A lord.
Christopher Sly, a drunken tinker.
Hostess, page, players, huntsmen, and

other servants attending on the lord.

Baptista, a rich gentleman of Padua.
Vincentio, an old gentleman of Pisa.
Lucentio, son to Vincentio, in love with Bianca.
Petruchio, a gentleman of Verona, a suitor to Katharina.
Gremio,

suitors to Bianca.
Hortensio,
Tranio,

servants to Lucentio. Biondello, Grumio,

servants to Petruchio. Curtis, Pedant, an old fellow set up to personate Vincentio.

}

Katharina, the Shrew;
Bianca, her sister,
Widow.

} daughters to Baptista.

Tailor, haberdasher, and servants attending on Baptista

and Petruchio.

1

SCENE,
Sometimes in Padua; and sometimes in Petruchio's

house in the country.

ACT I.....SCENE I.

Padua. A public Place.

Enter LUCENTIO and TRANIO.

Luc. Tranio, since-for the great desire I had
To see fair Padua, nursery of arts,-
I am arriv'd for fruitful Lombardy,
The pleasant garden of great Italy;
And, by my father's love and leave, am arm'd
With his good will, and thy good company,
Most trusty servant, well approv'd in all;
Here let us breathe and happily institute
A course of learning, and ingenious studies.
Pisa, renowned for grave citizens,
Gave me my being, and my father first,
A merchant of great traffick through the world,
Vincentio, come of the Bentivolii. 3

1

dation is unnecessary.

2

for fruitful Lombardy,] Mr. Theobald reads from. The former editions, instead of from had for. Johnson. Padua is a city of Lombardy, therefore Mr. Theobald's emen

Steevens, ingenious - ] I rather think it was written-ingenuous" studies, but of this and a thousand such observations there is lit. tle certainty. Johnson.

In Cole's Dictionary, 1677, it is remarked—“ ingenuous and ingenious are too often confounded.”

Thus, in The Match at Midnight, by Rowley, 1633:—“Me. thinks he dwells in my opinion: a right ingenious spirit, veild merely with the variety of youth, and wildness." Again, in The Bird in a Cage, 1633:

deal ingeniously, sweet lady." Again, so late as the time of the Spectator, No. 437, 1st edit. “A parent who forces a child of a liberal and ingenious spirit,” &c. Reed.

3 Pisa, renowned for grave citizens, &c.] This passage, I think, should be read and pointed thus:

Pisa, renowned for grave citizens,
Gave me my being, and my father first,

а

Vincentio his son, brought up in Florence,
It shall become, to serve all hopes conceiv’d,5
To deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds:
And therefore, Tranio, for the time I study,
Virtue, and that part of philosophy

A merchant of great traffick through the world,

Vincentio, come of the Bentivolii. In the next line, which should begin a new sentence, Vincentio his son, is the same as Vincentio's son, which Mr. Heath not apprehending, has proposed to alter Vincentio into Lucentio. It may be added, that Shakspeare in other places expresses the genitive case in the same improper manner. Şee Troilus and Cressida, Act II, sc. i: “ Mars his ideot.” And Twelfth Night, Act III, sc. iii : “ The Count his gallies.” Tyrwhitt.

Vincentio, come of the Bentivolii.] The old copy reads_Vincentio's. The emendation was made by Sir T. Hanmer.

I am not sure that it is right. Our author might have written:

Vincentio's son, come of the Bentivolii. If that be the true reading, this line should be connected with the following, and a colon placed after world in the preceding line; as is the case in the original copy, which adds some support to the emendation now proposed :

Vincentio's son, come of the Bentivolii,
Vincentio's son brought up in Florence,

It shall become, &c. Malone. 4 Vincentio his son,] The old copy reads-Vincentio's. Steevens.

Vincentio's is here used as a quadrisyllable. Mr. Pope, I suppose, not perceiving this, unnecessarily reads-Vincentio his son, which has been too hastily adopted by the subsequent editors.

Malone. Could I have read the line, as a verse, without Mr. Pope's emendation, I would not have admitted it.

