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THE

TWO GENTLEMEN

.

OF

VERONA.

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ANTHONIO, Father to PROTHEUS.

THURIO, a foolish Rival to VALENTINE.
EGLAMORE, Agent for SILVIA in her Escape.
HOST, where JULIA lodges.

OUT-LAWS with VALENTINE.

SPEED, a clownish Servant to VALENTINE.
LAUNCE, the like to PROTHEUS.

PANTHION, Servant to ANTHONIO.

JULIA, beloved of PROTHEUS.
SILVIA, beloved of VALENTINE.

LUCETTA, Waiting-woman to JULIA.

The SCENE Sometimes in Verona, Sometimes in Milan, and towards the latter end on the frontiers of Mantua.

THE THE

TWO GENTLEMEN

OF VERONA.

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EASE to perfuade, my loving Protheus ;
Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits;
Wer't not, affection chains thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love,
I rather would entreat thy company,

To fee the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully fluggardiz'd at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.
But fince thou lov'st, love still, and thrive therein,
Ev'n as I would when I to love begin!

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? sweet Valentine, adieu!
Think on thy Protheus, when thou haply seest
Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel:

Wish me partaker in thy happiness,

When thou dost meet good hap; and in thy danger,

If ever danger do environ thee,

* It may very well be doubted whether Shakespear had any other hand in this play than the enlivening it with some speeches and lines thrown in here and there, which are easily distinguish'd, as being of a different stamp from the rest.

VOL. I.

T

Com

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 fuccess?
Pro. Upon some book I love I'll pray for thee.*
Val. To be in love, where scorn is bought with groans;

Coy looks, with heart-fore fighs; one moment's mirth,
With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights;

If haply won, perhaps, an hapless gain;
If loft, why then a grievous labour won ;
However, but a folly bought with wit,
Or else a wit by folly vanquished.

Pro. So, by your circumftance, you call me fool.
Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear, you'll prove.
Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at ; I am not love.
Val. Love is your master; for he masters you.

And he that is so yoked by a fool,
Methinks, should not be chronicled for wife.

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
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow;
Even so by love the young and tender wit
Is turn'd to folly, blasting in the bud,
Lofing his verdure even in the prime,
And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee,
That art a votary to fond defire ?

Once more, adieu! my father at the road

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Expects my coming, there to fee me shipp'd.
Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.
Val. Sweet Protheus, no: now let us take our leave.

At Milan let me hear from thee by letters
Of thy fuccess 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, farewel!
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 fick with thought.

[Exit.

SCENE II.

Enter Speed.

Speed. Sir Protheus, save you! faw you, fir, my master ?

Pro. But now he parted hence t'embark for Milan..

Speed. Twenty to one then he is shipp'd already.

And I have play'd the sheep in lofing him.

Pro. Indeed, a fheep doth very often stray,

An if the shepherd be a while 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

Пеер.

Pro. A filly answer, and fitting well a sheep.

Speed. This proves me still a sheep.

Pro. True; and thy mafter a shepherd.

Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumftance.

Pro. It shall go hard but I'll prove it by another.

T2

Speed.

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