To make one among these wooers: If thou ask me why,Sufficeth, my reafons are both good and weighty.

[Exeunt. 1. S. My lord, you nod; you do not mind the play. Sly. Yes, by faint Anne, do I. A good matter, furely; Comes there any more of it?

Page. My lord, 'tis but begun.

Sly. "Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam lady; "Would it were done!

SCENE II. The fame. Before Hortenfio's Houfe. Enter Petruchio and Grumio.

Pet. Verona, for a while I take my leave, To fee my friends in Padua; but, of all,

My best beloved and approved friend,

Hortenfio; and, I trow, this is his houfe:

"Here, firrah Grumio; knock, I say.

"Gru. Knock, fir!

"Whom should I knock, fir? Is there any man "That has rebus'd your worship?

"Pet. Villain, I say,

"Knock me here foundly.

"Gru. Knock you here, fir? Why, fir, "What am I, fir, that I should knock you here, fir? “ Pet. Villain, I say, knock me at this gate, "And rap me well, or I'll knack your knave's pate. "Gru. My mafter is grown quarrelfome :---I should "knock you first,

"And then I know after who comes by the worft. "Pet. Will it not be ?

'Faith, firrab, an you'll not knock, I'll ring it; "I'll try how you can fel, fa, and fing it.

[Wrings him by the Ears. "Gru. Help, masters, help! my mafter is mad, "Pet. Now knock when I bid you: firrah! villain !

Enter Hortenfio.

Hor. "How now? what's the matter?" My old friend Grumio! and "my good friend Petruchio !—How "do you all at Verona ?

"Pet. Signior Hortenfio, come you to part the fray? "Con tutto il core ben trovato, may I say.

"Hor. Alla noftra casa bene venuto,

"Molto bonorato fignior mio Petruchio.

"Rife, Grumio, rife; we will compound this quarrel. "Gru. Nay, 'tis no matter, fir, what he 'leges in "Latin. If this be not a lawful cause for me to leave "his fervice,-Look you, fir,—he bid me knock him "and rap him foundly, fir: Well, was it fit for a fer"vant to use his master fo; being, perhaps, (for ought "I fee) two and thirty,-a pip out? "Whom would to God I had well knock'd at firft; "Then had not Grumio come by the worst.

"Pet. A fenfelefs villain !-Good Hortenfio,

"I bad the rascal knock upon your gate,
"And could not get him for my heart to do it.
"Gru. Knock at the gate ?-O heavens !—

;

"Spake you not these words plain,-Sirrah, knock 66 me here,

"Rap me here, knock me well, and knock me foundly? "And come you now with-knocking at the gate?

"Pet. Sirrah, be gone, or talk not, I advife you. "Hor. Petruchio, patience; I am Grumio's pledge: "Why, this is a heavy chance 'twixt him and you; "Your ancient, trufty, pleasant fervant, Grumio. "And" tell me now, fweet friend,-what happy gale Blows you to Padua here, from old Verona ?

Pet. Such wind as fcatters young men through the world,

To feek their fortunes farther than at home,
Where small experience grows. But, in a few,
Signior Hortenfa, thus it ftands with me :-
Antonio, my father, is deceas'd;

And I have thruft myself into this maze,
Haply to wive and thrive, as best I may :

The introduction of Italian fcraps, when the characters otherwife fpeak English all through, is fantaftical; to fay the truth, the quarrel between Petruchio and Grumio, appears too farcical to deferve representation; we have therefore marked the fuperfluous paffages.

Crowns

Crowns in my purfe I have, and goods at home,
And fo am come abroad to fee the world.

Hor. Petruchio, fhall I then come roundly to thee,
And with thee to a fhrewd ill-favour'd wife?
Thoud'ft thank me but a little for my counsel:
And yet I'll promise thee fhe fhall be rich,

And very rich :-but thou'rt too much my friend,
And I'll not wish thee to her.

