PRO. Here's too small a pasture for such store of muttons.

SPEED. If the ground be overcharged, you were best stick her.

PRO. Nay, in that you are astray; 't were best pound you.

SPEED. Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter.

PRO. You mistake; I mean the pound, a pinfold.

SPEED. From a pound to a pin? fold it over and over,

"T is threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover.

and

PRO. But what said she? [SPEED nods.] Did she nod ?b

SPEED. I.c

PRO. Nod, I; why, that 's noddy.a

SPEED. You mistook, sir; I say she did nod: you ask me if she did nod; and I say, I. PRO. And that set together is-noddy. SPEED. Now you have taken the pains to set it together, take it for your pains.

PRO. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter.

SPEED. Well, I perceive I must be fain to bear with you.

PRO. Why, sir, how do you bear with me? SPEED. Marry, sir, the letter very orderly; having nothing but the word, noddy, for my pains. PRO. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit. SPEED. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse.

PRO. Come, come, open the matter in brief: what said she?

SPEED. Open your purse, that the money, and the matter, may be both at once delivered. PRO. Well, sir, here is for your pains: what said she?

SPEED. Truly, sir, I think you'll hardly win her.

PRO. Why? Couldst thou perceive so much from her?

SPEED. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her; no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter: and being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she 'll prove as hard

a In that you are astray;] It has been proposed, to keep up this bout of petty quibbles, that we should read a stray, i. e. a stray sheep.

b Did she nod?] This query, and the stage-direction, Speed nods, were added by Theobald. The latter seems essential to what follows; but I have ventured to insert it at a different place to that in which it has hitherto been given.

I.] The old spelling of the aflirmative particle Ay, without which the conceit of Proteus would be unintelligible.

d Why, that's noddy.] There is a game at cards called Noddy, but the allusion is rather to the common acceptation of Noddy,

-Take this for

to you in telling your mind. Give her no token but stones; for she's as hard as steel. PRO. What, said she nothing? SPEED. No, not so much asthy pains. To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testern'd me; (3) in requital whereof henceforth carry your letters yourself: and so, sir I'll commend you to my master.

PRO. Go, go, be gone, to save your ship from
wrack;

Which cannot perish, having thee aboard,
Being destin'd to a drier death on shore:---
I must go send some better messenger;
I fear my Julia would not deign my lines,
Receiving them from such a worthless post.

[Exeunt.

JUL. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone, Would'st thou then counsel me to fall in love? Luc. Ay, madam; so you stumble not unheedfully.

JUL. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen,
That every day with parle encounter me,
In thy opinion, which is worthiest love?

Luc. Please you, repeat their names, I'll show my mind

According to my shallow simple skill.

JUL. What think'st thou of the fair sir Eglamour?

Luc. As of a knight well-spoken, neat and fine;

But, were I you, he never should be mine.

JUL. What think'st thou of the rich Mercatio? Luc. Well of his wealth; but of himself, so so. JUL. What think'st thou of the gentle Proteus? Luc. Lord, Lord! to see what folly reigns in us! JUL. How now! what means this passion at

his name?

Luc. Pardon, dear madam; 't is a passing shame,

That I, unworthy body as I am,

which is, a noodle, a simpleton. In "Wit's Private Wealth," 1612, we find, "If you see a trull, scarce give her a nod, but do not follow her, lest you prove a noddy."

e The letter very orderly:] For orderly, I have sometimes thought we should read, motherly, or, according to the ancient spelling, moderly. From the words bearing, bear with you, my pains, a quick wit, and delivered, the humour appears to consist of allusions to child-bearing. None of the editors have noticed this; and yet, unless such conceit be understood, there seems no significance whatever in the last few passages.

JUL. To Julia,-Say, from whom?
Luc. That the contents will show.
JUL. Say, say; who gave it thee?
Luc. Sir Valentine's page; and sent, I think,
from Proteus:

He would have given it you, but I, being in the

way,

Did in your name receive it; pardon the fault, I pray.

JUL. Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker!" Dare you presume to harbour wanton lines? To whisper and conspire against my youth? Now, trust me, 't is an office of great worth, And you an officer fit for the place. There, take the paper, see it be return'd; Or else return no more into my sight. Luc. To plead for love deserves more fee than hate. JUL. Will you be gone? Luc.

That you may ruminate. [Exit. JUL. And yet, I would I had o'erlook'd the letter.

It were a shame to call her back again,

Julia's "Why not on Proteus?" &c. proves, I think, that on occurred in the preceding line.

b Fire, that's closest kept,-] Fire in old times was often spelt fyer, and appears here, as in other portions of these plays, to be used as a dissyllable.

c A goodly broker!] A pander, a go-between, a procuress.

And pray her to a fault for which I chid her.
What fool is she, that knows I am a maid,
And would not force the letter to my view!
Since maids, in modesty, say No to that
Which they would have the profferer construe Ay.
Fie, fie! how wayward is this foolish love,
That, like a testy babe, will scratch the nurse,
And presently, all humbled, kiss the rod !
How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence,
When willingly I would have had her here!
How angerly I taught my brow to frown,
When inward joy enforc'd my heart to smile!
My penance is, to call Lucetta back,
And ask remission for my folly past :-
What ho! Lucetta!(4)

Your ladyship can set.] "When Lucetta says 'Give me a note [to sing to]: your ladyship can set [a song to music],' it adds one more to the many proofs of the superior cultivation of the science in those days. We should not now readily attribute to ladies, even to those who are generally considered to be well educated and accomplished, enough knowledge of harmony to enable them to set a song correctly to music, however agile their fingers may be."-CHAPPELL's Popular Music of the Olden Time, p. 221.

b Too harsh a descant:] "The name of Descant is usurped of the musicians in divers significations; sometime they take it for the whole harmony of many voices; others sometime, for one of the voices or parts. Last of all, they take it for singing a part extempore upon a plain song, in which sense we commonly use

Luc. Keep tune there still, so you will sing

it out:

And yet, methinks, I do not like this tune.
JUL. You do not?

