LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST. TH PRELIMINARY REMARKS. HE novel upon which this comedy was founded has hitherto eluded the research of the commentators. Mr. Douce thinks it will prove to be of French extraction. "The Dramatis Persona in a great measure demonstrate this, as well as a palpable Gallicism in Act iv. Sc. 1: viz. the terming a letter a capon." This is one of Shakspeare's early plays, and the author's youth is certainly perceivable, not only in the style and manner of the versification, but in the lavish superfluity displayed in the execution: the uninterrupted succession of quibbles, equivoques, and sallies of every description. "The sparks of wit fly about in such profusion that they form complete fireworks, and the dialogue for the most part resembles the bustling collision and banter of passing masks at a carnival *.* The scene in which the king and his companions detect each other's breach of their mutual vow, is capitally contrived. The discovery of Biron's love-letter while rallying his friends, and the manner in which he extricates himself, by ridiculing the folly of the vow, admirable. are The grotesque characters, Don Adrian de Armado, Nathaniel the curate, and Holofernes that prince of pedants, with the humours of Costard the Clown, are well contrasted with the sprightly wit of the principal characters in the play. It has been observed that 'Biron and Rosaline suffer much in comparison with Benedick and Beatrice, and it must be confessed that there is some justice in the observation. Yet Biron, 'that merry mad-cap Lord,' is not overrated in Rosaline's admirable character of him A merrier man, Shakspeare has only shown the inexhaustible powers of his mind in improving on the admirable originals of bis own creation in a more mature age. Malone placed the composition of this play first in 1591, afterwards in 1591. Dr. Drake thinks we may safely assign it to the earlier period. The first edition was printed in 1598, * Schlegel. PERSONS REPRESENTED. FERDINAND, King of Navarre. BIRON *, DUMAIN, Lords, attending on the King. BOYET, Lords, attending on the Princess of France, DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO, a fantastical Spaniard. HOLOFERNES, a Schoolmaster. DULL, a Constable. COSTARD, a Clown. Møтí, Рage to Armado, A Forester. Princess of France. ROSALINE, MARIA, KATHARINE, JAQUENETTA, a country Wench. Fue debowal day me LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST. ACT I. SCENE I. Navarre. A Park with a Palace in it. Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain, King. LET fame, that all hunt after in their lives, me, Therefore, brave conquerors!-for so you are, Vol. II. 13 Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortified; The grosser manner of these world's delights He throws upon the gross world's baser slaves: To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die; With all these living in philosophy. Biron. I can but say their protestation over, So much, dear liege, I have already sworn, That is, To live and study here three years. But there are other strict observances: As, not to see a woman in that term; Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there: And, one day in a week to touch no food; And but one meal on every day beside; The which, I hope, is not enrolled there : And then, to sleep but three hours in the night, And not be seen to wink of all the day; (When I was wont to think no harm all night, And make a dark night too of half the day;) Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there: O, these are barren tasks, too hard to keep; Not to see ladies - study-fast-not sleep. King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these. Biron. Let me say no, my liege, an if you please; I only swore, to study with your grace, And stay here in your court for three years' space. Long. You swore to that, Birón, and to the rest. Biron. By yea and nay, sir, then I swore in jest.— What is the end of study? let me know. King. Why, that to know, which else we should not know. Biron. Things hid and barr'd, you mean, from common sense? King. Ay, that is study's god-like recompense. Biron. Come on then, I will swear to study so, To know the thing I am forbid to know: As thus To study where I well may dine, When I to feast expressly am forbid; 1 i. e. with all these companions. He may be supposed to point to the king, Biron &c.. P Or, study where to meet some mistress fine, King. These be the stops that hinder study quite, Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that most Which, with pain purchas'd, doth inherit pain: To seek the light of truth: while truth the while Light, seeking light, doth light of light beguile; So, ere you find where light in darkness lies, Your light grows dark by losing of your eyes 3, Study me how to please the eye indeed, By fixing it upon a fairer eye; Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed, That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks; Have no more profit of their shining nights, 4 2 Dishonestly, treacherously, 3 The whole sense of this gingling declamation is only this, that a man by too close study may read himself blind, 4 The meaning is, that when he dazzles, that is, has his eye made weak, by fixing his eye upon a fairer eye, that fairer eye shall be his heed or guide, his lode-star, and give him light that was blinded by it. 5 That is, too much knowledge gives no real solution of doubts, but merely fame, or a name, a thing which every godfather can |