Luc. I read that I profess, the art to love. Bian. And may you prove, sir, master of your art! Luc. While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my [They retire. Hor. Quick proceeders, marry!2 Now, tell me, I pray, You that durst swear that your mistress Bianca Lov'd none3 in the world so well as Lucentio.

heart.

Tra. O despiteful love! unconstant womankind!I tell thee, Licio, this is wonderful.

Hor. Mistake no more: I am not Licio,

Nor a musician, as I seem to be;

But one that scorn to live in this disguise,
For such a one as leaves a gentleman,
And makes a god of such a cullion:4
Know, sir, that I am call'd-Hortensio.

Tra. Signior Hortensio, I have often heard
Of your entire affection to Bianca;

And since mine eyes are witness of her lightness,
I will with you, if you be so contented,―
Forswear Bianca and her love for ever.

Hor. See, how they kiss and court!

centio,

-Signior Lu

Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow—
Never to woo her more; but do forswear her,
As one unworthy all the former favours
That I have fondly flatter'd her withal.5

Tra. And here I take the like unfeigned oath,-
Ne'er to marry with her though she would entreat:
Fy on her! see, how beastly she doth court him.

2 Quick proceeders, marry!] Perhaps here an equivoque was intended. To proceed Master of Arts, &c. is the academical

term. Malone.

3 Lov'd none] Old copy-Lov'd me.-Mr. Rowe made this necessary correction. Malone.

4

cullion:] A term of degradation, with no very decided meaning; a despicable fellow, a fool, &c. So, in Tom Tyler and his Wife, bl. 1:

"It is an old saying Praise at parting.

"I think I have made the cullion to wring." Steevens.

That I have fondly flatter'd her withal.] The old copy reads them withal. The emendation was made by the editor of the third folio. Malone.

Hor. 'Would, all the world, but he, had quite for

sworn!

For me, that I may surely keep mine oath,

I will be married to a wealthy widow,

Ere three days pass; which hath as long lov'd me
As I have lov'd this proud disdainful haggard:
And so farewel, signior Lucentio.—

Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks,
Shall win my love:-and so I take my leave,
In resolution as I swore before.

[Exit HOR.-Luc. and BIAN. advance. Tra. Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace As 'longeth to a lover's blessed case!

Nay, I have ta'en you napping, gentle love;

And have forsworn you, with Hortensio.

Bian. Tranio, you jest; But have you both forsworn

me?

Tra. Mistress, we have.

Luc.

Then we are rid of Licio.

Tra. I' faith, he 'll have a lusty widow now,

That shall be woo'd and wedded in a day.

Bian. God give him joy!

Tra. Ay, and he 'll tame her."

He says so, Tranio.

Bian. Tra. 'Faith, he is gone unto the taming-school. Bian. The taming-school! what, is there such a place? Tra. Ay, mistress, and Petruchio is the master; That teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long,To tame a shrew, and charm her chattering tongue.7 Enter BIONDELLO, running.

Bion. O master, master, I have watch'd so long That I'm dog-weary; but at last I spied

An ancient angels coming down the hill,

6 Ay, and he'll tame her. &c.] Thus, in the original play: - he means to tame his wife ere long.

"Val. Hee saies so.

"Aurel. Faith he 's gon unto the taming-schoole.
"Val. The taming-schoole! why is there such a place?
"Aurel. I; and Ferando is the maister of the schoole."

7

Steevens.

charm her chattering tongue.] So, in K. Henry VI, P. III: "Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue."

Steevens.

Will serve the turn.

Tra.

What is he, Biondello? Bion. Master, a mercatantè, or a pedant, 9 I know not what; but formal in apparel,

8 An ancient angel-] For angel Mr. Theobald, and after him Sir T. Hanmer and Dr. Warburton, read engle. Johnson.

It is true that the word enghle, which Sir T. Hanmer calls a gull, (deriving it from engluer, Fr. to catch with bird-lime) is sometimes used by Ben Jonson. It cannot, however, bear that meaning at present, as Biondello confesses his ignorance of the quality of the person who is afterwards persuaded to represent the father of Lucentio. The precise meaning of it is not ascertained in Jonson, neither is the word to be found in any of the original copies of Shakspeare. I have also reason to suppose that the true import of the word enghle is such as can have no connexion with this passage, and will not bear explanation.

Angel primitively signifies a messenger, but perhaps this sense is inapplicable to the passage before us. So, Ben Jonson, in The Sad Shepherd:

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the dear good angel of the spring, "The nightingale

And Chapman, in his translation of Homer, always calls a messenger an angel. See particularly B. XXIV.

In The Scornful Lady of Beaumont and Fletcher, an old usurer is indeed called

66

old angel of gold."

