our dramatist, "Love's Labour's Lost," and one of the two in still another early written play, "Romeo and Juliet "; but in no other of his dramas. One of these points is an allusion to the custom of engraving or carving figures on an agate"; the other is in reference to a particular fashion of wearing-apparel, called a "slop" or "slops," which were large loose trousers :—

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If low, an agate very vilely cut.—M. Ado, iii. 1.

His heart, like an agate, with your print impress'd.—Love's L. L., ii. 1.

I was never manned with an agate till now.-2 H. IV., i. 2.

A German from the waist downward, all slops.—M. Ado, iii. 2.
O, rhymes are guards on wanton Cupid's hose:
Disfigure not his slop.-Love's L. L., iv. 3.

What said Master Dumbleton about the satin for my short cloak and my slops?— 2 H. IV., i. 2.

Signior Romeo, bon jour! there's a French salutation to your French slop.— R. & Jul., ii. 4.

In "Romeo and Juliet" there are some signal tokens of Shakespeare's correspondent mode of thinking at the time he wrote this tragedy and at the time he wrote the play of "Love's Labour's Lost." One is a recurrent allusion to books as a figurative illustration of human looks:Study his bias leaves, and makes his book thine eyes.—Love's L. L., iv. 2 (Verses), From women's eyes this doctrine I derive,

They are the ground, the books, the academes,

From whence doth spring the true Promethean fire. . . .

They are the books, the arts, the academes,

That show, contain, and nourish all the world.—Ibid., iv. 3.

Read o'er the volume of young Paris' face,

And find delight writ there with beauty's pen;

Examine every married lineament,

And see how one another lends content;
And what obscur'd in this fair volume lies,
Find written in the margin of his eyes.

This precious book of love, this unbound lover,
To beautify him, only lacks a cover:

The fish lives in the sea; and 'tis much pride,
For fair without the fair within to hide.

That book in many's eyes doth share the glory,

That in gold clasps locks in the golden story.-R. & Jul., i. 3.
Was ever book containing such vile matter,

So fairly bound?—Ibid., iii. 2.

Another similar point in these two plays is the heaping up of hyperbolical and antithetical expressions:

This wimpled, whining, purblind, wayward boy;
This senior-junior, giant-dwarf, Dan Cupid;
Regent of love-rhymes, lord of folded arms,
Th anointed sovereign of sighs and groans,
Liege of all loiterers and malcontents,
Dread prince of plackets, king of cod-pieces,
Sole imperator and great general

Of trotting paritors.-Love's L. L., iii. 1.

Here's much to do with hate, but more with love :

Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!

O anything, of nothing first create!

O heavy lightness! serious vanity!

Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms!

Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!
Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!

This love feel I, that feel no love in this.-R. & Jul., i. 1.

O, serpent heart, hid with a flowering face!
Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?
Beautiful tyrant! fiend angelical!

Dove-feather'd raven! wolvish-ravening lamb!
Despised substance of divinest show!
Just opposite to what thou justly seem'st,
A damned saint, an honourable villain!
O, nature! what hadst thou to do in hell,
When thou didst bower the spirit of a fiend

In mortal paradise of such sweet flesh ?—Ibid., iii. 2.

There is also a seemingly trivial point of coincidence in these two plays but, joined with other concurrent particulars, it seems to us significant. It is that in these two plays alone has Shakespeare used the woman's name of "Rosaline;" but in both plays he has assigned it to characters bearing points of personal and even dispositional resemblance. Rosaline in "Love's Labour's Lost" appears to us to be the finished picture of which Rosaline in "Romeo and Juliet" is but the outlined sketch; Rosaline in "Love's Labour's Lost' is the most highly wrought female figure on that dramatic canvas, while Rosaline in Romeo and Juliet" is merely mentioned, not seen, though limned with distinct touches, and brought vividly before our mental vision. Rosaline in " Love's Labour's Lost" is emphatically stated to be a dark beauty, with exquisitely beautiful and expressive eyes. [See passage quoted at page 478.]

