Apparently there’s some horse race or something on today? I dunno.
Anyway, as none of my noble readers have been able to solve the conundrum I posted last week, I thought I’d post up the solution. I’m keeping the donkey for myself! So, the original text, untranslated to modern English…
I have of late,—but wherefore I know not,—lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o’erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire,—why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.
What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculties! In form and moving, how express and admirable! In action how like an angel! In apprehension, how like a god! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?
It’s Shakespeare! Hamlet to be precise, one of the most famous soliloquies from that most famous of plays. Really, your classical educations are shocking 😉
Blame the school system. I never got too read Shakespeare. Besides, his plays are meant to be preformed, not read. THAT much I know. 🙂
Yeah, but if you’re seriously hardcore you can read them and see the play in your head 😉
Very True