Pro. To leave my Julia, fhall I be forfworn; To love fair Silvia, fhall I be forfworn; To wrong my friend, I fhall be much forfworn: Love bad me fwear, and love bids me forfwear: Unheedful vows may heedfully be broken; But there I leave to love, where I fhould love: If I keep them, I needs muft lofe myself: *It is to be observed, that in the first folio edition, the only Edition of authority, there are no directions concerning the scenes; they have been added by the later Editors, and may therefore be changed by any reader that can give more confiftency or regularity to the drama by fuch al terations., I make this remark in this place, because I know not whether the following foliloquy of Protheus is fo proper in the Atreet. 60 fweet fuggefting love.] To fuggeft is to tempt in our Authour's language. So again, Knowing that tender youth is foon luggested. The fenfe is. O tempting love, if thou haft influenced me to fin, teach me to excufe it. Dr. Warburton reads, if I have finn'd; but, I think, not only without neceffity, but with less elegance. P3 I to I to myself am dearer than a friend; For love is still more precious in itself : And Silvia, witnefs heav'n, that made her fair! I will forget that Julia is alive, C Changes to Julia's Houfe in Verona. Ounfel, Lucetta-Gentle girl, affift me; And, even in kind love, I do conjure thee, To leffon me; and tell me fome good mean, • Myfelf, who am his competitor or rival, being admitted to his counfel. Pretended flight.] We may read intended flight. 3 I fulpect that the authour [Exit. concluded the act with this couplet, and that the third fcene fhould begin the third act; but the change, as it will add nothing to the probability of the action, is of no great importance. Luc. Luc. Alas! the way is wearifome and long. Luc. Better forbear, 'till Protheus make return. Pity the dearth, that I have pined in, Left it should burn above the bounds of reason. burns. the The current, that with gentle murmur glides, more it Thou know'ft, being ftopp'd, impatiently doth rage: But when his fair courfe is not hinder'd, He makes sweet mufick with th' enamel'd stones; Giving a gentle kifs to every fedge He overtaketh in his pilgrimage: And fo by many winding nooks he strays, With willing fport, to the wild ocean, Then let me go, and hinder not my course; Luc. But in what habit will you go along? P 4 Luc. Luc. Why then your ladyfhip muft cut your hair. Jul. No, girl; I'll knit it up in filken strings, With twenty odd-conceited true-love-knots: To be fantastick, may become a youth Of greater time than I fhall fhew to be. Luc. What fafhion, Madam, fhall I make your breeches? Jul. That fits as well, as" tell me, good my lord, "What compafs will you wear your farthingale?" Why, even what fafhion thou beft lik'ft, Lucetta. Luc. You must needs have them with a cod-piece, Madam. Jul, Out, out, Lucetta! that will be ill-favour'd. Luc. A round hofe, Madam, now's not worth a pin. Unless you have a cod-piece to flick pins on. Jul. Lucetta, as thou lov'ft me, let me have What thou think'ft meet, and is moft mannerly: But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me. For undertaking fo unftaid a journey? I fear me, it will make me fcandaliz'd. Luc. It you think fo, then flay at home, and go not. Jul. Nay, that I will not. Luc. Then never dream on infamy, but go. If Protheus like your journey, when you come, No matter who's difpleafed, when you are gone: I fear me, he will fcarce be pleas'd withal. Jul. That is the leaft, Lucetta, of my A thoufand oaths, an ocean of his tears, And inftances as infinite of love, Warrant me welcome to my Protheus. fear: Duc. All these are fervants to deceitful men. Of Infinite. Old Edit. His heart as far from fraud, as heaven from earth. him! Jul. Now, as thou lov'ft me, do him not that wrong, To bear a hard opinion of his truth ; ACT III. [Exeunt. SCENE I. The Duke's Palace, in Milan. Enter Duke, Thurio, and Protheus. DUKE. SIR Thurio, give us leave, I pray, a while; we have fecrets to confer [Exit Thur. Now tell me, Protheus, what's your will with me? Pro. My gracious lord, that which I would discover, The law of friendship bids me to conceal; But when I call to mind your gracious favours My duty pricks me on to utter that, Which, elfe, no worldly good fhould draw from me. Myfelf |