Steevens. to serve all hopes conceiv’d,] To fulfil the expectations of his friends. Malone.

6 Virtue, and that part of philosophy - ) Sir T. Hanmer, and after him Dr. Warburton, read-to virtue; but formerly ply and apply were indifferently used, as to ply or apply his studies.

Fohnson. The word ply is afterwards used in this scene, and in the same manner, by Tranio:

• For who shall bear your part, &c.

“Keep house and ply his book ?" M. Mason. So, in The Nice Wanton, an ancient interlude, 1560:

“Oye children, let your time be well spent,

Applye your learning, and your elders obey." Again, in Gascoigne’s Supposes, 1566: “I feare he applyes his study so, that he will not leave the minute of an houre from his booke.” Malone.

5

Will I apply, that treats of happiness
By virtue 'specially to be achiev'd.
Tell me thy mind: for I have Pisa left,
And am to Padua come; as he that leaves
A shallow plash, to plunge him in the deep,
And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst.

Tra. Mi perdonate,? gentle master mine,
I am in all affected as yourself;
Glad that you thus continue your resolve,
To suck the sweets of sweet philosophy.
Only, good master, while we do admire
This virtue, and this moral discipline,
Let's be no stoicks, nor no stocks, I pray;
Or so devote to Aristotle's checks, 8
As Ovid be an outcast quite abjurid:
Talk logicko with acquaintance that you have,
And practise rhetorick in your common talk:
Musick and poesy use to quicken you;?
The mathematicks, and the metaphysicks,
Fall to them, as you find your stomach serves you:
No profit grows, where is no pleasure ta’en ;-
In brief, sir, study what you most affect.

Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise.
If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore,
We could at once put us in readiness;

8

1

8

? Mi perdonate,] Old copy-Me pardonato. The emendation was suggested by Mr. Steevens. Malone,

Aristotle's checks,] Are, I suppose, the harsh rules of Aristotle. Steevens.

Such as tend to check and restrain the indulgence of the pas. sions. Malone.

Tranio is here descanting on academical learning, and mentions by name six of the seven liberal sciences. I suspect this to be a mis-print, made by some copyist or compositor, for ethicks. The sense confirms it. Blackstona.

So, in Ben Jonson's Silent Woman, Act IV, sc. iv: “I, in some cases: but in these they are best, and Aristotle's ethicks."

Steevens. 9 Talk logick-] Old copy-Balk. Corrected by Mr. Rowe.

Malone. ? to quicken you;] i. e. animate. So, in All's well that ends well :

Quicken a rock, and make you dance canary.” Steevens.

And take a lodging, fit to entertain
Such friends, as time in Padua shall beget.
But stay awhile: What company is this?

Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to town. Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and

HORTENSIO. LUCENTIO and TRANIO stand aside.

Bap. Gentlemen, importune me no further,
For how I firmly am resolv'd you know;
That is,-not to bestow my youngest daughter,
Before I have a husband for the elder:
If either of you both love Katharina,
Because I know you well, and love you well,
Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.

Gre. To cart her rather: She's too rough for me:There, there Hortensio, will you any wife?

Kath. I pray you, sir, [to Bap.] is it your will To make a stale of me amongst these mates?

Hor. Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates

for you,

Unless you were of gentler, milder mould.

Kath. l' faith, sir, you shall never need to fear;
I wis, it is not half way to her heart:
But, if it were, doubt not her care should be
To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool,
And paint your face, and use you like a fool.

Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us!
Gre. And me too, good Lord!
Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastime to-

ward;
That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward.

Luc. But in the other's silence I do see
Maids' mild behaviour and sobriety.
Peace, Tranio.

Tra. Well said, master; mum! and gaze your fill.

Bap. Gentlemen, that I may soon make good
What I have said, Bianca, get you in:
And let it not displease thee, good Bianca;
For I will love thee ne'er the less, my girl.

Kath. A pretty peat!2 'tis best

2 A pretty peat!] Peat or pet is a word of endearment from petit, little, as if it meant pretty little thing. Fohnson.