VAL. And on a love-book pray for my success?
PRO. Upon some book I love, I'll pray for thee.
VAL. That's on some shallow story of deep love,
How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont.
PRO. That's a deep story of a deeper love;

For he was more than over shoes in love.
VAL. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love,
And yet you never swom the Hellespont.
PRO. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots?.
VAL. Nay, I will not, for it boots thee not.

VAL. To be in love, where scorn is bought with groans;

Coy looks with heart-sore sighs; one fading moment's mirth
With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights;

If haply won, perhaps a hapless gain;

If lost, why then a grievous labour won;
However, but a folly bought with wit,
Or else a wit by folly vanquished.

PRO. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool.
VAL. So, by your circumstance", I fear, you 71
PRO. 'Tis love you cavil at; I am not love.
VAL. Love is your master, for he masters you:
And he that is so yoked by a fool,

Methinks should not be chronicled for wise.
PRO. Yet writers say, as in the sweetest bud
The eating canker dwells 3, so eating love
Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

VAL. And writers say, as the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow,
Even so by love the young and tender wit
Is turn'd to folly; blasting in the bud,
Losing his verdure even in the prime,
And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee,
That art a votary to fond desire?

prove.

Once more adieu: my father at the road
Expects my coming, there to see me shipp'd.
PRO. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.
VAL. Sweet Proteus, no; now let us take our leave.
To Milan let me hear from thee by letters,
Of thy success in love, and what news else

▪ However—in whatsoever way, "haply won," or "lost."

Circumstance. The word is used by the two speakers in different senses. Proteus employs it

in the meaning of circumstantial deduction;-Valentine in that of position.

To Milan. Let me hear from thee by letters, addressed to Milan.

I here in absence of thy friend;
kewise will visit thee with mine.
ppiness bechance to thee in Milan!
ach to you at home ! and so, farewell.
ter honour hunts, I after love :
es his friends to dignify them more;
myself, my friends, and all for love.
ulia, thou hast metamorphos'd me;
e neglect my studies, lose my time,

th good counsel, set the world at nought;

it with musing weak, heart sick with thought.

Enter SPEED.

Proteus, save you: Saw you my master? now he parted hence, to embark for Milan. enty to one then he is shipp'd already; have play'd the sheep in losing him. ed a sheep doth very often stray,

The shepherd be a while away.

[Exit VALENTINE.

u conclude that my master is a shepherd then, and I a sheep?

hy then my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep.

ly answer, and fitting well a sheep.

is proves me still a sheep.

e; and thy master a shepherd.

ay, that I can deny by a circumstance.

hall go hard but I'll prove it by another.

he shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I ay master, and my master seeks not me : therefore, I am no sheep. sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, the shepherd for food follows

e sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages = not thee; therefore, thou art a sheep.

uch another proof will make me cry baa.

dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to Julia?

y, sir; I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton;
e, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour!
'e's too small a pasture for such store of muttons.

ginal copy reads, "I love myself." The present reading was introduced by Pope.
s pronounced ship in many English counties; hence Speed's small jest. Mr. Collier
at in writings of the time "Sheep-street, in Stratford-upon-Avon, is often spelt Ship-

mutton. The commentators have much doubtful learning on this passage. They
at the epithet "laced" was a very uncomplimentary epithet of Shakspere's time; and
rds taken together apply to a female of loose character. This is probable; but then
t application, by Speed, of the term to Julia is received by Proteus very patiently. The
scarcely cover the coarseness, provided the slang term were of general acceptation.

SPEED. If the ground be overcharged, you were best stick her.
PRO. Nay, in that you are astray a; 't were best pound you.

SPEED. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter.
PRO. You mistake; I mean the pound, a pinfold.

SPEED. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over,

"T is threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover.

PRO. But what said she? did she nod?

SPEED. Ic.

PRO. Nod, I; why, that 's noddy.

[SPEED nods.

SPEED. You mistook, sir; I say, she did nod: and you ask me if she did nod;

and I say, I.

PRO. And that set together is-noddy.

SPEED. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains. PRO. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter.

SPEED. Well, I perceive I must be fain to bear with you.

PRO. Why, sir, how do you bear with me?

SPEED. Marry, sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word, noddy, for my pains.

