ACT II. SCENE, The House of Antipholis of Ephefus. N Enter Adriana and Luciana. ADRIAN A. EITHER my husband, nor the flave return'd, Luc. Perhaps, fome merchant hath invited him, A man is mafter of his liberty : Time is their mafter; and when they fee time, Adr. This fervitude makes you to keep unwed. Adr. But were you wedded, you would bear fome fway. Luc. Ere I learn love, I'll practise to obey. Adr. How if your husband start some other where? But were we burden'd with like weight of pain, This fool-begg'd patience in thee will be left. Luc. Well, I will marry one day but to try; Here comes your man, now is your husband nigh. Enter Dromio of Ephefus. Adr. Say, is your tardy mafter now at hand? E. Dro. Nay, he's at two hands with me, and that my two ears can witness. Adr. Say, did't thou speak with him? know't thou his mind? E. Dro. Ay, ay, he told his mind upon mine ear, Befhrew his hand, I fcarce could under-stand it. Luc. Spake he fo doubtfully, thou could'st not feel his meaning? E. Dro. Nay, he ftruck fo plainly, I could too well feel his blows; and withal fo doubtfully, that I could fcarce understand them. Adr. But fay, I pr'ythee, is he coming home? It feems, he hath great care to please his wife. E. Dro. Why, mistress, fure, my master is horn-mad. Adr. Horn-mad, thou villain? E. Dro. I mean not, cuckold-mad; but, fure, he's ftark mad: When I defir'd him to come home to dinner, Your Your meat doth burn, quoth I; my gold, quoth he: E. Dro.. Quoth my mafter: I know, quoth he, no house, no wife, no mistress; I thank him, I bare home upon my shoulders: Adr. Go back again, thou flave, and fetch him home. E. Dro. Go back again, and be new beaten home? For God's fake, fend fome other meffenger. Adr. Back, flave, or I will break thy pate across. E. Dro. And he will blefs that crofs with other beating: Between you I fhall have a holy head. Adr. Hence, prating peafant, fetch thy master home. E. Dro. Am I fo round with you as you with me, That like a foot-ball you do fpurn me thus? You fpurn me hence, and he will fpurn me hither : If I laft in this fervice, you must cafe me in leather. grace, [Exit. Lac. Fie, how impatience lowreth in your face! Adr. His company must do his minions Whilft I at home ftarve for a merry look: Hath homely age th' alluring beauty took From my poor cheek then, he hath wafted it. Are my discourses dull? barren my wit? If voluble and fharp discourse be marr'd, Unkindness blunts it, more than marble hard. Do their gay veftments his affections bait ? That's not my fault: he's matter of my state. What ruins are in me, that can be found By him not ruin'd? then, is he the ground Of my defeatures. My decayed fair A funny look of his would foon repair. But, But, too unruly deer, he breaks the pale, (3) I see the Jewel best enameled Will lofe his Beauty; yet the gold bides ftill [Exeunt. By Falfhood and Corruption doth it Shame.] In this miferable mangled Condition is this Passage exhibited in the firft Folio. All the Editions fince have left out the laft Couplet of it; I prefume, as too hard for them. Mr. Pope, who pretends to have collated the firft Folio, fhould have spar'd us the Lines, at leaft, in their Corruption.- -1 communicated my Doubts upon this Paffage to my Friend Mr. Warburton; and to his Sagacity I owe, in good part, the Correction of it. The Senfe of the whole is now very pertinent; which, without the two Lines from the firft Folio, was very imperfect; not to fay, ridiculous. The Comparison is fully closed. "Gold, indeed, bides handling well; but, for all that, often "Touching will wear even Gold: So, no Man of a great “Character, even as pure as Gold, but may in Time lose it by Falood and Corruption. SCENE 1 Ant. SCENE changes to the Street. T Enter Antipholis of Syracufe. HE gold I gave to Dromio is laid up Is wander'd forth in care to feek me out. Enter Dromio of Syracufe. How now, Sir? is your merry humour alter'd ? S. Dro. What answer, Sir? when spake I fuch a word? Ant. Even now, even here, not half an hour fince. S. Dro. I did not fee you fince you fent me hence Home to the Centaur, with the gold you gave me. Ant. Villain, thou didst deny the gold's receipt; And told'it me of a mistress, and a dinner; For which, I hope, thou felt'ft I was difpleas'd. S. Dro. I'm glad to fee you in this merry vein : What means this jeft, I pray you, master, tell me? Ant. Yea, doft thou jeer and flout me in the teeth? Think'ft thou, I jeft? hold, take thou that, and that. [Beats Dro. S.. Dro. Hold, Sir, for God's fake, now your jeft is earneft; Upon what bargain do you give it me? Ant. Because that I familiarly fometimes |