Sly. These fifteen years! by my fay, a goodly nap. But did I never speak of all that time? 1 Serv. O, yes, my lord; but very idle words :- And say, you would present her at the leet, 3 Serv. Why, sir, you know no house, nor no such maid; And twenty more such names and men as these, Sly. Now, Lord be thanked for my good amends! Sly. I thank thee; thou shalt not lose by it. Enter the Page, as a lady, with Attendants. Page. How fares my noble lord? Sly. Marry, I fare well; for here is cheer enough. Where is my wife? Page. Here, noble lord: what is thy will with her? Sly. I know it well :-What must I call her? Sly. Al'ce madam, or Joan madam? Lord. Madam, and nothing else; so lords call ladies. Sly. Madam, wife, they say that I have dream'd, and Above some fifteen year and more. Page. Ay, and the time seems thirty unto me; Being all this time abandon'd from your bed. leet,] At the court-leet, or courts of the manor. [slept John Naps of Greece]-read old. John Naps o' the Green. BLACKSTONE. Sly. 'Tis much;--Servants, leave me and her alone.Madam, undress you, and come now to bed. Page. Thrice noble lord, let me entreat of you, To pardon me yet for a night or two; For your physicians have expressly charg'd, That I should yet absent me from your bed: I hope, this reason stands for my excuse. Sly. Ay, it stands so, that I may hardly tarry so long. But I would be loath to fall into my dreams again; I will therefore tarry, in despite of the flesh and the blood. Enter a Servant. Serv. Your honour's players, hearing your amendment, Are come to play a pleasant comedy, For so your doctors hold it very meet; Seeing too much sadness hath congeal'd your blood, Therefore, they thought it good you hear a play, Sly. Marry, I will; let them play it: Is not a com- Page. It is a kind of history. Sly. Well, we'll see't: Come, madam wife, sit by my side, and let the world slip; we shall ne'er be younger. [They sit down. Enter LUCENTIO and TRANIO. Luc. Tranio, since-for the great desire I had To see fair Padua, nursery of arts,— P Is not a commonty-] Thus the old copies; the modern ones read -It is not a commodity, &c. Commonty for comedy.-STEEVENS. In the old play the players themselves use the word commodity corruptly for a comedy.-BLACKSTONE. I am arriv'd for fruitful Lombardy, The pleasant garden of great Italy; And by my father's love and leave, am arm'd Gave me my being, and my father first, Vincentio his son, brought up in Florence, Talk logick with acquaintance that you have, ingenious-] It was probably written-ingenuous studies, but of this and a thousand such observations there is little certainty. In Cole's Dictionary, 1677, it is remarked-" ingenuous and ingenious are too often confounded." so late as the time of the Spectator, we read, No. 437, 1st. edition, “A parent who forces a child of a liberal and ingenious spirit."-JOHNSON and REED. to serve all hopes conceiv'd,] To fulfil the expectations of his friends. · Aristotle's checks,] Tranio is here descanting on academical learning, and mentions by name six of the seven liberal sciences. I suspect this to be a misprint, made by some copyist or compositor, for ethicks. The sense confirms it.-BLACKSTONE. S t Musick and poesy use to quicken" you ; The mathematicks, and the metaphysicks, your No profit grows, where is no pleasure taʼen ;- Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise. We could at once put us in readiness; Such friends, as time in Padua shall beget. But stay awhile: What company is this; Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to town. Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and Bap. Gentlemen, importune me no further, If either of you both love Katharina, Because I know you well, and love you well, Kath. I pray you, sir, [to BAP.] is it your will To make a stale* of me amongst these mates? Hor. Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates for you, Unless you were of gentler, milder mould. Kath. I'faith, sir, you shall never need to fear; I wis, it is not half way to her heart: But, if it were, doubt not her care should be To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool, u X quicken ;] i. e. Animate. a stale-]i. e. A decoy, any thing used to entice or draw on a person. In this passage, it has been observed by Mr. Douce that there is a quibbling allusion intended to the stale mute at chess.-NARES's Glossary. Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastime toward; That wench is stark mad, or wonderful forward. Luc. But in the other's silence I do see Maid's mild behaviour and sobriety. Peace, Tranio. Tra. Well said, master; mum! and gaze your fill. And let it not displease thee, good Bianca; Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st hear Minerva speak. Hor. Signior Baptista, will you be so strange? Sorry am I, that our good will effects Bianca's grief. Gre. Why, will you Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell, And make her bear the penance of her tongue? [Aside. [Exit BIANCA. And for I know, she taketh most delight To mine own children in good bringing-up; A pretty peat!] Peat or pet is a word of endearment from petit, little, as if it meant pretty little thing.-JOHNSON. a so strange?] i. e. So different from others in your conduct.-JOHNSON. · cunning men] Cunning had not yet lost its original signification of knowing, learned, as may be observed in the translation of the Bible.JOHNSON. |