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TAMING OF THE SHREW.

"AMING OF THE SHREW" was founded on an old

"TAM

play published in 1594, called "The Taming of a Shrew." Probably, Shakspeare, while theatrical manager, wished to adapt it for acting at his theatre, and revised and largely rewrote it; but inasmuch as such a man as Shakspeare could not have satisfied himself without doing his best in any work he put his hand to, he so changed and improved it as to make a very ordinary acting-play into what we now find it. He took other people's plots and characters, and breathed into them the breath of life, so that each character became a living soul. In the course of his labors he wove into the plot some scenes, relating to Bianca's marriage, from a play by Ariosto. "Taming of the Shrew" is a play within a play ; and the Induction, which is entirely Shakspeare's work, though founded on the old comedy, is one of his best pieces of farce.

The idea of the Induction comes probably from the East, like many another fairy tale brought back from the Crusades. It is the same as that in the charming story of the "Sleeper Awakened," told by Queen Scheherezade to her fictionloving lord.

The characters of the Induction are: A Lord; Christopher Sly, a drunken tinker; Hostess; Page; Players; Huntsmen; etc.

Scene 1. OF THE INDUCTION.

In a lonely village ale-house, Sly, in his cups, gets into a quarrel with the landlady. Sly is a braggart, who by dint of travel, possibly of soldiering, — he may have served under Essex at Cadiz, or perhaps, under Drake, against the Dons of the Spanish Main, has picked up some disjointed Spanish words, and some vague notions of history. So when the landlady asks payment for his drink, he answers her: "Ye'r a baggage. The Slys are no rogues. Look in the Chronicles. We came in with Richard Conqueror. Therefore, paucas pallabris, — let the world slide. Sessa!" As the landlady goes off to fetch the local guardians of the peace, Sly falls asleep on the floor. Soon after, a lord enters, weary with hunting, and full of solicitude about

his dogs.

He stumbles over Sly in his drunken sleep, exclaiming:

O, monstrous beast! How like a swine he lies!
Grim death, how foul and loathsome is thine image!

Then a thought strikes him. He will have the man

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Then take him up, and manage well the jest.
Carry him gently to my fairest chamber,
And hang it round with all my wanton pictures;
Balm his foul head with warm distilled waters,

And burn sweet wood to make the lodging sweet;
Procure me music, ready when he wakes
To make a dulcet and a heavenly sound;
And if he chance to speak be ready straight,

And, with a low submissive reverence,
Say, What is it your honor will command?

Let one attend him with a silver basin

Full of rose-water, and bestrewed with flowers;
Another bear the ewer, the third a diaper,

And say, Will 't please your lordship cool your hands?
Some one be ready with a costly suit

And ask him what apparel he will wear;
Another tell him of his hounds and horse,

And that his lady mourns at his disease;
Persuade him that he hath been lunatic;
When he says what he is, say that he dreams,
For he is nothing but a mighty lord.

This do, and do it kindly, gentle sirs,
It will be pastime passing excellent

If it be husbanded with modesty.

1 Huntsman. My lord, I warrant you we 'll play our part As he shall think, by our true diligence,

He is no less than what we say he is.

Lord. Take him up gently, and to bed with him;

And each one to his office when he wakes.

[Some bear out Sly. A trumpet sounds.

The lord sends at once to see what is the meaning of the trumpet, and finds it announces some players, who, according to an English custom surviving to Mr. Crummles' and Miss Snivellici's day, had come to offer their services to perform before the chief man of the neighborhood.

The courtesy of the lord to these players is very pleasing. He remembers several of them, and commends their former acting. Then, before sending them to the buttery, there to receive friendly welcome, he says:

Well, you are come to me in happy time,
The rather for I have some sport in hand
Wherein your cunning can assist me much.
There is a lord will hear you play to-night;
But I am doubtful of your modesties,

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