ILLUSTRATIONS, VOLUME III.

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR .

Frontispiece.

FALSTAFF, MISTRESS PAGE, AND MISTRESS FORD Page 41

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST.

T was the pleasant whim of the king of Navarre and his friends, the Lords Biron, Longaville, and Dumain, to vow one day that they would devote themselves to study for three years and see no woman during all that time. Their court, said the king, should be a little Academe, and Navarre the wonder of the world, for they would war against their affections and desires and live a contemplative life.

When the time came for subscribing their names to this agreement, Longaville and Dumain were ready to do it without delay; but Biron held out, being of a gallant nature and loving the company of ladies, as secretly did all the rest, and was for argument and amendment of the plan. He was willing, he said, to live secluded and study for three years; but there were other strict observances, such as not to see a woman during that term; not to touch food on one day in each week; to take but one meal every day, and to sleep only three hours in the night, yet not be seen to wink through the morning. These things

11