King. But what of this, are we not all in love? Biron. Nothing fo fure, and thereby all forfworn. King. Then leave this chat; and, good Biron, now prove Our loving lawful, and our faith not torn. this evil. some flattery for Long. O, fome Authority how to proceed; 3 Some tricks, fome quillets, how to cheat the devil. Dum. Some falve for perjury. Biron. O, 'tis more than need. Have at you then, Affection's Men at arms; 1 And where that you have vow'd to study, (Lords) Some tricks, fome quillets, how to cheat the devil.] Quillet from whence was 4 The nimble fpirits in the arteries ;] In the old fyftem of phyfic they gave the fame office to the arteries as is now given to the nerves; as appears from the name which is derived from diga înger. ~ R 3 Now, Now, for not looking on a woman's face, 5 Teaches fuch BEAUTY as a woman's eye?] This line is abfolute nonfenfe. We fhould read DUTY, i. e. ethics, or the offices and devoirs that belong to man. A woman's eye, fays he, teaches obfervance above all other things. 6-In leaden contemplation have found out Such fiery numbers, Alluding to the difcoveries in modern aftronomy; at that time greatly improving, in which the ladies eyes are compared, as ufual to ftars. He calls them numbers, alluding to the Pythagorean principles of aftronomy, which were founded on the laws of harmony. The Oxford editor, who was at a lofs for the conceit, changes numbers to notions, and fo lofes both the fenfe and the gallantry of the allu fion. He has better luck in the following line, and has rightly changed beauty's to beauteous. • A • A lover's eyes will gaze an eagle blind! Still climbing trees in the Hefperides? As bright Apollo's lute, ftrung with his hair: 7 the fufpicious head of theft is flopt.] i. e. a lover in purfuit of his mistress has his fenfe of hearing quicker than a thief (who fufpects every found he hears) in purfuit of his prey. But Mr. Theobald fays, there is no contraft between a lover and a thief: and therefore alters it to thrift, between which and love, he fays, there is a remarkable antithefis. What he means by contraft and antithefis, I confefs I don't understand. But 'tis no matter: the common reading is fenfe; and that is better than either one or the other. 8 As bright Apollo's lute, frung with his hair :] This expreffion, like that other in The two Gentlemen of Verona, of-Orpheus' harp was ftrung with poets finues, is extremely beautiful, and highly figurative. Apollo, as the fun, is represented with golden hair; fo that a lute ftrung with his hair means no more than ftrung with gilded wire. 9 And when Love Speaks the voice of all the Gods, Make, Heav'n drowfie with the harmony!] This nonfenfe we fhould read and point thus, And when love speaks the voice of all the Gods, i. e. in the voice of love alone is included the voice of all the Gods. Alluding to the ancient Theogony, that love was the parent and fupport of all the Gods., Hence, as Suidas tells us, Palcephatus wrote a poem called, Αφροδίτης καὶ Ἔρωτος φωνὴ nai noyos The voice and speech of Venus and Love, which appears to have been a kind of Cofmogony, the harmony of which is fo great that it calms and allays all kind of diforders; alluding again the ancient ufe of mufic, which was to compofe monarchs, when, by reafon of the cares of empire, they ufed to pafs whole nights in reftlefs inquietude. R 4 Never Never durft Poet touch a pen to write, From womens eyes this doctrine I derive: For charity it felf fulfils the law ; And who can fever love from charity? King. Saint Cupid, then! and, foldiers, to the field! Pell-mell, down with them; but be first advis'd, Long. Now to plain-dealing, lay these glozes by; Shall we refolve to woo thefe girls of France? King. And win them too; therefore let us devife Some entertainment for them in their Tents. Biron. First, from the Park let us conduct them thither; Then homeward every man attach the hand 3 a word, THAT LOVES ALL MEN] We fhould read, A word all WOMEN love. the following line Or for mens fake (the author of these women ;) which refers to this reading, puts it out of all question. Of Of his fair mistress; in the afternoon corn; And justice always whirls in equal measure; Light wenches may prove plagues to men forfworn; If so, our copper buys no better treasure. [Exeunt. A CT V. SCENE I The STREET. Enter Holofernes, Nathaniel and Dull. HOLOFERN ES. Satis, quod fufficit. Nath. I praise God for you, Sir, your reasons at dinner have been fharp and fententious; pleasant without fcurrility, witty without affectation, audacious without impudency, learned without opinion, and strange without herefy: I did converfe this quondam-day with a companion of the King's, who is entituled, nominated, or called, Don Adriano de Armado. Hol. Novi bominem, tanquam te. His humour is lofty, his difcourfe peremptory, his tongue filed, his eye ambitious, his gate majeftical, and his general be 2-fown cockle reap'd no corn ;] This proverbial expreffion intimates, that beginning with perjury, they can expect to reap nothing but falfhood. The following lines lead us to this fenfe. haviour |