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

Laun. It's no matter for that, so she sleep not in her talk,

Speed. Item, She is now in words.

Laun. O villain ! that set down among her vices ! To be slow 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 crusts.

Speed. Item, She is curst.
Laun. Well; the best is, she hath no teeth to bite.
Speed. Item, She will often 4 praise her liquor.

Laun. If her liquor be good, she shall : if she will not, I will; for good things should be praised.

Speed. Item, s She is too liberal.

Laun. Of her tongue she cannot; for that's writ down, she is now of : of her purse the shall not; for that I'll keep shut: now of another thing she may; and that I cannot help. Well, proceed.

now vulgarly called a sweet tooth, a luxurious desire of dainties and sweetmeats. 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 she fings wectly. In Twelfth Night we have heard of a sweet breast as the recommendation of a singer. It may however mean a liquorish, mouth, in a wanton sense. So in Measure for Measure : “ Their faucy fevectnefs that do coin heaven's image, &c.”

STEEVENS. -praise her liquor.] That is, thew how well she likes it by drinking often. Johnson.

she is too liberal.] Liberal, is licentious and gross in lapguage. So in Othello : " Is he not a profane and very libera! counsellor ?" JOHNSON.

Speedo

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

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

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

Laun. More hair than wit,-it may be ; I'll prove it : The cover of the falt hides the salt, and therefore it is more than the salt : the hair, that covers the wit, is more than the wit; for the greater hides the less. What's next?

Speed. - And more faults than hairs-
Laun. That's monstrous : 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 impossible,

Speed. What then?

Laun. Why, then will I tell thee,—that thy master 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 must I go to him?

Laun. Thou must run to him, for thou hast staid so long, that going will scarce serve the turn.

6-Joe hath more bair than wit,-) An old English proverb, See Ray's Collection :

“ Bush natural, more hair than wit." Again, in Decker's Satiromaflix:

“ Hair! 'tis the balest stubble; in scorn of it

“ This proverb sprung-He has more hair than wit." Again, in Rhodon and Iris, 1631 :

“ Now is the old proverb really perform'd,

66 More hair than wit." STEEVENS. ? makes the faults gracious :] Gracious, in old language, means graceful. So in K. John: " There was not such a gracious creature born.”

STEEVENS. N 3

Speed.

Speed. Why didst not tell me sooner ? pox on your love-letters!

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

[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 she hath despis'd me most,
Forsworn my company, and rail'd at me,
That I am desperate of obtaining her.

Duke. This weak impress of love is as a figure
8 Trenched in ice; which with an hour's heat
Diffolves to water, and doth lose his form.
A little time will melt her frozen thoughts,
And worthless Valentine shall 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 so.-
Protheus, the good conceit I hold of thee,
(For thou hast shewn some sign of good desert)
Makes ine the better to confer with thee.

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

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

8 Trenched in ice ;-] Cut, carved in ice. Trancber, to cut, French. Johnson. So in Arden of Feversam, 1633: “ Is deeply trenched in my blushing brow." STEEVENS.

Pro.

Pro. I do, my lord.

Duke. And also, I do think, thou art not ignorant How she opposes her against my will.

Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here,

Duke. Ay, and perversely 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 descent ; Three things that women highly hold in hate.

Duke. Ay, but she'll think, that it is spoke in hate.

Pro. Ay, if his enemy deliver it : Therefore it must, 9 with circumstance, be spoken By one, whom she esteemeth as his friend.

Duke. Then you must undertake to sander him.
Pro. And that, my lord, I shall be loth to do:
'Tis an ill office for a gentleman ;
Especially, against 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 prevaild, my lord : if I can do it,
By aught that I can speak in his dispraise,
She shall not long continue love to him.
But say, 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 circumstance, -] With the addition of such incidental particulars as may induce belief. Johns

NSON.
bis very friend.] Very is immediatc. So in Macbeth:

“ And the very points they blow.” Steevens.

as you un vind 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.

So

NA

Left it should ravel, and be good to none,
You must provide to bottom it on me :
Which must be done, by praising me as much
As you in worth dispraise sir 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 soon revolt and change your mind. Upon this warrant shall you have access, Where you with Silvia may confer at large ; For she is lumpish, heavy, melancholy, And, for your friend's sake, will be glad of you ; Where you may temper her, by your persuasion, To hate young Valentine, and love my friend.

Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect :But you, fir Thurio, are not sharp enough ; You must lay : lime, to tangle her desires, By wailful sonnets, whose composed rhimes Should be full fraught with serviceable vows. Duke. Ay, Much is the force of heaven-bred

poesy. Pro. Say, that upon the altar of her beauty You sacrifice your tears, your sighs, your heart: Write, till your ink be dry; and with your tears Moist it again ; and frame some feeling line, That may discover such integrity :* For Orpheus' lute was strung with poets' sinews;

Whole

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

" A bottome for your silke it seemes

“ My letters are become,
" Which oft with winding off and on

" Are wasted whole and some." STEEVENS.

lime, - ] That is, birdlime. Johnson. For Orpheus lute was ftrung with poets' finews ;] This shęws Shakespeare's knowledge of antiquity. He here afligns Orpheus his true character of legislator. For under that of a poet only, or