ACT III. A Jester. This fellow's wise enough to play the fool; And, like the haggard,* check at every feather Cesario, by the roses of the spring, By maidhood, honour, truth, and every thing, ·000 TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. Valentine and Proteus, the two gentlemen of Verona, are in love severally with Silvia, daughter of the Duke of Milan, and Julia, a lady of Verona. Valentine leaves Verona for the court of Milan, where he is joined by Proteus, Julia following her lover in male attire. Proteus proves inconstant and becomes enamoured of Silvia, whose intended elopement and marriage with Valentine +Notwithstanding. * A hawk not properly trained. he betrays to her father the Duke, who designs to wed her tc Thurio an empty braggart. On discovering this the Duke banishes Valentine from his dominions, who, journeying towards Mantua, encounters in a forest certain outlaws, who make him their captain. After Valentine's exile, Proteus, dissembling his love for Silvia, promises the Duke to urge her to accept Thurio; she rejects both suitors and follows Valentine, on whom her father at length bestows her. The treachery of Proteus being discovered, he becomes repentant, and is pardoned by Julia, who accepts him as her husband. The more serious parts of the play are relieved by the comic scenes in which Speed and Launce, servants to Valentine and Proteus, appear. ACT I. Love Commended and Censured. PROTEUS. Yet writers say, As in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells, so eating love Inhabits in the finest wits of all. VALENTINE. 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, Love Froward and Dissembling. Maids, in modesty say "No" to that Advantage of Travelling. He cannot be a perfect man, Not being try'd and tutor'd in the world; Experience is by industry achieved, Love compared to an April day. O, how this spring of love resembleth ACT II. An accomplished young Gentleman. His years but young, but his experience old; Contempt of Love punished. I have done penance for contemning love; Love hath chased sleep from my enthralled eyes, And made them watchers of mine own heart's sorrow. O, gentle Proteus, Love's a mighty lord, And hath so humbled me, as, I confess, There is no woe to his correction, Nor, to his service, no such joy on earth! Now, no discourse, except it be of love; Now can I break my fast, dine, sup, and sleep, Love increased by Attempts to suppress it. JULIA. Didst thou but know the inly touch of love; Thou wouldst as soon go kindle fire with snow, As seek to quench the fire of love with words. LUCETTA. I do not seek to quench your love's hot fire; But qualify the fire's extreme rage, Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason. burns; The current, that with gentle murmur glides, Thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage; He makes sweet music with the enamell'd stones, And so by many winding nooks he strays, A faithful Lover. His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles; ACT III. Presents prevail with Woman. 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. Beauty petitioning in vain. Ay, ay; and she hath offer'd to the doom, (Which unreversed, stands in effectual force), A sea of melting pearl, which some call tears: Those at her father's churlish feet she tender'd; With them, upon her knees, her humble self; Wringing her hands, whose whiteness so became them, As if but now they waxed pale for woe ; But neither bended knees, pure hands held up, Sad sighs, deep groans, nor silver-shedding tears, Could penetrate her uncompassionate sire. Hope. Hope is a lover's staff; walk hence with that, Three Things in Man disliked by Women. The Power of Poetry with Women. Say, that upon the altar of her beauty |