I am sorry, I must never trust thee more, I tender it here; I do as truly suffer, Val. Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleas'd; Pro. Look to the boy. [Faints. Val. Why, boy! why, wag! how now? what is the matter? Look up; speak. Jul. O good sir, my master charg'd me To deliver a ring to madam Silvia; Which, out of my neglect, was never done. Jul. Here 'tis this is it. [Gives a ring. Pro. How! let me see: Why this is the ring I gave to Julia. Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook; This is the ring you sent to Silvia. I [Shows another ring. Pro. But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at my depart, gave this unto Julia. Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself hath brought it hither. Pro. How! Julia! Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths, (1) Direction. And entertain'd them deeply in her heart: It is the lesser blot, modesty finds, Women to change their shapes, than men their minds. Pro. Than men their minds? 'tis true: 0 heaven! were man But constant, he were perfect: that one error Fills him with faults; makes him run through all sins: Inconstancy falls off, ere it begins : What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy Val. Come, come, a hand from either: ever. Jul. And I have mine. Enter Out-laws, with Duke and Thurio. Out. A prize, a prize, a prize! Val. Forbear, I say; It is my lord the duke. Your grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd, Banished Valentine. Duke. Sir Valentine! Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine. death; Come not within the measure2 of my wrath: Do not name Silvia thine; if once again, An allusion to cleaving the pin in archery. Take but possession of her with a touch!→→ Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou, I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine, And think thee worthy of an empress' love. I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake, Duke. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be. Val. These banish'd men, that I have kept withal, Are men endued with worthy qualities; They are reformed, civil, full of good, Dispose of them, as thou know'st their deserts. Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold With our discourse to make your grace to smile : What think you of this page, my lord? (1) Interest. (2) Masks, revels. (3) Conclude. Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes. Val. I warrant you, my lord; more grace than boy. Duke. What mean you by that saying? Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along, That done, our day of marriage shall be yours; [Exeunt. In this play there is a strange mixture of knowledge and ignorance, of care and negligence. The versification is often excellent, the allusions are learned and just; but the author conveys his heroes by sea from one inland town to another in the same country; he places the emperor at Milan, and sends his young men to attend him, but never mentions him more; he makes Proteus, after an interview with Silvia, say he has only seen her picture: and, if we may credit the old copies, he has, by mistaking places, left his scenery inextricable. The reason of all this confusion seems to be, that he took his story from a novel which he sometimes followed, and sometimes forsook; sometimes remembered, and sometimes forgot. That this play is rightly attributed to Shakspeare, I have little doubt. If it be taken from him, to whom shall it be given? This question may be asked of all the disputed plays, except Titus Andronicus; and it will be found more credible, that Shakspeare might sometimes sink below his highest flights, than that any other should rise up to his lowest. JOHNSON |