John. Will it serve for any model to build mischief on? What is he for a fool, that betroths himself to unquietness?

Bora. Marry, it is your brother's right hand
John. Who? the most exquisite Claudio?
Bora. Even he.

John. A proper squire! And who, and who! which way looks he?

Bora. Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato.

John. A very forward March chick! How came you to this?

8

Bora. Being entertain'd for a perfumer, as I was smoking a musty room,' comes me the prince and Claudio, hand in hand, in sad conference: I whipt me behind the arras, and there heard it agreed upon, that the prince should woo Hero for himself, and having obtain'd her, give her to Count Claudio.

John. Come, come, let us thither: this may prove food to my displeasure: That young start-up hath all the glory of my overthrow: if I can cross him any way, I bless myself every way: You are both sure, and will assist me?

9

Con. To the death, my lord.

John. Let us to the great supper: their cheer is the greater, that I am subdued: 'Would the cook were of my mind! - Shall we go prove what's to be done!

Bora. We'll wait upon your lordship. [Excunt.

6 Model is here used in an unusual sense, but Bullokar explains it," Model, the platforme, or form of any thing."

7 The neglect of cleanliness among our ancestors rendered such precautions too often necessary. In Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy: "The smoke of juniper is in great request with us at Oxford to sweeten our chambers."

Serious.

That is, to be depended on

ACT II.

SCENE I. A Hall in LEONATO's House.

Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, HERO, BEATRICE, and others.

Leon. Was not count John here at supper?
Ant. I saw him not.

Beat. How tartly that gentleman looks! I never can see him, but I am heart-burn'd an hour after.

Hero. He is of a very melancholy disposition. Beat. He were an excellent man that were made just in the mid-way between him and Benedick : the one is too like an image, and says nothing; and the other too like my lady's eldest son, evermore tattling.

Leon. Then, half signior Benedick's tongue in count John's mouth, and half count John's melan choly in signior Benedick's face,

Beat. With a good leg, and a good foot, uncle, and money enough in his purse, such a man would win any woman in the world, if a' could get her

good will.

Leon. By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband, if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue Ant. In faith, she is too curst.

Beat. Too curst is more than curst: I shall lessen God's sending that way: for it is said, "God sends a curst cow short horns;" but to a cow too curst he sends none.

Leon. So, by being too curst, God will send you no horns.

Beat. Just, if he send me no husband; for the

which blessing I am at Him upon my knees every morning and evening: Lord! I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face: I had rather lic in the woollen.

Leon. You may light upon a husband that hath no beard.

Beat. What should I do with him? dress him in my apparel, and make him my waiting gentlewoman? He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man; and he that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a man I am not for him: Therefore I will even take sixpence in earnest of the bear-ward, and lead his apes into hell.

Leon. Well, then, go you into hell?

Beat. No; but to the gate; and there will the devil meet me, like an old cuckold, with horns on his head, and say, "Get you to heaven, Beatrice, get you to heaven; here's no place for you maids:" so deliver I up my apes, and away to Saint Peter for the heavens: he shows me where the bachelors sit, and there live we as merry as the day is long.

Ant. [To HERO.] Well, niece, I trust you will be rul'd by your father.

Beat. Yes, faith; it is my cousin's duty to make courtesy and say, "Father, as it please you: but yet for all that, cousin, let him be a handsome fellow, or else make another courtesy and say, "Father, as it please me.'

Lcon. Well, niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband.

Beat. Not till God make men of some other metal than earth. Would it not grieve a woman to be over-master'd with a piece of valiant dust? to make an account of her life to a clod of wayward

marl? No, uncle, I'll none: Adam's sons are my brethren; and, truly, I hold it a sin to match in my kindred.

Leon. Daughter, remember what I told you : if the prince do solicit you in that kind, you know your answer.

3

Beat. The fault will be in the music, cousin, if you be not wooed in good time: if the prince be too important,' tell him there is measure2 in every thing, and so dance out the answer. For, hear me, Hero: Wooing, wedding, and repenting, is as a Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinque-pace: the first suit is hot and hasty, like a Scotch jig, and full as fantastical; the wedding mannerly-modest, as a measure full of state and ancientry; and then comes repentance, and with his bad legs falls into the cinque-pace faster and faster, till he sink into his grave.

Leon. Cousin, you apprehend passing shrewdly

Beat. I have a good eye, uncle: I can see a church by daylight.

Leon. The revellers are entering, brother: Make good room!

1 Important and importunate were sometimes used indiscrimi nately. See Twelfth Night, Act v. sc. 1, note 17.

H.

2 A measure, in old language, besides its ordinary meaning, signified also a dance. So, in Richard II.:

My legs can keep no measure in delight,

When my poor heart no measure keeps in grief.”

The measures were grave. solemn dances with slow and measured steps like the minuet; and therefore described as full of state and ancientry."

3 The cinque-pace was a dance, the measures whereof were regulated by the number five. See Twelfth Night, Act i. sc. 3 note 10.

H.

Enter Don PEDRO, CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, BALTIAZAR; JOHN, BORACHIO, MARGARET, URSULA, and maskers.

D. Pedro. Lady, will you walk about with your friend?

Hero. So you walk softly, and look sweetly, and say nothing, I am yours for the walk; and especially when I walk away.

D. Pedro. With me in your company?

Hero. I may say so, when I please.

D. Pedro. And when please you to say so? Hero. When I like your favour; for God defend, the lute should be like the case!*

D. Pedro. My visor is Philemon's roof; within the house is Jovc.5

Hero. Why, then your visor should be thatch'd.
D. Pedro. Speak low, if you speak love.

[Takes her aside. Balth. Well, I would you did like me.

Marg. So would not I, for your own sake; for I have many ill qualities.

Balth. Which is one?

Marg. I say my prayers aloud.

Balth. I love you the better; the hearers may cry Amen.

66

That is, God forbid that your face should be like your mask. 5 Alluding to the fable of Baucis and Philemon in Ovid, who describes the uld couple as living in a thatched cottage: “ Stipulis et canni tecta palustri;" which Golding renders: "The roofe thereof was thatched all with straw and fennish reede." Jaques, in As You Like It, again alludes to it: O knowledge ill-inhabit ed, worse than Jove in a thatched-house."