Hath he excepted most against my love.
Oh, how this spring of love resembleth (8)

Th' uncertain glory of an April day ;
Which now shews all the beauty of the sun,
And, by and by, a cloud takes all away!:

Enter Panthion.
Pant. Sir Protheus, your father calls for you ;
He is in hafte, therefore, I pray you, go.

Pro. Why, this it is! my heart accords thereto ; And yet a thousand times it answers,. no. [Exeunt.

.

A C Τ ΙΙ.
SCENE changes to Milan.
An Apartment in the Duke's Palace.
Enter Valentine and Speed.

S P E BD.
IR, your glove

Val. Not mine; my gloves are on.
Speed. Why then this may be yours, for this is but ono..

Val. Ha! let me fee : ay, give it me, it's mine;
Sweet ornament, that decks a thing divine !
Ah Silvia! Silvia!

Speed. Madam Silvia! Madam Silvia! Val. How now, firrah? Speed. She is not within hearing, Sir. Val. Why, Sir, who bad you call her ? (7) Ob, bow this Spring of love resembleth well] This monofyllable. as foisted in by Mr. Pope, to support, as he thought, the versification in the close. But it was done for want of observing Shakespeare's. licences in his measures : which 'tis proper, once for all, to take notice of. Resembleib, he design'd here should in pronunciation make four syllables: as witnesse, afterwards in this play, and as fidler, (in: the Taming a Sbrew) and angry (twice in Timon of Athens) are made trisyllables; and as fire and bour are almost for ever protracted by him to two syllables,

Speed,

Speed. Your worship, Sir, or else I mistook.
Val. Well, you'll still be too forward.
Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too slow.
Val. Go to, Sir; tell me, do you know madam Silvia?
Speed. She, that your worship loves ?
Val. Why, how know you that I am in love ?

Speed. Marry, by these special marks ; first, you have learn’d, like Sir Protheus, to wreath your arms like a male-content; to relish a love-fong, like a Robinred-breast ; to walk alone, like one that had the peftilence; to figh, like a school-boy that had loft his A. B. C; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to faft, like one that takes diet ; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmass

. You were wont, when presently after dinner; when you look'd fadly, it was you laugh'd, to crow like a cock; when you walk'd, to'walk like one of the lions'; when you fafted, it was for want of money: and now you are metamorphos'd with a mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my mafter.

Val. Are all these things perceiv'd in me?
Speed. They are all perceiv'd without ye.s?
Val. Without me? they cannot.

Speed. Without you ? nay, that's certain; for without you were so fimple, none else would : But you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an eye that sees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady.

Vat. But tell me, doft thou know my Lady Silvia ? Speed. She, that you gaze

so as the fits at fupper: Val. Haft thou observ'd that? ev’n the I'mean. Speed. Why, Sir, I know her not.

Val. Doft thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know'ft her not?

Speed. Is the not hard-favour'a, Sir?
Val. Not so fair, boy, as well-favour'd.
Speed. Sir, I know that well enough..
l'al. What dost thou know

Speed

e on

Speed. That she is not so fair, as of you well favour'd.

Val. I mean that her beauty is exquisite, But her favour infinite,

Speed. That's because the one is painted, and the other out of all count.

Val. How painted ? and how out of count?

Speed. Marry, Sir, fo painted to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty. Val. How efteem'it thou me? I account of her beauty. Speed. You never saw her since she was deform’d. Val. How long hath she been deform’d? Speed. Ever since you lov'd her.

Val. I have lov'd her, ever since I saw her ;
And still I fee her beautiful.

Speed. If you love her, you cannot see her.
Val. Why?

Speed. Because love is blind. O, that you had mine eyes, or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have, when you chid at Sir Protheus for going ungarter'd!

Val. What should I see then ?

Speed. Your own present folly, and her paffing deformity: For he, being in love, could not fee to garter his hofe; and you, being in love, cannot see to put on

your hose.

Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love : for last morning you could not see to wipe my shoes.

Speed. True, Sir, I was in love with my bed; I thank

you, you swing'd me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide

you
for

yours.
Val. In conclufion, I stand affected to her.
Speed. I would you were fet, so youraffection would cease.

Val. Last night she enjoin'd me to write some lines to one she loves.

Speed. And have you?
Val. I have.
Speed. Are they not lamely writ?

Val. No, boy, but as well as I can do them :
Peace, here she comes.

Enter Silvia. Speed. Oh excellent motion! oh exceeding puppet! Now will he interpret to her.

Val

manners.

Val. Madam and mistress, a thoufand good morrows. Speed. Oh! 'give ye-good ev'n; here's a million of Sil. Sir Valentine and servant, to you two thousand. Speed. He thould give herintereft ; and she gives it bim.

Val. As you injoir'd me, I have writ your letter, Unto the secret, nameless, friend of yours; Which I was much unwilling to proceed in, But for my duty to your Lady Mip.

Sil. I thank you, gentle servant; 'tis very clerkly done.

Val. Now trust me, madam, it came hardly off :
For being ignorant to whom it goes,
I writ at random, very doubtfully.

Sil. Perchance, you think too much of so much pains?

Val. No, madam, fo it fteed you, I will write, Please you command, a thousand times and much.

And yet

Sil. A pretty period; well, I guess the sequel ; And yet

I will not name it, and yet I care not ; And yet take this again, and yet I thank you ; Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more.

Speed. And yet you will; and yet, another yet. Afido
Val. What means your Ladyship? do you not like it?

Sil. Yes, yes, the lines are very quaintly writ;
But since unwillingly, take them again ;
Nay, take them.

Val. Madam, they are for you.

Sit. Ay, ay; you writthem, Sir, at my request ;
But I will none of them '; 'they are for you :
I would have had them writ more movingly.

Val. Please you, I'll write your Ladyship another. Sil. And when it's writ, for my sake read it over; And if it please you, fo; if not, why fon; ,

Val. If it please me, madam, what then?

Sil. Why if it please you, take it for your labour ; And so good morrow, servant, vi

[Exit. Speed. O jest unfeen, infcrutable, invif-ible, 1 As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a teeple! My master sues to her, and the hath taught her suitor, He being her pupil, to become her tutor :

1

O excellent device! was there ever heard a better?
That my master, being the scribe, to himself should

write the letter?
Val. How now, Sir? what are you reasoning with

yourself?
Speed. Nay, I was rhiming; 'tis you that have the reason,
Val. To do what?
Speed. To be a spokes-man from madam Silvia,
Pal. To whom?
Speed. To yourself; why, she wooes you by a figure.
Val. What figure ?
Speed. By a letter, I should say,
Val. Why, she hath not writ to me?

Speed. What need she,
When the hath made you write to yourself:
Why, do you not perceive the jeft:

Val. No, believe me.

Speed. No believing you, indeed, Sir: but did you perceive her earnest ?

Val. She gave me none, except an angry word.
Speed. Why, Me hath given you a letter.
Val. That's the letter I writ' to her friend.
Speed. And that letter hath fe deliver'd, and there's

an end.
Val. I would it were no worfe..

Speed. I'll warrant you, 'tis as well :
“ For often have you writ to her, and she in modesty,
" Or else for want of idle time, could not again reply;
“ Or fearing else some messenger, that might her mind

"discover, “ Herself hath taught her love himself to write unto

“ her lover.” All this I speak in print ; for in print I found it. Why mufe you, Sir: 'cis dinner time.

Val. I have din'd.

Speed. Ay, but hearken, . Sir , tho' the Cameleon love can feed on the air, I am one that am nooriih'd by my victuals; and would fain have meat: oh, be not like your mikress ; be moved, be moved. Exeunt.

SCENE