Ant. Nor need'st thou much importune me to that, Whereon this month I have been hammering, I have confider'd well his lofs of time; And how he cannot be a perfect man, Not being try'd, and tutor'd in the world: Experience is by induftry atchiev'd, And perfected by the fwift courfe of time: Then tell me, whither were I beft to fend him? Pant. I think, your Lordship is not ignorant, How his companion, youthful Valentine, Attends the Emperor in his royal court. (7) Ant. I know it well. Pant. 'Twere good, I think, your Lordship fent him thither; There fhall he practise tilts and tournaments, Worthy his youth and noblenefs of birth. Ant. I like thy counsel; well haft thou advis'd: I will dispatch him to the Emperor's court. Pant. To-morrow, may it please you, Don Alphonfo, With other gentlemen of good esteem, Are journeying to falute the Emperor ; Ant. Good company: with them fhall Protheus go. And, in good time, now will we break with him. (7) Attends the Emperor in his royal court.] The Emperor's royal court is properly at Vienna, but Valentine, 'tis plain, is at. Milan; where, in most other paffages, 'tis faid he is attending the Duke, who makes one of the characters in the Drama. This feems to convict the Author of a forgetfulnefs and contradiction; but, perhaps, it may be folv'd thus, and Milan be call'd the Emperor's court, as fince the reign of Charlemaigne, this dukedom and its territories have belong'd to the Emperors. I with, I could as easily folve another abfurdity, which encounters us; of Valentine's going from Verona to Milan, both inland places, by fea. Enter Enter Protheus. Pro. Sweet love, fweet lines, fweet life! Ant. How now? what letter are you reading there? Pro. May't please your Lordship, 'tis a word or two Of commendation fent from Valentine; Deliver'd by a friend that came from him. Ant. Lend me the letter; let me fee what news. Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune. Ant. My will is fomething forted with his wish: What maintenance he from his friends receives, Excufe it not, for I am peremptory. Pro. My Lord, I cannot be fo foon provided; Please to deliberate a day or two. Ant. Look, what thou want'ft, fhall be fent after thee: No more of stay; to-morrow thou must go. Come on Panthion; you fhall be employ'd To haften on his expedition. [Exe. Ant. and Pant. Hath Hath he excepted most against my love. Enter Panthion. Pan. Sir Protheus, you, father calls for you; ACT SCENE changes to Milan. Enter Valentine and Speed." Val. Not mine; my gloves are on. [Excunt. Speed. Why then this may be yours, for this is but one, Val. Hah! let me fee: ay, give it me, its mine. Sweet ornament, that decks a thing divine; Ah Silvia! Silvia! Speed. Madam Silvia! Madam Silvia ! Speed. She is not within hearing, Sir. (8) Ob, bow this fpring of love resembleth well] This monofyllable was foifted in by Mr. Pope, to fupport, as he thought, the verfifica tion in the clofe. But it was done for want of obferving Shakespeare's licences in his measures: which 'tis proper, once for all, to take notice of. Refembleth, he defign'd here should in pronunciation make four fyllables: as witneffe, afterwards in this play, and as fidler, (in the Taming a Shrew) and angry (twice in Timon of Athens) are made trifyllables; and as fire and bour are almost for ever protracted by him to two fyllables, Speed. Speed. Your worship, Sir, or else I mistook. Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too flow. Val. Why, how know you that I am in love? Speed. Marry, by thefe fpecial 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 pestilence; to figh, like a fchool-boy that had lost 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 Hallowmafs. You were wont, when you laugh'd, to crow like a cock; when you walk'd, to walk like one of the lions; when you fafted, it was prefently after dinner; when you look'd fadly, 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. Without you? nay, that's certain; for without you were fo fimple, none elfe would: But you are fo without these follies, that thefe follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an eye that fees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady. Val. But tell me, doft thou know my Lady Silvia ? Speed. She, that you gaze on fo as fhe fits at fupper? Val. Haft thou obferved that? ev'n fhe 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'd, Sir? Speed Speed. That he is not so fair, as of you well favour'd. Val. I mean that her beauty is exquisite, But her favourite 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'ft thou me? I account of her beauty. Speed. Ever fince you lov'd her. Val. I have lov'd her, ever fince I saw her; And ftill I fee her beautiful. Speed. If you love her, you cannot see her. Speed. Becaufe 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 fhould I fee then? Speed. Your own prefent folly, and her paffing deformity: For he, being in love, could not fee to garter his hofe; and you, being in love, cannot fee to put on your hofe. Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love: for last morning you could not fee to wipe my fhoes. I Speed. True, Sir, I was in love with my bed ; thank you, you fwing'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 your affection would ceafe. Val. Laft night fhe enjoin'd me to write fome 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 fhe comes. Enter Silvia. Speed. Oh excellent motion! oh exceeding puppet! Now will he interpret to her. Val |