Hor. Her father is Baptifta Minala
An affable and courteous gentlemau s
Her aame is Catharina Mimola ;
Renown'd in Padua for ber scoldiog tongue.
Pet. I know her father, though I know not her
And he knew my drocafed father well :-
I will not leep, Hortenfre, 'till I see her ;
And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this first encounter,
Unless
you
wilt
accompany me thicker.
Gru. I pray you, fir, let him go white the hamour
lafts. O’my word, un the knew him as well as I do, she
would think scolding would do litike good upon him :
She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves, or fo:
why, that's nothing; an he begin opce, he'll rail in bis
tope-tricks. I'll tell you what, fir,-- An the tand him
but a little, he will throw a figure in her faces and fo
disfigure her with it, that the Mall have no more eyes to
fee withal than a cat: You know him not, fir.
Hor. Tarry, Petrecbio, I must go with thee;
For ia Baptijd's keep my treasure is :
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bjonas
And her wicholds from me, and other mort,
Suitori #o bor, and rivals in any love :
Suppofing it a thing imposible,
(For those defecte I have before rehears'd)
That ever Catherina will be woo'd;
Therefore this order hath Baptifta ta'eng
That none fall bave access unto Bianca,
"Till Catbering the curt have got a hufband.
Gru. Catherine the curt!
A title for a maid, of all citles the work.
Hor. Now thalt friend Petruchio do mc grace ;
And offer me, disguis'd in fober robos,
To old Baptista as a schoolmaster
Well feen in music, to inftruet Bianca :
• This and the preceding speech of Gremio exhibit chara&erific humour ; and the performer who personates bim, heuld poftels à dry farewdacss of expreflion, and archness of features.
That
That fo I may, by this device, at least,
Have leave and leisure to make love to her,
And, unfuspected, court her by myself.
Exter, or the oppofte 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 I ha.
Hor. Peace, Grumio ; 'tis the rival of my love : Petruchio, ftand we by a little while.
Gru. A proper stripling, 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, see that at any hand;
And see you read no other lectures to her :
You understand me: Over and beside
Signior Baptifta's liberality,
mi mead it with a largess. Here, take your papers toe,
And let me have them very well perfum'd ;
For the 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,-stand you so affur'd,
As firmly as yourself were ftill in place :
Yea, and (perhaps) with more successful words
Than you, -unless you were a scholar, fir.
Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is !
Gru. O this woodcock! what an ass it is !
Pet. Peace, firrah.
Hor. Grumio, mum.-Heav'n save you, fignior Gre-
mio!
[ Advancing
Gre. You are well met, Signior Hortenfio. Trow you
Whither I am going? To Baptista 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,
Fit for her turn ; well read in poetry,
And other books, good ones, I warrant ye.
Hor. 'Tis well: and I have met a gentleman,
Hath promis'd me to help me to another,
A fine musician to inftrudt oor mistress ;
So shall I no whit be behind in duty
To fair Bianca, so belov’d of me.
Gre. Belov'd of me, and that my deeds shall prove.
Gru. And that his bags shall prove.
Hor. Gromio, 'ris now no time to vent our love :
Listen to me, and, if you speak me fair,
I'll tell you news indifferent good for either.
Here is a gentleman, whom by chance I met,
Upon agreement from us to his liking,
Will undertake to woo curft Catherine ;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.
Gre. So faid, so done, is well :-
Hortenfo, have you told him all her faults ?
Pet. I know, the is an irksome brawling scold;
If that be all, mafters, I hear no harm.
“ Gre. No, say't me fo, friend ? Pray, what country-
“ man? " Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son : « My father dead, my fortune lives for me ; “ And I do hope good days, and long, to see. “ Gre. Sir, such a life, with such a wise, were
“ strange :
“ But, if you have a ftomach, to't o'God's name,
“ You shall have me assisting you in all.
But will you woo this wild-cat?
Pet. Will I live?
Gru. Will he woo her? ay, or I'll hang her.
Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent?
Think you, a little din can daunt mine ears?
Have I not in my time heard. lions roar ?
Have I not heard the sea, puft up with winds,
Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat ?
Have I not heard great ordnance in the field,
And heaven's artillery thunder in the kies?
Have I not in a pitched battle heard
Loud
Loud Sarums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clangue ?
And do
you
tell me of a woman's tongue * ;
That gives not half so great a blow to the ear,
As will a chesnut in a farmer's fire ?
Tuh, tush ! fear boys with buge.
Gru. For he fears none.--
Gre. Hortenfia, hark !
This gentleman is happily arrivid,
My mind presumes, for his own good, and ours.
Hor. I promis'd we would be contributors,
And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe'er.
Gre. And so we will ; provided, that he win her.
Gru. I would, I were as sure of a good dinner.
Enter Tranio, brave; and Biondello.
Tra. Gentlemen, Heav'n save you! If I may be bold,
Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way,
To the house of signior Baptista Minola?
Gre. He that has the two fair daughters! is't he you
mean:
Tra. Even he, sir.
Gre. Hark you, fir; you mean not her to-
Tra. Perhaps, him and her, fir: What have you to do?
Pet. Not her that chides, fir, at any hand, I pray.
Tra. I love no chiders, fir:- Biondello, let's away.
Luc. Well begun, Tranio.
Hor. Sir, a word ere you go ;-
Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea, or no ?
Tra. An if I be, sir, is it any
offince ?
Gre. No; if, without more words, you will get you
hence.
Tra. Why, fir, I pray you, are not the streets as free
For me, as for you?
Gre. But fo is not she.
Tra. For what reafon, I befeech you ?
Gre. For this reason, if you'll know,-
That he's the choice love of fignior Gremio.
* This speech manifests a spirited grandeur of idea ; the allufions Speak our author Arongly, though Arietness of climax’is not maintained; but that objection, in comic writing, is trifiing.
Hor. That she is the chosen of lignior Hortenfo.
Tra. Softly, my masters ! if you be gentlemen, Do me this right-hear me with patience.Baptifta is a noble gentleman, To whom my father is not all unknown; And, were his daughter fairer than the is, She may more suitors have, and me for one. “ Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers; “ Then well one more may fair Bianca have : And so me shall ;. Lucentia shall make one, Though Paris came, in hope to speed alone. Gre. What, what! this gentleman will out-talk us all
. Luc. Sir, give him head; I know, he'll prove a jade. Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words?
Hor. Sir, let me be fo bold as ask you this ;-
Did
you yet ever see Baptißa's daughter?
Tra. No, fit; but hear I do, that he hath two :
The one as famous for a scolding tongue,
As the other is for beauteous modesty.
Pet. Sir, fir, the first's for me; let her go by.
Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules ;
And let it be more than Alcides' twelve.
Pet. Sir, understand you this of me insooth ;-
The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for,
Her father keeps from all access of suitors ;
And will not promise her to any man,
Until her elder sister first be wed :
The younger then is free, and not before.
Tra. If it be so, sir, that you are the man
Must stead us all, and me amongst the rest ;
And if you break the ice, and do this feat,-
Atchieve the elder, set the
younger
free For our access --whose hap thall be to have her, Will not so graceless be, to be ingrate.
Her. Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive :
And since you do profess to be a suitor,
You must, as we do,-gratify this gentleman,
To whom we all rest generally beholding.
Tra. Sir, I Mall not be sack : in sign whereof,
Please ye we may convive this afternoon,
And quaff carouses to our mistress' health;
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