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Speed. Item, fhe can knit.

Laun. What need a man care for a ftock with a wench, when she can knit him a stock.

Speed. Item, fhe can wash and fcour.

Laun. A fpecial virtue; for then she need not to be wafh'd and fcour'd.

Speed. Item, fhe can fpin.

Laun. Then may I fet the world on wheels, when she can spin for her living.

Speed. Item, he hath many nameless virtues.

Laun. That's as much as to fay, Baftard virtues; that, indeed, know not their fathers, and therefore have no names.

Speed. Here follow her vices.

Laun. Clofe at the heels of her virtues.

Speed. Item, 3 he is not to be kiss'd fafting, in reSpect of her breath.

Laun. Well, that fault may be mended with a breakfast: read on.

Speed. Item, fhe bath a 4 fweet mouth.

Laun. That makes amends for her four breath. Speed. Item, he doth talk in her fleep.

Laun. It's no matter for that, so she sleep not in her talk.

Speed. Item, he is flow in words.

Laun. O villain! that fet down among her vices! To be flow in words is a woman's only virtue: I pray thee, out with't; and place it for her chief virtue. Speed. Item, fhe is proud.

Laun. Out with that too: it was Eve's legacy, and cannot be ta'en from her.

Speed. Item, fhe hath no teeth.

3 she is not to be kiss'd fafting,-] The old copy reads, -fhe is not to be fafting, &c. The neceffary word kiss'd was firft added by Mr. Rowe, STEEVENS.

4 feet mouth.] This I take to be the fame with what is now vulgarly called a sweet tooth, a luxurious defire of dainties and fweetmeats. JOHNSON.

Laun.

Laun. I care not for that neither, because I love crufts.

Speed. Item, he is curft.

Laun. Well; the best is, fhe hath no teeth to bite. Speed. Item, he will often 5 praife her liquor.

Laun. If her liquor be good, the fhall: if she will not, I will; for good things fhould be praised.

6

Speed. Item, fhe is too liberal

Laun. Of her tongue fhe cannot, for that's writ down, fhe is flow of: of her purfe fhe fhall not, for that I'll keep fhut: now of another thing fhe may, and that I cannot help. Well, proceed.

Speed. Item, he hath more hair than wit, and more faults than hairs, and more wealth than faults.

Laun. Stop here; I'll have her: fhe was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that article. Rehearse that once more.

Speed. Item, 7 he hath more hair than wit

Laun. More hair than wit-it may be; I'll prove it the cover of the falt hides the falt, and therefore it is more than the falt: the hair, that covers the wit, is more than the wit; for the greater hides the lefs. What's next?

Speed. And more faults than hairs

Laun. That's monftrous: oh, that that were out!
Speed. And more wealth than faults.

Laun. Why, that word makes the faults gracious: well, I'll have her and if it be a match, as nothing is impoffible

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Speed. What then?

praife her liquor.] That is, fhew how well fhe likes it by drinking often. JOHNSON.

6

fhe is too liberal.] Liberal, is licentious and grofs in language. So in Othello, "Is he not a profane and very liberal "counfellor." JOHNSON.

7-fhe bath more hair than wit-] An old English proverb. See Ray's Proverbs:

"Bush natural, more hair than wit." STEEVENS.

Laun.

Laun. Why then will I tell thee, that thy master stays for thee at the north-gate.

Speed. For me?

Laun. For thee? ay; who art thou? he hath ftaid for a better man than thee.

Speed. And muft I go to him?

Laun. Thou must run to him, for thou haft ftaid fo long, that going will scarce ferve the turn.

Speed. Why didit not tell me fooner? pox on your

love-letters!

Laun. Now will he be fwing'd for reading my letter: an unmannerly flave, that will thruft himself into fecrets!-I'll after, to rejoice in the boy's correction. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Enter Duke and Thurio.

