Where you may temper her, by your persuasion, For Orpheus' lute was strung with poets' sinews ;5 Forsake unsounded deeps to dance on sands. Visit by night your lady's chamber-window, Duke. This discipline shows thou hast been in love. To sort some gentlemen well skill'd in music : Duke. About it, gentlemen. [4] That is, birdlime. JOHNSON. [5] This shews Shakspeare's knowledge of antiquity. He here assigns Or. pheus his true character of legislator. For under that of a poet only,or lover, the quality given to his lute is unintelligible. But, considered as a lawgiver, the thought is noble, and the imagery exquisitely beautiful. For by his lute is to be understood his system of laws; and by the poet's sinews, the power of numbers, which Orpheus actually employed in those laws to make them received by a fierce and barbarous people. WARBURTON. Proteus is describing to Thurio the powers of poetry; and gives no quali. ty to the lute of Orpheus, but those usually and vulgarly ascribed to it. It would be strange indeed if, in order to prevail upon the ignorant and stupid Thurio to write a sonnet to his mistress, he should enlarge upon the legislative powers of Orpheus, which were nothing to the purpose. Warburton's observations frequently tend to prove Shakspeare more profound and learned than the occasion required, and to make the Poet of Nature the most unnatural that ever wrote. M. MASON. [6] A dump was the ancient term for a mournful elegy. 18 VOL. I. STEEVENS. Pro. We'll wait upon your grace till after supper: And afterward determine our proceedings. Duke. Even now about it; I will pardon you. [Exe. ACT IV. SCENE I-A Forest, near Mantua. Enter certain Outlaws. 1 Outlaw. FELLOWS, stand fast; I see a passenger. 2 Out. If there be ten, shrink not, but down with 'em. Enter VALENTINE and SPEED. 3 Out. Stand, sir, and throw us that you have about you; If not, we'll make you sit, and rifle you. Speed. Sir, we are undone! these are the villains That all the travellers do fear so much. Val. My friends, 1 Out. That's not so, sir; we are your enemies. 2 Out. Peace; we'll hear him. 3 Out. Ay, by my beard, will we ; For he's a proper man. Val. Then know, that I have little wealth to lose ; A man I am, cross'd with adversity: My riches are these poor habiliments, Of which, if you should here disfurnish me, You take the sum and substance that I have. 2 Out. Whither travel you? Val. To Verona. 1 Out. Whence came you? Val. From Milan. 3 Out. Have you long sojourn'd there? Val. Some sixteen months; and longer might have staid, If crooked fortune had not thwarted me. 1 Out. What, were you banish'd thence ? Val. I was. 2 Out. For what offence ? Val. For that which now torments me to rehearse: I kill'd a man, whose death I much repent; But yet I slew him manfully in fight, 1 Out. Why ne'er repent it, if it were done so : But were you banish'd for so small a fault? Val. I was, and held me glad of such a doom. 1 Out. Have you the tongues? Val. My youthful travel therein made me happy; Or else I often had been miserable. 3 Out. By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar,7 This fellow were a king for our wild faction. 1 Out. We'll have him: sirs, a word. Speed. Master, be one of them; It is an honourable kind of thievery. 2 Out. Tell us this: Have you any thing to take to? Val. Nothing, but my fortune. 3 Out Know then, that some of us are gentlemen, Such as the fury of ungovern'd youth Thrust from the company of awful men : Myself was from Verona banish'd, For practising to steal away a lady, An heir, and near allied unto the duke. 2 Out. And I from Mantua, for a gentleman, Whom, in my mood, I stabb'd unto the heart. 1 Out. And I, for such like petty crimes as these. As we do in our quality much want; 2 Out. Indeed, because you are a banish'd man, Therefore, above the rest, we parley to you: Are you content to be our general? To make a virtue of necessity, And live, as we do, in this wilderness? 3 Out. What say'st thou ? wilt thou be of our consórt ? Say, ay, and be the captain of us all : We'll do thee homage, and be rul'd by thee, Love thee as our commander, and our king. [7] Robin Hood was captain of a band of robbers, and was much inclined to rob churchmen. JOHNSON. Dr. Johnson seems to have misunderstood this passage. The speaker does not swear by the scalp of some churchman who had been plundered, but by the shaven crown of Robin Hood's chaplain." We will live and die together, (says a personage in Peele's Edward I. 1593,) like Robin Hood, little John, friar Tucke, and Maide Marian." MALONE. [8] Mood is anger or resentment. MALONE. 1 Out. But if thou scorn our courtesy, thou dy'st. 2 Out. Thou shalt not live to brag what we have offer'd. Val. I take your offer, and will live with you; Provided that you do no outrages On silly women, or poor passengers. 9 3 Out. No, we detest such vile, base practices. Come, go with us, we'll bring thee to our crews, And shew thee all the treasure we have got ; Which, with ourselves, all rest at thy dispose. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Milan. Court of the Palace. Enter PROTEUS. Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine, She twits me with my falsehood to my friend; But here comes Thurio: now must we to her window, Enter THURIO, and Musicians. Thu. How now, sir Proteus? are you crept before us? Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for, you know, that love Will creep in service where it dare not go. Thu. Ay, but, I hope, sir, that you love not here. Pro. Ay, Silvia,-for your sake. Thu. I thank you for your own.-Now, gentlemen, Let's tune, and to it lustily a while. [9] This was one of the rules of Robin Hood's government. STEEV. Enter Host at a distance; and JULIA in boy's clothes. Host. Now, my young guest, methinks you're allycholly; I pray you, why is it? Jul. Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry. Host. Come, we'll have you merry: I'll bring you where you shall hear music, and see the gentleman that you ask'd for. Jul. But shall I hear him speak? Jul. That will be music. Host. Hark! hark! Jul. Is he among these? Host. Ay: but peace, let's hear 'em. SONG. Who is Silvia? what is she, [Music plays. That all our swains commend her? Holy, fair, and wise is she; The heavens such grace did lend her, Is she kind, as she is fair? For beauty lives with kindness: To help him of his blindness: Host. How now? are you sadder than you were be fore? How do you, man? the music likes you not. Jul. You mistake; the musician likes me not. Host. Why, my pretty youth? Jul. He plays false, father. Host. How? out of tune on the strings? Jul. Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my very heart-strings. Host. You have a quick ear. Jul. Ay, I would I were deaf! it makes me have a slow heart. |