EASE to perfuade, my loving Protheus wits; Wer't not, affection chains thy tender days I rather would intreat thy company, To fee the wonders of the world abroad; It is obfervable (I know not for what caufe) that the ftile of this comedy is lefs figurative, and more natural and unaffected than the greater part of this Author's, tho' fuppofed to be one of the first he wrote. 2 Mr. Pope. fhapeless idleness.] The expreffion is fine, as implying that idleness prevents the giving any form or character to the manners. But C: But fince thou lov'ft, love ftill, and thrive therein Pro. Wilt thou be gone? fweet Valentine, adieu; When thou doft meet good hap; and in thy danger, Commend thy Grievance to my holy prayer; Val. And on a love-book pray for my fuccefs. Pro. That's a deep ftory of a deeper love; For he was more than over fhoes in love. Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love, Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots. Pro. What? Val. To be in love, where fcorn is bought with groans; Coy looks, with heart-fore fighs; one fading moment's mirth, With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights. Pro. So, by your circumftance, you call me fool. Methinks, fhould not be chronicled for wife. • The The eating canker dwells; fo eating love Val. And writers fay, as the most forward bud Even fo by love the young and tender wit Once more, adieu: my father at the road Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love; Speed. Sir Protheus, fave you; faw you my mafter? Pro. But now he parted hence, t' imbark for Milan. Speed. 3 This whole Scene, like many others in thefe plays (fome of which I believe were written by Shakespear, and others interpoVOL. I. N lated Speed. Twenty to one then he is shipp'd already, And I have play'd the sheep in losing him. Pro. Indeed, a fheep doth very often stray, An if the fhepherd be awhile away. Speed. You conclude that my mafter is a shepherd then, and I a sheep? Pro. I do. Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whether I wake or fleep. Pro. A filly answer, and fitting well a sheep. Pro. True; and thy mafter a fhepherd. Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance. Pro. It fhall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The fhepherd feeks the fheep, and not the fheep the fhepherd; but I feek my mafter, and my mafter feeks not me; therefore I am no fheep. Pro. The Theep for fodder follows the fhepherd, the fhepherd for the food follows not the sheep; thou for wages followeft thy mafter, thy mafter for wages follows not thee; therefore thou art a sheep. Speed. Such another proof will make me cry Baâ. Pro. But doft thou hear? gaveft thou my letter to Julia? Speed. Ay, Sir, I, a loft mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton, and fhe, a lac'd mutton, gave me, a loft mutton, nothing for my labour. Pro. Here's too small a pafture for fuch ftore of muttons. Speed. If the ground be over-charg'd, you were best stick her. lated by the players), is compofed of the lowest and most triflirg conceits, to be accounted for only from the grofs taste of the age he lived in; Populo ut placerent. I wish I had authority to leave them out but I have done all I could: fet a mark of reprobation upon them throughout this edition. Mr. Pope. Pro. Pro. Nay, in that you are a stray, 'twere best pound you. Speed. Nay, Sir, lefs than a pound fhall ferve me for carrying your letter. Pro. You mistake: I mean the pound, a pin-fold. Speed. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over, 'tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to 'your lover. Pro. But what faid fhe: did fhe nod? [Speed nods. Speed. I. Pro. Nod-I? why, that's noddy. Speed. You mistook, Sir: I faid, fhe did nod: And you ask me, if fhe did nod; and I faid, I. Pro. And that fet together, is noddy. Speed. Now you have taken the pains to fet 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. Befhrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your flow purse. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief: what faid the? Speed. Open your purfe, that the money and the matter may be both at once deliver'd. Pro. Well, Sir, here is for your pains; what said she? Speed. Truly, Sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? could'ft thou perceive fo much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; No, not fo much as a ducket for delivering your letter. And being fo hard to me that brought your mind, I fear, fhe'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind.. Give her no token but ftones; for fhe's as hard as steel. |