man is a fool when he dedicates his behaviours to love, will, after he hath laugh'd at such shallow follies in others, become the argument of his own scorn by falling in love; and such a man is Claudio. I have known when there was no music with him but the drum and the fife; and now had he rather hear the tabor and the pipe: I have known when he would have walk'd ten mile afoot, to see a good armour; and now will he lie ten nights awake, carving the fashion of a new doublet.3 He was wont to speak plain, and to the purpose, like an honest man and a soldier; and now is he turn'd orthographer: his words are a very fantastical banquet, just so many strange dishes. May I be so converted, and see with these eyes? I cannot tell; I think not: I will not be sworn, but love may transform me to an oyster; but I'll take my oath on it, till he have made an oyster of me, he shall never make me such a fool. One woman is fair; yet I am well: another is wise; yet I am well: another virtuous; yet I am well: but till all graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace. Rich she shall be, that's certain; wise, or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her; fair, or I'll never look on her; mild, or come not near me; noble, or not I for an angel; of good discourse, an excellent musician, and her hair shall be of what colour it please God. Ha! the prince and monsieur Love! I will hide me in the arbour. [Withdraws 3 This folly is the theme of all comic satire. In Barnabe Riche's Faults and Nothing but Faults, 1606, "The fashionmonger that spends his time in the contemplation of suites" is said to have "a sad and heavy countenance,' " because his tailor "hath cut his new sute after the olde stampe of some stale fashion that is at the least of a whole fortnight's standing." • Disguises of false hair and of dyed hair were quite common Enter Don L'EDRO, LEONATO, and CLAUDIO. D. Pedro. Come, shall we hear this music? Claud. Yea, my good lord:- How still the evening is, As hush'd on purpose to grace harmony! D. Pedro. See you where Benedick hath hid himself? Claud. O! very well, my lord: the music ended, We'll fit the kid-fox with a penny-worth. 5 Enter BALTHAZAR, with musicians. D. Pedro. Come, Balthazar, we'll hear that song again. Balth. O! good my lord, tax not so bad a voice To slander music any more than once. D. Pedro. It is the witness still of excellency, To put a strange face on his own perfection: I pray thee, sing, and let me woo no more. Balth. Because you talk of wooing, I will sing. Since many a wooer doth commence his suit especially among the ladies, in Shakespeare's time; scarce any of them being so richly dowered with other gifts as to be content with the hair which it had pleased Nature to bestow. The Poet has several passages going to show that this custom was not much in favour with him; as in Love's Labour's Lost, Act iv. sc. 3, where Biron "mourns that painting and usurping hair should ravish doters with a false aspect." That in this as in other things his mind went with Nature, further appears from his making so sen. sible a fellow as Benedick talk that way. H. 5 A deal of learned, but, as it would seem, not very wise ink has been shed about this little innocent word. Some editors print it hid-fox; others say kid means discovered or detected, there being an old word, kith, kid, with that meaning; as in John Skelton's Image of Ypocresy: "The truth cannot be hid, for it is plain kid." Probably there need be no scruple about taking the word to mean a young fox. Richardson quotes it as such in his Dictionary. H. To her he thinks not worthy; yet he woos, There's not a note of mine that's worth the noting. D. Pedro. Why, these are very crotchets that he speaks; Note, notes, forsooth, and nothing! [Music. Bene. [Aside.] Now, divine air! now is his soul ravished! - Is it not strange, that sheep's guts should hale souls out of men's bodies ? — Well, » horn for my money, when all's done. The Song. Balth. Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more. One foot in sea, and one on shore, To one thing constant never: But let them go, And be you blithe and bonny; II. Sing no more ditties, sing no mo A similar tribute to the power of music occurs in Twelfth Night, Act ii. sc. 3, only it is there spoken of as able to "draw three souls out of one weaver." H. Enter Don l'Edro, Leonato, and CLAUDIO. D. Pedro. Come, shall we hear this music? Claud. Yea, my good lord:- How still the evening is, As hush'd on purpose to grace harmony! D. Pedro. See you where Benedick hath hid himself? Claud. O! very well, my lord: the music ended, We'll fit the kid-fox with a penny-worth. 5 Enter BALTHAZAR, with musicians. D. Pedro. Come, Balthazar, we'll hear that song again. Balth. O! good my lord, tax not so bad a voice To slander music any more than once. D. Pedro. It is the witness still of excellency, To put a strange face on his own perfection: I pray thee, sing, and let me woo no more. Balth. Because you talk of wooing, I will sing. Since many a wooer doth commence his suit especially among the ladies, in Shakespeare's time; scarce any of them being so richly dowered with other gifts as to be content with the hair which it had pleased Nature to bestow. The Poet has several passages going to show that this custom was not much in favour with him; as in Love's Labour's Lost, Act iv. sc. 3, where Biron "mourns that painting and usurping hair should ravish doters with a false aspect." That in this as in other things his mind went with Nature, further appears from his making so sensible a fellow as Benedick talk that way. H. 5 A deal of learned, but, as it would seem, not very wise ink has been shed about this little innocent word. Some editors print it hid-fox; others say kid means discovered or detected, there being an old word, kith, kid, with that meaning; as in John Skelton's Image of Ypocresy : "The truth cannot be hid, for it is plain kid." Probably there need be no scruple about taking the word to mean a young fox. Richardson quotes it as such in his Dictionary. H. To her he thinks not worthy; yet he woos, There's not a note of mine that's worth the noting. D. Pedro. Why, these are very crotchets that he speaks; Note, notes, forsooth, and nothing! [Music. Bene. [Aside.] Now, divine air! now is his soul ravished! Is it not strange, that sheep's guts should hale souls out of men's bodies ? — Well, » horn for my money, when all's done. The Song. Balth. Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more. One foot in sea, and one on shore, But let them go, And be you blithe and bonny; II. Sing no more ditties, sing no mo • A similar tribute to the power of music occurs in Twelfth Night, Act ii. sc. 3, only it is there spoken of as able to "draw three souls out of one weaver." H. |