Sonnet 23

As a proud father, I'd like to refer my readers to my son's video debut reading Shakespeare's Sonnet 23 before the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture lecture by Ms. Clare Asquith called "Shakespeare's Dark Matter." To see Tim and the whole lecture go to this page, click on the "View" link at Ms. Asquith's entry. He begins reading at minute 4:30. The text of the sonnet is:

As an unperfect actor on the stage
Who with his fear is put besides his part,
Or some fierce thing replete with too much rage,
Whose strength's abundance weakens his own heart.
So I, for fear of trust, forget to say
The perfect ceremony of love's rite,
And in mine own love's strength seem to decay,
O'ercharged with burden of mine own love's might.
O, let my books be then the eloquence
And dumb presagers of my speaking breast,
Who plead for love and look for recompense
More than that tongue that more hath more express'd.
O, learn to read what silent love hath writ:
To hear with eyes belongs to love's fine wit.

The rest of the lecture series, including lectures by Joseph Pierce, John Finnis and Peter Holland, is also available on this website.