in the defence yet is weak: unfold to us fome warlike resistance. Par. There is none: man, fetting down before you, will undermine you, and blow you up. Hel. Blefs our poor virginity from underminers and blowers up! Is there no military policy, how virgins might blow up men? Par. Virginity being blown down, man will quicklier be blown up: marry, in blowing him down again, with the breach yourselves made, you lofe your city. It is not politick in the commonwealth of nature, to preferve virginity. Lofs of virginity is rational increafe; and there was never virgin got, 'till virginity was first loft. That, you were made of, is metal to make virgins. Virginity, by being once loft, may be ten times found: by being ever kept, it is ever loft; 'tis too cold a companion away with't. 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 fpeak on the part of virginity, is to accufe your mother; which is moft infallible difobedience. He, that hangs himfelf, is a virgin: virginity murthers itself, and fhould 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 moft prohibited fin in the canon. Keep it not, you cannot chufe but lose by't. Out with't; within ten years it will make itself two, which is a goodly increase, and the principal itself not much the worse. Away with't. Hel. How might one do, Sir, to lofe it to her own liking? Par. Let me fee. Marry, ill, to like him that ne'er it likes. 'Tis a commodity will lose the glofs with lying. The longer kept, the lefs worth: off with't, while 'tis vendible. Anfwer the time of request. Virginity, like an old courtier, wears her cap out of fashion: richly futed, but unfutable; just like the brooch and the toothpick, 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 drily; marry, 'tis a wither'd pear: it was formerly better; marry, yet 'tis a wither'd pear. Will you any thing with it? Hel. Not my virginity yet. There fhall your mafter have a thousand loves, Now shall he God fend him well!- -'tis pity Hel. That wishing well had not a body in't, Enter Page. Page. Monfieur Parolles, My lord calls for you. [Exit Page. Par. 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 especially think, under Mars. Par. Par. Why under Mars? Hel. The wars have kept you fo under, that you must needs be born under Mars. Par. When he was predominant. Hel. When he was retrograde, I think, rather. Hel. You go fo much backward, when you fight. Hel. So is running away, when fear proposes 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. : 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, so thou wilt be capable of courtier's counfel, and understand what advice fhall thruft upon thee; elfe thou dieft in thine unthankfulness, and thine ignorance makes thee away; farewel. When thou haft leifure, fay thy prayers; when thou haft none, remember thy friends; get thee a good husband, and use him as he ufes thee: fo farewel. [Exit. Hel. Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, [Exit. SCENE SCENE changes to the Court of France. Flourish Cornets. Enter the King of France with letters, and divers Attendants. King. T HE Florentines and Senoys are by th' ears; A braving war. tinue I Lord. So 'tis reported, Sir. King. Nay, 'tis moft credible; we here receive it, A certainty vouch'd from our coufin Austria ; With caution, that the Florentine will move us For fpeedy aid; wherein our dearest friend Prejudicates the bufinefs, and would feem To have us make denial. I Lord. His love and wisdom, Approv'd fo to your Majefty, may plead King. He hath arm'd our answer; And Florence is deny'd, before he comes: 2 Lord. It may well ferve A nurfery to our gentry, who are fick King. What's he comes here? Enter Bertram, Lafeu and Parolles. 1 Lord. It is the count Roufillon, my good lord, young Bertram.. King. Youth, thou bear'ft thy father's face. Ber. My thanks and duty are your Majesty's. First try'd our foldiership: he did look far Who were below him He us'd as creatures of another place, And bow'd his eminent top to their low ranks; In their poor praise he humbled: Such a man Might be a copy to these younger times; Which, follow'd well, would now demonftrate them But goers backward. Ber. His good remembrance, Sir, Lies richer in your thoughts, than on his tomb; So in approof lives not his epitaph, As in your royal fpeech. King. 'Would, I were with him! he would always fay, (3) So like a Courtier, no Contempt or Bitterness Were in his Pride or Sharpness; if they were, His Equal had awak'd them.— J This Paffage feems fo very incorrectly pointed, that the Author's Meaning is loft in the Carelessnefs. As the Text and Stops are reform'd, these ate most beautiful Lines, and the Senfe this-"He had no Contempt or Bitterness; if he had any thing that look'd like "Pride or Sharpness, (of which Qualities Contempt and Bit"ternefs are the Exceffes,) his Equal had awak'd them, not "his Inferior; to whom he fcorn'd to discover any thing that "bore the Shadow of Pride or Sharpness." Mr. Warburton. (Methinks, |