which we find in the
finest passage of Marlowe's imperfect play of _Dido_, completed by Nash
after the young Master's untimely death.
Why star'st thou in my face? If thou wilt stay,
Leap in my arms: mine arms are open wide:
If not--turn from me, and I'll turn from thee;
For though thou hast the power to say farewell,
I have not power to stay thee.


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