you have books for good manners: I will name you the our, here alluded to is a very ridiculous treatise of one Vincentio Saviolo, intitled, Of Honour and honourable Quarrels, in quarto, printed by Wolf, 1594. The first part of this tract he entitles, A Discourse most necessary for all Gentlemen that have in regard their Honours, touching the giving and receiving the Lie, whereupon the Duello and the Combat in divers Forms doth ensue; and many other Inconveniencies, for lack only of true Knowledge of Honand the right Understanding of Words, which here is set down. The contents of the several chapters are as follow:-I, What the Reason is that the Party unto whom the Lie is given ought to become Challenger, and of the Nature of Lies. II, Of the Manner and Diversity of Lies. III, Of Lies certain, [or direct.] IV, Of conditional Lies, [or the lie circumstantial.] V, Of the Lie in general. VI, Of the Lie in particular. VII, Of foolish Lies. VIII, A conclusion touching the wresting or returning back of the Lie, [or the countercheck quarrelsome.] In the chapter of conditional Lies, speaking of the particle if, he says, Conditional lies be such as are given conditionally, as if a man should say or write these wordes:-if thou hast said that I have offered my lord abuse, thou liest; or if thou sayest so hereafter, thou shalt lie. Of these kind of lies, given in this manner, often arise much contention in wordes,-whereof no sure conclusion can arise." By which he means, they cannot proceed to cut one another's throat, while there is an if between. Which is the reason of Shakspeare making the Clown say, "I knew when seven justices could not make up a quarrel: but when the parties were met themselves, one of them thought but of an if; as, if you said so, then I said so, and they shook hands, and swore brothers. Your if is the only peace-maker: much virtue in if" Caranza was another of these authentic authors upon the Duello. Fletcher, in his last Act of Love's Pilgrimage, ridicules him with much humour. Warburton. The words which I have included within crotchets are Dr. Warburton's. They have been hitherto printed in such a manner as might lead the reader to suppose that they made a part of Saviolo's work. The passage was very inaccurately printed by Dr. Warburton in other respects, but has here been corrected by the original. Malone. 2 books for good manners:] One of these books I have. It is intitled, The Boke of Nurture, or Schole of good Manners, for Men, Servants, and Children, with stans puer ad mensam; 12mo. black letter, without date. It was written by Hugh Rhodes, a gentleman, or musician, of the Chapel Royal; and was first published in 4to. in the reign of King Edward VI. Steevens. Another is, Galateo of Maister John Casa, Archbishop of Benevento; or rather, a Treatise of the Manners and Behaviours it behoveth a Man to use and eschewe in his familiar Conversation. A Work very necessary and profitable for all Gentlemen or other; translated from the Italian, by Robert Peterson of Lincoln's Inn, 4to. 1576. Reed. degrees. The first, the Retort courteous; the second, the Quip modest; the third, the Reply churlish; the fourth, the Reproof valiant; the fifth, the Countercheck quarrelsome; the sixth, the Lie with circumstance; the seventh, the Lie direct. All these you may avoid, but the lie direct; and you may avoid that too, with an If. I knew when seven justices could not take up a quarrel; but when the parties were met themselves, one of them thought but of an If, as, If you said so, then I said 80; and they shook hands, and swore brothers. Your If is the only peace-maker; much virtue in If. Jaq. Is not this a rare fellow, my lord? he's as good at any thing, and yet a fool. Duke S. He uses his folly like a stalking-horse,3 and under the presentation of that, he shoots his wit. 3 4 Enter HYMEN, leading ROSALIND in woman's Still Musick. Hym. Then is there mirth in heaven, Good duke, receive thy daughter, Yea, brought her hither; That thou might'st join her hand with his, like a stalking-horse,] See my note on Much Ado about Nothing, Act II, sc. iii. Steevens. 