Spe. Item, She is flow in words. Lau. O villain, that fet this down among her vices! To be flow in words, is a woman's only virtue :-I pray thee, out with't; and place it for her chief virtue. Spe. Item, She is proud. Lau. Out with that too; it was Eve's legacy, and cannot be ta'en from her. Spe. Item, She hath no teeth. Lau. I care not for that neither, because I love crufts. Lau. Well, the beft is, fhe hath no teeth to bite. Lau. If her liquor be good, the fhall; if she will not, I will; for good things fhould be prais'd. Spe. Item, She is too liberal. Lau. Of her tongue fhe cannot; for that's writ down fhe is flow of of her purfe fhe fhall not; for that I'll keep fhut now, of another thing the may; and that cannot I help. Well, proceed. Spe. Item, She bath more bair than wit, and more faults than hairs, and more wealth than faults. Lau. Stop there; I'll have her: fhe was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that laft article: Rehearse that once more. be; Spe. Item, She hath more hair than wit,Lau. More hair than wit,-it may I'll prove it: The cover of the falt hides the falt, and therefore it is more than the falt: the hair, that covers the wit, is more than the wit; for the greater hides the less. What's next? Spe. -and more faults than hairs, Lau. That's monftrous; O, that that were out! Lau. Why, that word makes the faults gracious. Well, I'll have her: And if it be a match, as nothing is impoffible, Spe. What then? Lau. Why, then will I tell thee,-that thy mafter ftays for thee at the north gate. Spe. For me? Lau. For thee! ay; who art thou? he hath ftay'd for a better man than thee. Spe. And muft I go to him? Lau. Thou must run to him; for thou haft ftay'd fo long, that going will scarce ferve the turn. Spe. Why didit not tell me fooner? 'pox of your love-letters! [Exit. Lau. Now will he be fwing'd for reading my letter: An unmannerly flave, that will thruft himself into fecrets! I'll after, to rejoice in the boy's correction. [Exit. SCENE II. The fame. A Room in the fame. Enter Duke, and Thurio; Protheus behind. Duke. Sir Thurio, fear not, but that she will love you, Now Valentine is banish'd from her fight. Thu. Since his exile fhe hath defpis'd me moft. Duke. This weak imprefs of love is as a figure Duke. My daughter takes his going grievously.. Pro. Longer than I prove loyal to your grace, Duke. Thou know'ft, how willingly I would effect Duke. And also, I do think, thou art not ignorant This fcene of clownish repartee has great quickness, volubility of fancy, and peculiar originality; it relieves the graver fcenes happily + This idea of diffolving obliterated affection is admirable; clear o every conception. How How the oppofes her against my will. Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here. Therefore it muft, with circumftance, be fpoken Duke. Then you must undertake to flander him. Pro. And that, my lord, I shall be loth to do: 'Tis an ill office for a gentleman; Especially, against his very friend. Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage him, Your flander never can endamage him; Therefore the office is indifferent, Being intreated to it by your friend. Pro. You have prevail'd, my lord: if I can do it, By ought that I can speak in his difpraife, She fhall not long continue love to him. But fay, this weed her love from Valentine, It follows not, that she will love Sir Thurio ||. Thu. Therefore, as you unwind her love from him, Left it should ravel, and be good to none, You must provide to bottom it on me: Which must be done, by praising me as much. As you in worth difpraise Sir Valentine. Duke. And, Protheus, we dare truft you in this kind; Because we know, on Valentine's report, You are already love's firm votary, And cannot foon revolt and change your mind. Here is another adulteration of pronunciation, the second syl lable accented for the third. There is the most rafcally predeterminate undermining, that we have met with; no degree of generous love, however interested, could defcend thereunto; a noble paffion can never beget a vile one, though it may exceed prudent bounds. Where L Where you with Silvia may confer at large; For Orpheus' lute was ftrung with poet's finews; Vifit by night your lady's chamber-window Duke. This difcipline shows thou hast been in love. To fort fome gentlemen well skill'd in musick: To give the onset to thy good advice. Duke. About it, gentlemen. Pro. We'll wait upon your grace, 'till after fupper; And afterward determine our proceedings. Duke. Even now about it; I will pardon you. [Exeunt. + This obfequious description is highly natural, the prescriptions in it admirably adapted: this appears to us alfo a respectable act; and very well appropriated to the stage. SCENE I. The frontiers of Mantua. A Foreft. Enter certain Out-laws. 1. OUTLAW. Ellows, ftand faft; I fee a paffenger. FE 2. O. If there be ten, shrink not, but down with 'em. Enter Valentine, and Speed. 3. O. Stand, fir, and throw us that you have about you; If not, we'll make you fit, and rifle you. Spe. O, fir, we are undone! thefe are the villains That all the travellers do fear fo much. Val. My friends, ì. O. That's not fo, fir; we are your enemies. 2. O. Peace, peace; we'll hear him. 3. O. Ay, by my beard, will we; For he's a proper man. Val. Then know, that I have little wealth to lofe; A man I am, crofs'd with adverfity: My riches are these poor habiliments; Of which if you should here disfurnish mẹ, You take the fum and substance that I have. 2. O. Whither travel you? Val. To Verona. 1. O. And whence came you? Val. From Milan. 3. O. Have you long fojourned there? Val. Some fixteen months; and longer might have ftay'd, If crooked fortune had not thwarted me. 1. O. What, were you banish'd thence? Val. I was. 2. O. For what offence? Val. For that which now torments me to rehearse: I kill'd a man, whose death I much repent, But yet I flew him manfully in fight, 1. O. Why, ne'er repent it, if it were done fo: But were you banish'd for fo fmall a fault? Val. I was, and held me glad of fuch a doom. |