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? Except mine own name; that some whirlwind bear Now kiss, embrace, contend, do what you will. 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 remett brance; yet I suppose this is the true original of the expression. JOHNSON. Pant. He wonder'd, that your lordship He said, that Proteus, your son, was meet; Ant. Nor need'st thou much impórtune me to that I have consider'd well his loss of time; And perfected by the swift course of time: Then, tell me, whither were I best to send him? How his companion, youthful Valentine, Attends the emperor in his royal court.* Ant. I know it well. Pant. "Twere good, I think, your lordship sent him thither: There shall he practise tilts and tournaments, [9] In Shakespeare's time, voyages for the discovery of the islands of America 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, Farmers, 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, before 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 1. and Charles V. the latter frequently resided at Milan." STEEVENS I 13 VOL. I. 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. Ant. And how stand you affected to his wish? And not depending on his friendly wish. Ant. My will is something sorted with his wish: I am resolv'd, that thou shalt spend some time What maintenance he from his friends receives, To-morrow be in readiness to go: 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 PANT. I fear'd to shew my father Julia's letter, Th' uncertain glory of an April day; Pant. Sir Proteus, 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 answers, No. ACT II. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-Milan. An apartment in the Duke's palace. Enter VALENTINE and SPEED. SIR, your glove. Speed. Val. Not mine; my gloves are on. Speed. Why then this may be yours, for this is but one. Val. Ha! let me see: ay, give it me, it's mine :Sweet ornament that decks a thing divine! Ah Silvia! Silvia ! Speed. Madam Silvia! Madam Silvia! Val. How now, sirrah? Speed. She is not within hearing, sir. Val. Why, sir, who bade you call her? Speed. Your worship, sir; or else I mistook. Val. Well, you'll still be too forward. Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too slow. Val. Go to, sir; tell me, do you know madam Silvia ? Speed. She that your worship loves? Val. Why, how know you that I am in love? Speed. Marry, by these special marks: First, you have learned, like sir Proteus, to wreath your arms like a malecontent; to relish a love-song, like a robin-red-breast; to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to sigh, like a school-boy that had lost his A. B. C.; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to fast, like one that takes diet; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmas." You were wont, when you laughed, to crow like a cock; when you walked, to walk like one of the lions; when you fasted, it was presently after dinner; when you looked sadly, it was for want of money and now you are metamorphosed with a mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my master. Val. Are all these things perceived in me? Speed. Without you? nay, that's certain, for, without you were so simple, none else would: but you are so without these follies, that these follies are within you, and shine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an eye, that sees you, but is a physician to comment on your malady. Val. But, tell me, dost thou know my lady Silvia? Val. Dost thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet knowest her not? Speed. Is she not hard favoured, sir? Val. Not so fair, boy, as well favoured. Val. What dost thou know? Speed. That she is not so fair, as (of you) well favoured. Val. I mean, that her beauty is exquisite, but her favour infinite. Speed. That's because the one is painted, and the other out of all count. [3] This is about the feast of All-Saints, when winter begins, and the life of a vagrant becomes less comfortable. JOHNSON. It is worth remarking that on All-Saint's-Day the poor people in Staffordshire, and perhaps in other country places, go from parish to parish, a souling as they call it; i. e. begging and puling (or singing small, as Bailey's Dictionary explains puling) for soul-cakes, or any good thing to make them merry. This custom is menoned by Peck, and seems a remnant of Popish superstition to pray for departed Bouls, particularly those of friends.. TOLLET. |