Hath he excepted moft against my love.
Oh, how this spring of love resembleth (8)
Th' uncertain glory of an April day;
Which now fhews all the beauty of the fun,
And, by and by, a cloud takes all away!
Enter Panthion.

Pant. Sir Protheus, your father calls for you;
He is in hafte, therefore, I pray you, go.

Pro. Why, this it is! my heart accords thereto; And yet a thousand times it answers, no.

S1

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to Milan.
An Apartment in the Duke's Palace..
Enter Valentine and Speed.

IR, your glove

SPEED.

Val. Not mine; my gloves are on.

Speed. Why then this may be yours, for this is but one.. Val. Ha! let me fee: ay, give it me, it's mine; Sweet ornament, that decks a thing divine!

Ah Silvia! Silvia!

Speed. Madam Silvia! Madam Silvia!

Val. How now, firrah?

Speed. She is not within hearing, Sir.

Val. Why, Sir, who bad you call her?

(7) Oh, how this spring of love resembleth well] This monofyllable was foifted in by Mr. Pope, to fupport, as he thought, the verfification in the clofe. But it was done for want of obferving Shakespeare's. licences in his measures which 'tis proper, once for all, to take notice of. Refembletb, he defign'd here fhould in pronunciation make four fyllables: as witnesse, afterwards in this play, and as fidler, (in the Taming a Shrew) and angry (twice in Timon of Athens) are made trifyllables; and as fire and bour are almoft for ever protracted by him to two fyllables. Speed.

Speed. Your worship, Sir, or elfe I miftook.
Val. Well, you'll ftill be too forward.

Speed. And yet I was last chidden for being too flow.
Val. Go to, Sir; tell me, do you know madam Silvia?
Speed. She, that your worship loves?

Val. Why, how know you that I am in love?

Speed. Marry, by thefe fpecial marks; firft, you have learn'd, like Sir Protheus, to wreath your arms like a male-content; to relish a love-fong, like a Robinred-breaft; to walk alone, like one that had the peftilence; to figh, like a fchool-boy that had loft his A. B. C; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam; to faft, like one that takes diet; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to fpeak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmass. You were wont, when presently after dinner; when you look'd fadly, it was you laugh'd, to crow like a cock; when you walk'd, to walk like one of the lions; when you fasted, it was for want of money: and now you are metamorphos'd with a mistress, that, when I look on you, I can hardly think you my mafter.

Val. Are all these things perceiv'd in me?
Speed. They are all perceiv'd without ye.
Val. Without me? they cannot.

Speed. Without you? nay, that's certain; for without you were fo fimple, none elfe would: But you are fo without thefe follies, that these follies are within you, and fhine through you like the water in an urinal; that not an that fees you, but is a phyfician to wh your malady. comment on

Val. But tell me, doft thou know my Lady Silvia?
Speed. She, that you gaze on fo as the fits at fupper?
Val. Haft thou obferv'd that? ev'n fhe I mean.
Speed. Why, Sir, I know her not. bik

Val. Doft thou know her by my gazing on her, and yet know'ft her not?

Speed. Is the not hard-favour'd, Sir?
Val. Not fo fair, boy, as well-favour'd.
Speed. Sir, I know that well enough..
Val. What doft thou know ?

Speed.

Speed. That he is not so fair, as of you well favour'd. Val. I mean that her beauty is exquifite,

But her favour infinite.

Speed. That's because the one is painted, and the other out of all count.

"

Val. How painted? and how out of count?

Speed. Marry, Sir, fo painted to make her fair, that no man counts of her beauty.

Val. How efteem'ft thou me? I account of her beauty.
Speed. You never faw her fince fhe was deform'd.
Val. How long hath fhe been deform'd?
Speed. Ever fince you lov'd her.

Val. I have lov'd her, ever fince I faw her;
And ftill I fee her beautiful.

Speed. If you love her, you cannot fee her.
Val. Why?

Speed. Because love is blind. O, that you had mine eyes, or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have, when you chid at Sir Protheus for going ungarter'd! Val. What fhould I fee then?

