the thing you wot of. He makes me no more | A fox, to be shepherd of thy lambs; ado, but whips me out of the chamber. How Alas, poor fool! why do I pity him many masters would do this for their servant? That with his very heart despiseth me? Nay, I'll be sworn, I have sat in the stocks for Because he loves her, he despiseth me; puddings he hath stolen, otherwise he had been Because I love him, I must pity him. executed I have stood on the pillory for geese This ring I gave him, when he parted from he hath killed, otherwise he had suffered for't; me, thou think'st not of this now !-Nay, 1 remem- To bind him to remember my good will: ber the trick you served me, when I took my And now am I (unhappy messenger) leave of madam Silvia; diù not I bid thee still To plead for that, which I would not obtain; mark the, and do as I do? When didst thou see To carry that which I would have refus'd me heave up my leg, and make, water against To praise his faith, which I would have dise a gentlewoman's fartingale? didst thou ever see prais'd. me do such a trick? Enter PROTEUS and JULIA. And will employ thee in some service presently. can. Pro. I hope thou wilt.-How now, you whoreson peasant? [TO LAUNCE. Where have you been these two days loitering? Laun. Marry, Sir, 1 carried mistress Silvia the dog you bade me. Pro. And what says she to my little jewel? Laun. Marry, she says, your dog was a cur; and tells you, currish thanks is good enough for such a present. Pro. But she received my dog? Laun. No, indeed, she did not: here have I brought him back again. Pro. What, did'st thou offer ber this from me? Laun. Ay, Sir; the other squirrel was stolen from me by the hangman's boys in the market place and then I offered ber mine own; who is a dog as big as ten of your's, and therefore the gift the greater. Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog Sebastian, I have entertained thee, She loved me well, deliver'd it to me. I am my master's true confirmed love; Enter SILVIA, attended. mean To bring me where to speak with madam Silvia. Sil. What would you with her, if that I be she? Jul. If you be she, I do entreat your pa- To hear me speak the message I am sent on. Jul. From my master, Sir Proteus, madam. Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there. [Picture brought. Go, give your master this: tell him from me, One Julia, that his changing thoughts forget, would better fit his chamber than this shadow. Jul. Madam, please you peruse this letter.- Sil. I pray thee let me look on that again. 1 I will not look upon your master's lines: As easily as I do tear his paper. Jul. Madam, be sends your ladyship this ring. Sil. The more shame for him that he sends it me; For, I have heard him say a thousand times, Jul. It seems, you loved her not, to leave her His Julia gave it him at his departure: token: She's dead, belike. I Pro. Not so; I think she lives. Jul. Alas! Pro. Why dost thou cry, alas ? ul. I cannot choose but pity her. Pro. Wherefore should'st thou pity ber? Jul. Because, methinks, that she loved you As you do love your lady Silvia : Pro. Well, give her that ring, and there- This letter;-that's "her chamber. Tell my I claim the promise for her heavenly picture. [Exit PROTEUS. Jul. How many women would do such a message? Alas, poor Protens! thou hast entertain'd] In the end. Though his false finger hath profan'd the ring Sil. What say'st thou ? Jul. I thank you, madam, that you fender her: Poor gentlewoman! my master wrongs her much. Sil. Dost thou know her? Jul. Almost as well as I do know myself: Sil. Belike, she thinks that Proteus hath for- Jul. I think she doth, and that's ner cause of sorrow. Sil. Is she not passing fair? Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she when she did think my master lov'd her well, Jul. About my stature: for, at Pentecost, * When all our pageants of delight were play'd, Our youth got me to play the woman's part, And I was trimm'd in madam Julia's gown ; Which served me as fit, by all men's judgment, As if the garment had been made for me; Therefore, I know she is about my height. And, at that time, I made her weep a-good, † For I did play a lamentable part: Madam, 'twas Ariadne, passioning For Theseus' perjury, and unjust fight; Which I so lively acted with my tears, That my poor mistress, moved there withal, Wept bitterly; and would I might be dead, If I in thought felt not her very sorrow! Sil. She is beholden to thee, gentle youth !Alas, poor lady! desolate and leftI weep myself, to think upon thy words. Here, youth, there is my purse; I give thee this For thy sweet mistress' sake, because thou lov'st her. Farewell. [Exit SILVIA. Jul. And she shall thank you for't, if e'er you know her. A virtuous gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful. And, were there sense in his idolatry, I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes, ACT V. [Erit. Pro. Neither. Duke. Why, then she's fled unto that peasant And Eglamour is in her company. [Valentine; 'Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both, As be in penance wander'd through the forest: Him he knew well, and guess'd that it was she; But, being mask'd, he was not sure of it: Besides, she did intend confession [not: At Patrick's cell this even and there she was These likelihoods confirm her flight from tence, Therefore, I pray you, stand not to discourse, But mount you presently; and meet with me Upon the rising of the mountain foot {fed: That leads towards Mantua, whither they are Despatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me. [Exit. Thu. Why, this it is to be a peevish+ girl. That flies her fortune when it follows her: I'll after; more to be reveng'd on Eglamour, Than for the love of reckless Silvia. [Exit. Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love, Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her. [Kit. Jul. And I will follow more to cross that love, Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love. {Erit. SCENE III.-Frontiers of Mantua-The Forest. Enter SILVIA and OUTLAWS. Be patient, we must bring you to our captain. one Have learn'd me how to brook this patien1ly. 2 Out. Come, bring her away. 1 Out. Where is the gentleman that was with her ? In good earnest. Respectable. • Own. 3 Out. Being nimble footed, he hath outrun | And that's far worse than none; better have us, But Moyses, and Valerius, follow him. Go thou with her to the west end of the wood, There is our captain: we'll follow him that's fed; The thicket is beset, he cannot 'scape. 1 Out. Come, I must bring you to our cap- Fear not; he bears an honourable mind, Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee ! SCENE IV.-Another part of the Forest. Enter VALENTINE. Val. How use doth breed a babit in a man! O thou, that dost inhabit in my breast, none Than plural faith, which is too much by oue: Pro. In love, Who respects friend! Sil. All men but Proteus. Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words Sil. O heaven ! I have one friend alive; thou would'st disprove Who should be trusted now, when one's right hand Is perjur'd to the bosom? Proteus, I am sorry I must never trust thee more, !-But count the world a stranger for thy sake.. The private wound is deepest: O time, juost Have some unhappy passenger in chase: To hazard life, and rescue you from him Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look; Love, lend me patience to forbear awhile. [Aside. Sil. O miserable, unhappy that I am! Jul. And me, when he approacheth to your Would not undergo for one calm look ? Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love, curst! [Shows another ring. Pro. But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at my depart, I gave this unto Julia. Jul. Aud Julia herself did give it me; Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy And entertain'd them deeply in her heart: For whose dear sake thou did'st then rend thy It is the lesser blot, modesty fiuds, faith Women to change their shapes, than men their minds. Pro. Than men their minds? 'tis truè : 0 heaven! were man But constant, he were perfect: that one error • Direction. + An allusion to cleaving the pin in archery Fills him with faults; makes him run through Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again.→ all sins; Inconstancy falls off, ere it begins : Jul. And I have mine. Enter OUTLAWs, with DUKE and THURIO. Out. A prize, a prize, a prize! Vul. Forbear, I say; it is my lord the duke. Your grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd, Banish'd Valentine! Duke. Sir Valentine! Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine. Val. Thurio give back, or else embrace thy of my wrath; death; Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I; Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou, • Length of my sword. Plead a new sate in thy unrivall'd merit, I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake, Are men endued with worthy qualities: Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold With our discourse to make your grace to smile: What think you of this page, my lord? Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blusbes. 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 aleng, That you will wonder what hath fortuned.Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance, but to hear The story of your loves discovered: That done, our day of mariage shall be your's; One feast, one house, one mutual happiness. • Conclude. [Exeunt. ↑ Masks, revels. LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST. LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE. SHAKSPEARE'S first draught of this triffing play, (which all the editors have concurred in censuring, and some have rejected as unworthy of its author) was written in or before 1594, and some additions were probably made to it between that year and 1597, when it was exhibited before Queen Elizabeth. Like the Taming of the Shrew, it was undoubtedly one of his earliest essays to dramatic writing; as the frequent rhymes, the imperfect versification, the artless and desultory dialogue, and the irregularity of the composition, sufficiently prove. The fable does not seem to be a work entirely of invention; and perhaps owes its birth to some novel which has yet to be discovered. The character of Armado bears some resemblance to Don Quixotte, but the play is older than the work of Cervantes; of Holofernes, another singular character, there are some traces in à masque of Sir Philip Sidney, presented before Queen Elizabeth at Wansted. Dr. Johnson says, that in this play "there are many passages mean, childish, and vulgar; and some which ought not to have been exhibited, as we are told they were, to a maiden Queen. But there are scattered through the whole many sparks of genius; nor is there any play that has more evident marks of the hand of Shakspeare." SCENEI.-Navarre.-A Park, with a Palace That his own hand may strike his honour down, Live register'd upon our brazen tombs, And make us heirs of all eternity. me, My fellow-scholars, and to keep those statutes Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortified; biron. I can but say their protestation over, |