I'll use thee kindly for thy mistress' sake,
That us'd me so; or else, by Jove I vow,

for a supposed defect in the metre, to an actual violation of the

sense.

Again, in Julius Cæsar, Act II. Sc. II.:

"She dreamt to-night she saw my statue."

Here, to fill up the line, Mr. Capell adds the name of Decius, and the last editor, deserting his usual caution, has improperly changed the regulation of the whole passage. Again, in the same play, Act III. Sc. II. :

"Even at the base of Pompey's statue."

In this line, however, the true mode of pronouncing the word is suggested by the last editor, who quotes a very sufficient authority for his conjecture. From authors of the times it would not be difficult to fill whole pages with instances to prove that statue was at that period a trisyllable. Many authors spell it in that manner. On so clear a point the first proof which occurs is enough. Take the following from Bacon's Advancement of Learning, 4to. 1633: "It is not possible to have the true pictures or statuaes of Cyrus, Alexander, Cæsar, no nor of the kings or great personages of much later years," &c. p. 88. Again : without which the history of the world seemeth to be as the Statua of Polyphemus with his eye out," &c. REED.

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It may be observed, on this occasion, that some Latin words which were admitted into the English language, still retained their Roman pronunciation. Thus heroe and heroes are constantly used for trisyllables; as in the following instances, by Chapman :

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His speare fixt by him as he slept, the great end in the ground,

"The point that brisled the darke earth, cast a reflection

round

"Like pallid lightnings throwne from Jove. Thus this Heroe

ay,

"And under him a big oxe hide." 10th Iliad.

Again, in the same book:

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This said, he on his shoulders cast a yellow lion's hide,

Big, and reacht earth; then took his speare; and Nestor's

will applide,

"Rais'd the Heroes, brought them both. All met, the round

they went."

STEEVENS.

However proper it may be to read statua in certain passages of our author, there is certainly no occasion for any such reading here, the metre being perfect as the line stands in the old copy. MALONE.

I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes', To make my master out of love with thee.

[Exit.

EGL. The sun begins to gild the western sky;

And now it is about the very hour

That Silvia, at friar Patrick's cell, should meet me.
She will not fail; for lovers break not hours,
Unless it be to come before their time;
So much they spur their expedition.

Enter SILVIA.

See, where she comes: Lady, a happy evening! SIL. Amen, amen! go on, good Eglamour,

your UNSEEING EYES.] So, in Macbeth: "Thou hast no speculation in these eyes."

STEEVENS.

8 That Sivia, at FRIAR Patrick's cell, should meet me.] The old copy redundantly reads-friar Patrick's cell. But the omission of this title is justified by a passage in the next scene, when the Duke says,

"At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was not."

STEEVENS. According to the doctrine here laid down, if the poet has ever added an epithet to a word, he must always use either the same or some other epithet; and has not the liberty of using the word again without any epithet at all.

I have adhered to the old copy, both because the reason for departing from it appears to me to have no weight, because compositors at the press never insert words not found in the manuscript, unless when the eye glances on a word above or below, and because the metre here is just as good as many other lines in these plays, as I have shown in the essay on that subject.

MALONE.

Out at the postern by the abbey-wall;
I fear, I am attended by some spies.

EGL. Fear not: the forest is not three leagues off; If we recover that, we are sure enough. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The Same. A Room in the DUKE'S Palace.

Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA. THU. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit? PRO. O, sir, I find her milder than she was ; And yet she takes exceptions at your person. THU. What, that my leg is too long?

PRO. No; that it is too little.

THU. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder.

PRO. But love will not be spurr'd to what it loaths*. THU. What says she to my face?

PRO. She says, it is a fair one.

THU. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black. PRO. But pearls are fair, and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes1.

9

SURE enough.] Sure is save, out of danger. JOHNSON. * Pro. But love will not be spurr'd to what it LOATHS.] Isuspect that this line should be given, as well as a subsequent one, to Julia; and was meant to be spoken aside. It is exactly in the style of her other sarcastick speeches; and Proteus, who is playing upon Thurio's credulity, would hardly represent him as an object of loathing to his mistress. BosWELL.

1 Black men are pearls, &c.] So, in Heywood's Iron Age, 1632: -a black complexion

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"Is always gracious in a woman's eye."

Again, in Sir Giles Goosecap, 1606:

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but to make every black slovenly cloud a pearle in her eye." STEEVENS.

"A black man is a jewel in a fair woman's eye," is one of Ray's proverbial sentences. MALONE.

JUL. "Tis true 2, such pearls as put out ladies'

eyes;

For I had rather wink than look on them. [Aside. THU. How likes she my discourse?

PRO. Ill, when you talk of war.

THU. But well, when I discourse of love, and

peace ?

JUL. But better, indeed, when you hold your

peace.

THU. What says she to my valour?

PRO. O, sir, she makes no doubt of that.

[Aside.

JUL. She needs not, when she knows it cowardice.

THU. What says she to my birth?
PRO. That you are well deriv'd.

[Aside.

JUL. True; from a gentleman to a fool. [Aside. THU. Considers she my possessions ?

PRO. O, ay; and pities them.

THU. Wherefore?

JUL. That such an ass should owe them. [Aside. PRO. That they are out by lease3.

JUL. Here comes the duke.

2 Jul. 'Tis true, &c.] This speech, which certainly belongs to Julia, is given in the old copy to Thurio. Mr. Rowe restored it to its proper owner. STEEVENS.

3 That they are out by lease.] I suppose he means, because Thurio's folly has let them on disadvantageous terms. STEEVENS. She pities Sir Thurio's possessions, because they are let to others, and are not in his own dear hands. Such appears to me to be the meaning. M. MASON.

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'By Thurio's possessions, he himself understands his lands and estate. But Proteus chooses to take the word likewise in a figurative sense, as signifying his mental endowments: and when he says they are out by lease, he means they are no longer enjoyed by their master, (who is a fool,) but are leased out to another." Edinburgh Magazine, Nov. 1786. STEEVENS.

For this explication, which is clearly just, the reader, I believe, is indebted to the late Sir David Dalrymple, Bart. usually denominated Lord Hailes. MALONE.

Enter DUKE.

DUKE. How now, sir Proteus? how now, Thurio? Which of you saw sir Eglamour*, of late?

THU. Not I.

PRO. Nor I.

DUKE. Saw you my daughter?

PRO. Neither.

DUKE. Why, then she's fled unto that peasant Valentine:

And Eglamour is in her company.

'Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both,
As he in penance wander'd through the forest:
Him he knew well, and guess'd that it was she;
But, being mask'd, he was not sure of it:
Besides, she did intend confession

At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was not:
These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence.
Therefore, I pray you, stand not to discourse,
But mount you presently; and meet with me
Upon the rising of the mountain-foot

That leads towards Mantua; whither they are fled :
Dispatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me. [Exit.
THU. Why, this it is to be a peevish girl 5
That flies her fortune when it follows her:
I'll after, more to be reveng'd on Eglamour,
Than for the love of reckless Silvia".

[Exit.

PRO. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love, Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her. [Exit.

4 SIR Eglamour,] Sir, which is not in the old copy, was inserted by the editor of the second folio. MALOne. 5-a PEEVISH girl,] Peevish, in ancient language, signifies foolish. So, in King Henry VI. Part I. :

6

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"To send such peevish tokens to a king." STEEVens. RECKLESS Sylvia.] i. e. careless, heedless. So, in Hamlet: like a puff'd and reckless libertine." STEEVENS.