TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERON A. ACT I. SCENE I. An open place in Verona. Enter VALENTINE and PROTEUS. Val. Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus; Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits : Wer't not, affection chains thy tender days To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love, I rather would entreat thy company, To see the wonders of the world abroad, Than living dully sluggardiz'd at home, Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.' But, since thou lov'st, love still, and thrive therein, Even as I would, when I to love begin. Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu! Think on thy Proteus, when thou, haply, seest Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel: Wish me partaker in thy happiness, When thou dost meet good hap; and, in thy danger, If ever danger do environ thee, 1 shapeless idleness.) The expression is fine, as implying that idleness prevents the giving any form or character to the manners. WARBURTON. Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers, Val. And on a love-book pray for my success. How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont.* Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love, Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots.3 Val. No, I'll not, for it boots thee not. Pro. Val. What? To be In love, where scorn is bought with groans; coy looks, With heart-sore sighs; one fading moment's mirth, If haply won, perhaps, a hapless gain; However, but a folly bought with wit, 2 some shallow story of deep love, How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont.) The poem of Musaus, entitled HERO AND LEANDER, is meant. Marlowe's translation of this piece was extremely popular, and deservedly 60, many of Marlowe's lines being as smooth as those of Dryden. 3 nay, give me not the boots.) A proverbial expression, though now disused, signifying, don't make a laughing stock of me; don't play with me. Perhaps this expression took its origin from a sport the country people in Warwickshire use at their harvest-home, where one sits as judge to try misdemeanors committed in harvest, and the punish ment for the men, is to be laid on a bench, and slapped on the breech with a pair of boots. This they call giving them the boots. The lots, however, were an ancient engine of torture in Scotland. 4 However, but a folly, &c.] This love will end in a foolish action, to produce which you are long to spend your wit, or it will end in the loss of your wit, which will be overpowered by the folly of love. JOHNSON, Or else a wit by folly vanquished. Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool. Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear, you'll prove. Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at; I am not love. And he that is so yoked by a fool, Pro. Yet writers say, As in the sweetest bud Val. And writers say, As the most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow, Even so by love the young and tender wit Is turn'd to folly; blasting in the bud, Losing his verdure even in the prime, And all the fair effects of future hopes. But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee, That art a votary to fond desire? Once more adieu: my father at the road Expects my coming, there to see me shipp'd. Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine. Val. Sweet Proteus, no; now let us take our leave. At Milan, let me hear from thee by letters, Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan ! Val. As much to you at home! and so, farewell. [Exit VALENTINE. Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love : * At Milan,] The old copy has-To Milan, and may be right. "To Milan"-may here be intended as an imperfect sentence. I am now bound for Milan; or let me hear from thee by letters addressed to me at Milan. MALONE. He leaves his friends, to dignify them more; thought. Enter SPEED.6 Speed. Sir Proteus, save you: Saw you my mas ter? Pro. But now he parted hence, to embark for Milan. Speed. Twenty to one then, he is shipp'd already; And I have play'd the sheep, in losing him. Pro. Indeed a sheep doth very often stray, An if the shepherd be awhile away. Speed. You conclude that my master is a shep herd then, and I a sheep? Pro. I do. Speed. Why then my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep. Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep. other. Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore, I am no sheep. Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, 6 Mr. Pope's opinion that this scene was interpolated by the players seems advanced without any proof, only to give a greater licence to criticism. JOHNSON. |