Ant. Good company; with them fhall Protheus go: And, in good time, now will we break with him.

Enter Protheus, at a distance, reading.

Pro. Sweet love! fweet lines! fweet life! sweet Julia! Here is her hand, the agent of her heart; Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn: O, that our fathers would applaud our loves, To feal our happiness with their confents! O heavenly Julia!

Ant. How now? what letter are you reading there ? Pro. May't please your lordship, 'tis a word or two Of commendations fent from Valentine;

Deliver'd by a friend that came from him.

Ant. Lend me the letter; let me see what news. Pro. There is no news, my lord; but that he writes How happily he lives, how well belov'd,

And daily graced by the emperor;

Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune.

Ant. And how stand you affected to his wish? Pro. As one relying on your lordship's will, And not depending on his friendly with.

Ant. My will is fomething forted with his wish:
Muse not that I thus fuddenly proceed;

For what I will, I will, and there's an end.
I am refolv'd, that thou fhalt spend some time
With Valentino in the emperor's court;

What maintenance he from his friends receives,
Like exhibition thou fhalt have from me.

To-morrow be in readiness to go:

Excufe it not, for I am peremptory.

Pro. My lord, I cannot be fo foon provided ;

Please you, deliberate a day or two.

Ant. Look, what thou want'ft, fhall be fent after thee:

No more of ftay; to-morrow thou must go.

Come on, Panthino; you fhall be employ'd

To haften on his expedition.

[Exeunt Antonio, and Panthino.

Pro. Thus have I fhun'd the fire, for fear of burning, And drench'd me in the fea, where I am drown'd:

I fear'd to fhew my father Julia's letter,

Left

Left he should take exceptions to my love;
And with the vantage of mine own excuse
Hath he excepted moft against my love.
"O, how this fpring of love resembleth
"The uncertain glory of an April day;
"Which now fhews all the beauty of the fup,
"And by and by a cloud takes all away

Re-enter Panthino.

!

Pan. Sir Protheus, your father calls for you;
He is in haste, therefore, I pray you go.

Pro. Why, this it is! my heart accords thereto;
And yet a thousand times it anfwers, no. [Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE 1. Milan. A Room in the Duke's Palace.

Enter Valentine, Speed following.

IR, your glove.

SPEED.

Val. Not mine; my gloves are on.

Spe. Why, this may be yours; for this is but one. Val. Ha! let me fee: ay, give it me, it's mine :Sweet ornament, that decks a thing divine!

Ah Silvia! Silvia!

Spe. Madam Silvia! madam Silvia!
Val. How now, firrah?

Spe. She is not within hearing, fir.
Val. Why, fir, who bad you call her ?
Spe. Your worship, fir; or else I mistook.
Val. Well, you'll ftill be too forward.

Spe. And yet I was last chidden for being too flow.

This act, with the fight omiffions we have marked, would perform well, and be of an agreeable length. Valentine and Protheus hould be pleafing figures, with an easy flow of expreffion; and Julia fhould by amiable appearance as well as tender utterance, claim our favour.

Val. Go to, fir: tell me, do you know madam Silvia? Spe. She that your worship loves?

Val. Why, how know you that I am in love?

Spe. Marry, by these special marks; Firft, you have learn'd, like fir Protheus, to wreath your arms like a malecontent; to relish a love-fong, like a robin-red-breast ; to walk alone, like one that had the peftilence; to figh, like a school-boy that had loft his A B C; to weep, like a young wench that had bury'd her grandame; to faft, like one that takes diet; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at hollowmass: You were wont, when you laugh'd, to crow like a cock; when you walk'd, to walk like one of the lions; when you fafted, it was presently after dinner; when you look'd fadly, is was for want of money: and now you are metamorphos'd with a mistress; that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my master *.

"Val. Are all these things perceiv'd in me? "Spe. They are all perceiv'd without you. "Val. Without me ? they cannot.

"Spe. Without you? nay, that's certain; for, with"out you were fo fimple, none elfe would: but you are "fo without these follies, that these follies are within 66 you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal: "that not an eye, that fees you, but is a physician to 66 comment on your malady.

