Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULIA. Pro. Madam, this service I have done for you, That would have forc'd your honour and your love. And less than this, I am sure, you cannot give. came; [Aside. Sil. By thy approach thou mak'st me most unhappy. Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion, [Aside Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death, Would I not undergo for one calm look ? O, 'tis the curse in love, and still approv'd, When women cannot love where they're belov'd. Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's belov'd. Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love, For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy faith Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou hadst two, Pro. In love, Who respects friends? Sil. All men but Proteus. Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words Can no way change you to a milder form, I'll woo you like a soldier, at arms' end; And love you 'gainst the nature of love, force you. } Sil. O heaven! OF VERONA. Pro. I'll force thee yield to my desire. Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch; Thou friend of an ill fashion! Pro. Valentine ! 237 Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love; (For such is a friend now,) treacherous man! Thou hast beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye I have one friend alive; thou would'st disprove me. I am sorry, I must never trust thee more, Be a sufficient ransom for offence, I tender it here; I do as truly suffer, Val. Then I am paid; And once again I do receive thee honest: Who by repentance is not satisfied, Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleas'd; By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeas'd: And, that my love may appear plain and free, Jul. O me, unhappy! Pro. Look to the boy. [Faints. Val. Why, boy! why wag! how now? what is the matter? Look up; speak. [8] It is, (I think,) very odd, to give up his mistress thus at once, without any reason alleged. But our author probably followed the stories just as he found them in his novels as well as his histories. POPE. This passage either hath been much sophisticated, or is one great proof that the main parts of this play did not proceed from Shakespeare; for it is impossible he could make Valentine act and speak so much out of character, or give to Silvia so unnatural a behaviour, as to take no notice of this strange concession, if it had been made. HANMER. Transfer these two lines to the end of Thurio's speech in page 63, and all is right. Why then should Julia faint? It is only an artifice, seeing Silvia given up to Valentine, to discover herself to Proteus, by a pretended mistake of the rings. One great fault of this play is the hastening too abruptly, and without due preparation to the denouement, which shews that, if it be Shakespeare's, (which I cannot doubt,) it was one of his very early performances. BLACKSTONE. Jul. O good sir, my master charg'd me Pro. How! let me see: Why this is the ring I gave to Julia. [Gives a ring. Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook; This is the ring you sent to Silvia. [Shows another ring. Pro. But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at my depart, I gave this unto Julia. Jul. And Julia herself did give it me ; And Julia herself hath brought it hither. Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths, It is the lesser blot, modesty finds, Women to change their shapes, than men their minds. Pro. Than men their minds! 'tis true: O heaven! were man But constant, he were perfect: that one error Fills him with faults; makes him run through all sins: Inconstancy falls off, ere it begins: What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye? Let me be blest to make this happy close; Enter Out-laws, with Duke and THURIO. Out. A prize, a prize, a prize! Val. Forbear, I say; it is my lord the duke. Your grace is welcome to a man disgrac❜d, Banished Valentine. Duke. Sir Valentine! Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine. Val. Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy death; wrath : Come not within the measure of my I claim her not, and therefore she is thine. Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou, I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine, And think thee worthy of an empress' love. Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd her. I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake, To grant one boon that I shall ask of you. Duke. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be. Val. These banish'd men, that I have kept withal, Are men endued with worthy qualities; Forgive them what they have committed here, And let them be recall'd from their exíle : They are reformed, civil, full of good, And fit for great employment, worthy lord. Duke. Thou hast prevail'd: I pardon them, and thee; Dispose of them, as thou know'st their deserts. Come, let us go; we will include all jars1 With triumphs, mirth, and rare solemnity. With our discourse to make your grace to smile : [9] Griefs in old language frequently signified grievances, wrongs. MALONE. To include is to shut up, to conclude. STEEVENS. 121 Triumphs in this and many other passages of Shakespeare, signify Masques and Revels, &c. STEEVENS. Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes. Val. I warrant you, my lord; more grace than boy. Duke. What mean you by that saying? Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along, That done, our day of marriage shall be yours; [Exeunt. |