Where's my spaniel Troilus ?-Sirrah, get you hence,
And bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither :- [Exit Ser.
One, Kate, that you must kiss, and be acquainted with.-
Where are my flippers ?-Shall I have fome water ?—
[Water prefented.
Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily:-

[Servant lets the ewer fall. You whorfon villain! will you let it fall? [Strikes him. Cat. Patience, I pray you, 'twas a fault unwilling. Pet. A whorfon, beetle-headed, flap-ear'd knave!Come, Kate, fit down; I know you have a stomach.

[Seats her by him Will you give thanks, fweet Kate, or elfe fhall I What is this? mutton?

1. S. Ay.

Pet. Who brought it?

1. S. I.

Pet. 'Tis burnt; and fo is all the reft o'th' meat:-
What dogs are thefe ?-Where is the rascal cook ?-
How durft you, villains, bring it from the dreffer,
And ferve it thus to me that love it not?

There, take it to you, trenchers, cups, and all ;
[Throwing all at them.
You heedlefs jolt-heads, and unmanner'd flaves!
What, do you grumble? I'll be with you ftraight.
Cat. I pray you, hufband, be not fo difquiet;
The meat was well, if you were fo contented.
Pet. I tell thec, Kate, 'twas burnt, and dry'd away;
And I exprefsly am forbid to touch it,

For it engenders choler, planteth anger:
And better 'twere, that both of us did faft,-
Since, of ourfelves, ourfelves are choleric,-
Than feed it with fuch over-roafted flesh.
Be patient; to-morrow't fhall be mended,
And, for this night, we'll faft for company:-
Come, I will bring thee to thy bridal chamber *.

[Exit, leading out Cat. Cur. follows.

The extravagant degree of tyranny and caprice, exhibited by Petruchio, is admirably conceived, and equally expreffed; it requires great force and variety in action.

1. S. [advancing.] Peter, didft ever see the like?

5. S. He kills her

In her own humour.

Re-enter Curtis.

Gru. Where is he?

Cur. In her chamber,

Making a fermon of continency to her:

And rails, and fwears, and rates; that fhe, poor fouf, Knows not which way to ftand, to look, to speak ;

And fits as one new-rifen from a dream.

Away, away! for he is coming hither.

Re-enter Petruchio.

Pet. Thus have I politicly begun my reign, And 'tis my hope to end fuccefsfully:

[Exeunt.

"My faulcon now is fharp, and paffing empty;
"And, 'till fhe ftoop, fhe muft not be full gorg'd,
For then fhe 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 bait, and beat, and will not be obedient.
She eat no meat to day, nor none shall eat;
Laft night she slept not, nor to-night she shall not?
As with the meat, fome undeserved fault

I'll find about the making of the bed;

And here I'll fling the pillow, there the bolter,
This way the coverlet, another way the sheets :-
Ay, and, amid this hurly, I intend,

That all is done in rev'rend care of her;
And, in conclufion, she shall watch all night:
And, if the chance to nod, I'll rail, and brawl,
And with the clamour keep her ftill awake.
This is a way to kill a wife with kindness;

And thus I'll curb her mad and head-strong humour:
He that knows better how to tame a fhrew,
Now let him speak; 'tis charity to shew *.

[Exit.

Petruchio, in this fpeech, fhows policy, fpirit, and good fenfe; the lines, however, which we have marked, may well be spared, for

G 3

the

ACT IV.

SCENE I. Padua. Before Baptifta's House..

Enter Lucentio and Bianca, courting; and, on the oppofite fide, Tranio and Hortenfio

I

TRANIO.

S'T poffible, friend Licio, that Bianca
Doth fancy any other but Lucentio ?

I tell you, fir, fhe bears me fair in hand.

Hor. To fatisfy you, fir, in what I have faid, Stand by, and mark the manner of his teaching. [They retire. Luc. Now, miftrefs, profit you in what you read ? Bia. What, master, read you? first resolve me that. Luc. I read that I profefs, the art to love.

