by
As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou growest
In one of thine, from that which thou departest;
And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestowest
Thou mayst call thine when thou from youth convertest.
Herein lives wisdom, beauty and increase:
Without this, folly, age and cold decay:
If all were minded so, the times should cease
And threescore year would make the world away.
Let those whom Nature hath not made for store,
Harsh featureless and rude, barrenly perish:
Look, whom she best endow'd she gave the more;
Which bounteous gift thou shouldst in bounty cherish:
She carved thee for her seal, and meant thereby
Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - search or just read the full text of Shakespeare's plays and poems. This site also provides a discussion area, glossary, chronological and alphabetical lists of the plays, FAQs, Shakepeare quotes found in Bartlett's, and links to other Shakespeare resources on the Internet (e.g., festivals, academic courses).
Shakespeare and the Globe: Then and Now - presented by Encyclopaedia Britannica, this handsome site contains numerous Shakespeare-related biographies (from Elizabethan to modern times), historical material on the Globe and other theaters of Shakespeare's day, information on the plays, special features such as Shakespeare and film, and more.
Coined by Shakespeare: Words and Meanings First Used by the Bard - a work in progress, to be published in January 1998 as part of Merriam-Webster's Lighter Side of Language series, this book has a wealth of information on the new words, or new uses of words, that Shakespeare contributed to the English language (some scholars estimate the number at ten thousand). Many examples are given (such as watchdog, assassination, nervy, pander), complete with etymologies and Shakespearean contexts.
Shakespeare Web Poetry Applet - lets you be the Bard with Shakespearean "refrigerator magnets."