Will I apply, that treats of happiness
By virtue 'specially to be achiev'd.
Tell me thy mind: for I have Pisa left,
And am to Padua come; as he that leaves
A shallow plash, to plunge him in the deep,
And with satiety seeks to quench his thirst.

Tra. Mi perdonate,7 gentle master mine,
I am in all affected as yourself;
Glad that you thus continue your resolve,
To suck the sweets of sweet philosophy.
Only, good master; while we do admire
This virtue, and this moral discipline,
Let's be no stoicks, nor no stocks, I pray;
Or so devote to Aristotle's checks, 8
As Ovid be an outcast quite abjur'd:
Talk logicko with acquaintance that you have,
And practise rhetorick in your common talk:
Musick and poesy use to quicken you;'
The mathematicks, and the metaphysicks,
Fall to them, as you find your stomach serves you:
No profit grows, where is no pleasure ta'en ;-
In brief, sir, study what you most affect.

Luc. Gramercies, Tranio, well dost thou advise.
If, Biondello, thou wert come ashore,
We could at once put us in readiness;

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7 Mi perdonate,] Old copy-Me pardonato. The emendation was suggested by Mr. Steevens. Malone.

Aristotle's checks,] Are, I suppose, the harsh rules of Aristotle. Steevens.

Such as tend to check and restrain the indulgence of the passions. Malone.

Tranio is here descanting on academical learning, and men. tions by name six of the seven liberal sciences. I suspect this to be a mis-print, made by some copyist or compositor, for ethicks. The sense confirms it. Blackstone.

So, in Ben Jonson's Silent Woman, Act IV, sc. iv: “I, in some cases: but in these they are best, and Aristotle's ethicks.”

Steevens. 9 Talk logick -] Old copy-Balk. Corrected by Mr. Rowe.

Malone. to quicken you ;] i. e. animate. So, in All 's well that ends well:

Quicken a rock, and make you dance canary.” Steevens.

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And take a lodging, fit to entertain
Such friends, as time in Padua shall beget.
But stay awhile: What company is this?

Tra. Master, some show, to welcome us to town.. Enter BAPTISTA, KATHARINA, BIANCA, GREMIO, and

HORTENSIO. LUCENTIO and TRANIO stand aside.

Bap. Gentlemen, importune me no further,
For how I firmly am resolv'd you know;
That is not to bestow my youngest daughter,
Before I have a husband for the elder:
If either of you both love Katharina,
Because I know you well, and love you well,
Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.

Gre. To cart her rather: She's too rough for me: There, there Hortensio, will you any wife?

Kath. I pray you, sir, [to Bap.] is it your will To make a stale of me amongst these mates?

Hor. Mates, maid! how mean you that? no mates

for you,

Unless you were of gentler, milder mould.

Kath. I' faith, sir, you shall never need to fear;
I wis, it is not half way to her heart:
But, if it were, doubt not her care should be
To comb your noddle with a three-legg'd stool,
And paint your face, and use you like a fool.

Hor. From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us!
Gre. And me too, good Lord!
Tra. Hush, master! here is some good pastime to-

ward;
That wench is stark mad, or wonderful froward.

Luc. But in the other's silence I do see
Maids' mild behaviour and sobriety.
Peace, Tranio.

Tra. Well said, master; mum! and gaze your fill.

Bap. Gentlemen, that I may soon make good
What I have said,- Bianca, get you in:
And let it not displease thee, good Bianca;
For I will love thee ne'er the less, my girl.

Kath. A pretty peat!2 'tis best

2 A pretty peat!] Peat or pet is a word of endearment from petit, little, as if it meant pretty little thing Johnson.

Put finger in the eye,-an she knew why.

Bian. Sister, content you in my discontent. Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe : My books and instruments shall be my company; On them to look, and practise by myself. Luc. Hark, Tranio! thou may'st bear Minerva speak.

[.1 ide.
Hor. Signior Baptista, will you be so strange?3
Sorry am I, that our good will effects
Bianca's grief.
Gre.

Why, will you mew her up,
Signior Baptista, for this fiend of hell,
And make her bear the penance of her tongue?

Bap. Gentlemen, content ye; I am resolv’d:-
Go in, Bianca.

(Exit Brax. And for I know, she taketh most delight In musick, instruments, and poetry, Schoolmasters will I keep within my house, Fit to instruct her youth. If you, Hortensio, Or signior Gremio, you-know any such, Prefer them hither; for to cunning men* I will be very kind and liberal To mine own children in good bringing-up; And so farewel. Katharina you may stay; For I have more to commune with Bianca. [Exit.

