Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

should speak truth of it: here it is, and all that belongs to't: Ask me, if I am a courtier: it shall do you no harm to learn.

Count. To be young again,' if we could; I will be a fool in question, hoping to be the wiser by your answer. I pray you, sir, are you a courtier ?

Clo. O Lord, sir, "There's a simple putting off;more, more, a hundred of them.

Count. Sir, I am a poor friend of yours, that loves you. Clo. O Lord, sir,-Thick, thick, spare not me.

Count. I think, sir, you can eat none of this homely

meat.

Clo. O Lord, sir,-Nay, put me to't, I warrant you.
Count. You were lately whipped, sir, as I think.
Clo. O Lord, sir,-Spare not me.

Count. Do you cry, O Lord, sir, at your whipping, and spare not me? Indeed, your O Lord, sir, is very sequent to your whipping; you would answer very well to a whipping, if you were but bound to't.

Clo. I ne'er had worse luck in my life, in my-O Lord, sir: I see, things may serve long, but not serve ever.

Count. I play the noble housewife with the time, to entertain it so merrily with a fool.

Clo. O Lord, sir,-why, there't serves well again. Count. An end, sir, to your business: Give Helen this, And urge her to a present answer back :

Commend me to my kinsmen, and my son;

This is not much.

Clo. Not much commendation to them.

Count. Not much employment for you: You understand me?

Clo. Most fruitfully; I am there before my legs. Count. Haste you again. [Exeunt severally.

To be young again,] The lady censures her own levity in trifling with her jester, as a ridiculous attempt to return back to youth.-JOHNSON.

m O Lord, sir,] A ridicule on that foolish expletive of speech then in vogue at court.-WARBURTON.

SCENE III..

Paris. A Room in the King's Palace.

Enter BERTRAM, LAFEU, and PAROLLES.

Laf. They say, miracles are past; and we have our philosophical persons, to make modern" and familiar things, supernatural and causeless. Hence is it, that we make trifles of terrors; ensconcing ourselves into seeming knowledge, when we should submit ourselves to an unknown fear.P

Par. Why, 'tis the rarest argument of wonder, that hath shot out in our latter times.

Ber. And so 'tis.

Laf. To be relinquish'd of the artists,——

Par. So I say; both of Galen and Paracelsus.
Laf. Of all the learned and authentick" fellows,—
Par. Right, so I say.

Laf. That gave him out incurable,

Par. Why, there 'tis; so say I too.

Laf. Not to be helped,

Par. Right: as 'twere, a man assured of an-
Laf. Uncertain life, and sure death.

Par. Just, you say well; so would I have said,

Laf. I may truly say, it is a novelty to the world. Par. It is, indeed: if you will have it in showing, you shall read it in,- -What do you call there?—

Laf. A showing of a heavenly effect in an earthly actor. Par. That's it I would have said; the very same. Laf. Why, your dolphin' is not lustier: 'fore me I speak in respect-

n

Par. Nay, 'tis strange, 'tis very strange, that is the

-modern-] i. e. Common, ordinary.

ensconcing ourselves into―] i. e. Fortifying ourselves in; into for in, is frequent with our old writers.-STEEVENS..

p

q

-fear.] Is here an object of fear.

- authentic-] The phrase of the diploma is "authentice licentiatus."MUSGRAVE. Mr. Giffard says, (notes to Ben Jonson, vol. 2. p. 136.) that an "authentick physician, was one who was allowed to practise publickly.'

[ocr errors]

dolphin-] By dolphin is meant the dauphin, the heir apparent, and the hope of the crown of France. His title is so translated in all the old books.

STEEVENS.

brief and the tedious of it; and he is a most facinorous' spirit, that will not acknowledge it to be the

Laf. Very hand of heaven.

Par. Ay, so I say.

Laf. In a most weak

Par. And debile minister, great power, great transcendence: which should, indeed, give us a further use to be made, than alone the recovery of the king, as to be > Laf. Generally thankful.

Enter KING, HELENA, and Attendants.

Par. I would have said it; you say well. Here comes the king.

Laf. Lustick, as the Dutchman says: I'll like a maid the better, whilst I have a tooth in my head: Why, he's able to lead her a coranto."

Par. Mort du Vinaigre! Is not this Helen?

Laf. 'Fore God, I think so.

King. Go, call before me all the lords in court.

[Exit an Attendant.

