OBSERVATIONS. SOME of the incidents in this play may be fuppofed to have been taken from The Arcadia, Book I. chap. 6, where Pyrocles confents to head the Helots. (The Arcadia was entered on the books of the Stationers' Company, Aug. 23d, 1588.) The love-adventure of Julia refembles that of Viola in Twelfth Night, and is indeed common to many of the ancient novels. STEEVENS. Mrs. Lenox obferves, and I think not improbably, that the ftory of Proteus and Julia might be taken from a fimilar one in the Diana of George of Montemayor." This pastoral romance," fays fhe, "was tranflated from the Spanish in Shakspeare's time." I have feen no earlier tranflation than that of Bartholomew Yong, who dates his dedication in November 1598; and Meres, in his Wit's Treasury, printed the fame year, exprefsly mentions the Two Gentlemen of Verona. Indeed Montemayor was tranflated two or three years before, by one Thomas Wilfon; but this work, I am perfuaded, was never published entirely perhaps fome parts of it were, or the tale might have been tranflated by others. However, Mr. Steevens fays, very truly, that this kind of love-adventure is frequent in the old novelifts. FARMER. There is no earlier tranflation of the Diana entered on the books of the Stationers' Company, than that of B. Younge, Sept. 1598. Many tranflations, however, after they were licensed, were capricioufly fuppreffed. Among others, "The Decameron of Mr. John Boccace, Florentine," was "recalled by my lord of Canterbury's commands." STEEVENS. It is obfervable (I know not for what cause,) that the ftyle of this comedy is lefs figurative, and more natural and unaffected, than the greater part of this author's, though fuppofed to be one of the first he wrote. POPE. It may very well be doubted whether Shakspeare had any other hand in this play than the enlivening it with fome fpeeches and lines thrown in here and there, which are easily diftinguifhed, as being of a different stamp from the reft. HANMER. Το To this obfervation of Mr. Pope, which is very juft, Mr. Theobald has added, that this is one of Shakspeare's worst plays, and is lefs corrupted than any other. Mr. Upton peremptorily determines, that if any proof can be drawn from manner and flyle, this play must be fent packing, and feek for its parent elsewhere. How otherwife, fays he, do painters diftinguish copies from criginals? and have not authors their peculiar ftyle and manner, from which a true critic can form as unerring judgement as a painter? I am afraid this illuftration of a critic's fcience will not prove what is defired. A painter knows a copy from an original by rules fomewhat resembling thofe by which critics know a tranflation, which if it be literal, and literal it must be to resemble the copy of a picture, will be easily diftinguifhed. Copies are known from originals, even when the painter copies his own picture; so, if an author should literally tranflate his work, he would lofe the manner of an original. Mr. Upton confounds the copy of a picture with the imitation of a painter's manner. Copies are easily known; but good imitations are not detected with equal certainty, and are, by the best judges, often mistaken. Nor is it true that the writer has always peculiarities equally diftinguifhable with those of the painter. The peculiar manner of each arifes from the defire, natural to every performer, of facilitating his fubfequent work by recurrence to his former ideas; this recurrence produces that repetition which is called habit. The painter, whose work is partly intellectual and partly manual, has habits of the mind, the eye, and the hand; the writer has only habits of the mind. Yet, fome painters have differed as much from themselves as from any other; and I have been told, that there is little refemblance between the firft works of Raphael and the laft. The fame variation may be expected in writers; and if it be true, as it feems, that they are less fubject to habit, the difference between their works may be yet greater. But by the internal marks of a compofition we may discover the author with probability, though seldom with certainty. When I read this play, I cannot but think that I find, both in the ferious and ludicrous fcenes, the language and fentiments of Shakspeare. It is not indeed one of his most powerful effufions; it has neither many diverfities of character, nor ftriking delineations of life; but it abounds in yvwual beyond most of his plays, and few have more lines or paffages, which, fingly confidered, are eminently beautiful. I am yet inclined to believe that it was not very fuccessful, and fufpect that it has escaped corruption, only because, being feldom played, it was lefs exposed to the hazards of tranfcription. JOHNSON. This Comedy, I believe, was written in 1595. MALONE, PERSONS REPRESENTED. Duke of MILAN, father to Silvia. VALENTINE, Gentlemen of Verona. PROTEUS, ANTONIO, father to Proteus. THURIO, a foolish rival to Valentine. JULIA, a lady of Verona, beloved by Proteus. Servants, musicians. SCENE, fometimes in Verona; fometimes in Milan; and on the frontiers of Mantua. TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. ACT I. SCENE I. An open place in Verona. Enter VALENTINE and PROTEUS. Valentine. EASE to perfuade, my loving Proteus; CEA Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits: Wer't not, affection chains thy tender days To fee the wonders of the world abroad, Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu ! When thou dost meet good hap; and, in thy danger, Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers, For I will be thy bead's-man, Valentine. Val. And on a love-book pray for my fuccefs. Pro. Upon fome book I love, I'll pray for thee. Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love, Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots. Pro. Val. What? To be In love, where fcorn is bought with groans; coy looks, Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool. And he that is fo yoked by a fool, Methinks fhould not be chronicled for wife. Val. And writers fay, As the most forward bud Even fo by love the young and tender wit And all the fair effects of future hopes. That |