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Laun. That makes amends for her four breath.
Speed. Item, She doth talk in her feep.

Laun. It's no matter for that, fo fhe fleep not in her talk.

Speed. Item, She is flow in words.

Laun. O villain! that fet down among her vices! To be flow in words, is a woman's only virtue : I pray thee, out with't; and place it for her chief

virtue.

Speed. Item, She is proud.

Laun. Out with that too; it was Eve's legacy, and

cannot be ta'en from her.

Speed. Item, She hath no teeth.

Laun. I care not for that neither, because I love crufts.

Speed. Item, She is curft.

Laun. Well; the best is, fhe hath no teeth to bite. Speed. Item, She will often praife her liquor.

Laun. If her liquor be good, fhe fhall: if she will not, I will; for good things fhould be praised. Speed. Item, She is too liberal.

Laun. Of her tongue the cannot; for that's writ down, fhe is flow of: of her purfe fhe fhall not; for that I'll keep fhut: now of another thing the may; and that I cannot help. Well, proceed.

now vulgarly called a faveet tooth, a luxurious defire of dainties and fweetmeats. JOHNSON.

How a luxurious defire of dainties can make amends for offenfive breath, I know not: I rather believe that by a sweet mouth is meant that the fings fweetly. In Twelfth Night we have heard of a fweet breaft as the recommendation of a finger. It may however mean a liquorifh mouth, in a wanton fenfe. So in Measure for Meafure:

Their faucy fveetnefs that do coin heaven's image, &c." STEEVENS. -praife her liquor.] That is, fhew how well the likes it by drinking often. JOHNSON.

5 he is too liberal.] Liberal, is licentious and grofs in language. So in Othello: "Is he not a profane and very liberal counfellor?" JOHNSON.

Speed

Speed. Item, She hath more hair than wit, and more faults than bairs, and more wealth than faults,

Laun. Stop there; I'll have her: fhe was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that laft article: Rehearse that once more.

Speed. Item, She hath more hair than wit,—

A

Laun. More hair than wit,-it may be; I'll prove it: The coyer of the falt hides the falt, and therefore it is more than the falt: the hair, that covers the wit, is more than the wit; for the

the lefs. What's next?

Speed. And more faults than hairs

-

greater hides

Laun. That's monftrous: Oh, that that were out! Speed. And more wealth than faults.

Laun. Why, that word makes the faults gracious": Well, I'll have her: And if it be a match, as nothing is impoffible,

Speed. What then?

Laun. Why, then will I tell thee,-that thy mafter stays for thee at the north gate,

Speed. For me?

Laun. For thee? ay; who art thou? he hath staid for a better man than thee.

Speed. And muft I go to him?

'Laun. Thou must run to him, for thou haft ftaid fo long, that going will scarce ferve the turn.

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6-fhe hath more hair than wit,-] An old English proverb. See Ray's Collection :

Bufh natural, more hair than wit."

Again, in Decker's Satiromafix:

"Hair! 'tis the bafest stubble; in fcorn of it

"This proverb fprung-He has more hair than wit,"

Again, in Rhodon and Iris, 1631:

7

"Now is the old proverb really perform'd,

"More hair than wit." STEEVENS.

makes the faults gracious:] Gracious, in old language,

means graceful. So in K. John:

There was not fuch a gracious creature born."

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Speed. Why didft not tell me fooner? pox on your love-letters!

Laun. Now will he be fwing'd for reading my letter; An unmannerly flave, that will thrust himself into fecrets!-I'll after, to rejoice in the boy's correction.

SCENE II. ·

[Exeunt.

Enter Duke and Thurio, and Protheus behind. Duke. Sir Thurio, fear not, but that she will love

you,

Now Valentine is banish'd from her fight.

Thu. Since his exile fhe hath defpis'd me moft,
Forfworn my company, and rail'd at me,
That I am defperate of obtaining her.