PRO. Beshrew me,
but you
have a quick wit.
SPEED. And yet it cannot overtake your slow

purse.

PRO. Come, come, open the matter in brief: what said she?

SPEED. Open your purse, that the money, and the matter, may be both at once delivered.

PRO. Well, sir, here is for your pains: What said she?

SPEED. Truly, sir, I think you 'll hardly win her.

PRO. Why? Couldst thou perceive so much from her? SPEED. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter: And being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she 'll prove as hard to you in telling your mind. Give her no token but stones; for she 's as hard as steel.

PRO. What said she,-nothing?

SPEED. No, not so much as-"Take this for thy pains." To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'd me; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself: and so, sir, I'll commend you to my master. PRO. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from wrack:

Which cannot perish, having thee aboard,

Being destined to a drier death on shoree:

Astray. The adjective here should be read “a stray"-a stray sheep.

Did she nod? These words, not in the original text, were introduced by Theobald. The stage-direction, "Speed nods," is also modern.

The second folio changes the passage to "her mind." The first gives it "your mind." Speed says, she was hard to me that brought your mind, by letter;-she will be as hard to you in telling it, in person.

• The same allusion to the proverb, "He that is born to be hanged," &c., occurs in 'The Tempest.'

thou then counsel me to fall in love? adam; so you stumble not unheedfully. the fair resort of gentlemen,

ry day with parle a encounter me, pinion, which is worthiest love?

› you, repeat their names, I'll show my mind
g to my shallow simple skill.

think'st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour?
a knight well-spoken, neat and fine;
re I you, he never should be mine.
think'st thou of the rich Mercatio?
of his wealth; but of himself, so, so.
think'st thou of the gentle Proteus?
lord! to see what folly reigns in us!
now! what means this passion at his name?
on, dear madam; 't is a passing shame,

unworthy body as I am,

censure thus on lovely gentlemen.

not on Proteus, as of all the rest?

thus: of many good I think him best. reason?

ve no other reason but a woman's reason;
x him so, because I think him so.
wouldst thou have me cast my love on him?
if you thought your love not cast away,
-, he of all the rest hath never mov'd me.
he of all the rest, I think, best loves ye.
little speaking shows his love but small.
that 's closest kept burns most of all.
y do not love that do not show their love.
hey love least that let men know their love.

ould I knew his mind.

speech. The first folio spells it par'le, which shows the abbreviation of the original ole.

-give an opinion-a meaning which repeatedly occurs.

here used as a dissyllable. When the reader has a key to the reading of such words-he may dispense with the notes that he will perpetually find on these matters in commentators.

LUC.

Peruse this paper, madam.

JUL. "To Julia,"-Say, from whom?
Luc.

JUL. Say, say; who gave it thee?

That the contents will show.

Luc. Sir Valentine's page; and sent, I think, from Proteus.
He would have given it you, but I, being in the way,
Did in your name receive it; pardon the fault, I pray.
JUL. Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker!

Dare you presume to harbour wanton lines?
To whisper and conspire against my youth?
Now, trust me, 't is an office of great worth,
And you an officer fit for the place.
There, take the paper, see it be return'd;
Or else return no more into my sight.

Luc. To plead for love deserves more fee than hate.
JUL. Will you be gone?

Luc.
That you may ruminate.
JUL. And yet, I would I had o'erlook'd the letter.
It were a shame to call her back again,

And pray her to a fault for which I chid her.
What fool is she, that knows I am a maid,
And would not force the letter to my view!
Since maids, in modesty, say "No" to that

66

Which they would have the profferer construe " Ay.”
Fie, fie! how wayward is this foolish love,
That, like a testy babe, will scratch the nurse,
And presently, all humbled, kiss the rod !

How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence,

When willingly I would have had her here!
How angerly a I taught my brow to frown,
When inward joy enforc'd my heart to smile!
My penance is, to call Lucetta back,

And ask remission for my folly past:

What ho! Lucetta!

[Exit.

time.

That you might kill your stomach on your meat,
And not upon your maid.

Took up so gingerly?

What is 't that you

Angerly, not angrily, as many modern editions have it, was the adverb used in Shakspere's

Stomach is here used in the double sense of appetite, and obstinacy, or ill temper.