Is, that she is intolerably curst,

And shrewd, and froward; so beyond all measure,
That, were my state far worser than it is,

I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

Pet. Hortensio, peace; thou know'st not gold's

effect.

Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough;
For I will board her, though she chide as loud
As thunder, when the clouds in autumn crack.
Hor. Her father is Baptista Minola,
An affable and courteous gentleman.
Her name is Katharina Minola,

Renowned in Padua for her scolding tongue.
Pet. I know her father, though I know not her;
And he knew my deceased father well.

I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her;
And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this first encounter,
Unless you will accompany me thither.

Gru. I pray you, sir, let him go while the humor lasts. O' my word, an she knew him as well as I do, she would think scolding would do little good upon him. She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves or so why, that's nothing; an he begin once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks.' I'll tell you what, sir,-an she stand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat. You know him not, sir.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio; I must go
with thee;
For in Baptista's keep my treasure is.
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca;
And her withholds from me, and other more

1 i. e. roguish tricks. Ropery is used by Shakspeare in Romeo and Juliet for roguery. A rope-ripe is one for whom the gallows groans, according to Cotgrave.

2 Withstand.

3 Mr. Boswell remarks "that nothing is more common in ludicrous or playful discourse than to use a comparison where no resemblance is intended."

Suitors to her, and rivals in my love:
Supposing it a thing impossible,

(For those defects I have before rehearsed,)
That ever Katharina will be wooed;

Therefore this order hath Baptista taʼen ;—
That none shall have access unto Bianca;
Till Katharine the curst have got a husband.
Gru. Katharine the curst!

A title for a maid, of all titles the worst.

Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace; And offer me, disguised in sober robes,

To old Baptista as a schoolmaster

Well seen in music to instruct Bianca.
That so I may by this device, at least,

Have leave and leisure to make love to her,

And, unsuspected, court her by herself.

Enter GREMIO; with him LUCENTIO, disguised, with books under his arm.

Gru. Here's no knavery!

folks, how the young folks lay Master, master, look about you.

See, to beguile the old

their heads together! Who goes there? ha!

Hor. Peace, Grumio: 'tis the rival of my love.Petruchio, stand by a while.

Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous!

[They retire. Gre. O, very well; I have perused the note. Hark you, sir; sir; I'll have them very fairly bound: All books of love, see that at any hand; And see you read no other lectures to her: You understand me.-Over and beside

Seignior Baptista's liberality,

2

I'll mend it with a largess. Take your papers too,
And let me have them very well perfumed;
For she is sweeter than perfume itself,

To whom they go. What will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,

1 To be well seen in any art was to be well skilled in it. 60

VOL. II.

2 Rate.

As for my patron, (stand you so assured,)
As firmly as yourself were still in place;
Yea, and (perhaps) with more successful words
Than you, unless you were a scholar, sir.
Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock! what an ass it is!
Pet. Peace, sirrah.

Hor. Grumio, mum!-God save you, seignior Gremio!

Gre. And you're well met, seignior Hortensio.
Trow you

Whither I am going?-To Baptista Minola.
I promised to inquire carefully

About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca;

And, by good fortune, I have lighted well
On this young man; for learning and behavior,
Fit for her turn; well read in poetry

And other books,-good ones, I warrant you.
Hor. 'Tis well; and I have met a gentleman,
Hath promised me to help me to another,

A fine musician to instruct our mistress;

So shall I no whit be behind in duty

To fair Bianca, so beloved of me.

Gre. Beloved of me,-and that my deeds shall prove. Gru. And that his bags shall prove.

[Aside. Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love.

Listen to me, and if you speak me fair,

I'll tell you news indifferent good for either.
Here is a gentleman, whom by chance I met,
Upon agreement from us to his liking,
Will undertake to woo curst Katharine;
Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please.
Gre. So said, so done, is well.

Hortensio, have you told him all her faults?

Pet. I know she is an irksome, brawling scold;

If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.

Gre. No! Say'st me so, friend? What countryman?
Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's son;

My father dead, my fortune lives for me;
And I do hope good days, and long, to see.

Gre. O sir, such a life, with such a wife, were

strange:

But, if you have a stomach, to't, o' God's name;
You shall have me assisting you in all.

But will you woo this wild cat?

Will I live?

Pet.
Gru. Will he woo her? Ay, or I'll hang her.

Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent?
Think you a little din can daunt mine ears?
Have I not in my time heard lions roar?
Have I not heard the sea, puffed up with winds,
Rage like an angry boar, chafed with sweat?
Have I not heard great ordnance in the field,
And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies?
Have I not in a pitched battle heard

[Aside.

Loud 'larums, neighing steeds, and trumpets' clang?
And do you tell me of a woman's tongue,

That gives not half so great a blow to the ear,
As will a chestnut in a farmer's fire?

Tush! tush! fear boys with bugs.1

Gru.

Gre. Hortensio, hark!

For he fears none. [Aside.

This gentleman is happily arrived,

My mind presumes, for his own good, and yours.
Hor. I promised we would be contributors,
And bear his charge of wooing, whatsoe❜er.
Gre. And so we will; provided that he win her.
Gru. I would I were as sure of a good dinner.

[Aside.

Enter TRANIO, bravely apparelled; and BIONDELLO.

Tra. Gentlemen, God save you! If I may be bold, Tell me, I beseech you, which is the readiest way To the house of seignior Baptista Minola?

Bion. He that has the two fair daughters;-is't [Aside to TRANIO.] he you mean?

1 Fright boys with bugbears.

Tra. Even he, Biondello.

Gre. Hark you, sir; you mean not her to1 Tra. Perhaps him and her, sir. What have you to do?

Pet. Not her that chides, sir; at any hand, I pray. Tra. I love no chiders, sir.-Biondello, let's away. Luc. Well begun, Tranio.

Hor. Sir, a word ere you go.

[Aside.

Are you a suitor to the maid you talk of, yea or no? Tra. An if I be, sir, is it any offence?

Gre. No; if, without more words, you will get you

hence.

Tra. Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as free For me as for you?

Gre.

But so is not she.

Tra. For what reason, I beseech you?
Gre. For this reason, if you'll know,

That she's the choice love of seignior Gremio.

Hor. That she's the chosen of seignior Hortensio.
Tra. Softly, my masters! If you
be gentlemen,
Do me this right,-hear me with patience.
Baptista is a noble gentleman,

To whom my father is not all unknown;
And, were his daughter fairer than she is,
She may more suitors have, and me for one.
Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers;
Then well one more may fair Bianca have:
And so she shall; Lucentio shall make one,
Though Paris came, in hope to speed alone.

Gre. What! This gentleman will outtalk us all.
Luc. Sir, give him head; I know he'll prove a jade.
Pet. Hortensio, to what end are all these words?
Hor. Sir, let me be so bold as ask you,

Did you yet ever see Baptista's daughter?

Tra. No, sir; but hear I do that he hath two; The one as famous for a scolding tongue,

As is the other for beauteous modesty.

1 This hiatus is in the old copy; it is most probable that an abrupt sentence was intended.