This word is used in the old play of King Leir, (not Shak. speare's :)

“Gon. I marvel, Ragan, how you can endure

“To see that proud, pert peat, our youngest sister,” &c. Again, in Coridon's Song, by Thomas Lodge; published in England's Helicon, 1600:

“ And God send every pretty peate,

“Heigh hoe the pretty peate," &c. and is, I believe, of Scotch extraction. I find it in one of the proverbs of that country, where it signifies darling :

“He has fault of a wife, that marries mam's pet." i. e. He is in great want of a wife who marries one that is her mother's dar. ling. Steevens.

- 80 strange?] That is, so odd, so different from others in your conduct. Fohnson.

cunning men,] Cunning had not yet lost its original signification of knowing, learned, as may be observed in the

translation of the Bible. Fohnson. VOL. VI.

'D

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Kath. Why, and I trust, I may go too; May I not? What, shall I be appointed hours; as though, belike, I knew not what to take, and what to leave? Ha! [Exit.

Gre. You may go to the devil's dam; your giftss are so good, here is none will hold you. Their love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow our nails together, and fast it fairly out;6 our cake 's dough on both sides. Farewel:-Yet, for the love I bear my sweet Bianca, if I can by any means light on a fit man, to teach her that wherein she delights, I will wish him to her father."

Hor. So will I, signior Gremio: But a word, I pray. Though the nature of our quarrel yet never brook'd parle, know now, upon advice,8 it toucheth us both, that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress, and be happy rivals in Bianca's love,-to labour and effect one thing 'specially.

Gre. What 's that, I pray?
Hor. Marry, sir, to get a husband for her sister.
Gre. A husband! a devil.
Hor. I say, a husband.
Gre. I say, a devil: Think'st thou, Hortensio, though

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your gifts - ] Gifts for endowments. Malone. So, before in this comedy:

a woman's gift,
“ To rain a shower of commanded tears.” Steevens.

Their love is not so great, Hortensio, but we may blow out nails together, and fast it fairly out ;) I cannot conceive whose love Gremio can mean by the words their love, as they had been talking of no love but that which they themselves felt for Bianca. We must therefore read, our love, instead of their. M. Mason.

Perhaps we should read— Your love. In the old manner of writing yr stood for either their or your. The editor of the third folio and some modern editors, with, I think, less probability, read our.

If their love be right, it must mean-the good will of Baptista and Bianca towards us. Malone.

I will wish him to her father. ] i.e. I will recommend him. So, in Much Ado about Nothing :

“ To wish him wrestle with affection.” Reed.

upon advice,] i.e. on consideration, or reflection. So, in The Two Gentlemen of Verona :

“ How shall I dote on her, with more advice,
6 That thus, without advice, begin to love her!” Steevens.

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her father be very rich, any man is so very a fool 10 be married to hell?

Hor. Tush, Gremio, though it pass your patience and mine, to endure her loud alarums, why, man, there be good fellows in the world, an a man could light on them, would take her with all faults, and money enough.

Gre. I cannot tell; but I had as lief take her dowry with this condition,--to be whipped at the high-cross every morning.

Hor. 'Faith, as you say, there's small choice in rotten apples. But, come; since this bar in law makes us friends, it shall be so far forth friendly maintainedtill by helping Baptista's eldest daughter to a husband, we set his youngest free for a husband, and then have to 't afresh.-Sweet Bianca !-Happy man be his dole!! He that runs fastest, gets the ring. How say you, signior

' Gremio?

Gre. I am agreed: and 'would I had given him the best horse in Padua to begin his wooing, that would thoroughly woo her, wed her, and bed her, and rid the house of her. Come on. [Exeunt GRE. and Hor.

Tra. (advancing] I pray, sir, tell me,- Is it possible That love should of a sudden take such hold?

Luc. O Tranio, till I found it to be true,
I never thought it possible, or likely;
But see! while idly I stood looking on,
I found the effect of love in idleness:
And now in plainness do confess to thee,
That art to me as secret, and as dear,
As Anna to the queen of Carthage was,
Tranio, I burn, I pine, I perish, Tranio,
If I achieve not this young modest girl:

9 Happy man be his dole!) A proverbial expression. It is used in Damon and Pithias, 1571. Dole is any thing dealt out or distributed, though its original meaning was the provision given away at the doors of great men's houses. Steevens.

In Cupid's Revenge, by Beaumont and Fletcher, we meet with a similar expression, which may serve to explain that before us: “Then happy man be his fortune!" i. e. May bis fortune be that of a happy man! Malone.

He that runs fastest, gets the ring.] An allusion to the sport of running at the ring. Douce.

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