Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

Nature (usually fem., sometimes neuter, as in Wint. I, 2, 151 and Oth. III, 3, 227) 1) the world around us as created and creating by fixed and eternal laws: “n. that made thee,” Ven. 11. Ven. 11 “the curious workmanship of n.” Ven. 11 “swear --'s death for framing thee so fair,” Ven. 11 “those whom n. hath not made for store,” Sonn. 11, 9. 20, 10. 67, 9. 126, 5. Tp. II, 1, 159. Tp. II, 1, 159 Meas. I, 1, 37. Ado III, 1, 49. Ado III, 1, 49 IV, 1, 130. LLL II, 10. Mids. II, 2, 104. V, 296. Merch. I, 1, 51. III, 2, 90. As II, 4, 56. III, 2, 149. All's I, 1, 138. All's I, 1, 138 All's I, 1, 138 V, 3, 103. Tw. I, 2, 48. Wint. II, 3, 104. IV, 4, 89. IV, 4, 89 V, 2, 108. R2 II, 1, 43. H4B I, 1, 153. R3 IV, 3, 18. Rom. II, 3, 9. Caes. V, 5, 74. Per. III, 2, 38 etc. etc. “wisdom of n.” Lr. I, 2, 113 (== natural philosophy).
Denoting spontaneous growth and formation: “a woman's face with --'s own hand painted,” Sonn. 20, 1; cf. Tw. I, 5, 258. “the blots of --'s hand,” Mids. V, 416; cf. Hml. I, 4, 24. “the something that n. gave me,” As I, 1, 18. “n. hath given us wit,” I, 2, 47. “adoption strives with n.” All's I, 3, 151. “in these to n. she's immediate heir,” II, 3, 139. “the affection of nobleness which n. shows above her breeding,” Wint. V, 2, 40. “this fortress built by n.” R2 II, 1, 43 etc. etc. “diminutives of n.” Troil. V, 1, 39 (cf. v. 5; i. e. diminutives from your birth and destined to be so for ever). “the slave of n.” R3 I, 3, 230. “we fools of n.” Hml. I, 4, 54 (cf. Fool). “this carl, a very drudge of --'s,” Cymb. V, 2, 5. “by n.:” Lucr. 697. Sonn. 122, 6. Err. II, 2, 74. Err. II, 2, 74 Ado III, 3, 16. Tw. I, 3, 105. H6A III, 1, 18. H6B III, 1, 258. Opposed to “art:” Ven. 291. Lucr. 1374. Meas. II, 2, 184. Mids. II, 2, 104. As III, 2, 31. All's II, 1, 121. Wint. IV, 4, 91. Rom. II, 4, 95. Caes. IV, 3, 195. Lr. IV, 6, 86. Opposed to “fortune:” Wiv. III, 3, 70. Ado III, 3, 16. As I, 2, 43. As I, 2, 43 All's I, 1, 237. John III, 1, 52. Hml. I, 4, 32. Opposed to the agency of supernatural powers: “there is in this business more than nature was ever conduct of,” Tp. V, 243. Opposed to human institutions or tendencies: “by law of n. thou art bound to breed,” Ven. 171. “by law of n. and of nations,” H5 II, 4, 80. Troil. II, 2, 176. “if we are --'s, these are ours,” All's I, 3, 135. “the show and seal of --'s truth,” All's I, 3, 135 “n. craves all dues be rendered to their owners,” Troil. II, 2, 173. “one touch of n. makes the whole world kin,” III, 3, 175. “a fault to n., to reason most absurd,” Hml. I, 2, 102. “o'erstep not the modesty of n.” III, 2, 22. “where n. doth with merit challenge,” Lr. I, 1, 54. “the offices of n.” II, 4, 181. “thou, n., art my goddess,” I, 2, 1. in the lusty stealth of n. 11 etc. etc. Implying the idea of necessity: “he's walked the way of n.” H4B V, 2, 4. “when n. brought him to the door of death,” H6C III, 3, 105.