Even when Biron, vexed at being unable to resist his passion for her, attempts to disparage her charms, he uses an expression that precisely describes a dark beauty whose skin looks dazzlingly fair by contrast with her pencilled brows and brilliantly black eyes :

And, among three, to love the worst of all;

A whitely wanton with a velvet brow,

With two pitch balls stuck in her face for eyes.-Love's L. L., iii. 1.

And the expressions employed by Mercutio when speaking of Rosaline in "Romeo and Juliet" tally remarkably with the above:

Ah! that same pale hard-hearted wench, that Rosaline,
Torments him so, that he will sure run mad..

...

Alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead! stabbed with a white wench's black eye.— R. & Jul., ii. 4.

Rosaline in "Love's Labour's Lost ".is proof against the solicitations of her admirer, and dooms him to a twelvemonth's severe probation in absence and hard service; while Rosaline in "Romeo and Juliet" is deaf to her lover's suit, repels all his advances with rigour, and is called by his friend" hard-hearted." We have always had the strong impression that both the highly painted portrait of Rosaline in "Love's Labour's Lost" and the sketched delineation of Rosaline in "Romeo and Juliet " were taken from one and the same life-original-some lady known to him; and, to our thinking, probably likewise identical with the dark

beauty so graphically described in Sonnets 127, 130, 131, 132. In this last-named Sonnet we have again presented to our beholding the individual bright-eyed, dark-complexioned, pitiless-hearted charmer that he depicted in the two dramatic portraitures. [See passage quoted at page 479.]

RELATIVELY USED PRONOUNS.

Shakespeare often uses a pronoun in reference to some person or thing not precisely stated, but in reference to an implied particular:—

If the French be lords of this loud day, he [the Dauphin: implied in "the French” means to recompense the pains you take.-John, v. 4.

His second marriage shall be publish'd, and her [the lady he is going to marry: implied in "his second marriage"] coronation.—H. VIII., iii. 2.

And bid me, when my fate would have me wive, to give it her [my wife: implied in "wive"].-Oth., iii. 4.

The ears are senseless that should give us hearing, to tell him [the king: implied in "the ears"] his commandment is fulfill'd.—Hamlet, v. 2.

What! all so soon asleep? I wish mine eyes would. . . . Do not omit the heavy offer of it [sleep: implied in "asleep "].—Temp., ii. 1.

If you are arm'd to do, as sworn to do, subscribe to your deep oaths, and keep it [that which you have sworn to do"] too.-Love's L. L., i. 1.

I know not why I am so sad: it [sadness: implied in "sad"] wearies me: you say it wearies you.-Mer. of V., i. I.

All my plots and purposes, how to get clear of... let me know it [your plan: implied in "plots and purposes, how to "].-Ibid., i. 1.

You are lov'd, sir: they that least lend it [love: implied in “lov'd"] you, shall lack you first.-All's W., i. 2.

Most it [the impression collectively produced by “the celestial habits," &c.] caught me, the celestial habits . . . and the reverence of the grave wearers.-W. T., in. 1.

If your father had been victor there, he ne'er had borne it [the honour of being "victor"] out of Coventry.-2 H. IV., iv. 1.

Who are the late commissioners?—I one, my lord: your highness bade me ask for it [commission: implied in “commissioners"] to-day.—H. V., ii. 2.

Her father. . . hath pawn'd the Sicils and Jerusalem, and hither have they sent it [the sum raised by having "pawn'd" &c.] for her ransom.-3 H. VI., v. 7.

Be not easily won to our requests; play the maid's part,-still answer nay, and take it [that of which "requests" beg acceptance].—R. III., iii. 7.

No doubt we bring it [the concerted scheme implied in the previous dialogue].— Ibid., iii. 7.