Duke. Sir Thurio, fear not, but that she will love
you,

Now Valentine is banifh'd from her fight.
Thu. Since his exile fhe hath defpis'd me moft,
Forfworn my company, and rail'd at me,
That I am defperate of obtaining her.

Duke. This weak imprefs of love is as a figure
Trenched in ice, which with an hour's heat
Diffolves to water, and doth lofe his form.
A little time will melt her frozen thoughts,
And worthlefs Valentine fhall be forgot.-

Enter Protheus.

How now, Sir Protheus? Is your countryman,
According to our proclamation, gone?

Pro. Gone, my good lord.

Duke. My daughter takes his going heavily.

Trenched in ice,-] Cut, carved in ice. Trencher, to cut, French. JOHNSON.

Pro.

Pro. A little time, my lord, will kill that grief. Duke. So I believe; but Thurio thinks not fo.Protheus, the good conceit I hold of thee, (For thou haft fhown fome fign of good defert) Makes me the better to confer with thee.

Pro. Longer than I prove loyal to your grace, Let me not live to look upon your grace.

Duke. Thou know'ft, how willingly I would effect The match between Sir Thurio and my daughter. Pro. I do, my lord.

Duke. And also, I do think, thou art not ignorant How fhe opposes her against my will.

Pro. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here. Duke. Ay, and perverfely fhe perfevers fo. What might we do to make the girl forget The love of Valentine, and love Sir Thurio? Pro. The best way is to flander Valentine With falfhood, cowardice, and poor defcent; Three things that women highly hold in hate.

Duke. Ay, but he'll think that it is spoke in hate. Pro. Ay, if his enemy deliver it:

Therefore it muft, 9 with circumftance, be spoken By one whom the esteemeth as his friend.

Duke. Then you must undertake to flander him. Pro. And that, my lord, I fhall be loth to do: 'Tis an ill office for a gentleman;

Efpecially, against his very friend.

Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage him,

Your flander never can endamage him
Therefore the office is indifferent,
Being intreated to it by your friend.

Pro. You have prevail'd, my lord. If I can do it, By aught that I can fpeak in his difpraise,

She shall not long continue love to him.

9 with circumftance,-] With the addition of fuch incidental particulars as may induce belief. JOHNSON.

But

But fay, this weed her love from Valentine,
It follows not that she will love Sir Thurio.
Thu. Therefore 1 as you unwind her love from him,
Left it should ravel, and be good to none,
You must provide to bottom it on me:

Which must be done, by praifing me as much
As you in worth difpraife Sir Valentine.

Duke. And, Protheus, we dare truft you in this kind;

Because we know, on Valentine's report,
You are already love's firm votary,

And cannot foon revolt and change your mind.
Upon this warrant fhall you have accefs,
Where you with Silvia may confer at large:
For fhe is lumpifh, heavy, melancholy,

2

And, for your friend's fake, will be glad of you;
Where you may temper her, by your perfuafion,
To hate young Valentine, and love my friend.
Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect:
But you, Sir Thurio, are not fharp enough;
You must lay lime to tangle her defires,
By wailful fonnets, whofe composed rhimes
Should be full fraught with ferviceable vows.
Duke. Ay, much is the force of heaven-bred poefy.
Pro. Say, that upon the altar of her beauty
You facrifice your tears, your fighs, your heart:
Write, 'till your ink be dry; and with your tears
Moift it again; and frame fome feeling line,
That may difcover fuch integrity

3 For Orpheus' lute was ftrung with poets' finews;

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as you unwind her love-] As you wind off her love from him, make me the bottom on which you wind it. The housewife's term for a ball of thread wound upon a central body, is a bottom of thread. JOHNSON.

2-lime,-] That is, birdlime. JOHNSON.

3 For Orpheus' lute was ftrung with poet's finews;] This fhews Shakespeare's knowledge of antiquity. He here affigns Orpheus his true character of legiflator. For under that of a

poet

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