Sweet ornament that decks a thing divine !
Ah Silvia ! Silvia !

Speed. Madam Silvia ! madam Silvia !
VAL. How now, firrah?
Speed. She is not within hearing, fir,
Val. Why, fir, who bade you call her?
Speed. Your worship, fir; or else I mistook.
VAL. Well, you'll still be too forward.
Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too

slow.
Val. Go to, fir; 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 learn’d, like sir Proteus, to wreath your arms like a male-content; to relish a love-song, like a Robin-red-breast; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to figh, like a school-boy that had lost his A. B. C; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to faft, like one that takes diet;' to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmas. You were wont, when you laugh'd, to

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4takes diet;] To take diet was the phrase for being under regimen for a disease mentioned in Timon of Athens :

bring down the rose-cheek'd youth
“ To the tub-fast and the diet." Steevens.

Hallowumas.] This is about the feast of All Saints, when winter begins, and the life of a vagrant becomes less comfortable.

JOHNSON. It is worth remarking that on All Saints-Day the poor people in Staffordshire, and perhaps in other country places, go from parish to parish a fouling as they call it; i. e. begging and puling (or finging small, as Bailey's Dict, explains puling) for foul-cakes, or

crow like a cock; when you walk'd, to walk like one of the lions;} when you fafted, it was presently after dinner; when you look'd sadly, 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 fimple, 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 the sits at

supper? VAL. Hast thou observed that? even she I mean. Speed. Why, fir, I know her not.

Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know'st her not?

Speed. Is she not hard-favour'd, sir?
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 Popith fuperftition to pray for departed fouls, particularly those of friends. The fouler's song in Staffordshire, is different from that which Mr. Péck mentions, and is by no means worthy publication. Tollet.

to walk like one of the lions ;] If our author had not been shinking of the lions in the Tower, he would have written_" to walk like a lion." Ritson. none else would:) None else would be fo fimple.

JOHNSON.

Speed. Sir, I know that well enough.
VAL. What dost thou know?
Speed. That she is not so fair, as (of you) well

favoured. 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 esteemest thou me? I account of her beauty.

SPEED. You never saw her since she was deformed. Val. How long hath she been deformed? Speed. Ever since you loved her.

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.
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 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.

- for going ungartered !) This is enumerated by Rosalind in As

you like it, Act III. sc. ii. as one of the undoubted marks of love: “ Then your hofe should be ungartered, your bonnet unbanded,”. &c. "MALONE.

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 set ;“ so, your affection would cease.

VAL. Last night she enjoin'd 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 opposition to sand, in the foregoing line. M. Mason.

10 excellent motion! &c.] Motion, in Shakspeare's time, fig nified puppet. In Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair it is frequently used in that sense, or rather perhaps to fignify a puppet-fhow; the master whereof may properly be said to be an interpreter, as being the explainer of the inarticulate language of the actors. The speech of the servant is an allusion to that practice, and he means to say, that Silvia is a puppet, and that Valentine is to interpret 10, or rather for her. SIR J. HAWKINS. So, in The City Match, 1639, by Jasper Maine :

his mother came,
“ Who follows strange fights out of town, and went

« To Brentford for a motion.”. Again, in The Pilgrim :

Nothing but a motion ??
“ A puppet pilgrim?" STEEVENS.

a

a

VAL. Madam and mistress, a thousand goodmorrows.

Speed. O, 'give you good even! here's a million of manners.

[ Aside. Sil. Sir Valentine and servant,* to you two thousand.

Speed. He should give her interest; and she gives it him.

VAL. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ your letter, Unto the secret nameless friend of yours ; Which I was much unwilling to proceed in, But for my duty to your ladyship. Sil. I thank you, gentle servant: 'tis very clerkly

done. VAL. Now trust 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 so much

pains ? VAL. No, madam; so it stead you, I will write,

;

a

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

Sir J. HAWKINS, So, in Marston's What you will, 1607: “ Sweet fifter, let's fit in judgement a little; faith upon my

servant Monsieur Laverdure.

“ Mel. Troth, well for a feruant; but for a husband !" Again, in Ben Jonson's Every Man out of his Humour : Every man was not born with my servant Brik's features."

STEEVENS -'tis very clerkly done.] i. e. like a scholar. So, in The Merry Wives of Windsor :

“ Thou art clerkly, fir John, clerkly." STEVENS.

- it came hardly off;] A similar phrase occurs in Times of Athens, Act I. sc. i :

“ This comes off well and excellent." STEEVENS,

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