THE MAD LOVER. A TRAGI-COMEDY. The Commendatory Verses by Gardiner, Hills, and Lovelace, ascribe this Play wholly to Fletcher; other writers, to him and Beaumont conjunctively. The first publication of the Mad Lover was in the folio of 1647. We do not know of any alterations having been made in it, nor has it been acted for many years past. To find the minds here equal with the men.] So many men so many minds,' is an old saying. It seems here to be implied that one man has many minds.' 2 Fraught. This word generally, in the old books, is used for freight. ACT I. camp May it disperse itself, and make all happy! [neral; 4 Thou speak'st a man indeed; a general geA soul conceiv'd a soldier. Eum. Ten set battles, Against the strong usurper Diocles, (Whom long experience had begot a leader, Ambition rais'd too mighty) hath your Mem[him, Won, and won gloriously, distress'd and shook Even from the head of all his hopes, to nothing. In three, he beat the thunder-bolt his brother, 3 non more master of his fortunes, Expert in leading 'em; in doing valiant, In following all his deeds to victories, safe, Forc'd him to wall himself up: There not Countries, that like the wind knew no com- Call'd to your fair obedience. [drums That thou wert now within my arms! What Are those that beat, Eumenes? [Drums. Eum. His, my sov'reign; Himselfi' th' head of conquest drawing home, And entertain him with all ceremony; Eum. Sir, a strange one; Pray God his language bear it. By my life, Sir, He knows no compliment, nor curious casting Of words into fit places ere he speak 'em : He can say, Fight well, fellow, and I'll thank thee: And holding Fortune certain there.] I shall now return to meer verbal criticisms. By the reading and pointing above, the first step of a most beautiful climax is taken away and placed to a former sentence, where it is quite unnecessary: The four qualifications of a great general are strongly marked out: Expert in leading on; valiant in the combat; prudent in guiding his valour to victory, and in making his victories decisive. I make the pause fuller at the end of the first line, and put in the second what to me bids fairest for having been the original; though it might have heen Expert in leading, and in doing valiant. Seward. Mr. Seward reads, more master of his fortunes; Expert in leading on; in doing valiant ; more master of his fortunes. Expert in leading 'em ] Surely this, which is the old reading, is the right reading. What can prove a man more master of his fortunes, than his being expert in leading 'em? Besides that, Mr. Seward's pointing mars the syntax, and deprives the two last lines of the word valiant, that governs them: Here a repetition of valiant is understood, as of the word more in the first two lines: 'Ne'er was a soldier more master of his fortunes, [more] expert in leading 'em; valiant in doing, [valiant] in following his deeds on to victory, and in maintaining it when acquired." A general general.] i. e. A complete general. The latter editions read, a general's general. Enter Memnon, with a train of courtiers and Welcome, my fortunate and famous general! Mem. Thank your grace! [sweetness And 'would to God iny dull tongue had that To thank you as I should; but pardon me, My sword and I speak roughly, Sir: Your battles, [you I dare well say, I have fought well; for I bring That lazy end you wish for, peace, so fully That no more name of war is: Who now thinks Sooner or safer these might have been ended, At length your general, (as one whose merit The maidenheads of thousand lives hang here, No oily language, but the shock of arms, Mothers have wanted wombs to make me fa- And blown Ambition, dangers. Those that King. No more wars, my soldier: [King takes Memnon aside, and talks Cle. How he talks, How gloriously. Calis. A goodly-timber'd fellow; Cle. If valour dwell in vaunting. In what a phrase he speaks, as if his actions Calis. I wonder, wenches, Cle. Nothing but larum, Tell us whose throat he cut, shew us his sword, Lucip. An't like your grace, I do not think he knows us, what we are, Affirm he never saw a woman that exceeded Calis. Sure his lordship's viewing Our fortifications. I Lucip. If he mount at me, Keeps quarter this way: Be not in love! Cle. If he be, presently [lour Venus grant his va Expect a herald and a trumpet with you, To bid you render; we two perdu's pay for't [fadies, else. King. I'll leave you to my sister, and these To make your welcome fuller. My good soldier, [ship; We must now turn your sternness into courtWhen you have done there, to your fair re[Flourish. pose, Sir! I know you need it, Memnon. Welcome, gentlemen! [Exit. Lucip. Now he begins to march. Madam, the van's yours; 5 The maidenheads of thousand lives hang here, Sir.] This line seems to have been shuffled by some accident out of its place. It ought, as we conjecture, to be inserted lower in the speech: Here it interrupts the sense; but there it falls happily in with it. We would therefore wish to omit it where it now stands, and to insert it after the line, And ev'ry where I conquer'd, and for you, Sir. — or in execution.] This signifies the sack of a town, and is used by Jonson in that sense as well as our Author. Keep your ground sure; Mem. Oh, Venus! [He kneels amaz'd, and forgets to speak. Calis. How he stares on me. Cle. Knight him, madam, knight him; He'll grow to th' ground else. Eum. Speak, Sir; 'tis the princess. 