And pinch'd the lily-tincture of her face, Jul. About my stature for, at Pentecost, If I in thought felt not her very sorrow! Sil. She is beholding 24 to thee, gentle youth : Alas, poor lady, desolate and left! 21 That, with the force of so that, or insomuch that, occurs continually in these plays. 22 A-good is heartily or in good earnest. So in Drayton's Dowsabell, 1593: But then the shepherd piped a-good, That all his sheep forsook their food 23 To passion is to express sorrow or emotion. So in the Poet's Venus and Adonis: "Dumbly she passions, franticly she doteth." 24 Beholding was continually used in Shakespeare's time where we should use beholden; the active form with the passive sense. According to Butler's Grammar, 1633, beholding "signifyeth to respect and behold, or look upon with love and thanks for a benefit received. So that this English phrase, I am beholding to you, is as much as, I specially respect you for some special kindness: yet some, now-a-days, had rather write Beholden; i.e., obliged, answering to that teneri et firmiter obligari." This shows that in 1633 the form beholden was growing into use. Shakespeare abounds in similar instances of the indiscriminate use of active and passive forms. I weep myself to think upon thy words. Here, youth, there is my purse: I give thee this For thy sweet mistress' sake, because thou lovest her. Jul. And she shall thank you for't, if e'er you know her. - A virtuous gentlewoman, mild and beautiful! I hope my master's suit will be but cold, Here is her picture: let me see; I think, Her eyes are grey as glass; 26 and so are mine: 25 False hair was much worn by the ladies in Elizabeth's time, probably from a general desire to have hair like the Queen's, who was then taken as the standard of beauty. The fashion is referred to in The Merchant, iii. 2: So are those crispèd snaky golden locks Which make such wanton gambols with the wind, Upon supposed fairness, often known To be the dowry of a second head. 26 What we call blue eyes were always described as grey in the Poet's time. And glass was not colourless then, as we have it, but of a light-blue tint. So that "eyes grey as glass" were of the soft azure or cerulean, such as usually go with the auburn and yellow hair of Silvia and Julia. 27 A high forehead or brow was considered eminently beautiful in the Poet's time. Here, again, the Queen's bald brow set the fashion; for, as White says, "there are fashions even in beauty." But I can make respective 28 in myself, If this fond Love were not a blinded god? Come, shadow, come, and take this shadow up, Thou shalt be worshipp'd, kiss'd, loved, and adored! My substance should be statue 29 in thy stead. I'll use thee kindly for thy mistress' sake, That used me so; or else, by Jove I vow, I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes, [Exit. 28 Respective for respectable. The same usage pointed out just above in note 24 holds in the active and passive forms of adjectives as well as in those of verbs and participles. Shakespeare is full of cases in point; such as inexpressive for inexpressible, plausive for approvable, comfortable for comforting, disputable for disputatious, incredulous for incredible, and ever so many others. 29 The words statue and picture were sometimes used interchangeably. Thus Stowe, speaking of Elizabeth's funeral: "When they beheld her statue or picture lying upon the coffin, there was a general sighing." So too, in Massinger's City Madam, Frugal wants his daughters to "take leave of their late suitors' statues"; and Luke answers, "There they hang." Egl. The Sun begins to gild the western sky; And now it is about the very hour That Silvia, at Friar Patrick's cell, should meet me. She will not fail; for lovers break not hours, Unless it be to come before their time; So much they spur their expedition. See where she comes. — Enter SILVIA. Lady, a happy evening! Sil. Amen, amen! Go on, good Eglamour, Out at the postern by the abbey-wall : I fear I am attended by some spies. Egl. Fear not the forest is not three leagues off; If we recover that, we're sure enough. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The Same. A Room in the DUKE's Palace. Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA in boy's clothes. Thu. Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit? And yet she takes exceptions at your person. Pro. No; that it is too little. Thu. I'll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder. Jul. [Aside.] But love will not be spurr'd to what it loathes. Thu. What says she to my face? Pro. She says it is a fair one. Thu. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is black. Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes. Jul. [Aside.] 'Tis true, such pearls as put out ladies' eyes; For I had rather wink than look on them. Thu. How likes she my discourse? Pro. Ill, when you talk of war. Thu. But well, when I discourse of love and peace? Jul. [Aside.] But, indeed, better when you hold your peace. Thu. What says she to my valour? Pro. No doubt of that. O, sir, she makes Jul. [Aside.] She needs not, when she knows it cowardice. Thu. What says she to my birth? Pro. That you are well derived. Jul. [Aside.] True; from a gentleman to a fool. Thu. Considers she my possessions? Pro. O, ay; and pities them. Thu. Wherefore? Jul. [Aside.] That such an ass should owe1 them. Pro. That they are out by lease.2 Jul. Here comes the Duke. Enter the DUKE. Duke. How now, Sir Proteus! how now, Thurio! Which of you saw Sir Eglamour of late? 1 Owe for own or possess. See page 104, note 7. out by 2 Thurio means his lands; but Proteus chooses to take him as meaning his mental endowments, which, he says, are out of his keeping, or lease"; so that he, lacking them, is a dunce. |