CHRONOLOGY OF THE PLAYS. I. THE EPOCH OF HIS EARLY WORK, 1591-1593. Love's Labour's Lost, 1591. 1591. Intermediate Venus and Adonis, 1593. Henry VI., 1592. Richard II., 1593. Titus Andronicus, 1593. Epoch of the Poems. II. THE EPOCH OF HIS MATURING ART-THE PERIOD OF THE GREAT "COMEDIES" AND THE The Merchant of Venice, 1594. King John, 1594. Midsummer-Night's Dream, 1594-1595. All's Well that Ends Well, 1595. The Taming of the Shrew, 1595. 66 HISTORIES," 1594-1601. Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry V., 1598. Much Ado about Nothing, As You Like It, 1600. Twelfth Night, 1600. III. THE EPOCH OF HIS MATURE ART-THE PERIOD OF THE Intermediate Epoch of the Sonnets, 1608-1609. IV.—THE EPOch of Reposeful ContemplATION, 1610–1611. Cymbeline, 1610. The Tempest, 1611. The Winter's Tale, 1611. Plays completed by others after his Retirement. Cardenio, 1611. Henry VIII., 1612. Two Noble Kinsmen, 1612. IN Troy there lies the scene. From isles of Greece With wanton Paris sleeps; and that's the quarrel. And the deep-drawing barks do there disgorge Now expectation, tickling skittish spirits, Beginning in the middle; starting thence away Like, or find fault; do as your pleasures are: ACT I-SCENE I Troy. Before Priam's palace. Enter Pandarus and Troilus. Tro. Call here my varlet; I'll unarm again : Tro. The Greeks are strong and skilful to their strength, Pan. Well, I have told you enough of this: for my part, I'll not meddle nor make no farther. He that will have a cake out of the wheat must needs tarry the grinding. Tro. Have I not tarried? Pan. Ay, the grinding; but you must tarry the bolting. Pan. Ay, the bolting; but you must tarry the leavening. Pan. Ay, to the leavening; but here's yet in the word 'hereafter,' the kneading, the making of the cake, the heating of the oven, and the baking; nay, you must stay the cooling too, or you may chance to burn your lips. Tro. Patience herself, what goddess e'er she be, At Priam's royal table do I sit; And when fair Cressid comes into my thoughts,— So, traitor!—'When she comes!'-When is she thence? Pan. Well, she looked yesternight fairer than ever I saw her look, or any woman else. Tro. I was about to tell thee:-when my heart, As wedged with a sigh, would rive in twain, |