CAM. The fault there, sir, is not in the eye-sight. FLAM. True, but they that have the yellow jaundice think all objects they look on to be yellow.* Jealousy is worser; her fits present to a man, like so many bubbles in a bason of water, twenty several crabbed faces, many times makes his own shadow his cuckold-maker. Enter VITTORIA COROMBONA. See, she comes: what reason have you to be jealous of this creature? what an ignorant ass or flattering knave might he be counted, that should write sonnets to her eyes, or call her brow the snow of Ida, or ivory of Corinth, or compare her hair to the black-bird's bill, when 'tis liker the black-bird's feather! This is all be wise, I will make friends; and you you shall go to bed together. Marry look you, it shall not be your seeking; do you stand upon that by any means: walk you aloof; I would not have you seen in't.Sister, my lord attends you in the banquetting-house : your husband is wondrous discontented. VIT. COR. I did nothing to displease him; I carved to him at supper-time.+ -they that have the yellow jaundice, think all objects they look on to be yellow.] This thought is adopted by Pope : STEEVENS. Boswell, in a "All seems infected that th' infected spy, "As all looks yellow to the jaundic'd eye." + I carved to him at supper-time] The late Mr. note on Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor, quotes this passage of Webster, and observes, have been considered as a mark of kindness, when a' lady carved to a gentleman." In The Returne from Pernassus, 1606, Sir Raderick says; "what do men marry for, but to stocke "it seems to FLAM. You need not have carved him, in faith; they say he is a capon already. I must now seemingly fall out with you. Shall a gentleman so well descended as Camillo-a lousy slave, that within this twenty years rode with the black guard* in the duke's carriage, 'mongst spits and dripping-pansCAM. Now he begins to tickle her. FLAM. An excellent scholar-one that hath a head filled with calves brains without any sage in them,— come crouching in the hams to you for a night's lodging?-that hath an itch in's hams, which like the fire at the glass-house hath not gone out this seven years-is he not a courtly gentleman ?-when he wears white sattin, one would take him by his black muzzle to be no other creature than a maggot.— You are a goodly foil, I confess, well set out-but covered with a false stone, yon counterfeit diamond.† their ground, and to have one to looke to the linnen, sit at the upper end of the table, and carve up a capon." Sig. F. 2. * the black guard] i. e. the meanest drudges in royal residences and great houses, who rode in the vehicles which carried the furniture and domestic utensils from mansion to mansion. See Gifford's note, Ben Jonson's Works, vol. ii. p. 169. ↑ but covered with a fulse stone, yon counterfeit diamond] So some copies of the 4to. of 1612, and rightly; other copies "but cover with a false stone your counterfeit diamond:" the 4to. of 1631, "but covered with a false stone you counterfeit diamond :" the 4to. of 1665, has the reading of some of the copies of that of 1612, followed in my text: the 4to. of 1672, agrees with that of 1631.-The full meaning appears to be; "but [you, the goodly foil, are] covered with a false stone, [i. e. your husband Camillo,] yon counterfeit diamond." CAM. He will make her know what is in me.. FLAM. Come, my lord attends you; thou shalt go to bed to my lord CAM. Now he comes to't. FLAM. With a relish as curious as a vintner going to taste new wine.-I am opening your case hard. [To Camillo. CAM. A virtuous brother, a' my credit! FLAM. He will give thee a ring with a philosopher's stone in it. CAM. Indeed, I am studying alchymy. FLAM. Thou shalt lie in a bed stuft with turtles' feathers; swoon in perfumed linen, like the fellow was smothered in roses. So perfect shall be thy happiness, that as men at sea think land, and trees, and ships, go that way they go, so both heaven and earth shall seem to go your voyage. Shall't meet him, 'tis fixed with nails of diamonds to inevitable necessity. VIT. COR. How shall's rid him hence? FLAM. I will put [the] brize in's tail [shall] set him gadding presently. I have almost wrought her to it, I find her coming; but, might I advise you now, for this night I would not lie with her; I would cross her humour to make her more humble. CAM. Shall I, shall I ? FLAM. It will shew in you a supremacy of judg ment. CAM. True, and a mind differing from the tumultuary opinion; for, quæ negata, grata. FLAM. Right: you are the adamant* shall draw her to you, though you keep distance off. CAM. A philosophical reason. FLAM. Walk by her a'the nobleman's fashion, and tell her you will lie with her at the end of the progress. CAM. Vittoria, I cannot be induced, or, as a man would say, incited VIT. COR. To do what, sir? CAM. To lie with you to-night. Your silk-worm useth to fast every third day, and the next following spins the better. To-morrow at night I am for you. VIT. COR. You'll spin a fair thread, trust to't. FLAM. But do you hear, I shall have you steal to her chamber about midnight. CAM. Do you think so? why look you, brother, because you shall not think I'll gull you, take the key, lock me into the chamber, and say you shall be sure of me. FLAM. In troth I will; I'll be your jailer once: But have you ne'er a false door? CAM. A pox on't, as I am a Christian: tell me to-morrow how scurvily she takes my unkind parting. FLAM. I will. CAM. Didst thou not make† the jest of the silk * adamant] i. e. magnet. + make] I suspect we should read take, i. e. conceive, understand; though perhaps “make,” may be used here in the same sense. The 4to. of 1672,"mark." worm? Good-night: in faith I will use this trick often. FLAM. Do, do, do. [Exit Camillo.] So now you are safe. Ha, ha, ha! thou entanglest thyself in thine own work like a silk-worm.* Come, sister, darkness hides your blush. Women are like curst dogs; civility+ keeps them tied all day-time, but they are let loose at midnight, then they do most good, or most mischief. My lord, my lord. Enter BRACHIANO; ZANCHE brings out a carpet, spreads it, and lays on it two fair cushions. BRACH. Give credit, I could wish time would stand still, And never end this interview, this hour; Let me into your bosom, happy lady, VIT. COR. Sir, in the way of pity, I wish you heart-whole. BRACH. You are a sweet physician. VIT. COR. Sure, sir, a loathed cruelty in ladies Is as to doctors many funerals; * thou entanglest thyself in thine own work like a silk-worm.] Thus Pope, "The silk-worm thus spins fine his little store, "And labours till he clouds himself all o'er." STEEVENS. t civility.] The 4to. of 1631, "cruelty." |