It is possible, however, that instead of ancient angel, our author might have written-angel-merchant, one whose business it was to negociate money. He is afterwards called a mercatantè, and professes himself to be one who has bills of exchange about him.

Steevens.

• Master, a mercatantè, or a pedant,] The old editions read marcantant. The Italian word mercatantè is frequently used in the old plays for a merchant, and therefore I have made no scruple of placing it here. The modern editors, who printed the word as they found it spelt in the folio, were obliged to supply a syllable to make out the verse, which the Italian pronunciation renders unnecessary. A pedant was the common name for a teacher of languages. So, in Cynthia's Revels, by Ben Jonson : "He loves to have a fencer, a pedant, and a musician, seen in his lodgings." Steevens.

Mercatantè,] So, Spenser, in the third Book of his Fairy Queen : "Sleeves dependant Albanese wise."

And our author has Veronese in his Othello. Farmer.

pedant,] Charon, the sage Charon, as Pope calls him, describes a pedant, as synonymous to a household schoolmaster, and adds a general character of the fraternity by no means to their advantage. See Charon on Wisdom, 4to. 1640. Lennard's Translation, p. 158. Reed.

In gait and countenance surely like a father.1
Luc. And what of him, Tranio?

Tra. If he be credulous, and trust my tale,
I'll make him glad to seem Vincentio;
And give assurance to Baptista Minola,
As if he were the right Vincentio.

Take in your love, and then let me alone.2

[Exeunt Luc. and BIAN.

Enter a Pedant.

Ped. God save you, sir! Tra. And you, sir! you are welcome. Travel you far on, or are you at the furthest? Ped. Sir, at the furthest for a week or two: But then up further; and as far as Rome; And so to Tripoly, if God lend me life. Tra. What countryman, I pray?

Ped.

Of Mantua.

Tra. Of Mantua, sir?-marry, God forbid! And come to Padua, careless of your life?

Ped. My life, sir! how, I pray? for that goes hard. Tra. 'Tis death for any one in Mantua To come to Padua ;3 Know you not the cause? Your ships are staid at Venice; and the duke (For private quarrel 'twixt your duke and him) Hath publish'd and proclaim'd it openly: 'Tis marvel; but that you 're but newly come, You might have heard it else proclaim'd about. Ped. Alas, sir, it is worse for me than so;

1

surely like a father.] I know not what he is, says the speaker, however this is certain, he has the gait and countenance of a fatherly man. Warburton.

The editor of the second folio reads-surly, which Mr. Theobald adopted, and has quoted the following lines addressed by Tranio to the Pedant, in support of the emendation:

""Tis well; and hold your own in any case,

"With such austerity as 'longeth to a father." Malone. 2 Take in your love, and then let me alone.] The old copies exhibit this line as follows, disjoining it from its predecessors: Par. Take me your love, and then let me alone. Steevens. Corrected by Mr. Theobald. Malone.

3'Tis death for any one in Mantua &c.] So, in The Comedy of Errors:

66

if any Syracusan born

"Come to the bay of Ephesus, he dies." Steevens.

For I have bills for money by exchange
From Florence, and must here deliver them.
Tra. Well, sir, to do you courtesy,
This will I do, and this will I advise you;—
First, tell me, have you ever been at Pisa?
Ped. Ay, sir, in Pisa have I often been;
Pisa, renowned for grave citizens.4

Tra. Among them, know you one Vincentio?
Ped. I know him not, but I have heard of him;
A merchant of incomparable wealth.

Tra. He is my father, sir; and, sooth to say,

In countenance somewhat doth resemble you.

Bion. As much as an apple doth an oyster, and all one.

Tra. To save your life in this extremity,
This favour will I do you for his sake;
And think it not the worst of all your fortunes,
That you are like to sir Vincentio.

His name and credit shall you undertake,

And in my house you shall be friendly lodg'd;-
Look, that you take upon you as you should;
You understand me, sir;-so shall you stay
Till you have done your business in the city:
If this be courtesy, sir, accept of it.

Ped. O, sir, I do; and will repute you ever
The patron of my life and liberty.

[Aside.

Tra. Then go with me, to make the matter good. This, by the way, I let you understand;—

My father is here look'd for every day,

To pass assurance of a dower in marriage
'Twixt me and one Baptista's daughter here:
In all these circumstances I'll instruct you:
Go with me, sir, to clothe you as becomes you.6

[Exeunt.

4 Pisa, renowned for grave citizens.] This line has been already used by Lucentio. See Act I, sc. i.

Ritson.

5 To pass assurance-] To pass assurance means to make a conveyance or deed. Deeds are by law-writers called "The common assurances of the realm," because thereby each man's property is assured to him. So, in a subsequent scene of this Act: "they are busied about a counterfeit assurance." Malone.

6 Go with me, sir, &c.] Thus the second folio. The first omits the word-sir. Steevens.