1 Capt. You shame yourself; speak to her. Calis. Rise and speak, Sir. [Sir! You are welcome to the court, to me, to all, Lucip. Is he not deaf? Calis. The gentleman's not well. Eum. Fy, noble general! [How do you? Lucip. Give him fresh air; his colour goes. The princess will be glad, SirMem. Peace, and hear me. Cle. Command a silence there. Mem. I love thee, lady. [ceed, Sir. Calis. I thank your lordship heartily: ProLucip. Lord, how it stuck in's stomach, like a surfeit. [be thanked. Cle. It breaks apace now from him, God What a fine-spoken man he is. Lucip. A choice one; Of singular variety in carriage! [distance. Cle. Yes, and I warrant you he knows his Mem. With all my heart I love thee. Calis. A hearty gentleman! And I were e'en an arrant beast, my lord, But I lov'd you again. Mem. Good lady, kiss me. [up to her. Cle. Ay marry, Mars, there thou cam'st close Calis. Kiss you at first, my lord? 'Tis no fair fashion; [breaths, Our lips are like rose-buds; blown with mens' They lose both sap and savour; there's my hand, Sir. Eum. Fy, fy, my lord! this is too rude. Consume me if I hurt her. Good sweet lady, Let me but look upon thee. Calis. Do. Mem. Yet! Calis. Well, Sir, Take your full view. Lucip. Bless your eyes, Sir. Is this the man they talk'd of for a soldier, Of making sport with men for ignorance, lord! I'm sorry We cannot kiss at this time; but, believe it, We'll find an hour for all. God keep my children [wenches, From being such sweet soldiers! Softly, Lest we disturb his dream. [Exeunt Calis and ladies. Eum. Why, this is monstrous. [holds it. 1 Capt. A strange forgetfulness, yet still he 2 Capt. Tho' he ne'er saw a woman of great fashion Before this day, yet methinks 'tis possible He might imagine what they are, and what Belongs unto 'em; meer report of others— Eum. Pish, His head had other whimsies in't. My lord! Death, I think you're struck dumb. My good lord general! [love you, Mem. That I do love you, madam; and so An't like your grace 1 Capt. Sir! 2 Capt. He has been studying this speech. Eum. Who do you speak to, Sir? Mem. Why, where's the lady, The woman, the fair woman? 1 Capt. Who? Mem. The princess, Give me the princess. lord! Eum. Give you counsel rather A man unhandsome, undigested dough. 7'Tis for your spurs.] This is an allusion to Chivalry. Lord Lyttelton, speaking of Henry II. after he was knighted, says, 'He sought an occasion of exercising his new profes sion of arms, or (to speak in the language of that age) he desired to gain his spurs; but he could not possibly take the field, &c.' Life of Henry II. vol. ii. p. 178. And we find in Segar's Honor Civil and Military, p. 75, that, on the degradation of a knight in England, his gilt spurs were beaten from his heels, and his sword taken from him and broken. R. 8 Staggers.] The staggers, which is a kind of horses' apoplexy, is mentioned in All's Well that Ends Well. One species of it is a raging impatience, which makes the animal dash himself with destructive violence against posts or walls. See Johnson's notes on Shakespeare, vol. iv. p. 58. R. As tho' you had been cut out for your father's tomb, [you, you Eum. Till they laugh'd at you. Is't possible the wild noise of a war, Being at flood still in you: And in peace, What state she carries? and what great obe- Mem. She ne'er commanded An hundred thousand men, as I have done, Nor ne'er won battle. Say I would have kiss'd her. [one! Eum. There was a dainty offer too, a rare breed? Do not men kiss fair women? if they do, 2 Capt. To her 'tis held so, But I will be more punctual. Pray what thought she? Eura. Her thoughts were merciful, but she Pitying the poorness of your compliment, 1 Capt. Let not those great deserts The king hath laid up of you, and the people, Eum. The whole name Mem. She's a sweet one. And, good Sirs, leave your exhortations; Come, let's to dinner; if the wine be good, This bastard-breeding, lousy, lazy idleness! swers: Expos'd my life to dangers more than days; ye; Is here impossible: Well, I'll rub among If otherwise the wind blow, stiff as I am 9 Marchpanes.] Marchpane was a confection, made of pistachio-nuts, almonds, sugar, &c. and in high esteem in Shakespeare's time, as appears from the account of Queen Elizabeth's entertainment in Cambridge. It is said that the university presented Sir William Cecil, their chancellor, with two pair of gloves, a marchpane, and two sugar-loaves. Dr. Gray's notes on Shakespeare. Marchpane, a kind of sweet bread, or biscuit, called by some alınond-cake. Hermolaus Barbarus terms it mazapanis, vulgarly martius panis, G. macepain and massepain. H. marzapane, H. macapan, B. marcepeyn, i.e. massa pura. But as few understood the meaning of this term, it began to be generally, though corruptly, called massepeyn, marcepeyn, martsepeyn; and, in consequence of this mistake of theirs, it soon took the name of martius panis, an appellation transferred afterwards into other languages. See Junius. Notes to Shakespeare, Oxford edit. The fragility of the biscuit seems to be the chief quality here alluded to. |