And with the clamour keep her still awake.
This is a way to kill a wife with kindness;
And thus I'll curb her mad and headstrong humour:-
He that knows better how to tame a shrew,

Now let him speak; 'tis charity to show.

SCENE II.9

Padua. Before Baptista's House.

Enter TRANIO and HORTENSIO.

Tra. Is 't possible, friend Licio, that Bianca1 Doth fancy any other but Lucentio?

I tell you, sir, she bears me fair in hand.

[Exit.

Hor. Sir, to satisfy you in what I have said, Stand by, and mark the manner of his teaching. [They stand aside.

Enter BIANCA and LUCENTIO. Luc. Now, mistress, profit you in what you read? Bian. What, master, read you? first resolve me that.

Scene II. Padua, &c.] This scene, Mr. Pope, upon what authority I cannot pretend to guess, has in his editions made the first of the fifth Act: in doing which, he has shown the very power and force of criticism. The consequence of this judicious regulation is, that two unpardonable absurdities are fixed upon the author, which he could not possibly have committed. For, in the first place, by this shuffling the scenes out of their true position, we find Hortensio, in the fourth Act, already gone from Baptista's to Petruchio's country-house; and afterwards in the beginning of the fifth Act we find him first forming the resolution of quitting Bianca; and Tranio immediately informs us, he is gone to the Taming-school to Petruchio. There is a figure, indeed, in rhetorick, called 'repov porspov; but this is an abuse of it, which the rhetoricians will never adopt upon Mr. Pope's authority. Again, by this misplacing, the Pedant makes his first entrance, and quits the stage with Tranio in order to go and dress himself like Vincentio, whom he was to personate: but his second entrance is upon the very heels of his exit; and without any interval of an Act, or one word intervening, he comes out again equipped like Vincentio. If such a critic be fit to publish a stage-writer, I shall not envy Mr. Pope's admirers, if they should think fit to applaud his sagacity. I have replaced the scenes in that order in which I found them in the old books.

Theobald. 1 that Bianca-] The old copy redundantly reads-thatmistress Bianca.

Steevens.

Luc. I read that I profess, the art to love.

heart.

Bian. And may you prove, sir, master of your art! Luc. While you, sweet dear, prove mistress of my [They retire. Hor. Quick proceeders, marry! Now, tell me, I pray, You that durst swear that your mistress Bianca Lov'd none3 in the world so well as Lucentio.

Tra. O despiteful love! unconstant womankind!— I tell thee, Licio, this is wonderful.

Hor. Mistake no more: I am not Licio,

Nor a musician, as I seem to be;

But one that scorn to live in this disguise,
For such a one as leaves a gentleman,

And makes a god of such a cullion:4
Know, sir, that I am call'd-Hortensio.

Tra. Signior Hortensio, I have often heard
Of your entire affection to Bianca;

And since mine eyes are witness of her lightness,
I will with you,-if you be so contented,-

Forswear Bianca and her love for ever.

Hor. See, how they kiss and court!-Signior Lucentio,

Here is my hand, and here I firmly vow-
Never to woo her more; but do forswear her,
As one unworthy all the former favours

That I have fondly flatter'd her withal.5

Tra. And here I take the like unfeigned oath,— Ne'er to marry with her though she would entreat: Fy on her! see, how beastly she doth court him.

2 Quick proceeders, marry!] Perhaps here an equivoque was intended. To proceed Master of Arts, &c. is the academical

3 Lov'd none - Old copy-Lov'd me.-Mr. Rowe made this necessary correction. Malone.

cullion:] A term of degradation, with no very decided meaning; a despicable fellow, a fool, &c. So, in Tom Tyler and his Wife, bl. 1:

"It is an old saying Praise at parting.

"I think I have made the cullion to wring." Steevens.

5 That I have fondly flatter'd her withal.] The old copy reads them withal. The emendation was made by the editor of the third folio. Malone.

Hor. 'Would, all the world, but he, had quite for

sworn!

For me, that I may surely keep mine oath,

I will be married to a wealthy widow,

Ere three days pass; which hath as long lov'd me
As I have lov'd this proud disdainful haggard:
And so farewel, signior Lucentio.-

Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks,
Shall win my love:-and so I take my leave,
In resolution as I swore before.

[Exit HoR.-Luc. and BIAN. advance. Tra. Mistress Bianca, bless you with such grace As 'longeth to a lover's blessed case!

Nay, I have ta'en you napping, gentle love;

And have forsworn you, with Hortensio.

Bian. Tranio, you jest; But have you both forsworn

me?

Tra. Mistress, we have.

Luc.

Then we are rid of Licio.

Tra. I' faith, he 'll have a lusty widow now,

That shall be woo'd and wedded in a day.

Bian. God give him joy!,

Tra. Ay, and he 'll tame her."

He says so, Tranio.

Bian. Tra. 'Faith, he is gone unto the taming-school. Bian. The taming-school! what, is there such a place? Tra. Ay, mistress, and Petruchio is the master; That teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long,To tame a shrew, and charm her chattering tongue.7 Enter BIONDELLO, running.

