Moth. Why, tender Juvenal ? why, tender Juve nal? Arm. I fpoke it, tender Juvenal, as a congruent epitheton, appertaining to thy younger days, which we may nominate, tender. Moth. And I tough fignior, as an appertinent title to your old time, which we may name tough. Arm. Pretty and apt. Moth. How mean you, fir? I pretty, and my saying apt? or I apt, and my faying pretty? Arm. Thou pretty, becaufe little. Moth. Little! pretty, because little wherefore apt? Arm. And therefore apt, becaufe quick. Moth. I will praise an eel with the same praise. Moth. That an eel is quick. Arm. I do fay, thou art quick in answers. Thou heat'ft my blood Moth. I am anfwer'd, fir. Arm. I love not to be cross'd. Moth. He fpeaks the clean contrary, croffes love not him. 3 Arm. I have promis'd to ftudy three years with the duke. Moth. You may do it in an hour, fir. Moth. How many is one thrice told? Arm. I am ill at reckoning, it fits the spirit of a tapfter. Moth. You are a gentleman and a gamefter, fir. 3 croffes love not him.] By croffes he means money. So in As you like it, the Clown fays to Celia, if I should bear you, I should bear no cross. JOHNSON. Arm. Arm. I confefs both; they are both the varnish of a complete man. Moth. Then, I am fure, you know how much the grofs fum of deuce-ace amounts to. Arm. It doth amount to one more than two. Arm. True. Moth. Why, fir, is this fuch a piece of study? now here's three ftudied ere you'll thrice wink and how eafy it is to put years to the word three, and study three years in two words, the dancing-horse will tell you. 4 Arm. A moft fine figure. Moth. To prove you a cypher. Arm. I will hereupon confefs, I am in love: and, as it is base for a foldier to love, fo I am in love with a base wench. If drawing my fword against the hu mour of affection would deliver me from the reprobate thought of it, I would take defire prisoner; and ransom him to any French courtier for a new devis'd court'fy. I think it fcorn to figh; methinks, I fhould ↑ Moth. And how easy is it to put years to the word three, and fudy three years in two words, the dancing-horfe will tell you.] Banks's horfe, which play'd many remarkable pranks. Sir Walter Raleigh (History of the World, first part, p. 178) fays, "If Banks "had lived in older times, he would have fhamed all the inchan"ters in the world: for whofoever was most famous among them, "could never mafter, or inftruct any beast as he did his horse." And fir Kenelm Digby (a Treatife of Bodies, chap. 38. page 393.) observes, "That his horfe would restore a glove to the due 66 owner, after the mafter had whispered the man's name in his "ear; would tell the just number of pence in any piece of filver "coin, newly fhewed him by his mafter; and even obey prefent"ly his command, in difcharging himself of his excrements, "whenfoever he had bade him." Dr. GRAY. Banks's horfe is alluded to by many writers contemporary with Shakespeare; among the reft, by B. Jonfon, in Every Man out of his Humour. "He keeps more ado with this monster, than ever Banks did with his horfe." STEEVENS. out-fwear Cupid. Comfort me, boy; What great men have been in love? Moth. Hercules, mafter. Arm. Most sweet Hercules! More authority, dear boy, name more; and, fweet my child, let them be men of good repute and carriage. Math. Sampfon, master; he was a man of good carriage; great carriage, for he carried the towngates on his back like a porter: and he was in love. Arm. O well-knit Sampfon, ftrong-jointed Sampfon! I do excel thee in my rapier, as much as thou didft me in carrying gates. I am in love too. Who was Sampfon's love, my dear Moth? Moth. A woman, mafter. Arm. Of what complexion? Moth. Of all the four, or the three, or the two, or one of the four. Arm. Tell me precifely of what complexion? Arm. Is that one of the four complexions? Moth. As I have read, fir, and the best of them too. Arm. Green, indeed, is the colour of lovers: but to have a love of that colour, methinks, Samplon had small reason for it. He, furely, affected her for her wit. Moth. It was fo, fir; for fhe had a green wit. Arm. My love is most immaculate white and red. Moth. Moft maculate thoughts, mafter, are mafk'd under fuch colours. Arm. Define, define, well-educated infant. Moth. My father's wit, and my mother's tongue, affift me! Arm. Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty and patheticall Moth. If the be made of white and red, Her faults will ne'er be known; For For blushing cheeks by faults are bred, A dangerous rhime, master, against the reason of white and red. Arm. Is there not a ballad, boy, of the King and the Beggar? Moth. The world was guilty of fuch a ballad some three ages fince; but, I think, now 'tis not to be found; or if it were, it would neither ferve for the writing, nor the tune. Arm, I will have that fubject newly writ o'er, that I may example my digreffion by fome mighty precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl, that I took in the park with the rational hind Coftard; fhe deferves well Moth. To be whipp'd; and yet a better love than my master. Arm. Sing, boy; my spirit grows heavy in love. Moth. And that's great marvel, loving a light wench. Arm. I fay, fing. Moth. Forbear, till this company is past. Enter Coftard, Dull, Jaquenetta, a Maid. Dull. Sir, the duke's pleasure is, that you keep Coftard fafe and you must let him take no delight, nor no penance; but he muft faft three days a-week. For this damfel, I must keep her at the park; fhe is allow'd for the day-woman. Fare you well. 5 the King and the Beggar ?] See Dr. Percy's Collection in 3 vols. STEEVENS. ❝ the rational bind Coflard;] Perhaps, we should read—the irra tional bind, &c. T. T. The rational bind, perhaps, means only the reasoning brute, the animal with fome share of reafon. STEEVENS. A a 4 Arm. Arm. I do betray myfelf with blufhing. Maid,Jaq. Man, Arm. I will vifit thee at the lodge. Jaq. That's here by. Arm. I know where it is fituate. Arm. I will tell thee wonders. Arm. I love thee. Jaq. So I heard you say. Am. And fo farewell. Jaq Fair weather after you! Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away. 7 [Exeunt Dull and Jaquenetta. Arm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences, ere thou be pardoned. Coft. Well, fir, hope, when I do it, I fhall do it on a full ftomach. Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punish'd. Coft. I am more bound to you, than your followers; for they are but lightly rewarded. Arm. Take away this villain; fhut him up. Moth. Come, you tranfgreffing flave; away. Coft. Let me not be pent up, fir, I will faft, being loofe. 7 Maid. Fair weather after you. Come, Jaquenetta, away.] Thus all the printed copies: but the editors have been guilty of much inadvertence. They make Jaquenetta, and a Maid enter; whereas Jaquenetta is the only maid intended by the poet, and is committed to the cuftody of Dall, to be conveyed by him to the lodge in the park. This being the cafe, it is evident to demonstration, that Ear weather after you-- must be fpoken by Jaquenetta; and then that Dull fays to her, Come, Jaquenetta, away, as I have fegulated the text. THEOBALD. Mr. Theobald has endeavoured here to dignify his own induftry by a very flight performance. The folios all read as he reads, except that inftead of naming the perfons they give their charac ters, enter Clown, Conflable, and Wench. JOHNSON. Moth. |