Jul. To Julia,-Say, from whom? Luc. Sir Valentine's page; and sent, I think, from Proteus: There, take the paper, see it be return'd; Luc. To plead for love deserves more fee than hate. you Luc. That you may ruminate. Jul. And yet, I would, I had o'erlook'd the letter. It were a shame to call her back again, And pray her to a fault for which I chid her. Which they would have the profferer construe, Ay. And ask remission for my folly past :- Re-enter LUCETTA. Jul. Is it near dinner-time ? Luc. I would it were; That you might kill And not upon your maid. your stomach on your meat, 5. up Jul. What is't you took So gingerly? Luc. Nothing. [5] Stomach was used for passion or obstinacy. JOHNSON. [Exit. Jul. Why didst thou stoop then? Luc. To take a paper up that I let fall. Luc. Nothing concerning me. Jul. Then let it he for those that it concerns. Luc. Madam, it will not lie where it concerns, Unless it have a false interpreter. Jul. Some love of yours hath writ to you in rhyme Luc. That I might sing it, madam, to a tune : Give me a note: your ladyship can set― Jul. As little by such toys as may be possible: Best sing it to the tune of Light o'love. Luc. It is too heavy for so light a tune. Jul. Heavy? belike, it hath some burden then. Luc. I cannot reach so high. Jul. Let's see your song :-How now, minion? And yet, methinks, I do not like this tune. Jul. You do not? Luc. No, madam; it is too sharp. And mar the concord with too harsh a descant: Jul. The mean is drown'd with your unruly base. Go, get you gone; and let the papers lie: [Tears the letter Luc. She makes it strange; but she would be best pleas'd To be so anger'd with another letter. [Exit. Jul. Nay, would I were so anger'd with the same! O hateful hands, to tear such loving words! And, here is writ-kind Julia ;-unkind Julia ! [6] Descant is a term in music. The mean is the tenor. STEEVENS. [7] The speaker here turns the allusion (which her mistress employ'd) from the base in music, to a country exercise, the base: in which some pursue, and others. are made prisoners. WARBURTON. As in revenge of thy ingratitude, I throw thy name against the bruising stones, Shall lodge thee, till thy wound be throughly heal'd; But twice, or thrice, was Proteus written down? Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will. Re-enter LUCetta. Luc. Madam, dinner's ready, and your father stays. Luc. What, shall these papers lie like tell-tales here? The same. SCENE III. [Exeunt. A room in ANTONIO's house. Enter ANTONIO and PANTHINO. Ant. Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk was that, Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister? Pant. 'Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son. Ant. Why, what of him? [8] A month's mind was an anniversary in times of popery; or, as Mr. Ray calls it, a less solemnity directed by the will of the deceased. There was also a year's mind, and a week's mind. GRAY. A month's mind, in the ritual sense, signifies not desire or inclination, but remembrance; yet I suppose this is the true original of the expression. JOHNSON. Pant. He wonder'd, that your lordship Put forth their sons to seek preferment out: He said, that Proteus, your son, was meet; Ant. Nor need'st thou much impórtune me to that And perfected by the swift course of time: How his companion, youthful Valentine, Ant. I know it well. Pant. 'Twere good, I think, your lordship sent him There shall he practise tilts and tournaments, [9] In Shakespeare's time, voyages for the discovery of the islands of Americe were much in vogue. And we find in the journals of the travellers of that time, that the sons of noblemen, and of others of the best families in England, went very frequently on these adventures. Such as the Fortescues, Collitons, Thornhills, Far mers, Pickerings, Littletons, Willoughbys, Chesters, Hawleys, Bromleys, and others. To this prevailing fashion our poet frequently alludes, and not without high commendations of it. WARBURTON. [1] Impeachment in this instance signifies reproach or imputation. MASON. [2] Shakespeare has been guilty of no mistake in placing the emperor's court at Milan in this play. Several of the first German emperors held their courts there occasionally, it being, at that time, their immediate property, and the chief town of their Italian dominions. Some of them were crowned kings of Italy at Milan, be fore they received the imperial crown at Rome. Nor has the poet fallen into any contradiction by giving a duke to Milan at the same time that the emperor held his court there. The first dukes of that, and all the other great cities in Italy, were not sovereign princes, as they afterwards became; but were merely governors, or viceroys, under the emperors, and removable at their pleasure: such was the Duke of Milan mentioned in this play. Mr. M. Mason adds, that, "during the wars in Italy between Francis I. and Charles V. the latter frequently resided at Milan." STEEVENS. 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 may'st perceive how well I like it, The execution of it shall make known ; Even with the speediest execution I will despatch him to the emperor's court. Pant. 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 go: And, in good time, now will we break with him. Enter PROTEUS. Pro. Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life! Ant. How now? what letter are you reading there ? Pro. May't please your lordship, 'tis a word or two Of commendation sent 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 grac'd by the emperor; Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune. And not depending on his friendly wish. Ant. My will is something sorted with his wish. To-morrow be in readiness to go: Excuse it not, for I am peremptory Pro. My lord, I cannot be so soon provided; you, deliberate a day or two. Please |