Duke. This weak imprefs of love is as a figure
8 Trenched in ice; which with an hour's heat
Diffolves to water, and doth lofe his form.
A little time will melt her frozen thoughts,
And worthlefs Valentine fhall be forgot.-
How now, fir Protheus? Is your countryman,
According to our proclamation, gone?
Pro. Gone, my good lord.

Duke. My daughter takes his going heavily.
Pro. A little time, my lord, will kill that grief.
Duke. So I believe; but Thurio thinks not fo.-
Protheus, the good conceit I hold of thee,
(For thou haft fhewn fome fign of good defert)
Makes me the better to confer with thee.

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Pro. Longer than I prove loyal to your grace, Let me not live to look upon your grace.

Duke. Thou know'ft, how willingly I would effect The match between fir Thurio and my daughter.

8 Trenched in ice;-] Cut, carved in ice. Trancher, to cut, French. JOHNSON.

So in Arden of Feversham, 1633:

"Is deeply trenched in my blushing brow." STEEVENS.

Pro.

Pro. I do, my lord.

Duke. And alfo, I do think, thou art not ignorant How the oppofes her against my will.

Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here, Duke. Ay, and perverfely the persevers fo. What might we do to make the girl forget The love of Valentine, and love fir Thurio? Pro. The best way is, to flander Valentine With falfhood, cowardice, and poor defcent; Three things that women highly hold in hate.

Duke. Ay, but fhe'll think, that it is spoke in hate, Pro. Ay, if his enemy deliver it:

Therefore it muft, with circumftance, be fpoken By one, whom the esteemeth as his friend.

Duke. Then you must undertake to flander him. Pro. And that, my lord, I fhall be loth to do: 'Tis an ill office for a gentleman;

Efpecially, againft his very friend'.

Duke, Where your good word cannot advantage him,

Your flander never can endamage him;
Therefore the office is indifferent,

Being intreated to it by your friend."

Pro. You have prevail'd, my lord: if I can do it, By aught that I can fpeak in his difpraise, She fhall not long continue love to him. But fay, this weed her love from Valentine, It follows not that she will love fir Thurio.

Thu. Therefore as you unwind her love from him,

Left

with circumftance,] With the addition of fuch in

cidental particulars as may induce belief. JOHNSON.
bis very friend.] Very is immediate. So in Macbeth:
"And the very points they blow." STEEVENS.

2

-as you unwind her love-] As you wind off her love from him, make me the bottom on which you wind it. The housewife's term for a ball of thread wound upon a central body, is a bottom of thread. JOHNSON.

Left it fhould ravel, and be good to none,
You must provide to bottom it on me :
Which must be done, by praifing me as much
As you in worth difpraise fir Valentine.

Duke. And, Protheus, we dare trust you in this
kind;

Because we know, on Valentine's report,
You are already love's firm votary,

And cannot foon revolt and change your mind.
Upon this warrant fhall you have access,
Where you with Silvia may confer at large;
For the is lumpifh, heavy, melancholy,
And, for your friend's fake, will be glad of you;
Where you may temper her, by your perfuafion,
To hate young Valentine, and love my friend.
Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect:
But you, fir Thurio, are not fharp enough;
You must lay lime, to tangle her defires,
By wailful fonnets, whofe compofed rhimes
Should be full fraught with ferviceable vows..
Duke. Ay, Much is the force of heaven-bred
poefy.

Pro. Say, that upon the altar of her beauty
You facrifice your tears, your fighs, your heart;
Write, till your ink be dry; and with your tears
Moift it again; and frame fome feeling line,
That may difcover fuch integrity:-

+ For Orpheus' lute was ftrung with poets' finews;

Whofe

So in Grange's Garden, 1577, in answer to a letter written unto him by Curtyzan:

"A bottome for your filke it feemes

"My letters are become,

"Which oft with winding off and on

"Are wafted whole and fome." STEEVENS.

3 lime,] That is, birdlime. JOHNSON.

4 For Orpheus lute was ftrung with poets' finews;] This fhews Shakespeare's knowledge of antiquity. He here affigns Orpheus his true character of legiflator. For under that of a poct only, or

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