Luc. No, madam; 't is too sharp.
JUL. You, minion, are too saucy.

Luc. Nay, now you are too flat,

And mar the concord with too harsh a descant: " There wanteth but a mean to fill your song.

JUL. The mean is drown'd with your unruly base.d

Luc. Indeed, I bid the base for Proteus. (7) JUL. This babble shall not henceforth trouble me. Here is a coil with protestation !—

[Tears the letter. lie:

Go, get you gone; and let the papers

You would be fingering them, to anger me.

Luc. She makes it strange; but she would be

O hateful hands, to tear such loving words!
Injurious wasps! to feed on such sweet honey,
And kill the bees, that yield it, with your stings!
I'll kiss each several paper for amends.
Look, here is writ-kind Julia :-unkind Julia!
As in revenge of thy ingratitude,

I throw thy name against the bruising stones,
Trampling contemptuously on thy disdain.
And, here is writ-love wounded Proteus :-
Poor wounded name! my bosom, as a bed,
Shall lodge thee, till thy wound be throughly
heal'd;

And thus I search it with a sovereign kiss.
But twice, or thrice, was-Proteus-written down:
Be calm, good wind, blow not a word away,
Till I have found each letter in the letter,
Except mine own name: that some whirlwind bear
Unto a ragged, fearful, hanging rock,
And throw it thence into the raging sea!
Lo, here in one line is his name twice writ,-
Poor forlorn Proteus, passionate Proteus,
To the sweet Julia; that I'll tear away;
And yet I will not, sith so prettily
He couples it to his complaining names;
Thus will I fold them one upon another:
Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will.

e The mean-] That is, the intermediate part between the tenor and the treble.

d Your unruly base.] The original has, "you unruly base." The alteration was made in the second folio.

e Nay, would I were so anger'd with the same !] It is surprising that no one has hitherto pointed out the inconsistency of Julia's replying to an observation evidently intended to be spoken by her attendant aside, or remarked the utter absence of all meaning in such reply. I have little doubt that the line above is part of Lucetta's side speech. The expression of the wish "would I were so anger'd with the same!" from her is natural and consistent. In the mouth of her mistress it seems senseless and absurd.

ANT. Tell me, Panthino," what sad talk was that,

Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister? PAN. 'T was of his nephew Proteus, your son. ANT. Why, what of him?

PAN.
He wonder'd that your lordship
Would suffer him to spend his youth at home;
While other men, of slender reputation,
Put forth their sons to seek preferment out:
Some, to the wars, to try their fortune there;
Some, to discover islands far away;
Some, to the studious universities.
For any, or for all these exercises,

He said that Proteus, your son, was meet:
And did request me to impórtune you,
To let him spend his time no more at home,
Which would be great impeachment to his age,
In having known no travel in his youth.

ANT. Nor need'st thou much impórtune me to that

Whereon this month I have been hammering.
I have consider'd well his loss of time;
And how he cannot be a perfect man,
Not being try'd and tutor'd in the world:
Experience is by industry achiev'd,
And perfected by the swift course of time:
Then, tell me, whither were I best to send him?
PAN. I think your lordship is not ignorant,

a For catching cold.] i. e. for fear of catching cold. A mode of expression very common in our author's day.

Panthino,-] In the list of persons represented in the old copy this name is spelt Panthion. In the play, Act I. Sc. 3, he is designated Panthino; and in Act II. Sc. 3, Panthion.

How his companion, youthful Valentine, Attends the emperor in his royal court. ANT. I know it well.

PAN. "T were good, I think, your lordship sent him thither:

There shall he practise tilts and tournaments,
Hear sweet discourse, converse with noblemen;
And be in eye of every exercise,

Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth.

ANT. I like thy counsel; well hast thou advis'd:
And, that thou mayst perceive how well I like it,
The execution of it shall make known:
Even with the speediest expedition,

I will despatch him to the emperor's court.
PAN. To-morrow, may it please you, Don
Alphonso,

With other gentlemen of good esteem,
Are journeying to salute the emperor,
And to commend their service to his will.

ANT. Good company; with them shall Proteus

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 wish.

ANT. My will is something sorted with his
wish:

Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed;
For what I will, I will, and there an end.

I am resolv'd that thou shalt spend some time

e Sad talk-] Grave, serious talk.

d And, in good time.] That is, he comes in good time, apropos. We have a saying now, in the nick of time.

e Now will we break with him.] Break the matter to him. Open the subject.

With Valentinus in the emperor's court;
What maintenance he from his friends receives,
Like exhibition" thou shalt have from me.
To-morrow be in readiness to go:
Excuse it not, for I am peremptory.

PRO. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided; Please you, deliberate a day or two.

ANT. Look, what thou want'st shall be sent
after thee:

No more of stay; to-morrow thou must go.-
Come on, Panthino; you shall be employ'd
To hasten on his expedition.

[Exeunt ANT. and PAN.

PRO. Thus have I shunn'd the fire, for fear of burning;

And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd:

a Like exhibition-] Pension, allowance.

b O, how this spring of love resembleth-] Resembleth, Mr. Tyr