O, 'tis the curse in love, and still approv'd,' When women cannot love where they're belov'd. Pro. How! Julia! Jul. Behold her that gave am2 to all thy oaths, Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's And entertain'd them deeply in her heart: belov'd. Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love," How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root !3 O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush! For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy Be thou asham'd, that I have took upon me faith Could have persuaded me: Now I dare not say I am sorry, I must never trust thee more, Val. Then I am paid; Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleas'd; Pro. Look to the boy. [Faints. Val. Why, boy! why, wag! how now? what is the matter? Look up; speak. Jul. Such an immodest raiment; if shame live It is the lesser blot, modesty finds, Women to change their shapes, than men their minds. Pro. Than men their minds? 'tis true: 0 heaven! were man But constant, he were perfect: that one error Inconstancy falls off, ere it begins: Val. Come, come, a hand from either: Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine. Come not within the measure of my wrath: I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine, O good sir, my master charg'd me Thou art a gentleman, and well deriv'd; To deliver a ring to madam Silvia; Which, out of my neglect, was never done. Pro. Where is that ring, boy? Jul. Here 'tis: this is it. [Gives a ring. Pro. How! let me see: Why this is the ring I gave to Julia. Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook; This is the ring you sent to Silvia. [Shows another ring. Pro. But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at my depart, I gave this unto Julia. Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself hath brought it hither, (1) Felt, experienced. (2) Direction, (3) An allusion to cleaving the pin in archery, Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd her. Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made me I happy. now beseech you, for your daughter's sake, To grant one boon that I shall ask of you. Duke. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be. Val. These banish'd men, that I have kept withal, Are men endued with worthy qualities; thee; Dispose of them, as thou know'st their deserts, (4) Length of my sword, (5) Interest, With triumphs, mirth, and rare solemnity. Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes. Val. I warrant you, my lord; more grace than boy. Duke. What mean you by that saying? Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along, That you will wonder what hath fortun'd.Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance, but to hear The story of your loves discovered: That done, our day of marriage shall be yours; One feast, one house, one mutual happiness. [Exeunt. In this play there is a strange mixture of know ledge and ignorance, of care and negligence. The versification is often excellent, the allusions are learned and just; but the author conveys his heroes by sea from one inland town to another in the same country: he places the emperor at Milan, and sends his young men to attend him, but never mentions him more; he makes Proteus, after an interview with Silvia, say he has only seen her picture: and, if we may credit the old copies, he has, by mistaking places, left his scenery inextricable. The reason of all this confusion seems to be, that he took his story from a novel which he sometimes followed and sometimes forsook; sometimes rcmembered, and sometimes forgot. That this play is rightly attributed to Shakspeare, I have little doubt. If it be taken from him, to whom shall it be given? This question may be asked of all the disputed plays, except Titus Andronicus; and it will be found more credible, that Shakspeare might sometimes sink below his highest flights, than that any other should rise up to his lowest, JOHNSON. SIR Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Ster chamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire. Slen. In the county of Gloster, justice of peace, and coram. Eva. It is not meet the council hear a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot: the council, look you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the a riot; take your vizaments' in that. sword should end it. Eva. It is petter that friends is the sword, and jend it: and there is also another device in my with it: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to prain, which, peradventure, prings goot discretions moster George Page, which is pretty virginity. Slen. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair. and speaks small like a woman. Eve. It is that fery person for all the 'orld, as just as you will desire; and seven hundred pounds Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and cust-alorum.2 of monies and gold, and silver, is her grandsire, Slen. Ay, and ratolorum too; and a gentleman upon his death's bed (Got deliver to a joyful resurborn, master parson; who writes himself armigero; rections!) give, when she is able to over take sevenin any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, ar-teen years old: it were a goot motion, if we leave migero. between maste Abraham, and mistress Anne our pribbles and prabbles, and desire a marriage Page. Shal. Ay, that we do; and have done any time these three hundred years. Slen. All his successors, gone before him, have done't; and all his ancestors, that come after him, may: they may give the dozen white luces in their coat. Shal. It is an old coat. Eva. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well; it agrees well, passant: it is a familiar beast to man, and signifies-love. Shal. The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an old coat. Slen. I may quarter, coz? Eva. Yes, py'r' lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for yourself, in my simple conjectures: but that is all one: if Sir John Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my be nevolence, to make atonements and compromises between you. Shal. The council shall hear it; it is a riot. A title formerly appropriated to chaplains. (2) Custos rotulorum. pound? Eva. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny. Shal. I know the young gentlewoman; the has good gifts. Eva. Seven hundred pounds, and possibilities, is goot gifts. Shal. Well, let us see honest master Page: is Falstaff there? Eva. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a liar, as I do despise one that is false; or, as I despise one that is not true. The knight, sir John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled by your well-willers. What, hoa! Got pless your house here! will peat the door [knocks] for master Page. I |