2) native sensation, innate and involuntary affection of the heart and mind: “n. hath charged me that I hoard them not,” Compl. 220. “expelled remorse and n.” Tp. V, 76. “n. dispenses with the deed so far that it becomes a virtue,” Meas. III, 1, 135. “my end was wrought by n., not by vile offence,” Err. I, 1, 35. “n., stronger than his just occasion,” As IV, 3, 130. “the mightiest space in fortune n. brings to join like likes,” All's I, 1, 237. “n. to her bias drew in that,” Tw. V, 267. “how sometimes n. will betray its folly,” Wint. I, 2, 151. “tears which n., love and filial tenderness shall pay thee,” H4B IV, 5, 39. “how quickly n. falls into revolt when gold becomes her object,” H4B IV, 5, 39 “n. makes me relent,” H6A III, 3, 59. “with whom an upright zeal to right prevails more than the n. of a brother's love,” H6C V, 1, 79. “fond n. bids us all lament,” Rom. IV, 5, 82. “not n. can bear great fortune, but by contempt of n.” Tim. IV, 3, 8. “my n. could not bear it so,” Caes. IV, 3, 195. “compunctious visitings of n.” Mcb. I, 5, 46. “so far hath discretion fought with n.” Hml. I, 2, 5. “if thou hast n. in thee, bear it not,” I, 5, 81. “O heart, lose not thy n.” III, 2, 411. “n. makes them partial,” III, 3, 32. “I am satisfied in n., but in my terms of honour I stand aloof,” V, 2, 255. “wrenched my frame of n.” Lr. I, 4, 290. “n. erring from itself,” Oth. III, 3, 227. “n. would not invest herself in such shadowy passion,” IV, 1, 40 etc.
3) the physical and moral constitution of man: “our --s do pursue a thirsty evil,” Meas. I, 2, 132. “the weariest life that age . . . can lay on n.” III, 1, 131. “so is all n. in love mortal in folly,” As II, 4, 56. “labouring art can never ransom n. from her inaidible estate,” All's II, 1, 121. “all the miseries which n. owes,” III, 2, 122. “so long as n. will bear up with this exercise,” Wint. III, 2, 241. “n. does require her times of preservation,” H8 III, 2, 146. “to repair our n. with comforting repose,” V, 1, 3. “in our own -- s frail,” V, 3, 11. “n. to whom all sores lay siege,” Tim. IV, 3, 6. “that n. . . . should yet be hungry,” Tim. IV, 3, 6 “whose naked --s live in all the spite of wreakful heaven,” Tim. IV, 3, 6 “the multiplying villanies of n. do swarm upon him,” Mcb. I, 2, 11. “their drenched --s lie as in a death,” I, 7, 68. “the season of all --s, sleep,” III, 4, 141. “a violet in the youth of primy n.” Hml. I, 3, 7. “to hold the mirror up to n.” III, 2, 25. “n. is fine in love,” IV, 5, 161. “n. finds itself scourged by the sequent effects,” Lr. I, 2, 114. “oppressed n. sleeps,” III, 6, 104. “thou hast one daughter who redeems n. from the general curse,” IV, 6, 210. “the sides of n. will not sustain it,” Ant. I, 3, 16 etc.
4) individual constitution, personal character: “though in my n. reigned all frailties,” Sonn. 109, 9. “my n. is subdued to what it works in,” 111, 6. “in my false brother awaked an evil n.” Tp. I, 2, 93. “that which good --s could not abide to be with,” Tp. I, 2, 93 “my father's of a better n.” Tp. I, 2, 93 “on whose n. nurture can never stick,” IV, 188. “the n. of our people,” Meas. I, 1, 10. “and yet my n. never in the fight to do it slander,” I, 3, 42. “to practise his judgment with the disposition of --s,” III, 1, 165. “music doth change his n.” Merch. V, 82. “I have kept of them tame and know their --s,” All's II, 5, 50. “the younger of our n.” III, 1, 17. “my son corrupts a well-derived n. with his inducement,” III, 2, 90. “there's something in't that stings his n.” IV, 3, 4. “the tenderness of her n. became as a prey to her grief,” IV, 3, 4 “whose n. sickens but to speak a truth,” V, 3, 207. “a noble duke, in n. as in name,” Tw. I, 2, 25. “nor can there be that deity in my n.” V, 234. “not noted but of the finer --s,” Wint. I, 2, 226. “my lord of York, out of his noble n.” H8 III, 1, 62. “I know his noble n.” III, 2, 419. “affairs that walk at midnight have in them a wilder n.” V, 1, 15. “thou hast a cruel n.” V, 3, 129. “all our abilities, gifts, --s, shapes,” Troil. I, 3, 179. “what he cannot help in his n.” Cor. I, 1, 42. “such a n., tickled with good success,” Cor. I, 1, 42 “his gracious n.” II, 3, 195. “his surly n.” II, 3, 195 “his n. is too noble for the world,” III, 1, 255. “wilt thou draw near the n. of the gods?” Tit. I, 117. “ranked with all deserts, all kind of natures,” Tim. I, 1, 65. “this is in thee a n. but infected,” IV, 3, 202. “I will make thee do thy right n.” IV, 3, 202 “the worm that's fled hath n. that in time will venom breed,” Mcb. III, 4, 30. “when the baser n. comes between mighty opposites,” Hml. V, 2, 60. “a tardiness in n.” Lr. I, 1, 238. “--s of such deep trust,” II, 1, 117. “is this the n. whom passion could not shake?” Oth. IV, 1, 276 etc.
