If you should die before him, where's her Tra. That's but a cavil: he is old, I young. 400 I am thus resolved: on Sunday next you know And so, I take my leave, and thank you both. 410 Sirrah young gamester, your father were a fool An old Italian fox is not so kind, my boy. [Exit. Tra. A vengeance on your crafty wither'd hide! ing. ACT THIRD SCENE I Padua. Baptista's house. Enter Lucentio, Hortensio, and Bianca. Luc. Fiddler, forbear; you grow too forward, sir: Have you so soon forgot the entertainment Her sister Katharine welcomed you withal? Hor. But, wrangling pedant, this is The patroness of heavenly harmony: Then give me leave to have prerogative; And when in music we have spent an hour, Your lecture shall have leisure for as much. Luc. Preposterous ass, that never read so far To know the cause why music was ordain'd! 10 Was it not to refresh the mind of man After his studies or his usual pain? Then give me leave to read philosophy, And while I pause, serve in your harmony. Hor. Sirrah, I will not bear these braves of thine. Bian. Why, gentlemen, you do me double wrong, 4. Theobald proposed "she is a shrew, but, wrangling pedant, this is"; evidently some words are lost, but it is useless to attempt the restoration of the line, as there is no evidence.-I. G. 9. "Preposterous," here in its literal sense, of one who inverts the natural order of things.-C. H. H. "so far to know," far enough to know.-C. H. H. 20 To strive for that which resteth in my choice: I am no breeching scholar in the schools; I'll not be tied to hours nor 'pointed times, But learn my lessons as I please myself. And, to cut off all strife, here sit we down: Take you your instrument, play you the whiles; His lecture will be done ere you have tuned. Hor. You'll leave his lecture when I am in tune? Luc. That will be never; tune your instrument. Bian. Where left we last? Luc. Here, madam: 'Hic ibat Simois; hic est Sigeia tellus; Hic steterat Priami regia celsa senis.' Bian. Construe them. Hor. Madam, my instrument's in tune. 'Hic ibat Simois,' I know you not,-'hic not. Hor. Madam, 'tis now in tune. 30 40 Luc. All but the base. Hor. The base is right; 'tis the base knave that jars. [Aside] How fiery and forward our pedant is! 50 Now, for my life, the knave doth court my love: Bian. In time I may believe, yet I mistrust. Was Ajax, call'd so from his grandfather. Bian. I must believe my master; else, I promise you, I should be arguing still upon that doubt: 59 That I have been thus pleasant with you both. Hor. You may go walk, and give me leave a while: My lessons make no music in three parts. Luc. Are you so formal, sir? well, I must wait, [Aside] And watch withal; for, but I be deceived, Our fine musician groweth amorous. Hor. Madam, before you touch the instrument, To learn the order of my fingering, I must begin with rudiments of art; To teach you gamut in a briefer sort, More pleasant, pithy, and effectual, Than hath been taught by any of my trade: And there it is in writing, fairly drawn. 70 52. "Eacides was Ajax"; this is only said to deceive Hortensio, who is supposed to be listening. The pedigree of Ajax, however, is properly made out.-H. N. H. 61. “formal,” precise.-C. H. H. Bian. Why, I am past my gamut long ago. 'A re,' to plead Hortensio's passion; 'D sol re,' one clef, two notes have I: 80 Call you this gamut? tut, I like it not: Old fashions please me best; I am not so nice, Serv. Mistress, your father prays you leave your books, And help to dress your sister's chamber up: You know to-morrow is the wedding-day. Bian. Farewell, sweet masters both; I must be gone. [Exeunt Bianca and Servant. 73. "gamut," the scale.-C. H. H. 82. "I am not so nice"; one of the ancient meanings of nice was silly, foolish. Thus in Chaucer's Wif of Bathes Tale: "But say that we ben wise and nothing nice." Likewise in Gower: "A tale of them that be so nice, And feignen them selfe to be wise, I shall the tell in such a wise." And in Romeo and Juliet, Act v. sc. 2: "The letter was not nice, but full of charge, of dear import."-In the original the next line reads, "To charge true rules for old inventions." Charge was a frequent misprint for change, and was so corrected in the folio of 1632. Theobald changed old into odd; which is evidently right, as the speaker has just said, "Old fashions please me best." Besides, old and inventions will hardly go together.-H. N. H. |