Speed. Why?

Laun. Because thou hast not so much charity in thee, as to go to the ale1 with a Christian: Wilt thou go? Speed. At thy service.

The same.

SCENE VI.2

An Apartment in the Palace.

Enter PROTEUS.

Pro. To leave my Julia, shall I be forsworn;

To love fair Silvia, shall I be forsworn:

[Exeunt.

To wrong my friend, I shall be much forsworn;
And even that power, which gave me first my oath,
Provokes me to his threefold perjury.

Love bade me swear, and love bids me forswear:
O sweet-suggesting love!3 if thou hast sinn'd, I have
Teach me, thy tempted subject, to excuse it.
At first, I did adore a twinkling star,

1 the ale -] Ales were merry meetings instituted in country places. Thus, Ben Jonson:

"And all the neighbourhood, from old records

"Of antique proverbs drawn from Whitson lords,
"And their authorities at wakes and ales,

"With country precedents, and old wives' tales,
"We bring you now."

Again, in Ascham's Toxophilus, edit. 1589, p. 2: “—or else make merry with their neighbours at the ale."

Again, as Mr. M. Mason observes, in the play of Lord Cromwell:

"O Tom, that we were now at Putney, at the ale there!" See also Mr. T. Warton's History of English Poetry, Vol. III. p. 128. Steevens.

2 It is to be observed, that, in the folio edition there are no directions concerning the scenes; they have been added by the later editors, and may therefore be changed by any reader that can give more consistency or regularity to the drama by such alterations. I make this remark, in this place, because I know not whether the following soliloquy of Proteus is so proper in the street. Johnson.

The reader will perceive that the scenery has been changed, though Dr. Johnson's observation is continued. Steevens.

30 sweet-suggesting love!] To suggest is to tempt, in our author's language. So again:

"Knowing that tender youth is soon suggested."

The sense is, tempting love, if thou hast influenced me to sin, teach me to excuse it. Johnson.

But now, I worship a celestial sun.
Unheedful vows may heedfully be broken;
And he wants wit, that wants resolved will

To learn his wit to exchange the bad for better.-
Fye, fye, unreverend tongue! to call her bad,
Whose sovereignty so oft thou hast preferr'd
With twenty thousand soul-confirming oaths.
I cannot leave to love, and yet I do;

But there I leave to love, where I should love.
Julia I lose, and Valentine I lose:

If I keep them, I needs must lose myself;
If I lose them, thus find I by their loss,
For Valentine, myself; for Julia, Silvia.
I to myself am dearer, than a friend;
For love is still more precious"in" itself: to
And Silvia, witness heaven, that made her fair!
Shews Julia but a swarthy Ethiope.

I will forget that Julia is alive,
Rememb❜ring that my love to her is dead;
And Valentine I 'll hold an enemy,
Aiming at Silvia as a sweeter friend.
I cannot now prove constant to myself,
Without some treachery, used to Valentine:-
This night, he meaneth with a corded ladder
To climb celestial Silvia's chamber window;
Myself in counsel, his competitor:4

in counsel, his competitor:] Myself, who am his competitor or rival, being admitted to his counsel. Johnson. Competitor is confederate, assistant, partner. So, in Antony and Cleopatra:

"Is it not Cæsar's natural vice, to hate
"One great competitor?"

and he is speaking of Lepidus, one of the triumvirate. Steevens. Steevens is right in asserting, that competitor, in this place, means confederate, or partner. The word is used in the same sense in Twelfth Night, where the Clown, seeing Maria and Sir Toby, approach, who were joined in the plot against Malvolio, says, "The competitors enter." And again, in K. Richard III, the messenger says:

56 -The Guildfords are in arms,
"And every hour more competitors
"Flock to the rebels,"

So also, in Love's Labour Lost:

"The king, and his competitors in oath." M. Mason.

Now presently I'll give her father notice
Of their disguising, and pretended flight;5
Who, all enrag'd, will banish Valentine;
For Thurio, he intends, shall wed his daughter:
But, Valentine being gone, I'll quickly cross,
By some sly trick, blunt Thurio's dull proceeding.
Love, lend me wings to make my purpose swift,
As thou hast lent me wit to plot this drift!6

SCENE VII.

Verona. A Room in Julia's House.

Enter JULIA and LUCETTA.

Jul. Counsel, Lucetta; gentle girl, assist me!
And, even in kind love, I do conjure thee,-
Who art the table, wherein all my thoughts
Are visibly character'd and engrav'd,-
To lesson me; and tell me some good mean,
How, with my honour, I may undertake
A journey to my loving Proteus.