I wish the bastards dead; and I would have it [the deed implied in the previous wish] suddenly perform'd.-Ibid., iv. 2.

If I chance to talk a little wild, forgive me; I had it [the trick of talking “* a little wild"] from my father.-H. VIII., i. 4.

The king loves you; beware you lose it [the king's love: implied in "the king loves you"] not.-Ibid., iii. 1.

Till I find more than will or words to do it [the fulfilment of your malicious command that I should "render up the great seal "] . . . I dare and must deny it.— Ibid., iii. 2.

How eagerly ye follow my disgraces, as if it [the sight of "my disgraces"] fed ye! -Ibid., iii. 2.

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Oh, these encounterers, so glib of tongue, that give a coasting welcome ere it [amorous encounter: implied in " encounterers"] comes.-Tr. & Cr., iv. 5.

Time will one day end it [this uncertainty as to the issue of the war].-So to him we leave it.-Ibid., iv. 5.

It [the concession made to "the rabble" in having "granted them five tribunes"] will in time win upon power, and throw.-Coriol., i. I.

He has it [the consulship: implied in the previous dialogue] now; and, by his looks, methinks 'tis warm at his heart.-Ibid., ii. 3.

He's gone, and we'll no farther . . . let us seem humbler after it [his banishment : implied in he's gone"] is done, than when it was a-doing.—Ibid., iv. 2.

He that hath a will to die by himself fears it [death: implied in " to die"] not from another.-Ibid., v. 2.

If not most mortal to him.

Ibid., v. 3.

But let it [death: implied in "mortal"] come.

Love you the maid? Ay, my good lord; and she accepts of it [my love: implied in "love you"].—Timon, i. i.

It [the prevention of Cæsar's becoming king: implied in the remainder of the soliloquy] must be by his death.-Jul. C., ii. 1.

When I ask'd you what the matter was, you stared upon me with . . . hoping it [that which ails you: implied in "ask'd you what the matter was"] was but an effect of humour... It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor sleep: and, could it work so much upon your shape, as it hath.-Jul. C., ii. 1.

Than your particular demands will touch it [the "enquiry" respecting "his behaviour "J.-Hamlet, ii. 1.

If she should break it [her vow: implied in the previous speech] now!-'Tis deeply sworn.-Ibid., iii. 2.

The present death of Hamlet. Do it [this deed: implied in "death of Hamlet"], England... till I know 'tis done.-Ibid., iv. 3.

Goes it [military expedition: implied in "powers" sent against some part of Poland"] against the main.-Ibid., iv. 4.

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He hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now how abhorred in my imagination it [the idea of having been borne on the "back," and having "kissed" the lips" of one whose fleshless skull is now in the speaker's hand] is! my gorge rises at it.-Ibid., v. 1.

It must be shortly known to him from England. be known"] will be short.-Ibid., v. 2.

. It [the period ere "it must

I'll not endure it [this suspicion implied in the context].-I do repent me that I put it to you.-Oth., iii. 3.

But entertain it [my proposal: implied in the context], and, though thou think me poor. Ant. & C., ii. 7.

...

To him again: tell him he wears the rose of youth. I'll write it [this that I had told you to "tell him "]; follow me.-Ibid., iii. 11.

For thee, fellow, who needs must know of her departure . . . we'll enforce it [confession of the knowledge of her departure: implied in "know of her departure"] from thee by a sharp torture.-Cym., iv. 3.

You snatch some hence for little faults; that's love, to have them fall no more: you some permit to second ills with ills, each elder worse, and make them dread it [sudden punishment for crime (implied in “snatch some hence ̈) and a long course of sin : implied in "to second ills with ills"], to the doer's thrift.-Ibid., v. 1.

On either side I come to spend my breath, which neither . . . but end it [my life: implied in "my breath "] by some means.—Ibid., v. 3.

That box I gave you... It [the drug within the "box": the contents implied by that which contained them] poison'd me.-Ibid., v. 5.

