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15
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^titttba ai life
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SHAKSPEARE'S COMEDY
OF THE
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VEEONA.
WITH NOTES
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY.
Adapted for Scholastic or Private Study, and for those qualifying for
University or Qovernment Examinations,
By the Eev. John Hunter, M.A.
One of the National Society's Examinen of Middle-Glaas Schools;
Formerly Vice-Principal of the Society's Training College, Battersea.
LONDON:
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
1873.
All rights reserved, ^ i
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INTRODUCTOEY REMARKS.
The Two GenOemm of Verona^ if not the first, is imquestion-
ably one of the earliest of Shakspeare's dramatic compositions.
Its style is not enriched with allusions^ nor inlaid with ingeni-
ous forms of thought, like the productions of his maturer years^
but simple and perspicuous, as we might expect from the youth
of such a mind as Shakspeare's. Malone, with i^parently good
reason, believes this play to have been written in 1591; but its
first publication was in the folio of 1623.
The chief portion of the plot has been traced to the story of
Felismena in the ' Diana ' of George of Montemayor^ a Spanish
romance of which an English translation, by Bartholomew Yong^
was published in 1598, but written many years before. There
^ is some probability, however, that Shakspeare's immediate
v^ source of suggestion was an old play entitied The History of Felix
^ and PkUtomenaf which was presented before the Queen at Green*
wich in 1584
o-
(MCAP)
-^^ll^
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REMARKS OP VARIOUS AUTHORS
SHAKSPEABE'S 'TWO GENTLEMEN OF TERONA.'
' Mr. Pope has expressed hi« surprise that " the style of this
comedy i8lessfigiiratiye,aiidmore naturalandtmaffected^thaathe
greater part of this author's plays, though supposed to be one of
the first he wrote." But I conceive it is natural and unaffected,
and less figurative than some of his subsequent productions, in
consequence of the very circumstance which has been mentioned
— because it was a youthful performance. Though many young
poets of ordinary talents are led by false taste to adopt inflated
and figurative language, why should we suppose that such
should have been the course pursued by this master genius P
The figurative style of Othello, Lear, Macbeth, written when he
was an established and long-practised dramatist, may be as-
cribed to the additional knowledge of men and things which he
had acquired during a period of fifteen years ; in consequence
of which his mind teemed with images and illustrations, and
thoughts crowded so fast upon him, that the construction in
these, and some other of his plays of a still later period, is much
more difficult and involved than in the producticHis of his youth,
which in general are distinguished by their ease and perspicu-
ity ; and this simplicity and unaffected elegance, and not its
want of success, were, I conceive, the cause of its being less
corrupted than some others. Its perspicuity rendered any
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TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERON^
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PERSONS BEPRESENTED.
Appear*
Duke, /a/^e>;Jt> Silvia . • • • Act n. sc. 4. Act III. sc. 1 ; sc. 2. Act V.
so. 2; sc. 4.
Valentin^ ^ . . • • • . Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc 1 ; sc. 4. Act III.
sc. 1. Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 4.
Pnoiisva •••••••• Act I. sc. 1 ; sc. 8. Act II. sc. 2 ; sc. 4 ; sc. 6.
Act III. sc. 1 ; sc. 2. Act IV. sc. 2 ; sc. 4.
Act V. sc. 2 ; sc. 4.
K^'vo^iio, fathtr. to Proteus . • Act I. sc. 8.
Thurio» rivat to Vatentina . . Act II. sc. 4. Act HI. sc. I ; sc. 2. Act XV.
■c. 8. ActV.8c.2;sc4.
Eglamodr, Q^esft fi>r Silvia in
her escape . Act IV. sc. 8, Act V. sc. 1.
Speed, servant to Valentiae . . Act I. sc. 1. Act U. sc. 1 ; sc. 4 ; sc. 5. Act
in.SC. 1. ActlV. BC.l.
Laukce, servant to Proteus . . Act II. sc. 8 ; sc. 6. Act III. sc. 1. Act IV.
SC. 4.
Panthino, t^rvant to Antonio . Act I. sc. 8. Act II. sc. 2 ; sc. 8.
