And so, unworthily, disgrace the man, Pro. Know, noble lord, they have devis'd a mean, For, love of you, not hate unto my friend, Duke. Upon mine honour, he shall never know That I had any light from thee of this. Pro. Adieu, my lord; sir Valentine is coming. [Exit. Duke. Sir Valentine, whither away so fast? Duke. Be they of much import? Val. The tenor of them doth but signify My health, and happy being at your court. Duke. Nay, then no matter; stay with me a while; I am to break with thee of some affairs, That touch me near, wherein thou must be secret. 2 be not aimed at ;] Be not guessed. Johnson. 3 of this pretence.] Of this claim made to your daughter. Johnson. Pretence is design. So, in K. Lear: "—to feel my affection to your honour, and no other pretence of danger." Again, in the same play: ". ness." Steevens. -pretence and purpose of unkind Val. I know it well, my lord; and, sure, the match Were rich and honourable; besides, the gentleman Is full of virtue, bounty, worth, and qualities, Beseeming such a wife as your fair daughter: Cannot your grace win her to fancy him? Duke. No, trust me; she is peevish, sullen, froward, And turn her out to who will take her in Val. What would your grace have me to do in this? Val. Win her with gifts, if she respect not words; Dumb jewels often, in their silent kind, More than quick words, do move a woman's mind." 4 And, where-] Where, in this instance, has the power of whereas. So, in Pericles, Act I, sc. i: 5 "Where now you 're both a father and a son." Steevens. sir, in Milan, here,] It ought to be thus, instead of—in Verona, here-for the scene apparently is in Milan, as is clear from several passages in the first act, and in the beginning of the first scene of the fourth act. A like mistake has crept into the eighth scene of Act II, where Speed bids his fellow-servant, Launce, welcome to Padua. Pope. 6 the fashion of the time-] The modes of courtship, the acts by which men recommended themselves to ladies. Johnson. 7 Win her with gifts, if she respect not words; Dumb jewels often, in their silent kind, More than quick words, do move a woman's mind. Duke. But she did scorn a present that I sent her." So, in our author's Passionate Pilgrim: "Spare not to spend, "The strongest castle, tower, and town, A line of this stanza "The strongest castle, tower, and town," and two in a succeeding stanza "What though she strive to try her strength, remind us of the following verses in The Historie of Graunde Amoure, [sign. I 2] written by Stephen Hawes, near a century before those of Shakspeare: "Forsake her not, though that she saye nay: Another earlier writer than Shakspeare, speaking of women, has also the same unfavourable (and, I hope, unfounded) senti ment: ""Tis wisdom to give much! a gift prevails, Marlowe's Hero and Leander. Malone. Again, in the First Part of Jeronimo, 1605, though written much earlier: "let his protestations be "Fashioned with rich jewels, for in love "Great gifts and gold have the best tongues to move. "Let him not spare an oath without a jewel "To bind it fast: oh, I know womens hearts "What stuff they are made of, my lord; gifts and giving "Will melt the chastest seeming female living." The same rude sentiment was soon after adopted by Beaumont and Fletcher in The Woman Hater, 1607, Act IV, sc. ii: 66 your offers must "Be full of bounty; velvets to furnish a gown, silks 8 — that I sent her.] To produce a more accurate rhyme, we might read: 66 that I sent, Sir." Val. A woman sometimes scorns what best contents her: Send her another; never give her o'er; For scorn at first makes after-love the more. Duke. But she, I mean, is promis'd by her friends Unto a youthful gentleman of worth; And kept severely from resort of men, That no man hath access, by day, to her. Val. Why, then, I would resort to her, by night. Duke. Ay, but the doors be lock'd, and keys kept safe, That no man hath recourse to her, by night. 9 Val. What lets, but one may enter at her window? Duke. Her chamber is aloft, far from the ground; And built so shelving that one cannot climb it, Without apparent hazard of his life. Val. Why, then, a ladder, quaintly made of cords, To cast up with a pair of anchoring hooks, Would serve to scale another Hero's tower, So bold Leander would adventure it. Duke. Now, as thou art a gentleman of blood, Advise me where I may have such a ladder. Val. When would you use it? pray, sir, tell me that. Duke. This very night; for love is like a child, That longs for every thing, that he can come by. Val. By seven o'clock I'll get you such a ladder. Mr. M. Mason observes, that the rhyme, which was evidently here intended, requires that we should read-"what best content her." The word what may imply those which, as well as that which. Steevens. 9 What lets,] i. e. what hinders. So, in Hamlet, Act I. sc. iv: "By heaven, I'll make a ghost of him that lets me." Steevens Duke. But, hark thee; I will go to her alone; How shall I best convey the ladder thither? Val. It will be light, my lord, that you may bear it Under a cloak, that is of any length. Duke. A cloak, as long as thine, will serve the turn? Val. Ay, my good lord. Duke. Then let me see thy cloak; I'll get me one of such another length. Val. Why, any cloak will serve the turn, my lord. Duke. How shall I fashion me to wear a cloak?— I pray thee, let me feel thy cloak upon me.— What letter is this same? What's here?-To Silvia? And here an engine fit for my proceeding! I'll be so bold to break the seal for once. My thoughts do harbour with my Silvia nightly; And slaves they are to me, that send them flying : O, could their master come and go, as lightly, [Reads. Himself would lodge, where senseless they are lying. My herald thoughts in thy pure bosom rest them; While I, their king, that thither them impórtune, Do curse the grace that with such grace hath bless'd them, Because myself do want my servants' fortune: I curse myself, for they are sent by me,1 That they should harbour, where their lord should be. Silvia, this night I will enfranchise thee: 'Tis so; and here's the ladder for the purpose.— 1 for they are sent by me,] For is the same as for that, since. Johnson. 2 Merops' son)] Thou art Phaeton in thy rashness, but without his pretensions; thou art not the son of a divinity, but a terræ filius, a low-born wretch! Merops is thy true father, with whom Phaeton was falsely reproached. Johnson. This scrap of mythology Shakspeare might have found in the spurious play of K. John, 1591: 66 as sometime Phaëton Mistrusting silly Merops for his sire.” Or, in Robert Greene's Orlando Furioso, 1594: Why, foolish, hardy, daring, simple groom, "Follower of fond conceited Phaeton," &c. Steevens. |