It [our sense of being treated by Helicanus with less confidence than Escanes: implied in the previous speech] shall no longer grieve without reproof.-And curs'd be he that will not second it [our intended "reproof"].—Per., ii. 4.

Well, I commend her choice: and will no longer have it [the marriage: implied in "her choice"] be delayed.-Per., ii. 5.

Here comes my daughter, she can witness it [the truth of what I have asserted).Ibid., ii. 5.

That she is dead. Nurses are not the fates, to foster it [life: implied in “she is dead"], nor ever to preserve.—Ibid., iv. 4.

Yet long'st,—but in a fainter kind: O, not like me; for mine [my longing: implied in "long st"] 's beyond beyond.—Cym., iii. 2.

The moment on 't [the deed implied in the context]; for 't must be done to-nightMacb., iii. 1.

They can well on horseback: but this gallant had witchcraft in 't [horsemanship implied in "horseback "].—Hamlet, iv. 7.

Ha! false to me? . . . her stolen hours of lust? I saw 't [her falsehood: imped in "false" and "hours of lust "] not, thought if not, it harm'd not me.-Oth., iii. 3I slew him there. . . Deny't [that you "slew him "] again. I have spoke it, and I did it.-Cym., v. 5.

He hath a witchcraft over the king in 's tongue... his spell in that [ascendency: implied in "witchcraft over the king"] is out.-H. VIII., iii. 2.

For your highness' good I ever labour'd more than mine own; that [devoted to your service: implied in "for your highness' good I ever labour'd"] I am, have, and will be.-Ibid., iii. 2.

For the inheritance of their loves, and safeguard of what that want [the want of that love implied in "loves "] might ruin.-Coriol., iii. 2.

I have not kept my square; but that [conduct: implied in the context] to come shall all be done by rule.-Ant. & C., ii. 3.

Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that [the speaker's ground of complaint against Octavius Cæsar implied in the context],-that were excusable, that, and thousands more of semblable import.—Ibid., iii. 4.

:

If in your country wars you chance to die, that [the battle-field: implied in "wars is my bed too, lads.-Cym., iv. 4.

There shalt thou know thy charge; and there receive money and order for their the foot soldiers implied in " thy charge," which has been previously mentioned as " charge of foot"] furniture.-1 H. IV., iii. 3.

They lost France, and made his England bleed; which oft our stage hath shown i and, for their [the plays of King Henry VI.": implied in "oft our stage hath shown"] sake, in your fair minds let this [present play' understood] acceptance take.-H. V., v. 2 (Chorus).

While I to this hard house . . . return, and force their [the hard-hearted inmates: implied in this hard house"] scanted courtesy.-Lear, iii. 2.

I'll take my leave, and leave you to the hearing of the cause: hoping you'll find good cause to whip them [the persons whose "cause is to be heard] all.-M. for M., ii. 1. Have stolen his bird's nest.—I will but teach them [the birds: implied in "bird s nest"] to sing, and restore them to the owner.-If their singing answer your sayingM. Ado, ii. I.

The complaints I have heard of you I do not all believe . . . you lack not folly to commit them [the knaveries implied in "complaints," and subsequently expressed), and have ability enough to make such knaveries yours.-All's W., i. 3.

The soul of this man is his clothes. . . I have kept of them [such creatures as "this man"] tame, and know their natures.—Ibid., ii. 5.

As true as I believe you think them [those who occasion your grief: implied in the context] false, that give you cause to prove my saying true.-John, iii. 1.

...

Be not easily won to our requests. if you plead as well for them [the objects urged by your "requests "] as I can say nay to thee for myself.-R. III., iìì. 7.

I think he'll be to Rome as is the osprey to the fish. . . . First, he was a noble servant to them [the Romans: implied in "Rome "].—Coriol., iv. 7.

A leg of Rome shall not return to tell what crows have peck'd them [the Romans: implied in "Rome"] here.—Cym., v. 3.