_A solemn air_; and the _best comforter
To an unsettled fancy_, cure thy brains.
Next we have two examples of 'Music at Home.' In the case of the Duke
in Twelfth Night, it is 'concerted' music, and the players seem to be
performing such a quaint old piece as 'The Lord of Salisbury his
Pavin,' by Gibbons, in _Parthenia_, the last 'strain' of which has
just such a 'dying fall' as is mentioned in line 4. [See the remarks
on the passage from _Lucrece_ in Section I. on the _technical_ meaning
of 'strain.']
_Twelfth Night_ I, i.
_Duke._ If _music_ be the _food of love_, play on;
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.--
_That strain again!_ it had a _dying fall_:
O! it came o'er my ear like the _sweet sound_
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour.--Enough! no more:
'Tis not so sweet now, as it was before.
Brutus' musical establishment is on a smaller scale than the Duke's.
He keeps a 'good boy,' who can sing to his own accompaniment on the
lute, and is such a willing servant as to perform when almost overcome
by sleep.
_Julius Cæsar_ IV, iii, 256. Brutus and his servant Lucius.
_Bru._ Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful.
Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile,
And _touch_ thy _instrument_ a _strain_ or two?
_Luc._ Ay, my lord, an't please you.
_Bru._ It does, my boy.
I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.
* * * * *
[Boy sings to lute.]
_Bru._ This is a _sleepy tune_: [Boy drops off]--O murderous slumber!
Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,
_That plays thee music_?--Gentle knave, good night;
I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee.
If thou dost nod, thou _break'st thy instrument:
I'll take it from thee_; and, good boy, good night.--
[Ghost of Cæsar appears.]