Pet. Signior Hortenfio, 'twixt fuch friends as we,
Few words fuffice: and, therefore, if thou know
One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife,

(As wealth is burthen of my wooing dance)-
Be the as foul as was Florentius' love,
As ald as Sibyl, and as curft and shrewd
As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse,

She moves me not, or not removes (at least)
Affection's edge in me; were she as rough
As are the fwelling Adriatic feas:

I come to wive it wealthily in Padua ;
If wealthily,, then happily in Padua.

Gru. Nay, look you, fir, he tells you flatly what his mind is: Why, give him gold enough, and marry him to a puppet, or an aglet baby; or an old trot with ne'er a tooth in her head, though the have as many diseases as two and fifty horfes: why, nothing comes amifs, fo money comes withal.

Hor. Petruchio, finee we are ftept thus far in,

I will continue that I broach'd in just.

I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife

With wealth enough, and young and beauteous ;
Brought up as beft becomes a gentlewoman:
Her only fault (as that is fault enough)

Is, that he is intolerably curft,

And shrewd, and froward; fo beyond all measure,
That, were my state far worfer than it is,

I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

Pet. Hortenfio, peace; thou know'st not gold's effect.Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough; For I will board her, though the chide as loud As thunder, when the clouds in autumn crack.

Hor. Her father is Baptifta Minda,
An affable and courteous gentleman;
Her name is Catherina Minola ;

Renown'd in Padua for her fcolding tongue.
Pet. I know her father, though I know not her §
And he knew my deceased father well:-~~
I will not fleep, Hortenfio, 'till I fee her;
And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this first encounter,---
Unlefs you will accompany me thither.

Gru. I pray you, fir, let him go while the humour lafts. O'my word, an fhe knew him as well as I do, fhe would think scolding would do little good upon him: She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves, or fo: why, that's nothing; an he begin once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks. I'll tell you what, fir,-An the ftand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face; and fo disfigure her with it, that the fall have no more eyes to fee withal than a cat: You know him not, fir *. Hor. Tarry, Petrachio, I muft go with thee; For in Baptifa's keep my treasure is :

He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca's
And her witholds from me, and other more,
Suitors to her, and rivals in my love :
Suppofing it a thing impoffible,

(For thofe defects I have before rehears'd)
That ever Catherina will be woo'd ;
Therefore this order hath Baptifta taʼen,
That none fhall have access unto Bianca,
"Till Catherine the curft have got a husband.
Gru. Catherine the curft!

A title for a maid, of all titles the worst.

Hor. Now fhall my friend Petruchio do me grace ; And offer me, difguis'd in fober robes,

To old Baptifta as a schoolmaster

Well feen in mufic, to inftru&t Bianca :

This and the preceding fpeech of Grumio exhibit characteristic humour; and the performer who perfonates him, should possess a dry fhrewdness of expreffion, and archness of features,

That

That fo I may, by this device, at least,
Have leave and leisure to make love to her,
And, unfufpected, court her by myself.

Enter, on the oppoftte fide, Gremio; Lucentio with him, with books under his arm.

Gru. Here's no knavery. See; to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together !— Mafter, mafter, took about you :- -Who goes there? ha. Hor. Peace, Grumio; 'tis the rival of my love: Petruchio, ftand we by a little while.

Gru. A proper ftripling, and an amorous! [They retire. Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note.

[Giving it back. Hark you, fir, I'll have them very fairly bound:-

All books of love, fee that at any hand;

And fee you read no other lectures to her:

You understand me: Over and befide

Signior Baptifta's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largefs. Here, take your papers toe, And let me have them very well perfum'd;

For she is sweeter than perfume itfelf,

To whom they go. What will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,
As for my patron,-ftand you so affur'd,-
As firmly as yourself were still in place:
Yea, and (perhaps) with more fuccefsful words
Than you, unless you were a fcholar, fir.
Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock! what an afs it is!
Pet. Peace, firrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum.-Heav'n fave you, fignior Gre

mio!

[Advancing.

Gre. You are well met, Signior Hertenfio. Trow you Whither I am going? To Baptifta Minola.

I promis'd him, to enquire carefully
About a schoolmaster for the fair Bianca:
And, by good fortune, I have lighted well

On this young man; for learning, and behaviour,