Master Silas in the meantime was much disquieted; and first did he
strip away all the white feather from every pen in the inkpot, and
then did he mend them, one and all, and then did he slit them with
his thumb-nail, and then did he pare and slash away at them again
and then did he cut off the tops, until at last he left upon them
neither nib nor plume, nor enough of the middle to serve as quill to
a virginal. It went to my heart to see such a power of pens so
wasted; there could not be fewer than five. Sir Thomas was less
wary than usual, being overjoyed. For great poets do mightly affect
to have little poets under them; and little poets do forget
themselves in great company, as fiddlers do, who HAIL FELLOW WELL
MET even with lords.
Sir Thomas did not interrupt our Bill's wild gladness. I never
thought so worshipful a personage could bear so much. At last he
said unto the lad, -
"I do bethink me, if thou hearest much more of my poetry, and the
success attendant thereon, good Doctor Glaston would tear thy skirt
off ere he could drag thee back from the occupation."
WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE.
"I fear me, for once, all his wisdom would sluice out in vain."
SIR THOMAS.
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