Bia. And may you prove, fir, master of your art! Luc. While you, fweet dear, prove mistress of my [Court apart. Hor. Marry, quick proceeders!-Tell me now, I [Advancing.

heart.

pray,

You that durft fwear your mistress fair Bianca

Lov'd none i'th' world fo well as her Lucentio ?
Tra. Defpightful love! unconftant womankind!-

I tell thee, Licio, this is wonderful.

Hor. Miftake no more: I am not Licio
Nor a musician, as I feem to be;

But one that fcorn to live in this disguise,
For fuch a one as leaves a gentleman,
And makes a god of fuch a cullion:
Know, fir, that I am call'd-Hortenfio.

Tra. Signior Hortenfia, I have often heard

Of your entire affection to Bianca ;

And fince mine eyes are witness of her lightness,

I will with you,-if you be fo contented,

Forfwear Bianca and her love for ever.

the performer's fake, and are not very valuable to the reader; from this husband and his man Grumio, the third act gains remarkable vivacity,

Hor. See, how they kifs and court!-Signior Lucentio, Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow

Never to woo her more; but do forfwear 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 her, though fhe would entreat : "Fie on her fee, how beastly she doth court him. "Hor. 'Would, all the world, but he, had quite for"fworn!

"For me, that I may furely keep mine oath, "I will be marry'd to a wealthy widow,

"Ere three days pafs; which hath as long lov'd me,
"As I have lov'd this proud difdainful haggard :
"And fo farewel, fignior Lucentio.-

Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks,
Shall win my love :-and fo I take my leave,

In refolution as I fwore before.

[Exit Hor.

Tra. Miftrefs Bianca, [paffing to the other fide.] blefs. you with fuch grace

As 'longeth to a lover's blessed cafe!

Nay, I have ta'en you napping, gentle love;

And have forfworn you, with Hortenfio.

Bia. Tranio, you jeft; but have you both forfworn me

Tra. Miftrefs, we have.

Luc. Then we are rid of Licio.

Tra. I'faith, he'll have a lufty widow now,

That fhall be woo'd and wedded in a day.

Bia. God give him joy!

Tra. Ay, and he'll tame her.

Bia. He fays fo, Tranio.

Tra. 'Faith, he is gone unto the taming school.

Bia. The taming fchool! what, is there fuch a place?
Tra. Ay, miftrefs, and Petruchio is the mafter;

That teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long,-
To tame a fhrew, and charm her chattering tongue.

"Enter Biondello, running.

"Bio. O, mafter, mafter, I have watch'd so long "That I'm dog-weary; but at laft I spy'd "An ancient engle coming down the hill,

G4

" Will

"Will ferve the turn.

"Tra. What is he, Biondello?

"Bio. Mafter, a mercatante, or a pedant, "I know not what; but formal in apparel, "In gait and countenance furely like a father. "Luc. What of him, Tranio?

"Tra. 'If he be credulous, and truft my tale, "I'll make him glad to feem Vincentio ; "And give assurance to Baptifta Minola, "As if he were the right Vincentio.

"Take in your love, and then let me alone:

[Exeunt Luc, and Bia.

"Enter a Pedant.

"Ped. Heav'n fave you, fir!

"Tra. And you, fir! you are welcome. "Travel you far on, or are you at the fartheft? "Ped. Sir, at the fartheft, for a week or two: "But then up farther; and as far as Rome; "And fo to Tripoly, if Heav'n lend une life, "Tra. What countryman, I pray?

"Ped. Of Mantua.

"Tra. Of Mantua, fir?—marry now, heav'n forbid !— "And come to Padua, careless of your life?

"Ped. My life, fir! how, I pray for that goes hard. "Tra. 'Tis death for any one in Mantua

"To come to Padua; know you not the caufe ?
"Your ships are stay'd at Venice; and the duke,
"For private quarrel 'twixt your duke and him,
"Hath publifh'd and proclaim'd it, openly:
"'Tis marvel; but that you're but newly come,
"You might have heard it elle proclaim'd about.
"Ped. Alas, fir, it is worse for me than fo;
"For I have bills for money by exchange
"From Florence, and muft here deliver them.
"Tra. Well, fir, to do you courtesy herein,
"This will I do, and this I will advise you
"First, tell me, have you ever been at Pisa?
"Ped. Ay, fir, in Pifa have I often been;
"Pifa, renowned for grave citizens.