And perfected by the swift course of time: Attends the emperor in his royal court. Pant. "Twere good, I think, your lordship sent him thither: There shall he practise tilts and tournaments, Hear sweet discourse, converse with noblemen; And be in eye of every exercise, Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth. Ant. I like thy counsel: well hast thou advised: And, that thou may'st perceive how well I like it, The execution of it shall make known; Even with the speediest expedition I will despatch him to the emperor's court. With other gentlemen of good esteem, And to commend their service to his will. Ant. Good company; with them shall Proteus go: And, in good time,-now will we break with him 3. Enter PROTEUS. Pro. Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life! Here is her hand, the agent of her heart: Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn: O, that our fathers would applaud our loves, To seal our happiness with their consents! O heavenly Julia! Ant. How now? what letter are you reading there? Pro. May't please your lordship, 'tis a word or two Of commendations sent from Valentine, Deliver'd by a friend that came from him. 3 i. e. break the matter to him. Pro. There is no news, my lord; but that he writes Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune. Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided; Ant. Look, what thou want'st, shall be sent after thee: No more of stay; to-morrow thou must go. [Exeunt ANT. and PANT. Pro. Thus have I shunn'd the fire, for fear of burning; And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd: Lest he should take exceptions to my love; 4 i. e. wonder not. 5 Exhibition is allowance of money; it is still used in the Universities for a stipend. 6 Resembleth is pronounced as if written resembeleth, which makes it a quadrisyllable. Re-enter PANTHINO. Pant. Sir Proteus, your father calls for you; He is in haste, therefore, I pray you go. Pro. Why, this it is! my heart accords thereto; And yet a thousand times it answers, no. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. Milan. A Room in the Duke's Palace. Enter VALENTINE and SPEED. Speed. Sir, your glove. Val. Not mine; my gloves are on. Speed. Why then this may be yours, for this is but one1. Val. Ha! let me see: ay, give it me, it's mine:- Speed. Madam Silvia! madam Silvia! Speed. She is not within hearing, sir. Speed. Your worship, sir; or else I mistook. Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too slow. Val. Go to, sir; tell me, do you know madam Silvia? Speed. She that your worship loves? Val. Why, how know you that I am in love? Speed. Marry, by these special marks: First, you. have learned, like Sir Proteus, to wreath your arms like a male-content; to relish a love-song, like a On and one were anciently pronounced alike, and frequently written so. robin-red-breast; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to sigh, like a school-boy that had lost his A. B. C; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to fast, like one that takes diet2; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hollowmas 3. You were wont, when you laugh'd, to crow like a cock; when you walked, to walk like one of the lions when you fasted, it was presently after dinner; when ́you looked sadly, it was for want of money: and now you are metamorphosed with a mistress, that, 40 when I look on you, I can hardly think you my master. Val. Are all these things perceived in me? ; Speed. Without you! nay, that's certain, for, without you were so simple, none else would: but you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an eye, that sees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady. Val. But, tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia? Speed. She that you gaze on so, as she sits at supper? Val. Hast thou observed that? even she I mean. Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know'st her not? Speed. Is she not hard-favour'd, sir? 2 To take diet is to be under a regimen for a disease. 3 The feast of All-hallows, or All Saints, at which time the poor in Staffordshire go from parish to parish a souling, as they call it; i. e. begging and puling (or singing small, as Bailey's Dictionary explains puling), for soul cakes, and singing what they call the souler's song. These terms point out the condition of this benevolence, which was, that the beggars should pray for the souls of the giver's departed friends. Speed. That she is not so fair, as (of you) wellfavour'd. Val. I mean, that her beauty is exquisite, but her favour infinite. Speed. That's because the one is painted, and the other out of all count. Val. How painted? and how out of count? Speed. Marry, sir, so painted to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty. Val. How esteem'st thou me? I account of her beauty. Val. I have loved her ever since I saw her; and still I see her beautiful. Speed. If you love her, you cannot see her. Speed. Because love is blind. O, that you had mine eyes; or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have, when you chid at Sir Proteus for going ungartered 4! Val. What should I see then? Speed. Your own present folly, and her passing deformity: for he, being in love, could not see to garter his hose; and you, being in love, cannot see to put on your hose. Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love; for last morning you could not see to wipe my shoes. Speed. True, sir; I was in love with my bed: I thank you, you swinged me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours. Val. In conclusion, I stand affected to her. Speed. I would you were set5, so, your affection would cease. 4 Going ungartered is enumerated by Rosalind as one of the undoubted marks of love. "Then your hose should be ungartered, your bonnet unbanded," &c. As You Like It, iii. 2. 5 SET, for seated, in opposition to stand in the preceding line. It appears, however, to be used metaphorically in the sense applied to the sun when it sinks below the horizon in the west. It is a miserable quibble hardly worth explanation. |