Speed. Your own prefent folly, and her paffing deformity: For he, being in love, could not fee to garter his hofe; and you, being in love, cannot fee to put on your hofe.

Val. Belike, boy, then you are in love: for last morning you could not fee to wipe my fhoes.

Speed. True, Sir, I was in love with my bed; I thank you, you fwing'd me for my love, which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours.

Val. In conclufion, I ftand affected to her.

Speed. I would you were fet, fo youraffection would ceafe. Val. Laft night fhe enjoin'd me to write fome lines to one fhe loves.

Speed. And have you?

Val. I have.

Speed. Are they not lamely writ?

Val. No, boy, but as well as I can do them:

Peace, here fhe comes.

Enter Silvia.

Speed. Oh excellent motion! oh exceeding puppet! Now will he interpret to her.

Val

Val. Madam and mistress, a thoufand good morrows. Speed. Oh! 'give ye good ev'n; here's a million of

manners.

Sil. Sir Valentine and fervant, to you two thousand. Speed. He thould give her intereft; and the gives it him. Val. As you injoin'd me, I have writ your letter, Unto the fecret, nameless, friend of yours;

Which I was much unwilling to proceed in,
But for my duty to your Ladyfhip.

Sil. I thank you, gentle fervant; 'tis very clerkly done. Val. Now truft me, madam, it came hardly off: For being ignorant to whom it goes,

I writ at random, very doubtfully.

Sil. Perchance, you think too much of fo much pains? Val. No, madam, fo it fteed you, I will write, Please you command, a thousand times as much. And yet

Sil. A pretty period; well, I guess the fequel; And yet I will not name it, and yet I care not; And yet take this again, and yet I thank you; Meaning henceforth to trouble you no more.

Speed. And yet you will; and yet, another yet. [Afide Val. What means your Ladyship? do you not like it? Sil. Yes, yes, the lines are very quaintly writ; But fince unwillingly, take them again; Nay, take them.

Val. Madam, they are for you.

Sil. Ay, ay; you writ them, Sir, at my request;
But I will none of them; they are. for you:

I would have had them writ more movingly.
Val. Please you, I'll write your Ladyship another.
Sil. And when it's writ, for my fake read it over;
And if it please you, fo; if not, why folkom
Val. If it pleafe me, madam, what then?
Sil. Why if it please you, take it for your labour;
And fo good morrow, fervant. mi

、,:

[Exit.

Speed. O jeft unfeen, infcrutable, invif-ible,.. As a nofe on a man's face, or a weathercock on a fteeple! My mafter fues to her, and the hath taught her fuitor, He being her pupil, to become her tutor:

O excellent device! was there ever heard a better? That my mafter, being the fcribe, to himself should write the letter?

Val. How now, Sir? what are you reafoning with yourself?

Speed. Nay, I was rhiming; 'tis you that have the reafon.

Val. To do what?

Speed. To be a fpokes-man from madam Silvia.
Val. To whom?

Speed. To yourfelf; why, fhe wooes you by a figure.
Val. What figure?

Speed. By a letter, I should fay.

Val. Why, the hath not writ to me?

Speed. What need fhe,

Speed

When the hath made you write to yourself:

Why, do you not perceive the jeft?

Val. No, believe me.

Speed. No believing you, indeed, Sir: but did you perceive her earnest ?

Val. She gave me none, except an angry word.
Speed. Why, the hath given you a letter.

Val. That's the letter I writ to her friend.
Speed. And that letter hath the deliver'd, and there's
an end.

Val. I would it were no worfe.

Speed. I'll warrant you, 'tis as well:

"For often have you writ to her, and fhe in modesty, "Or elfe for want of idle time, could not again reply; "Or fearing elfe fome meffenger, that might her mind "difcover, 11114

"Herself hath taught her love himself to write unto "her lover."

All this I fpeak in print; for in print I found it.
Why mufe you, Sirtis dinner time.

Val. I have din'd.

Speed. Ay, but hearken, Sir; tho' the Cameleon love can feed on the air, I am one that am nourish'd by my victuals; and would fain have meat: oh, be not like your mistress; be moved, be moved.

[Exeunt.

SCENE