The same. SCENE VI." An Apartment in the Palace. Enter PROTeus. Pro. To leave my Julia, shall I be forsworn; To love fair Silvia, shall I be forsworn; To wrong my friend, I shall be much forsworn ; Love bade me swear, and love bids me forswear: But there I leave to love, where I should love. 7 It is to be observed, that, in the folio edition, there are no directions concerning the scenes; they have been added by the later editors, and may therefore be changed by any reader that can give more consistency or regularity to the drama by such alterations. I make this remark in this place, because I know not whether the following soliloquy of Proteus is so proper in the street. JOHNSON. The reader will perceive that the scenery has been changed, though Dr. Johnson's observation is continued. STEEVENS. 8 Ŏ sweet-suggesting love,] To suggest is to tempt, in our author's language. If I keep them, I needs must lose myself; And Silvia, witness heaven, that made her fair! I will forget that Julia is alive, I cannot now prove constant to myself, SCENE VII. Verona. A Room in Julia's House. Enter JULIA and LUCETTA. Jul. Counsel, Lucetta! gentle girl, assist me! And, even in kind love, I do conjure thee, in counsel, his competitor:] Competitor is confederate, assistant, partner. - pretended flight ;] Pretended flight is proposed or intended flight: the verb pretendre in French, has the same signification. Who art the table wherein all my thoughts Luc. Alas! the way is wearisome and long. Luc. Better forbear, till Proteus make return. Jul. O, know'st thou not, his looks are my soul's food? Pity the dearth that I have pined in, Luc. I do not seek to quench your love's hot fire; But qualify the fire's extreme rage, Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason. Jul. The more thou dam'st it up, the more it burns ; The current, that with gentle murmur glides, Thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage; But, when his fair course is not hindered, He makes sweet musick with the enamel'd stones, He overtaketh in his pilgrimage; A blessed soul doth in Elysium. Luc. But in what habit will you go along? Luc. Why then your ladyship must cut your hair. Jul. No, girl; I'll knit it up in silken strings, With twenty odd-conceited true-love knots: To be fantastic may become a youth Of greater time than I shall show to be. Luc. What fashion, madam, shall I make your breeches? Jul. That fits as well, as-" tell me, good my lord, "What compass will you wear your farthingale?” Why, even that fashion thou best lik'st, Lucetta. Luc. You must needs have them with a cod-piece, madam. Jul. Out, out, Lucetta! that will be ill-favour'd. Luc. A round hose, madam, now's not worth a pin, Unless you have a cod-piece to stick pins on. Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'st me, let me have What thou think'st meet, and is most mannerly: But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me, For undertaking so unstaid a journey? I fear me, it will make me scandaliz'd. Luc. If you think So, then stay at home, and go not. Jul. Nay, that I will not. Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go. If Proteus like your journey, when you come, 2 Out, out, Lucetta! &c.] Dr. Percy observes, that this interjection is still used in the North. It seems to have the same meaning as apage, Lat. No matter who's displeas'd, when you are gone: Warrant me welcome to my Proteus. Luc. All these are servants to deceitful men. Jul. Base men, that use them to so base effect! But truer stars did govern Proteus' birth : His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles; His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate; His tears, pure messengers sent from his heart; His heart as far from fraud, as heaven from earth. Luc. Pray heaven, he prove so, when you come to him! Jul. Now, as thou lov'st me, do him not that wrong, To bear a hard opinion of his truth: [Exeunt. 3 my longing journey.] Dr. Grey observes, that longing is a participle active, with a passive signification; for longed, wished, or desired. But Julia may mean a journey which she shall pass in longing. |