Val. But, tell me, doft thou know my lady Silvia?
Spe. She that you gaze on fo, as the fits at fupper?
Val. Haft thou obferv'd that even fhe I mean.
Spe. Why, fir, I know her not.

Val. Doft thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know'ft her not?

"Spe. Is the not hard-favour'd, fir?

"Val. Not fo fair, boy, as well-favour'd. "Spe. Sir, I know that well enough.

"Val. What doft thou know?

66

Spe. That she is not so fair, as (of you) well favour'd.

There is a great share of humourous and picturesque fancy in this fpeech: Speed, well fupported, muft produce a laughable effect, and fhould manifeft a quaint fhrewdness of expreffion, and stiff archness of features, fuch as are neceffary to equip Touchstone, in, As you like it.

"Val. I mean that her beauty is exquifite, but her "favour infinite.

66

Spe. That's because the one is painted, and the "other out of all count.

"Val. How painted? and how out of count? "Spe. Marry, fir, fo painted, to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty.

66

"Val. How efteem'st thou me? I account of her beauty. Spe. You never faw her fince she was deform'd. "Val. How long hath the been deform'd ?

"Spe. Ever fince you lov'd her.

Val. I have lov'd her ever fince I faw her; and still I fee her beautiful.

Spe. If you love her, you cannot fee her.

Val. Why?

Spe. Because love is blind. O, that you had mine eyes; or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have, when you chid at fir Protheus for going ungarter'd! Val. What fhould I fee then?

Spe. Your own prefent folly, and her paffing deformity: for he, being in love, could not fee to garter his hofe; and you, being in love, cannot fee to put on your hofe. Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love; for last morning you could not fee to wipe my fhoes.

Spe. True, fir; I was in love with my bed: I thank you, you fwing'd me for my love; which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours.

"Val. In conclufion, I ftand affected to her. [ceafe. "Spe. I would you were fet, fo your affection would "Val. Laft night she enjoin'd me to write some lines "to one fhe loves.

"Spe. And have you ?

"Val. I have.

"Spe. Are they not lamely writ?

"Val. No, boy; but as well as I can do them :" Peace, here she comes.

Enter Silvia.

Spe. O excellent motion! O exceeding puppet! now will he interpret to her.

Val. Madam and mistress, a thousand good-morrows.

Spe. O, 'give ye good even! here's a million of

manners.

Sil. Sir Valentine and servant, to you two thousand. Ste. He should give her intereft; and the gives it him.

Val. As you enjoin'd me, I have writ your letters
Unto the fecret nameless friend of yours;
Which I was much unwilling to proceed in,
But for my duty to your ladyfhip.

[Gives the Letter.
Sil. I thank you, gentle fervant: 'tis very clerkly done.
Val. Now trust me, madam, it came hardly off;
For, being ignorant to whom it goes,

I writ at random, very doubtfully.

Sil. Perchance, you think too much of fo much pains. Val. No, madam; fo it ftead you, I will write, Please you command, a thousand times as much.

And yet

Sil. A pretty period! Well, I guess the sequel; And yet I will not name 't:-and yet I care not:And yet take this again :—and yet I thank you; Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more.

Spe. And yet you will; and yet another yet. Val. What means your ladyship? do you not like it? Sil. Yes, yes; the lines are very quaintly writ : But, fince unwillingly, take them again; Nay, take them.

Val. Madam, they are for you.

Sil. Ay, ay; you writ them, fir, at my request; But I will none of them; they are for you:

I would have had them writ more movingly.

Val. Please you, I'll write your ladyship another.
Sil. And, when it's writ, for my fake read it over:

And, if it please you, fo; if not, why, fo.
Val. If it please me, madam? what then?
Sil. Why, if it please you, take it for your labour;
And fo, good morrow, fervant.

Spe. O jeft unfeen, infcrutable, invifible,

[Exit Silvia.

As a nofe on a man's face, or a weather-cock on a steeple! My mafter fues to her; and fhe hath taught her fuitor, He being her pupil to become her tutor.

O excellent device! was there ever heard a better?

That