Pet. Such wind as fcatters young men through the world,

To feek their fortunes farther than at home,
'Where small experience grows. But, in a few,
Signior Hortenfio, thus it ftands with me,
Antonio my father is deceas'd;

And I have thrust myself into this maze,
Happly to wive and thrive, as best I may:
Crowns in my purse I have, and goods at home,
And fo am come abroad to fee the world. ✅

Hor. Petruchio, fhall I then come roundly to thee, And wish thee to a fhrew'd ill-favour'd wife? Thou' dft thank me but a little for my counfel, And yet, I'll promise thee, fhe fhall be rich, And very rich: but thou'rt too much my friend, And I'll not wish thee to her.

Pet. Signior Hortenfio, 'twixt fuch friends as us
Few words fuffice; and therefore if you know
One rich enough to be Petruchio's wife;
(As wealth is burthen of my wooing dance")
Be fhe as foul as was Florentius' love",

As old as Sibyl, and as curft and fhrewd
As Socrates' Xantippe, or a worse,

She moves me not; or not removes, at least,
" Affection's edge in me. Were fhe as rough

i. e. a confinement at home. And the meaning is that no improvement is to be expected of those who never look out of doors. WARBURTON. Why this fhould feem nonfenfe, I cannot perceive. In a few means the fame as in short, in few words.

The burthen of a dance is an

Aş expreffion which I have never heard; the burthen of his wooing fong had been more proper.

7 Be fbe as foul as was Florentius' love.] This I fuppofe relates to a circumstance in fome Italian novel, and should be read, Florentio's. WARBURTON.

8

* Affection's EDGE in ME.] This man is a ftrange talker. He tells you he wants money only. And, as to affection, he thinks fo little of the matter, that give him but a rich mistress, and he will take her though incrusted all

As are the fwelling Adriatic Seas,

I come to wive it wealthily in Padua:
If wealthily, then happily, in Padua.

Gru, Nay, look you, Sir, he tells you flatly what his mind is why, give him gold enough, and marry him to a puppet, or an aglet-baby, or an old Trot with ne'er a tooth in her head, tho' fhe have as many diseases as two and fifty horses; why, nothing comes amifs, fo money comes withal.

Hor. Petruchio, fince we have stept thus far in,
I will continue that I broach'd in jeft.
I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife

With wealth enough, and young and beauteous;
Brought up, as beft becomes a gentlewoman,
Her only fault, and that is fault enough,
Is, that he is intolerably curft:

And fhrewd, and froward, to beyond all measure,
That, were my ftate far worfer than it is,

I would not wed her for a Mine of Gold.

Pet. Hortenfio, peace; thou know'ft not gold's

effect;

Tell me her father's nome, and 'tis enough:
For I will board her, tho' fhe chide as loud
As thunder, when the clouds in Autumn crack.
Hor. Her Father is Baptifta Minola,
An affable and courteous Gentleman;

over with the worst bad qualities of age, ugliness and ill-manners. Yet, after this, he talks of Affeation's edge being fo ftrong in him that nothing can abate it. Some of the old copies indeed, inftead of me, read time: this will direct us to the true reading, whch I am perfeaded is this,

Affection SIEG DIN COIN, i. e. placed, feated, fixed. This makes him fpeak to the purpose, that his affection is all love of money... The expreffion too is

Her name is Catharina Minola,
Renown'd in Padua for her fcolding tongue..

Pet. I know her Father, tho' I know not her;
And he knew my deceafed Father well.
I will not fleep, Hortenfio, 'till I see her,
And therefore let me be thus bold with you,
To give you over at this first encounter,
Unless you will accompany me thither.

I

Gru. I pray you, Sir, let him go while the humour Jafts. O'my word, an' fhe knew him as well as I do, fhe would think fcolding would do little good upon him. She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves, or fo: why, that's nothing; an' he begin once, he'll rail-In his rope-tricks (I'll tell you what, Sir) an' the ftand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and fo disfigure her with it, that the fhall have no more eyes to fee withal than a cat. You know him not, Sir.

Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee,
For in Baptifta's house my Treasure is :
He hath the jewel of my life in hold,
His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca;
And her with-holds he from me, and others more
Suitors to her, and Rivals in my love:
Suppofing it a thing impoffible,
For those defects I have before rehears'd,
That ever Catharina will be woo'd;
Therefore this order hath Baptifta ta'en,
That none fhall have accefs unto Bianca,
'Till Carbarine the curft have got a husband.

An' be begin once, he'll rail in bis rope-tricks.] This is ob fcure. Sir Thomas Hanmer reads, ke'll rail in bis rhetorick; I'll tell you, &c. Rhetorick agrees very well with figure in the fucceeding part of the fpeech, yet I am inclined to believe that Pape-ticks is the true word.

2 It ftood thus: And her withholds be from me. Other more Suitors to her, and Rivals in my Love: &c.] The Regulation, which I have given to the Text, was dictated to me by the ingenious Dr. Thirlby.

THEOBALD.

Gru.

Gru. Catharine the curft?

A title for a maid of all titles the worst!

Hor. Now fhall my Friend Petruchio do me grace, And offer me difguis'd in fober robes To old Baptifta as a school-master, Well feen in mufick, to inftru&t Bianca; That fo I may by this device, at least, Have leave and leisure to make love to her; And, unfufpected, court her by herself.

SCENE

Enter Gremio, and Lucentio difguis'd.

Gru. Here's no knavery! fee, to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together. Mafter, look about you: who goes there? ha!

Hor. Peace, Grumio, 'tis the Rival of my love.
Petruchio, ftand by a while.

Gru. A proper Stripling, and an amorous ——
Gre. O very well; I have perus'd the note.
Hark you, Sir, I'll have them very fairly bound,
All books of love; fee That, at any hand;
And fee, you read no other lectures to her :
You understand me-- Over and befide
Signior Baptifta's liberality,

I'll mend it with a largefs. Take your papers too,
And let me have them very well perfum'd;
For fhe is sweeter than perfume itself,

VI.

To whom they go; what will you read to her?
Luc. Whate'er I read to her, I'll plead for you,
As for my Patron, ftand you so affured;
As firmly as yourself were still in place;
Yea, and, perhaps, with more fuccefsful words
Than you, unless you were a scholar, Sir.

Gre. Oh this learning, what a thing it is!
Gru. O this woodcock, what an ass it is!
Pet. Peace, Sirrah.

Her.

you,

Hor. Grumio, mum! God fave you. Signior Gremio. Gre. And you are well met, Signior Hortenfio. Trow whither I am going? to Baptifta Minola; I promis'd to enquire carefully about a school-mafter for the fair Bianca; and by good fortune I have lighted well on this young man, for Learning and Behaviour fit for her turn, well read in Poetry, and other books; good ones, I warrant ye.

Hor. 'Tis well; and I have met a gentleman,
Hath promis'd me to help me to another,
A fine musician to inftruct our mistress;
So fhall I no whit be behind in duty
To fair Bianca, fo belov'd of me.

prove.

Gre. Belov'd of me,-and that my deeds fhall Gru. And that his bags fhall prove. Hor. Gremio, 'tis now no time to vent our love. Listen to me; and, if you fpeak me fair, I'll tell you news indifferent good for either. Here is a Gentleman whom by chance I met, Upon agreement from us to his liking, Will undertake to woo curft Catharine; Yea, and to marry her, if her dowry please. Gre. So faid, fo done, is well;— Hortenfio, have you told him all her faults?

Pet. I know, fhe is an irkfome brawling scold; If that be all, masters, I hear no harm.

Gre. No, fayeft me fo, friend? what Countryman? Pet. Born in Verona, old Antonio's Son; My father's dead, my fortune lives for me, And I do hope good days and long to fee.

Gre. Oh, Sir, fuch a life with fuch a wife were strange; But if you have a ftomach, to't, o' God's name; You must have me affifting you in all.

But will you wooe this wild cat?

Pet. Will I live?

Gru. Will he wooe her? ay, or I'll hang her. Pet. Why came I hither, but to that intent? Think you, a little din can daunt my ears?