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Bene. A miracle! here's our own hands against our hearts; come, I will have thee; but, by this light, I take thee for pity.

(30) Beat. I would yet deny you; but, by this good day, I yield upon great perfuafion, and partly to fave your life; for as I was told, you were in a confumption. (31) Bene. Peace, I will stop your mouth.

[Kiffing her. Pedro. How doft thou, Benedick the married man? Bene. I'll tell thee what, Prince; a College of witcrackers cannot flout me out of my humour; doft thou think, I care for a fatire, or an epigram? no: if a man will be beaten with brains, he shall wear nothing handfome about him; in brief, fince I do purpose to marry,

(30) I would not deny you, but by this good day I yield upon great perfuafion, &c.] Is not this ftrange Mock-reafoning in Beatrice ? She would not deny him, but that the yields upon great perfuafion

By changing the Negative, I make no doubt but I have retriev'd the poet's humour.

(31) Leon. Peace, I will flop your mouth.] What can Leonato mean by this?" Nay, pray, peace, Niece; don't keep up this obftinacy

of profeffions. for I have proofs to ftop your mouth." The ingenious Dr. Thirlby agreed with me, that this ought to be given to Benedick, who, upon faying it, kiffes Beatrice: and this being done before the whole company, how natural is the reply which the Prince makes upon it ?

How doth thou, Benedick, the married man. Befides, this mode of speech, preparatory to a falute, is familiar to our Poet in common with other ftage-writers. So before, in this Play, Beatrice fays to Hero.;

Speak, Coufin; or (if you cannot) stop his mouth with a kiss, and let not bim fpeak neither.

So, again, in Troilus and Creffida, where the fears that she is saying: too fond things:

Crefs.

-Stop my mouth.

Troil. And fhall, albeit fweet mufick iffues thence. [Kisses ber. So, in Beaumont and Fletcher's Scornful Lady;

Widow. Sir, you speak like a worthy brother. And so much do credit your fair language, that I fhall love your brother; and fo love him, but I fhall blush to say more.

Eld. Love. Stop her mouth.
And Webfter in his Dutchess of Malfy.

[To his brother, who kiffes ber..

Dutch.

I'll ftop your mouth.

[Kiffing him.

Anto. Nay, that's but one: Venus had two foft Doves
To draw her Chariot :-I must have another

[Kiffing ber..

I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can fay against it; and therefore never flout at me, for what I have faid againft it; for man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclufion; for thy part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee; but in that thou art like to be my kinfman, live unbruis'd, and love my cousin.

Claud. I had well hoped, thou wouldst have denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgell'd thee out of thy fingle life, to make thee a double dealer; which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my Coufin do not look exceeding narrowly to thee.

Bene. Come, come, we are friends; let's have a Dance ere we are marry'd, that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wives heels.

Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards.

Bene. Firf, o' my word; therefore, play mufick. Prince, thou art fad, get thee a wife, get thee a wife; there is no ftaff more reverend than one tipt with horn. Enter Meffenger.

Meff. My Lord, your brother John is ta'en in flight, And brought with armed men back to Messina.

Bene. Think not on him 'till to-morrow: I'll devife thee brave punishments for him. Strike up, Pipers.

[Dance. [Exeunt omnes.

THE

H Gravelot in &del.

Vol: 2.P:87.

G.V. Gucht Scul

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