1 Prin. But what was fent to you from fair Dumaine? Cath. Madam, this glove. Prin. Did he not fend you twain ? Cath. Yes, madam; and moreover, Some thousand verses of a faithful lover. A huge tranflation of hypocrify, Vildly compil'd, profound fimplicity. Mar. This, and these pearls, to me fent Longaville; The letter is too long by half a mile. Prin. I think no lefs; doft thou not wish in heart, The chain were longer, and the letter short? Mar. Ay, or I would thefe hands might never part. Prin. We are wife girls, to mock our lovers for❜t. Rofa. They are worfe fools to purchafe mocking fo. That fame Biron I'll torture, ere I go. I O, that I knew he were but in by th' week, How I would make him fawn, and beg, and feek, And make him proud to make me proud with jefts: Prin. None are fo furely caught,when they are catch'd,' As wit turn'd fool; folly in wifdom hatch'd, Hath wisdom's warrant, and the help of school; Rofa. The blood of youth burns not in fuch excess, As gravities revolt to wantonnefs. another without referve; and to Catharine this first line certainly be long'd, and therefore I have ventur'd once more to put her in poffeffion of it. (42) So pertaunt like would I o'erfway bis fate.] If the editors are acquainted with this word, and can account for the meaning of it, their industry has been more fuccessful than mine, for I can no where trace it. So pedant like, as I have ventur'd to replace in the text, makes very good fenfe, i. e. in such lordly, controlling, manner would I bear myfelf over him, &c. What Biron fays of a pedant, towards the conclufion of the 2d Act, countenances this conjecture. A domineering pedant o'er the boy, Mar. Mar. Folly in fools bears not fo ftrong a note, Enter Boyet. Prin. Here comes Boyet, and mirth is in his face. Boyet. O, I am ftab'd with laughter; where's herGrace? Prin. Thy news, Boyet? Boyet. Prepare, madam, prepare. Arm, wenches, arm? encounters mounted are And over-heard, what you fhall over-hear: That well by heart hath conn'd his embaffage. I fhould have fear'd her, had fhe been a devil.- One rubb'd his elbow thus, and fleer'd, and fwore, Cry'd, Cry'd, via! we will do't, come what will come. To check their folly, paffion's folemn tears. Prin. But what, but what, come they to visit us? Boyet. They do, they do; and are apparel'd thus, Like Mufcovites, or Ruffians, as I guefs. Their purpose is to parley, court and dance;" Prin. And will they fo? the gallants fhall be tafkt; And change your favours too; fo fhall your loves Rofa. Come on then, wear the favours most in fight. (43) With fuch a zealous laughter, fo profound, That in this fpleen ridiculous appears, To check their folly, paffions, folemn tears.] As Mr. Rowe and Mr. Pope have writ and ftop'd this passage, 'tis plain, they gave themselves no pains to understand the author's meaning. Tho' for the rhyme-fake, we have a verb fingular following a fubflantive plural, yet this is what Shakespeare would fay; "They "cry'd as heartily with laughing, as if the deepest grief had been the "motive." So before, in Midsummer Night's Dream. Made mine eyes water, but more merry tears Το To loves mistook, and fo be mockt withal, Rofa. But fhall we dance, if they defire us to't? Prin. No; to the death, we will not move a foot; Nor to their pen'd fpeech render we no grace: But while 'tis fpoke, each turn away her face. Boyet. Why, that contempt will kill the speaker's heart, And quite divorce his memory from his part. Prin. Therefore I do it; and I make no doubt, The reft will ne'er come in, if he be out. There's no fuch sport, as sport by sport o'erthrown ; To make theirs ours, and ours none but our own; So fhall we stay, mocking intended game; And they, well mockt, depart away with fhame. [Sound. Boyet. The trumpet founds; be maskt, the maskers come. Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, Dumain, and Attendants, difguis'd like Mufcovites; Moth, with Mufick, as for a masquerade. Moth. All hail, the richest beauties on the earth! [The Ladies turn their backs to him. Biron. Their eyes, villain, their eyes. Moth. That ever turn'd their eyes to mortal views, Out Biron. True; out, indeed. Moth Out of your favours, heav'nly spirits, vouchsafe Not to behold. Biron. Once to behold, rogue. (44) Biron Beauties, no richer than rich taffata.] All the editors concur to give this line to Biron; but, furely, very abfurdly : for he's one of the zealous admirers, and hardly would make fuch an inference. Boyet is fneering at the parade of their address, is in the fecret of the Ladies ftratagem, and makes himself sport at the abfurdity of their proëm, in complimenting their beauty, when they were mask'd. It therefore comes from him with the utmoft propriety. Moth. Moth. Once to behold with your fun-beamed eyes With your fun-beamed eyes· Boyet. They will not answer to that epithet; You were beft call it daughter-beamed eyes. Moth. They do not mark me, and that brings me out. Boyet. What would you with the Princess? Boyet. Nothing, but peace and gentle vifitation. Boyet. They fay, that they have meafur'd many a mile, To tread a measure with you on this grafs, Rofa. It is not fo. Aik them, how many inches Boyet. If to come hither you have measur'd miles, you How many inches doth fill up one mile? Biron. Tell her, we meafure them by weary fteps, Rofa. How many weary steps Of many weary miles, you have o’ergone, Are number'd in the travel of one mile? Biron. We number nothing that we spend for you; Our duty is fo rich," so infinite, That we may do it ftill without accompt. Vouchfafe to thew the funshine of your face, Rofa. My face it but a moon and clouded too. Rofa. |