greater a run but my head and my neck. A fire, good Curtis.

CURT. Is my master and his wife coming, Grumio?

GRU. O, ay, Curtis, ay: and therefore fire, fire;

cast on no water.

CURT. Is she so hot a shrew as she's reported?

GRU. She was, good Curtis, before this frost: but, thou know'st, winter tames man, woman, and beast; for it hath tamed my old master and my new mistress, and myself," fellow Curtis.

CURT. Away, you three-inch fool! I am no beast.

GRU. Am I but three inches? why, thy horn is a foot; and so long am I, at the least: but wilt thou make a fire, or shall I complain on thee to our mistress, whose hand (she being now at hand) thou shalt soon feel, to thy cold comfort, for being slow in thy hot office?

CURT. I prithee, good Grumio, tell me, how goes the world?

GRU. A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine; and, therefore, fire: do thy duty, and have thy duty; for my master and mistress are almost frozen to death.

CURT. There's fire ready; and, therefore, good Grumio, the news?

GRU. Why, Jack, boy! ho, boy! and as much news as thou wilt.*

CURT. Come, you are so full of coneycatching. GRU. Why, therefore, fire; for I have caught extreme cold. Where's the cook? is supper ready, the house trimmed, rushes strewed, cobwebs swept; the serving-men in their new fustian, the white stockings, and every officer his wedding garment on? Be the jacks fair within, the jills fair without, the carpets laid, and everything in order?

CURT. All ready: and, therefore, I pray thee, news?

GRU. First, know, my horse is tired; my master and mistress fallen out.

And myself, fellow Curtis.] For myself, Warburton substituted thyself, and, notwithstanding the ingenious defence of myself by other critics, was perhaps right.

b Jack, boy! ho, boy!] This is the commencement of an old round in three parts, of which Hawkins has given the notes in the Variorum Shakespeare.

• Be the jacks fair within, the jills fair without,-] A quibble. Certain drinking vessels were called Jacks and Jills, which terms, too, were commonly applied to the male and female servants. The same pun is found in the "Puritan," 1607. "I owe money to several hostesses, and you know such jills will quickly be upon a man's jack."

d The carpets laid,-] The carpets here meant were coverings for the tables. The floors were strewed with rushes.

e Burst;] That is, broken. So in the opening scene of the In

CURT. This 'tis to feel a tale, not to hear a tale. GRU. And therefore 'tis called, a sensible tale; and this cuff was but to knock at your car, and beseech listening. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress:

CURT. Both of one horse ?

GRU. What's that to thee?
CURT. Why, a horse.

GRU. Tell thou the tale :-but hadst thou not crossed me, thou shouldst have heard how her horse fell, and she under her horse; thou shouldst have heard, in how miry a place: how she was bemoiled; how he left her with the horse upon her; how he beat me because her horse stumbled; how she waded through the dirt to pluck him off me; how he swore; how she prayed, that never prayed before; how I cried; how the horses ran away; how her bridle was burst; how I lost my crupper; with many things of worthy memory, which now shall die in oblivion, and thou return unexperienced to thy grave.

CURT. By this reckoning, he is more shrew

CURT. Do you hear, ho! you must meet my master, to countenances my mistress.

GRU. Why, she hath a face. of her own.
CURT. Who knows not that?

GRU. Thou, it seems, that calls for company to countenance her.

duction; the Hostess asks, "You will not pay for the glasses you have burst?"

f Of an indifferent knit:] Shakespeare sometimes uses indifferent in the sense of impartial, free from bias,—

"I beseech your grace, Look on my wrongs with an indifferent eye." Richard II. Act II. Sc. 3.

But by "an indifferent knit" is simply meant a passable, or tolerable knit. So in "Twelfth Night," Act I. Sc. 5,

"as, item, two lips indifferent red.”

g To countenance my mistress.] That is, to receive or entertain her. "The old Law was, that when a Man was Fin'd, he was to be Fin'd Salvo Contenemento, so as his Countenance might be safe, taking Countenance in the same sense as your Country man does, when he says, if you will come unto my House, I will show you the best Countenance I can, that is not the best Face, but the best Entertainmen ."-SELDEN's Table-Talk, Art. Fines.

Enter PETRUCHIO and KATHARINA.

PET. Where be these knaves? what, no man at door,

To hold my stirrup, nor to take my horse?
Where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Philip?

ALL SERV. Here, here, sir; here, sir.

PET. Here, sir! here, sir! here, sir! here, sir! You loggerheaded and unpolish'd grooms! What? no attendance? no regard? no duty? Where is the foolish knave I sent before?

GRU. Here, sir; as foolish as I was before. PET. You peasant swain! you whoreson malthorse drudge!

Did I not bid thee meet me in the park,

And bring along these rascal knaves with thee?

GRU. Nathaniel's coat, sir, was not fully made, And Gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i' the heel; There was no link to colour Peter's hat," And Walter's dagger was not come from sheathing: There were none fine but Adam, Ralph, and

Gregory;

The rest were ragged, old, and beggarly;
Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet you.
PET. Go, rascals, go, and fetch my supper in.-
[Exeunt some of the Servants.
Where is the life that late I led- [Sings.
Where are those- -sit down, Kate, and welcome.
Soud, soud, soud, soud !

Re-enter Servants, with Supper.

Why, when, I say?-nay, good sweet Kate, be merry.

Off with my boots, you rogues, you villains; when?
It was the friar of orders grey,
As he forth walked on his way:

Out, you rogue! you pluck my foot awry: Take that, and mend the plucking of the other.[Strikes him.