Sit, my preserver, by thy patient's side;

And with this healthful hand, whose banish'd sense
Thou hast repeal'd, a second time receive

The confirmation of my promis'd gift,

Which but attends thy naming.

Enter several Lords.

Fair maid, send forth thine eye: this youthful parcel
Of noble bachelors stand at my bestowing,

O'er whom both sovereign power and father's voice*

I have to use: thy frank election make;

Thou hast power to choose, and they none to forsake.
Hel. To each of you one fair and virtuous mistress
Fall, when love please!-marry, to each, but one !
Laf. I'd give bay Curtal,' and his furniture,

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

-fucinorous-] i. e. Wicked.

Lustick,] The Dutch word for lusty.

a coranto.] A swift and lively dance.

O'er whom both sovereign power and father's voice-] They were his wards as well as his subjects.-HENLEY.

y

214

to each, but one!] i. e. To all except Bertram.
bay Curtal,] i. e A bay docked horse.

My mouth no more were broken than these boys',
And writ as little beard.

King. Peruse them well:

Not one of those, but had a noble father.

Hel. Gentlemen,

Heaven has through me, restor❜d the king to health. All. We understand it, and thank heaven for

you..

Hel. I am a simple maid; and therein wealthiest,
That, I protest, I simply am a maid ;-
Please it your majesty, I have done already :
The blushes in my cheeks thus whisper me,
We blush, that thou should'st choose; but, be refus'd,
Let the white death' sit on thy cheek for ever :

We'll ne'er come there again.

King.

Make choice: and, see,

Who shuns thy love, shuns all his love in me.

Hel. Now, Dian, from thy altar do I fly;

And to imperial Love, that god most high,
Do my sighs stream.-Sir, will you hear my suit?
1 Lord. And grant it.

Hel.

Thanks, sir; all the rest is mute. Laf. I had rather be in this choice, than throw ames-aced for my life.

fair eyes,

Hel. The honour, sir, that flames in your
Before I speak, too threateningly replies:
Love make your fortunes twenty times above
Her that so wishes, and her humble love!
2 Lord. No better, if you please.

Hel.

My wish receive,

Which great love grant! and so I take my leave.
Laf. Do all they deny her? An they were sons of

a My mouth no more were broken-] A broken mouth is a mouth which has lost part of its teeth-JOHNSON.

b

white death]-is the paleness of death, and not the Chlorosis, as Dr. Johnson has supposed.

c

d

the rest is mute.] i. e. I have no more to say to you.-STEEVENS.
ames-ace-
-] When the two aces are thrown on the dice.

e Do all they deny her?] None of them have yet denied her, or deny her afterwards, but Bertram. The scene must be so regulated that Lafeu and Parolles talk at a distance, where they may see what passes between Helena and the lords, but not hear it, so that they know not by whom the refusal is made. JOHNSON.

[blocks in formation]

mine, I'd have them whipped; or I would send them to the Turk, to make eunuchs of.

[take;

Hel. Be not afraid [to a Lord] that I your hand should I'll never do you wrong for your own sake: Blessing upon your vows! and in your bed Find fairer fortune, if you ever wed!

Laf. These boys are boys of ice, they'll none have her: sure, they are bastards to the English; the French ne'er got them.

Hel. You are too young, too happy, and too good, To make yourself a son out of my blood.

4 Lord. Fair one, I think not so.

Laf. There's one grape yet,-I am sure thy father drank wine.—But if thou be'st not an ass, I am a youth of fourteen; I have known thee already.

Hel. I dare not say, I take you; [to BERTRAM] but I Me and my service, ever whilst I live,

Into your guiding power.-This is the man.

[give

King. Why then, young Bertram, take her, she's thy

wife.

Ber. My wife, my liege? I shall beseech your highness, In such a business give me leave to use

[blocks in formation]

But never hope to know why I should marry her.

King. Thou know'st she has rais'd me from my sickly
Ber. But follows it, my lord, to bring me down

Must answer for your raising? I know her well;
She had her breeding at my father's charge:
A poor physician's daughter my wife!-Disdain
Rather corrupt me ever!

[bed.

King. 'Tis only title' thou disdain'st in her, the which I can build up. Strange is it, that our bloods, Of colour, weight, and heat, pour'd all together, Would quite confound distinction, yet stand off In differences so mighty: If she be

All that is virtuous, (save what thou dislik'st, f 'Tis only title-] i. e. The want of title.

« ПредишнаНапред »