Hel. I will ftand for't a little, though therefore I die a virgin. Par. There's little can be faid in't; 'tis against the rule of nature. To speak on the part of virginity, is to accuse your mother; which is most infallible difobedience. 'He, that hangs himself, is a virgin: virginity murders itself, and should be buried in highways out of all fanctified limit, as a defperate offendrefs against nature. Virginity breeds mites, much like a cheese; confumes itself to the very paring, and fo dies with feeding its own ftomach. Befides, virginity is peevish, proud, idle, made of felf-love, which is the most prohibited fin in the canon. Keep it not, you cannot chufe but lofe by't. Out with't; within ten years it will make itself two, which is a goodly increafe, and the principal itself not much the worfe. Away with't. Hel. How might one do, Sir, to lose it to her own liking? 6 Par. Let me fee. " Marry, ill, to like him that ne'er it likes. 'Tis a commodity will lofe the glofs with He, that hangs himself, is a Virgin: But why is he that hangs himself a Virgin? Surely, not for the reason that follows. Virginity murders itself. For tho' every Virgin be a Suicide, yet every Suicide is not a Virgin. A word or two are dropt, which introduced a comparison in this place; and Shakespeare wrote it thus, As he, that hangs himself, so is a Virgin. And then it follows naturally, Virginity murders itself. By this emendation, the Oxford Editor was enabled to alter the text thus, He that bangs himself is like a Virgin. And this is his ufual way of becoming a Critick at a cheap expence. WARBURTON. I believe moft readers will fpare both the emendations, which I do not think much worth a claim or a conteft. The old reading is more fpritely and equally juft. 6 Marry, ill, to like him that ne'er it likes, &c.] Parolles, in answer to the question, horu one shall lofe virginity to her own likiug, plays upon the word liking, and fays, he must da ill, for virginity, to be fo loft, must like him that likes not virginity. 3 lying. The longer kept, the less worth: off with't, while 'tis vendible. Answer the time of requeft. Virginity, like an old courtier, wears her cap out of fashion: richly futed, but unfutable; just like the brooch and the tooth-pike, which we wear not now: your date is better in your pye and your porridge, than in your cheek; and your virginity, your old virginity, is like one of our French wither'd pears; it looks ill, it eats dryly; marry, 'tis a wither'd pear: it was formerly better; marry, yes, 'tis a wither'd pear. Will you any thing with it? 8 7 Hel. Not my virginity yet. There fhall your mafter have a thousand loves, 7 For yet, as it ftood before, Sir T. Hanmer reads yes. Not my virginity yet.] This whole fpeech is abrupt, unconnected and obfcure. Dr. Warburton thinks much of it fuppofititious. I would be too glad to think fo of the whole, for a commentator naturally wishes to reject what he cannot understand. Something which should connect Helena's words with thofe of PaBerolles, feems to be wanting. Hanmer has made a fair attempt by ག reading. Not my virginity yet-You're for the court, There fhall your mafter, &c. Some fuch claufe has, I think, dropped out, but ftill the firft words want connection. Per haps Parolles, going away after his harangue, faid, will you any thing with me? to which Helen may reply.I know not what to do with the paffage. A Phanix, Captain, &c.] The eight lines following friend, 2 I am perfuaded, is the nonfenfe of fome foolish conceited player. What put it into his head was Helen's faying, as it fhould be read for the future, There hall your Mafter have a thaufand loves: A Mother, and a Miftrefs, and a Friend. I know not, what he shall God fend him well. Where the Fellow finding a thenfand loves fpoken of, and only three reckoned up, namely, a Mother's, a Miflrefs's, and a Friend's (which, by the way, were all a judicious Writer could mention; for there are but these three fpecies of love in Nature) he would help out the number, by the intermediate nonfenfe: and, because they were yet too few, he pieces out his loves with enmities, and makes of the whole fuch finished nonefenfe as is never heard out of Bedlam. WARBURTON. A guide, * A guide, a goddess, and a fovereign, Now fhall he Par. What one, i'faith? and he is one Hel. That I wish well-'tis pity- Hel. That wishing well had not a body in't, Might with effects of them follow our friends: I And fhew what we alone muft think, which never Returns us thanks. Enter Page. Page. Monfieur Parolles, My lord calls for you. [Exit Page. Far. Little Helen, farewel; if I can remember thee, I will think of thee at court. Hel. Monfieur Parolles, you were born under a charitable ftar. Par. Under Mars, I. Hel. I efpecially think, under Mars. Par. Why under Mars? Hel. The wars have kept you fo under, that your muft needs be born under Mars. Par. When he was predominant. Hel. When he was retrograde, I think, rather. * you fo? — a traitress,] It seems that traitress was in that age a term of endearment, for when Lafeu introduces Helena to the king, he fays You look like a tray tor, but fuch traytors his majesty does not much fear. • And Shew what we alone must think] And fhew by realities what we now must only think. Hel. Hel. You go fo much backward, when you fight. Hel. So is running away, when fear propofes fafety: but the compofition, that your valour and fear makes in you, is a virtue of a good wing, and I like the wear well. 2 Par. I am fo full of bufineffes, as I cannot answer thee acutely I will return perfect courtier; in the which, my inftruction fhall ferve to naturalize thee, fo "thou wilt be capable of courtier's counfel, and underftand what advice fhall thruft upon thee; elfe thou dieft in thine unthankfulnefs, and thine ignorance makes thee away; farewel. When thou haft leisure, fay thy prayers; when thou haft none, remember thy friends; get thee a good hufband, and ufe him as he uses thee: so farewel. Exit. SCENE IV. Hel. Our remedies oft in ourfelves do lie, 2 is a virtue of a good WING, and I like the wear well. The integrity of the metaphor directs us to Shakespeare's true reading; which, doubtlefs, was a good MING, i. e. mixture, compofition, a word common to ShakeSpear and the writers of this age; and taken from the texture of cloth. The M. was turn'd the wrong way at prefs, and from thence came the blunder. WARBURTON. This conjecture I could wish to fee better proved. This common word ming I have never found. The first edition of this play ex hibits wing without a capital That That makes me fee, and cannot feed mine eye? That weigh their pain in fenfe; and do suppose, SCENE V. Changes to the Court of France. Flourish Cornets. King. Exit. Enter the King of France, with let= ters, and divers Attendants. TH HE Florentines and Senoys are by th' ears; Have fought with equal fortune, and continue |