Be merry, Kate:-some water here; what, ho! Where's my spaniel Troilus? Sirrah, get you hence, And bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither:

[Exit Servant. One, Kate, that you must kiss, and be acquainted with.

Where are my slippers?-shall I have some water? [A bason is presented to him. Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily:[Servant lets the ewer fall. You whoreson villain! will you let it fall?

[Strikes him.

KATH. Patience, I pray you; 't was a fault unwilling.

PET. A whoreson, beetle-headed, flap-ear'd knave!

Come, Kate, sit down; I know you have a stomach. Will you give thanks, sweet Kate, or else shall I? What's this? mutton?

[Sings.

1 SERV.

No link to colour Peter's hat,-] "This cozenage is used likewise in selling old hats found upon dung-hills instead of newe, blackt over with the smoake of an olde linke."-GREENE'S Mihil Mumchance. In this ludicrous enumeration of his fellows' deficiencies, Grumio is evidently playing into his master's hands.

Ay.

It is all, as Lucio says, "according to the trick."

b Soud, soud, soud, soud!] Malone thought this soud a word coined by Shakespeare to express the noise made by a person heated and fatigued.

8 2

PET. 'Tis burnt; and so is all the meat: What dogs are these!-where is the rascal cook ? How durst you, villains, bring it from the dresser, And serve it thus to me that love it not? There, take it to you, trenchers, cups, and all:

[Throws the meat, &c., about the stage. You heedless joltheads, and unmanner'd slaves! What, do you grumble? I'll be with you straight. KATH. I pray you, husband, be not so disquiet; The meat was well, if you were so contented.

PET. I tell thee, Kate, 'twas burnt and dried away;

And I expressly am forbid to touch it,
For it engenders choler, planteth anger;
And better 't were that both of us did fast,
Since, of ourselves, ourselves are choleric,
Than feed it with such over-roasted flesh.
Be patient; to-morrow it shall be mended,
And, for this night, we'll fast for company:
Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber.
[Exeunt PETRUCHIO, KATHARINA, and CURTIS.
NATH. [Advancing.] Peter, didst ever see the
like?

PETER. He kills her in her own humour.

PET. Thus have I politicly begun my reign, And 'tis my hope to end successfully; My falcon now is sharp, and passing empty, And, till she stoop, she must not be full-gorg'd, For then she never looks upon her lure. Another way I have to man my haggard,

To make her come, and know her keeper's call; That is, to watch her, as we watch these kites, That bate, and beat, and will not be obedient. She eat no meat to-day, nor none shall eat;

Last night she slept not, nor to-night she shall not;
As with the meat, some undeserved fault
I'll find about the making of the bed;
And here I'll fling the pillow, there the bolster,
This way the coverlet, another way the sheets:-
Ay, and amid this hurly, I intend,"
That all is done in reverend care of her;
And, in conclusion, she shall watch all night:
And, if she chance to nod, I'll rail and brawl,
And with the clamour keep her still awake.
This is a way to kill a wife with kindness;"
And thus I'll curb her mad and headstrong humour;
He that knows better how to tame a shrew,
Now let him speak; 'tis charity to shew. [Exit.(1)

Luc. While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of
my heart.
[They retire.
HOR. Quick proceeders, marry! now, tell me,
I pray,

You that durst swear that your mistress Bianca
Lov'd none* in the world so well as Lucentio.
TRA. O despiteful love! unconstant woman-
kind!

I tell thee, Licio, this is wonderful.

HOR. Mistake no more: I am not Licio,
Nor a musician, as I seem to be;
But one that scorn to live in this disguise,
For such a one as leaves a gentleman,
And makes a god of such a cullion :

(*) First folio, me.

date of February, 1602-3. We believe the saying was much older than the play.

c She bears me fair in hand.] Tobear in hand was to encourage, to buoy up. Thus in "Much Ado About Nothing," Act. IV. Sc. 1,"What! bear her in hand until they come to take hands; and then."

Know, sir, that I am call'd Hortensio.

TRA. Signior Hortensio, I have often heard Of your entire affection to Bianca;

And since mine eyes are witness of her lightness, I will with you, if you be so contented,Forswear Bianca, and her love for ever.

HOR. See, how they kiss and court! Signior
Lucentio,

Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow
Never to woo her more; but do forswear her,
As one unworthy all the former favours
That I have fondly flatter'd her* withal.

TRA. And here I take the like unfeigned oath, Never to marry with her, though she would entreat: Fie on her! see, how beastly she doth court him. HOR. Would all the world, but he, had quite forsworn!

For me, that I may surely keep mine oath,
I will be married to a wealthy widow,
Ere three days pass, which hath as long lov'd me,

(*) First folio, them.

As I have lov'd this proud disdainful haggard :
And so farewell, signior Lucentio.
Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks,
Shall win my love: and so I take my leave,
In resolution as I swore before.

[Exit HORTENSIO.-LUCENTIO and BIANCA
advance.

TRA. Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace

As 'longeth to a lover's blessed case!
Nay, I have ta'en you napping, gentle love;
And have forsworn you with Hortensio.

BIAN. Tranio, you jest: but have you both
forsworn me?

TRA. Mistress, we have.
Luc.
Then we are rid of Licio.
TRA. I' faith, he'll have a lusty widow now,
That shall be woo'd and wedded in a day.
BIAN. God give him joy!

TRA. Ay, and he'll tame her.
BIAN.
He says so, Tranio.
TRA. 'Faith, he's gone unto the taming-school,