Fair Leda's daughter had a thousand wooers; Gre. What, this gentleman will out-talk us all! Tra. No, Sir; but hear I do, that he hath two; The one as famous for a fcolding tongue, As the other is for beauteous modefty. Pet. Sir, Sir, the firft's for me; let her go by. Pet. Sir, understand you this of me, infooth: Tra. If it be fo, Sir, that you are the man Har. Sir, you fay well, and well you do conceive: You muft, as we do, gratify this gentleman, To whom we all reft generally beholden. Tra. (8) Sir, I fhall not be flack; in fign whereof, (3) Sir, I fhall not be flack; in fign wberecf, Pleafe you, we may contrive this Afternoon,] Pleafe What were they to contrive? Or how is it any Teftimony of Tranio's confenting to be liberal, that he will join in contriving with them? In fhort, a foolish Corruption poffeffes the Place, that quite frips the Poet of his intended Humour. Tranio is but a fuppofed Gentleman: His Habit has all the Gentility he has about Please ye, we may convive this afternoon, Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. gone. [Exeunt. [The Prefenters, above, Speak here. 1 Man. My Lord, you nod; you do not mind the Play. Sly. Yea, by St. Ann, do I: a good matter, furely! comes there any more of it? Lady. My Lord, 'tis but begun. Sly. 'Tis a very excellent piece of work, Madam Lady. 'Would, 'twere done! ACT II. SCENE, Baptifta's Houfe in Padua. G Enter Catharina and Bianca. BIANCA. OOD Sifter, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself, That I difdain; (9) but for these other Gauds, him and the Poet, I am perfuaded, meant that the Servingman's Qualities fhould break out upon him; and that his Mind fhould rather run on good Cheer than Contrivances. The Word is regularly derived from Convivium and Convivor of the Latines. (6) But for thefe other Goods,] This is fo triffing and unexpreffive a Word, that, I am fatisfied our Author wrote, Gauds, (i. e. Toys, trifling Ornaments ;) a Term that he frequently ufes and feems fond of, Unbind my hands, I'll pull them off myself; Cath. Of all thy fuitors here, I charge thee, tell I never yet beheld that special face, Which I could fancy more than any other. Bian. Is it for him you do so envy me? Cath. If that be jeft, then all the reft was fo. Enter Baptifta. [Strikes bere Bap. Why, how now, dame, whence grows this infolence? Bianca, ftand afide; poor girl, fhe weeps; Go ply thy needle, meddle not with her. For fhame, thou hilding of a devilish fpirit, Why doft thou wrong her, that did ne'er wrong thee? When did the cross thee with a bitter word ? Cath. Her filence flouts me; and I'll be reveng'd. [Flies after Bianca. Bap. What, in my fight? Bianca, get thee in. [Exit Bianca. Cath. Will you not fuffer me? nay, now I fee, She is your treafure; the must have a husband; I muft dance bare-foot on her wedding-day, And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell: Talk not to me, I will go fit and weep, 'Till I can find occafion of revenge. [Exit Cath. Bap. Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd, as I? But who comes here ? Enter Gremio, Lucentio in the habit of a mean man; Petruchio with Hortenfio, like a musician; Tranio and Biondello bearing a lute and books. Gre. Good-morrow, neighbour Baptifta. Bap. Good-morrow, neighbour Gremio: God fave you, gentlemen. Pet. And you, good Sir; pray, have you not a daughter call'd Catharina, fair and virtuous ? Bap. I have a daughter, Sir, call'd Catharina. Pet. You wrong me, Signior Gremio, give me leave. I am a gentleman of Verona, Sir, That, hearing of her beauty and her wit, Her affability and bashful modefty, Her wondrous qualities, and mild behaviour, Within your houfe, to make mine eye the witness [Prefenting Hortenfio. I do prefent you with a man of mine, Bap. You're welcome, Sir, and he for your good fake. But for my daughter Catharine, this I know, She is not for your turn, the more's my grief. Or else you like not of my company. Bap. Mistake me not, I fpeak but what I find. Whence are you, Sir? what may I call your name? Pet. Petruchio is my name, Antonio's fon, A man well known throughout all Italy. Bap Bap. I know him well: you are welcome for his fake. Gre. Saving your tale, Petruchio, I pray, let us, that are poor petitioners, fpeak too. Baccalare!—you are marvellous forward. (10) Pet. Oh, pardon me, Signior Gremio, I would fain be doing. (11) Gre. I doubt it not, Sir, but you will curfe your wooing. Neighbour, this is a gift very grateful, I am fure of it. To exprefs the like kindness myself, that have been more kindly beholden to you than any, free leave give to this young fcholar, that hath been long ftudying at Reims, [Prefenting Lucentio.] as cunning in Greek, Latin, and other languages, as the other in mufick and mathematicks; his name is Cambio; pray, accept his fervice. Bap. A thoufand thanks, Signior Gremio: welcome, good Cambio. But, gentle Sir, methinks, you walk like a ftranger; [To Tranio.] may I be fo bold to know the caufe of your coming? (10) Baccare, you are marvellous forward.] But not fo forward, as our Editors are indolent and acquiefcing. This is a stupid Cor-. ruption of the Prefs, that none of them have div'd into. We must read, Baccalare, as Mr. Warburton acutely obferv'd to me; by which the Italians mean, Thou arrogant, prefumptuous Man! The Word is ufed fcornfully, upon any one that would affume a Port of Grandeur and high Repute. (11) Pet. Oh, pardon me, Signior Gremio, I would fain be doing. Gre. I doubt it not, Sir, but you will curfe your wooing Neighbours. This is a Gift;] It would be very unreafonable, after fuch a Number of Inftances, to fufpect, the Editors ever dwelt on the Meaning of any Paffage: But why fhould Petruchio curfe his wooing Neighbours? They were none of them his Rivals: Nor, though he fhould curfe his own Match afterwards, did he commence his Courtship on their Accounts. In short, Gremio is defign'd to answer to Petruchio in doggrel Rhime, to this Purpose, "Yes; I "know, you would fain be doing; but you'ff cope with fuch a Devil, that you will have Reafon to curfe your Wooing.".. and then immediately turns his Difcourfe to Baptifta, whom he calls Neighbour, (as he had done before at the Beginning of this Scene,) and makes his Present to him. Tra. |