Bion. O master, master, I have watch'd so long That I'm dog-weary; but at last I spied

An ancient angel coming down the hill,

Ay, and he'll tame her. &c.] Thus, in the original play:
he means to tame his wife ere long.

"Val. Hee saies so.

"Aurel. Faith he 's gon unto the taming-schoole.
"Val. The taming-schoole! why is there such a place?
"Aurel. I; and Ferando is the maister of the schoole."

7

Steevens.

charm her chattering tongue.] So, in K. Henry VI, P. III: "Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue."

Steevens.

Will serve the turn.

Tra.

What is he, Biondello? Bion. Master, a mercatantè, or a pedant,9 I know not what; but formal in apparel,

8 An ancient angel-] For angel Mr. Theobald, and after him Sir T. Hanmer and Dr. Warburton, read engle. Johnson.

It is true that the word enghle, which Sir T. Hanmer calls a gull, (deriving it from engluer, Fr. to catch with bird-lime) is sometimes used by Ben Jonson. It cannot, however, bear that meaning at present, as Biondello confesses his ignorance of the quality of the person who is afterwards persuaded to represent the father of Lucentio. The precise meaning of it is not ascertained in Jonson, neither is the word to be found in any of the original copies of Shakspeare. I have also reason to suppose that the true import of the word enghle is such as can have no connexion with this passage, and will not bear explanation.

Angel primitively signifies a messenger, but perhaps this sense is inapplicable to the passage before us. So, Ben Jonson, in The Sad Shepherd:

the dear good angel of the spring,

وو

"The nightingale —.”

And Chapman, in his translation of Homer, always calls a mes. senger an angel. See particularly B. XXIV.

In The Scornful Lady of Beaumont and Fletcher, an old usurer is indeed called

66- old angel of gold."

It is possible, however, that instead of ancient angel, our author might have written-angel-merchant, one whose business it was to negociate money. He is afterwards called a mercatantè, and professes himself to be one who has bills of exchange about him.

Steevens.

• Master, a mercatantè, or a pedant,] The old editions read marcantant. The Italian word mercatantè is frequently used in the old plays for a merchant, and therefore I have made no scruple of placing it here. The modern editors, who printed the word as they found it spelt in the folio, were obliged to supply a syllable to make out the verse, which the Italian pronunciation renders unnecessary. A pedant was the common name for a teacher of languages. So, in Cynthia's Revels, by Ben Jonson: "He loves to have a fencer, a pedant, and a musician, seen in his lodgings." Steevens.

Mercatante,] So, Spenser, in the third Book of his Fairy Queen: "Sleeves dependant Albanese wise."

And our author has Veronese in his Othello. Farmer.

pedant,] Charon, the sage Charon, as Pope calls him, describes a pedant, as synonymous to a household schoolmaster, and adds a general character of the fraternity by no means to their advantage. See Charon on Wisdom, 4to. 1640. Lennard's Translation, p. 158. Reed.

In gait and countenance surely like a father.1
Luc. And what of him, Tranio?

Tra. If he be credulous, and trust my tale,
I'll make him glad to seem Vincentio;
And give assurance to Baptista Minola,
As if he were the right Vincentio.

Take in your love, and then let me alone.2

[Exeunt Luc. and BIAN.

Enter a Pedant.

Ped. God save you, sir!

Tra.

Travel you far

And you, sir! you are welcome.

on, or are you at the furthest?
Ped. Sir, at the furthest for a week or two:
But then up further; and as far as Rome;
And so to Tripoly, if God lend me life.
Tra. What countryman, I pray?

Ped.

Of Mantua.

Tra. Of Mantua, sir?-marry, God forbid! And come to Padua, careless of your life?

Ped. My life, sir! how, I pray? for that goes hard.
Tra. 'Tis death for any one in Mantua

To come to Padua ;3 Know you not the cause?
Your ships are staid at Venice; and the duke
(For private quarrel 'twixt your duke and him)
Hath publish'd and proclaim'd it openly:
'Tis marvel; but that you 're but newly come,
You might have heard it else proclaim'd about.
Ped. Alas, sir, it is worse for me than so;

1

surely like a father.] I know not what he is, says the speaker, however this is certain, he has the gait and countenance of a fatherly man. Warburton.

The editor of the second folio reads-surly, which Mr. Theobald adopted, and has quoted the following lines addressed by Tranio to the Pedant, in support of the emendation:

""Tis well; and hold your own in any case,

"With such austerity as 'longeth to a father." Malone. 2 Take in your love, and then let me alone.] The old copies exhibit this line as follows, disjoining it from its predecessors: Par. Take me your love, and then let me alone. Steevens. Corrected by Mr. Theobald. Malone.

3 'Tis death for any one in Mantua &c.] So, in The Comedy of Errors:

if any Syracusan born

"Come to the bay of Ephesus, he dies." Steevens.