4 Enter Hymen,] Rosalind is imagined by the rest of the company to be brought by enchantment, and is therefore introduced by a supposed aerial being in the character of Hymen. Johnson. In all the allegorical shows exhibited at ancient weddings, Hymen was a constant personage. Ben Jonson, in his Hymenæi, or the Solemnities of Masque and Barriers, at a Marriage, has left us instructions how to dress this favourite character. "On the other hand entered Hymen, the god of marriage, in a saffron-coloured robe, his under vestures white, his sockes yellow, a yellow veile of silke on his left arme, his head crowned with roses and marjoram, in his right hand a torch." Steevens. 5 That thou might'st join her hand with his, Whose heart within her bosom is.] The old copy, instead of her, reads his in both lines. Mr. Rowe corrected the first, and I once Ros. To you I give myself, for I am yours. To you I give myself, for I am yours. daughter. [To Duke S. [TO ORL. you are my Orl. If there be truth in sight, you are my Rosalind. Phe. If sight and shape be true, Why then, my love adieu! Ros. I'll have no father, if you be not he: I'll have no husband, if you be not he:- Of these most strange events: If truth holds true contents.7 [To Duke S. [TO ORL. [7% PHE. thought that emendation sufficient, and that whose might have referred not to the last antecedent his, but to her, i. e. Rosalind. Our author frequently takes such licenses. But on further consideration it appears to me probable, that the same abbreviation was used in both lines, and that as his was certainly a misprint in the first line for her, so it also was in the second, the construction being so much more easy in that way than the other. "That thou might'st join her hand with the hand of him whose heart is lodged in her bosom," i. e. whose affection she already possesses. So, in Love's Labour's Lost, the King says to the Princess: "Hence ever then my heart is in thy breast." Again, in our author's Venus and Adonis: "Bids him farewel, and look well to her heart, Again, in King Richard III: "Even so thy breast incloseth my poor heart." Again, in Romeus and Juliet, 1562: Thy heart thou leav'st with her, when thou dost hence depart, "And in thy breast inclosed bear'st her tender friendly heart." In the same play we meet with the error that has happened here. The Princess addressing the ladies who attend her, says: "But while 'tis spoke, each turn away his face." Again, in a former scene of the play before us : thus we You and you no cross shall part: [To ORL. and Ros. You and you are heart in heart: [To OLI. and CEL. You [to PHE.] to his love must accord, [To TOUCH. and AUD. 8 As the winter to foul weather. Wedding is great Juno's crown;9 in " Duke S. O my dear niece, welcome thou art to me; Phe. I will not eat my word, now thou art mine; [To SIL. If there be truth in sight,] The answer of Phebe makes it probable that Orlando says: If there be truth in shape: that is, if a form may be trusted; if one cannot usurp the form of another. Johnson. 7 If truth holds true contents.] That is, if there be truth in truth, unless truth fails of veracity. Johnson. 8 with questioning;] Though Shakspeare frequently uses question for conversation, in the present instance questioning may have its common and obvious signification. Steevens. 9 Wedding is &c.] Catullus, addressing himself to Hymen, has this stanza: Que tuis careat sacris, Non queat dare præsides Compararier ausit? Johnson. combine.] Shakspeare is licentious in his use of this Enter JAQUES DE BOIS. Jaq. de B. Let me have audience for a word, or two; I am the second son of old sir Rowland, That bring these tidings to this fair assembly:- His brother here, and put him to the sword: Duke S. Welcome, young man; That have endur'd shrewd days and nights with us, Play, musick; and you brides and bridegrooms all, With measure heap'd in joy, to the measures fall. Jaq. Sir, by your patience; If I heard you rightly, The duke hath put on a religious life, verb, which here, as in Measure for Measure, only significs to bind: "I am combined by a sacred vow, "And shall be absent." Steevens. 2 Duke Frederick, &c.] In Lodge's novel the usurping Duke is not diverted from his purpose by the pious counsels of a hermit, but is subdued and killed by the twelve peers of France, who were brought by the third brother of Rosader (the Orlando of this play) to assist him in the recovery of his right. Steevens. |