Luc. Alas! the way is wearisome and long.
Jul. A true-devoted pilgrim is not weary
To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps;
Much less shall she, that hath love's wings to fly;
And when the flight is made to one, so dear,
Of such divine perfection, as sir Proteus.

Luc. Better forbear, till Proteus make return.

Exit.

Jul. O, know'st thou not, his looks are my soul's food? Pity the dearth that I have pined in,

By longing for that food so long a time.

Didst thou but know the inly touch of love,

5

pretended flight;] Pretended flight is proposed, or intended flight. So, in Macbeth:

-What good could they pretend."

Mr. M. Mason justly observes, that the verb pretendre in French, has the same signification. Steevens.

Again, in Dr. A. Borde's Introduction of Knowledge, 1542, sig, H 3: "I pretend to return and come round about thorow other regyons in Europ." Reed.

6 this drift!] I suspect, that the author concluded the act with this couplet, and that the next scene should begin the third act; but the change, as it will add nothing to the probability of the action, is of no great importance. Johnson.

Thou would'st as soon go kindle fire with snow,
As seek to quench the fire of love with words.

Luc. 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.

Jul. The more thou dam'st it up, the more it burns;
The current, that with gentle murmur glides,
Thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage;
But, when his fair course is not hindered,

He makes sweet musick with th' enamell'd stones,
Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge
He overtaketh in his pilgrimage;

wide mr.1632.

And so by many winding nooks he strays,
With willing sport, to the" wild'ocean.
Then let me go, and hinder not my course:
I'll be as patient as a gentle stream,
And make a pastime of each weary step,
Till the last step have brought me to my love;
And there I'll rest, as, after much turmoil,
A blessed soul doth in Elysium.

Luc. But in what habit will you go along?
Jul. Not like a woman; for I would prevent
The loose encounters of lascivious men:
Gentle Lucetta, fit me with such weeds

As may beseem some well-reputed page.

Luc. Why, then, your ladyship must cut your hair. Jul. No, girl; I'll knit it up in silken strings, With twenty odd-conceited true-love knots: To be fantastic may become a youth

Of greater time, than I shall show to be.

Luc. What fashion, madam, shall Imake your breeches? Jul. That fits as well, as-" tell me, good my lord, "What compass will you wear your farthingale?” Why, even that fashion thou best lik'st, Lucetta. Luc. You must needs have them with a cod-piece, madam.

Jul. Out, out, Lucetta!" that will be ill-favour'd.

7 Out, out, Lucetta! &c.] Dr. Percy observes, that this interjection is still used in the North. It seems to have the same meaning as apage, Lat.

So, in Chapman's version of the thirteenth Iliad: "Out, out, I hate ye from my heart,

R

ye

rotten-minded men!"

Steevens.

Luc. A round hose, madam, now's not worth a pin, Unless you have a cod-piece, to stick pins on.

Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'st me, let me have What thou think'st meet, and is most mannerly: But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me, For undertaking so unstaid a journey?

I fear me, it will make me scandaliz'd.

Luc. If you think so, then stay at home, and go not. Jul. Nay, that I will not.

Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go.

If Proteus like your journey, when you come,
No matter who's displeas'd, when you are gone:
I fear me, he will scarce be pleas'd withal.

Jul. That is the least, Lucetta, of my fear:
A thousand oaths, an ocean of his tears,
And instances as infinite of love,

Warrant me welcome to my Proteus.

Luc. All these are servants to deceitful men.
Jul. Base men, that use them to so base effect!
But truer stars did govern Proteus' birth:
His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles;
His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate;

His tears, pure messengers, sent from his heart;
His heart, as far from fraud as heaven from earth.

Luc. Pray heaven, he prove so, when you come to him! Jul. Now, as thou lov'st me, do him not that wrong, To bear a hard opinion of his truth:

Only deserve my love, by loving him;

And presently go with me to my chamber,
To take a note of what I stand in need of,

9

To furnish me upon my longing" journey. Loving
All that is mine I leave at thy dispose,
My goods, my lands, my reputation ;

So, in Every Man out of his Humour, Act II. sc. vi:
"Out, out! unworthy to speak where he breatheth." Reed.
8 as infinite · -] Old edit.-of infinite. Johnson.
The emendation was made by the editor of the second folio.

9

Malone

my longing journey.] Dr. Grey observes, that longing is a participle active, with a passive signification; for longed, wished, or desired.

Mr. M. Mason supposes Julia to mean a journey which she shall pass in longing. Steevens.