Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel: 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 success. Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love, And yet you never swam the Hellespont. Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots. 3 Val. No, I'll not, for it boots thee not. Pro. Val. What? To be In love, where scorn is bought with groans; coy looks, If haply won, perhaps, a hapless gain; 2 4 Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool. Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear, you'll prove. some shallow story of deep love, How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont.] The poem of Musæus, entitled Hero and Leander, is meant. Marlow's translation of this piece was extremely popular, and deservedly so, many of Marlow's lines being as smooth as those of Dryden. 3 nay, give me not the boots.] A proverbial expression, though now disused, signifying, don't make a laughing stock of me; don't play with me. 4 However, but a folly, &c.] This love will end in a foolish action, to produce which you are long to spend your wit, or it will end in the loss of your wit, which will be overpowered by the folly of love. JOHNSON Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at; I am not love. Methinks should not be chronicled for wise. Pro. Yet writers say, As in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells, so eating love Inhabits in the finest wits of all. Val. And writers say, As the most forward bud Even so by love the young and tender wit Once more adieu: my father at the road Expects my coming, there to see me shipp❜d. Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine. Val. Sweet Proteus, no; now let us take our leave. At Milan, let me hear from thee by letters, Of thy success in love, and what news else Betideth here in absence of thy friend; And I likewise will visit thee with mine. Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan! Val. As much to you at home! and so, farewell. [Exit VALENTINE. Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love: He leaves his friends, to dignify them more; I leave myself, my friends, and all for love. Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphos'd me; Made me neglect my studies, lose my time, War with good counsel, set the world at nought; Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with thought. 5 At Milan,] Mr. Malone reads "To Milan" - which may here be intended as an imperfect sentence. I am now bound for Milan; or let me hear from thee by letters addressed to me at Milan. Enter SPEED.6 Speed. Sir Proteus, save you: Saw you my master? Pro. But now he parted hence, to embark for Milan. Speed. Twenty to one then, he is shipp'd already; And I have play'd the sheep, in losing him. Pro. Indeed a sheep doth very often stray, An if the shepherd be awhile away. Speed. You conclude that my master is a shepherd then, and I a sheep? Pro. I do. Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep. Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep. Pro. True; and thy master a shepherd. Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance. Pro. It shall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore, I am no sheep. Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, the shepherd for food follows not the sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore, thou art a sheep. Speed. Such another proof will make me cry baa. Pro. But dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to Julia? Speed. Ay, sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton7; and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour ! 6 Mr. Pope's opinion that this scene was interpolated by the players seems advanced without any proof, only to give a greater licence to criticism. JOHNSON. 7 a laced mutton;] A laced mutton was in our author's time so established a term for a courtezan, that a street in Clerkenwell, which was much frequented by women of the town, was then called Mutton-lane. Pro. Here's too small a pasture for such a store of muttons. Speed. If the ground be overcharged, you were best stick her. Pro. Nay, in that you are astray; 'twere best pound you. Speed. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter. Pro. You mistake; I mean the pound, a pinfold. Speed. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over, 'Tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover. Pro. But what said she? did she nod? [SPEED nods. Speed. I. Pro. Nod, I; why, that's noddy." 8 Speed. You mistook, sir; I say, she did nod: and you ask me, if she did nod; and I say, I. Pro. And that set together, is-noddy. Speed. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains. Pro. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter. Speed. Well, I perceive, I must be fain to bear with you. Pro. Why, sir, how do you bear with me? Speed. Marry, sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word, noddy, for my pains. Pro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. Speed. And yet it cannot overtake it cannot overtake your slow purse. Pro. Come, come, open the matter in brief: What said she? Speed. Open your purse, that the money, and the matter, may be both at once delivered. Pro. Well, sir, here is for your pains: What said she? 8 why that's noddy.] Mr. Steevens says noddy was a game at cards; but this play upon syllables is hardly worth explaining. The speakers intend to fix the name of noddy, that is, fool, on each other. Speed. Truly, sir, I think you'll hardly win her. Pro. Why? Could'st thou perceive so much from her? Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter: And being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear, she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. 9 Give her no token but stones; for she's as hard as steel. Pro. What, said she nothing? Speed. No, not so much as-take this for thy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'd me1; in requital whereof, henceforth carry your letters yourself: and so, sir, I'll commend you to my master. Pro. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from wreck; Which cannot perish, having thee aboard, Being destined to a drier death on shore: I must go send some better messenger; I fear, my Julia would not deign my lines, Receiving them from such a worthless post. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. Garden of Julia's house. Enter JULIA and LUCETTA. Jul. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone, Would'st thou then counsel me to fall in love? Luc. Ay, madam; so you stumble not unheedfully. Jul. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen, in telling your - She being 9 in telling her mind.] The old copy has “ mind" which Mr. Malone adopts. The meaning is so hard to me who was the bearer of your mind, I fear she will prove no less so to you, when you address her in person. 1 you have testern'd me;] You have gratified me with a tester, testern, or testen, that is, with a sixpence. JOHNSON. |