But, chiefly, for thy face, and thy behaviour; She loved me well, deliver'd it to me. Jul. It seems, you loved her not, to leave her.token : She's dead, belike. Pro. Not so; I think, she lives. Jul. Alas! Pro. Why dost thou cry, alas? Jul. I cannot choose but pity her. Pro. Wherefore shouldst thou pity her? Jul. Because, methinks, that she loved you as well As you do love your lady Silvia : She dreams on him that has forgot her love; You dote on her, that cares not for your love. 'Tis pity, love should be so contrary; And thinking on it makes me cry, alas! Pro. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal A fox, to be the shepherd of thy lambs : This ring I gave him, when he parted from me, And now am I (unhappy messenger) To plead for that, which I would not obtain ; To carry that, which I would have refus'd; To praise his faith, which I would have disprais'd. But cannot be true servant to my master, As, heaven it knows, I would not have him speed. Enter SILVIA attended. -Gentlewoman, good-day! I pray you, be my mean Jul. From my master, sir Proteus, madam. Jul. Ay, madam. Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there. [Picture brought. Would better fit his chamber, than this shadow. Sil. I pray thee, let me look on that again. I will not look upon your master's lines: I know, they are stuff'd with protestations, And full of new-found oaths; which he will break, Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring. His Julia gave it him at his departure: Though his false finger hath profan'd the ring, Jul. She thanks you. Sil. What say'st thou ? Jul. I thank you, madam, that you tender her: Poor gentlewoman! my master wrongs her much. Sil. Dost thou know her? Jul. Almost as well as I do know myself: To think upon her woes, I do protest, That I have wept an hundred several times. Sil. Belike, she thinks that Proteus has forsook her. Jul. I think she doth, and that's her cause of sorrow. Sil. Is she not passing fair? Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she is: When she did think my master lov'd her well, She, in my judgment, was as fair as you; Jul. About my stature: for, at Pentecost, [6] The colour of a part pinched, is livid, as it is commonly called, black and blue. The weather may therefore be justly said to pinch when it produces the same visible effect. I believe this is the reason why the cold is said to pinch. JOHNSON. [7] The history of this twice-deserted lady is too well known to need an introduction here; nor is the reader interrupted on the business of Shakspeare: but I find it difficult to refrain from making a note the vehicle for a conjecture like this, which I may have no better opportunity of communicating to the public.-The subject of a picture of Guido (commonly supposed to be Ariadne deserted by Theseus and courted by Bacchus) may possibly have been hitherto mistaken. Whoever will examine the fabulous history critically, as well as the performance itself, will acquiesce in the truth of the re mark. Ovid, in his Fasti, tells us, that Bacchus (who left Ariadne to go on his Indian expedition) found too many charms in the daughter of one of the kings of that country. "Interea Liber depexos crinibus Indos "Flebat amans conjux, spatiataque littore curvo "Quid me desertis perituram, Liber, arenis "Ausus es ante oculos, adducta pellice, nostros "" &c. Ovid, Fast. 1. iii. v. 465. In this picture he appears as if just returned from India, bringing with him his new favourite, who hangs on his arm, and whose presence only causes those emotions so visible in the countenance of Ariadne, who has been hitherto represented, on this occasion, as ................................passioning For Theseus' perjury and unjust fight." From this painting a plate was engraved by Giacimo Freij, which is generally a companion to the Aurora of the same master. The print is so common that the curious may easily satisfy themselves concerning the propriety of a remark which has intruded itself among the notes on Shakspeare. STEEVENS. For Theseus' perjury, and unjust flight; Sil. She is beholden to thee, gentle youth !— I weep myself, to think upon thy words. Here, youth, there is my purse; I give thee this her. A virtuous gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful. Her eyes are grey as glass; and so are mine: If this fond love were not a blinded god? Come, shadow, come, and take this shadow up, Thou shalt be worshipp'd, kiss'd, lov'd, and ador'd; My substance should be statue in thy stead. I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes, [Exit. [5] A high forehead was, in our author's time, accounted a feature emi nently beautiful. So, in The History of Guy of Warwick," Felice his lady" is said to "have the same high forehead as Venus." JOHNSON. ACT V. SCENE I.-The same. An Abbey. Enter EGLAMOUR. Eglamour. THE sun begins to gild the western sky; And now, it is about the very hour That Silvia, at Patrick's cell, should meet me. So much they spur their expedition. See, where she comes:-Lady, a happy evening! Sil. Amen, amen! go on, good Eglamour! I fear, I am attended by some spies. Egl. Fear not: the forest is not three leagues off; If we recover that, we are sure enough. The same. SCENE II. [Exeunt. An apartment in the Duke's palace. Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA. Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit? Pro. O, sir, I find her milder than she was ; And yet she takes exceptions at your person. Thu. What, that my leg is too long? Pro. No; that it is too little. Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder. Pro. But love will not be spurr'd to what it loaths. Thu. What says she to my face? Pro. She says, it is a fair one. Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black. Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes. Jul. 'Tis true, such pearls as put out ladies' eyes; For I had rather wink than look on them. Thu. How likes she my discourse? Pro. Ill, when you talk of war. [Aside. Thu. But well, when I discourse of love, and peace ? Jul. But better, indeed, when you hold your peace. [Aside. |