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

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 so simple, none else would: but you are fo without these follies, that these follies are within you, and shine 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, dost thou know my lady Silvia? SPEED. She, that you gaze on so, as she sits at

fupper?

VAL. Haft thou obferved that? even she 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 the not hard-favour'd, fir?

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

any good thing to make them merry. This custom is mentioned by Peck, and feems a remnant of Popish superstition to pray for departed fouls, particularly those of friends. The fouler's fong in Staffordshire, is different from that which Mr. Peck mentions,

and is by no means worthy publication.

3

to walk like one of the lions;

TOLLET.

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 else would:] None else would be so simple.

JOHNSON.

SPEED. Sir, I know that well enough.
VAL. What dost thou know?

SPEED. That she 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, so painted, to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty.

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

SPEED. You never faw her fince she was deformed. VAL. How long hath she been deformed?

SPEED. Ever fince you loved her.

VAL. I have loved her ever since I saw her; and still I fee her beautiful.

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

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 fir Proteus for going ungartered!'

VAL. What should I see then?

SPEED. Your own present 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.

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

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

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 stand affected to her, SPEED. I would you were fet; so, your affection would ceafe.

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VAL. Last night the enjoined me to write some lines to one she 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 she comes.

Enter SILVIA.

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

6

I would you were set; ) Set for feated, in oppofition to land, in the foregoing line. M. MASON.

70 excellent motion! &c.] Motion, in Shakspeare's time, fignified puppet. In Ben Jonfon's Bartholomew Fair it is frequently used in that sense, or rather perhaps to fignify a puppet-show; the master whereof may properly be faid to be an interpreter, as being the explainer of the inarticulate language of the actors. speech of the fervant is an allusion to that practice, and he means to fay, 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:

"Who follows strange fights out of town, and went

To Brentford for a motion

Again, in The Pilgrim:

-Nothing but a motion?

The

1

1

VAL. Madam and mistress, a thousand good.

morroWS.

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

manners.

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

SPEED. He should give her interest; and the 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. I thank you, gentle fervant: 'tis very clerkly
done.9

VAL. Now trust me, madam, it came hardly off;
For, being ignorant to whom it goes,
I writ at random, very doubtfully.

2

SIL. Perchance you think too much of fo much pains?

VAL. No, madam; so it flead you, I will write,

8 Sir Valentine and servant,) 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.

So, in Marston's What you will, 1607;

SIR J. HAWKINS.

Sweet fifter, let's fit in judgement a little; faith upon my Servant Monfieur Laverdure.

"Mel. Troth, well for a fervant; but for a husband!"

Again, in Ben Jonfon's Every Man out of his Humour:

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

9 'tis very clerkly done.] i. e. like a fcholar. Merry Wives of Windfor:

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

STEEVENS. So, in The

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

" This comes of well and excellent." STEEVENS.

Please you command, a thousand times as much: And yet,

SIL. A pretty period! Well, I guess the sequel; 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 ladyship? 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 you;
I would have had them writ more movingly.
VAL. Please you, I'll write your ladyship 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 please me, madam! what then?

SIL. Why, if it please you, take it for your la

bour;

And fo good-morrow, fervant. [Exit SILVIA. SPEED. O jest unfeen, infcrutable, invisible,

As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a

steeple!

My master sues to her; and she hath taught her fuitor,
He being her pupil, to become her tutor.
O excellent device! was there ever heard a better?
That my master, being fcribe, to himself should

write the letter?