5) quality, sort, kind: “sonnets that did amplify each stone's dear n., worth and quality,” Compl. 210. “love you 'gainst the n. of love,” Gent. V, 4, 58. “a power I have, but of what strength and n. I am not yet instructed,” Meas. I, 1, 80. “the n. of their crimes,” II, 3, 7. “but in what n.?” III, 1, 70. “your capacity is of that n.” LLL V, 2, 377. “distinct offices and of opposed --s,” Merch. II, 9, 62. “of a strange n. is the suit you follow,” IV, 1, 177. “let my officers of such a n. make an extent upon his house,” As III, 1, 16. “the n. of our quarrel yet never brooked parle,” Shr. I, 1, 116. “I con him no thanks for't, in the n. he delivers it,” All's IV, 3, 175. “the n. of his great offence is dead,” V, 3, 23 (almost == cause). “the offence is not of such a bloody n.” Tw. III, 3, 30. “those pearls which heaven shall take in n. of a fee,” John II, 170. “all of one n., of one substance bred,” H4A I, 1, 11. “to know the n. of your griefs,” IV, 3, 42. “this man's brow foretells the n. of a tragic volume,” H4B I, 1, 61. “figuring the n. of the times deceased,” III, 1, 81. “a peace is of the n. of a conquest,” IV, 2, 89. “our vineyards, fallows, meads and hedges, defective in their --s, grow to wildness,” H5 V, 2, 55. all (articles) “according to their firm proposed --s,” H5 V, 2, 55 the n. of it (an exaction) H8 I, 2, 53. “thus we debase the n. of our seats,” Cor. III, 1, 136. “all these things change their --s,” Caes. I, 3, 67. “the state of man suffers the n. of an insurrection,” II, 1, 69. “the n. of bad news infects the teller,” Ant. I, 2, 99. “upon importance of so slight and trivial a n.” Cymb. I, 4, 45 etc.
6) human life, vitality: “hath from n. stolen a man already made,” Meas. II, 4, 43. “would have made n. immortal,” All's I, 1, 22. “n. and sickness debate it at their leisure,” I, 2, 74. “I would repent out the remainder of n.” IV, 3, 272. “in me, O n., cesse,” V, 3, 72. “gentle sleep, --'s soft nurse,” H4B III, 1, 6. “wait on --'s mischief,” Mcb. I, 5, 51 (on the destruction of life). “death and n. do contend about them whether they live or die,” II, 2, 7. “in them --'s copy 's not eterne,” III, 2, 38. the least (gash) “a death to n.” III, 4, 28. “passing through n. to eternity,” Hml. I, 2, 73. “n. cannot choose his origin,” I, 4, 26. “the foul crimes done in my days of n.” I, 5, 12. “n. in you stands on the very verge of her confine,” Lr. II, 4, 149. “my snuff and loathed part of n. should burn itself out,” IV, 6, 39. “if thou and n. can so gently part,” Ant. V, 2, 297. “n. doth abhor to make his bed with the defunct,” Cymb. IV, 2, 357. “n. awakes,” Per. III, 2, 93.