Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

crow like a cock; when you walk'd, to walk like one of the lions; when you fafted, it was prefently after dinner; when you look'd fadly, it was for want of money; and now you are metamorphos'd with a miftrefs, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my mafter.

VAL. Are all these things perceived in me?
SPEED. They are all perceived without you.
VAL. Without me? they cannot.

SPEED. Without you? nay, that's certain; for, without you were fo fimple, none elfe would: but you are fo without thefe follies, that thefe follies. are within you, and fhine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an eye, that fees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady.

VAL. But, tell me, doft thou know my lady Silvia? SPEED. She, that you gaze on fo, as she fits at fupper?

VAL. Haft thou obferved that? even fhe I mean. SPEED. Why, fir, I know her not.

VAL. Doft thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know'ft her not?

SPEED. Is he not hard-favour'd, fir?

VAL. Not so fair, boy, as well-favour'd.

any good thing to make them merry. This cuftom is mentioned by Peck, and feems a remnant of Popish fuperftition to pray for departed fouls, particularly thofe of friends. The fouler's fong in Staffordshire, is different from that which Mr. Peck mentions, and is by no means worthy publication. TOLLET.

3

to walk like one of the lions; ] If our author had not been thinking of the lions in the Tower, he would have written—“ to walk like a lion." RITSON.

4

none elfe would:] None elfe would be fo fimple.

JOHNSON.

SPEED. Sir, I know that well enough.

VAL. What doft thou know?

SPEED. That fhe is not fo fair, as (of you) well favoured.

VAL. I mean, that her beauty is exquifite, 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, fir, fo painted, to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty.

VAL. How efteemeft thou me? I account of her beauty.

SPEED. You never faw her fince fhe was deformed.
VAL. How long hath fhe been deformed?
SPEED. Ever fince you loved her.

VAL. I have loved her ever fince I faw her; and ftill I fee her beautiful.

SPEED. If

you love her, you cannot fee her. VAL. Why?

SPEED. Becaufe 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 fir Proteus for going ungartered!'

VAL. What fhould I fee then?

SPEED. Your own prefent folly, and her paffing deformity for he, being in love, could not fee to garter his hofe; and you, being in love, cannot fee to put on your hofe.

5 for going ungartered! This is enumerated by Rofalind in As you like it, A& III. fc. ii. as one of the undoubted marks of love: 66 Then your hofe fhould be ungartered, your bonnet unbanded," &c. MALONE.

VAL. Belike, boy, then you are in love; for laft morning you could not fee to wipe my fhoes.

SPEED. True, fir, 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 conclufion, I ftand affected to her,

SPEED. I would you were fet; fo, your affection would ceafe.

VAL. Laft night fhe enjoined me to write fome lines to one fhe loves.

SPEED. And have you?

VAL. I have.

SPEED. Are they not lamely writ?

VAL. No, boy, but as well as I can do them :Peace, here fhe comes.

Enter SILVIA.

SPEED. O excellent motion! O exceeding puppet? now will he interpret to her."

6 I would you were fet;] Set for feated, in oppofition to fand, in the foregoing line. M. MASON.

7 0 excellent motion! &c.] Motion, in Shakspeare's time, fignified puppet. In Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair it is frequently ufed in that fenfe, or rather perhaps to fignify a puppet-fhow; the mafter whereof may properly be faid to be an interpreter, as being the explainer of the inarticulate language of the actors. fpeech of the fervant is an allufion to that practice, and he means to say, that Silvia is a puppet, and that Valentine is to interpret to, or rather for her. SIR J. HAWKINS.

So, in The City Match, 1639, by Jasper Maine:

[ocr errors]

his mother came

"Who follows ftrange fights out of town, and went

s To Brentford for a motion.

Again, in The Pilgrim:

Nothing but a motion? «A puppet pilgrim?".

STEEVENS.

The

VAL. Madam and miftrefs, a thoufand good.

morrows.

STEFD. O, 'give you good even! here's a million of manners. [Afide.

SIL. Sir Valentine and fervant, to you two thoufand.

SPEED. He fhould give her intereft; and fhe gives it him.

VAL. As you enjoined me, I have writ your letter, Unto the fecret nameless friend of yours; Which I was much unwilling to proceed in, But for my duty to your ladyship.

SIL. Ithank you, gentle fervant: 'tis very clerkly done."

VAL. Now truft me, madam, it came hardly off;' For, being ignorant to whom it goes,

I writ at random, very doubtfully.

SIL. Perchance you think too much of fo much

pains?

VAL. No, madam; fo it flead

you, I will write,

8 Sir Valentine and fervant,] Here Silvia calls her lover fervant, and again below her gentle fervant. This was the language of ladies to their lovers at the time when Shakspeare wrote.

SIR J. HAWKINS.

So, in Marlton's What you will, 1607; "Sweet filler, let's fit in judgement a little; faith upon my fervant Monfieur Laverdure.

"Mel. Troth, well for a fervant; but for a husband!" Again, in Ben Jonson's Every Man out of his Humour :

66

Every man was not born with my fervant Brifk's features."

STEEVENS.

'tis very clerkly done.] i. e. like a fcholar. So, in The Merry Wives of Windfor:

2

"Thou art clerkly, fir John, clerkly." STEEVENS.

it came hardly off; A fimilar phrafe occurs in Timon of Athens, A&t I. fc. i:

"This comes off well and excellent." STEEVENS.

Please you command, a thousand times as much:

And yet,

SIL. A pretty period! Well, I guefs the fequel; And yet I will not name it:-and yet I care not;And yet take this again;--and yet I thank you; Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more. SPEED. And yet you will; and yet another yet. [ Afide. VAL. What means your ladyfhip? do you not like it?

SIL. Yes, yes; the lines are very quaintly writ: But fince unwillingly, take them again; Nay, take them.

VAL. Madam, they are for you.

SIL. Ay, ay; you writ them, fir, at my request; But I will none of them; they are for are for you;

I would have had them writ more movingly.
VAL. Please you, I'll write your ladyflip another.
SIL. And, when it's writ, for my fake read it

over:

And, if it please you, fo; if not, why, fo.
VAL. If it pleafe me, madam! what then?
SIL. Why, if it please you, take it for

bour;

And fo good-morrow, fervant.

your la

[ Exit SILVIA.

SPEED. O jeft unfeen, infcrutable, invifible, As a nofe on a man's face, or a weathercock, on a

fteeple!

My mafter fues to her; and fhe hath taught her fuitor, He being her pupil, to become her tutor.

O excellent device! was there ever heard a better? That my mafler, being fcribe, to himself fhould

write the letter?

« FöregåendeFortsätt »