Ho.sT, icUh wliom Julia lodges . Act IV. sc. 2.
Oi;'j ijiW8 iPith Valentine . . . Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 8 ; sc. 4.
Julia, beloved qfPTOl^va . . Act I. sc. 2. Act II. sc. 2; sc. 7. Act IV.
sc. 2 ; sc. 4. Act V. sc. 2 ; sc. 4.
SiLVTA, beloved ({^Valentine . Act II. sc. 1 ; sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 2 ; sc. 8 ; tc. 4.
Act V. sc. 1 ; sc. 8 ; sc. 4.
LrcFrrrA, waiting-tootMfn to
Julia Actl.sc. 2. Act II. sc. 7.
iServemtSt.Mtuieian*.
SCENE— In Vbrona^ m Kilan, and^om thk EaoNTaai of UunnrA.
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TWO GENTLEMEN OP VERONA,
ACT I.
SCENE L — An open place in Verona.
Enter Valentine and Proteus.
VaL Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus ;
Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits ;
Were 't not affection chains thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honoured love,*
I rather would entreat thy company,
To see the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully sluggx^rdized at home.
Wear out thy youth with shapeless *'idl^ie«3.
But, since thou lovest, love still,** and thrive therein.
Even as I would, when I to love begin.
Pro, Wilt thou be gone ? Sweet Valentine, adieu !
Think on thy Proteus, when thou, haply, seest
Some rare note- worthy object in thy travel :
Wish me partaker in thy happiness,
When thou dost meet good hap : and in thy danger,
If ever danger do environ thee,
> Wer^i not affeetiony ^c] The coastruction is, Were jt not that
affection chains, &c., I would entreat thy company zatlur to see, &c^
than living dolly, &c., to wear out, &c.
^ Shapeless] Vague; indefinite; aimless.
* Lotft stUX] Maj you love constantly.
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4 TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. ACT I.
Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers,
For I will be thy beadsman,^ Valentine.
VaL And on a love book pray for my success ?
Pro, Upon some book I love, I'll pray for thee.
VaL That's on some shallow story of deep love,
How young Leander crossed the Hellespont.^
Pro, That's a deep story of a deeper love ;
For he was more than over sl.oes in love.
VaL *T is true ; for you are over boots in love,
And yet you never swom the Hellespont.
Piv. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots^
VaL No, I will not, for it boots thee not
Pro. What?*
VaL To be in love, where scorn is bought with groans ;
Coy looks with heart-sore sighs; one fading moment's
mirth,
With twenty watchful,* weary, tedious nights :
* Thy beadsman] One that will say beads or prayers for thee.
Beads originally meant prayers ; hence the bame of those counters
forming the chaplet, op string of beads, used by Roman Catholics.
A beadsman was properly a hermit or a pensioner bound to pray for
his benefoctors. Praying by the beads used to be called bidding
the beads {see Spenser's F,Q, I. i. 30). The original meaning of the
verb to bid being to wish, or jyray, is still retained in the phrases to
bid fareufell, to bid good night, &c.
* How young Leander, &c.] Shakspeare probably had seen the
MS. of Marlowe's translation of the poem of Musacus entitled * Hero
and Leander ; ' for that translation was entered in the Stationers
register in 1693, though not published till 1698. The story is
again referred to in iii. 1 ; and there is a quotation from Marlowe's
version in As You Like It, iii. 6.
* Give me not the boots'] This has been supposed to allude to
the instrument of torture called the boots. But Staunton says, 'To
give one the boots, like the French equivalent, donner le change d
quel^un, means to sell him a bargain.*
* What T] What boots me not ? * Watchful^ WakefaU
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SCENE I. TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA* 5
If haply won, perhaps a hapless gain ;
If lost, why then a grievous labour won ;
However,^ but a folly bought with wit,
Or else a wit by folly vanquished.
Pro, So, by your circumstance,^ you call me fool.
Val, So, by your circumstance, I fear, you'll prove.
Pro, 'T is love you cavil at ; I am not love.
VaL Love is your master, for he masters you :
And he that is so yoked by a fool,
Methinks should not be chronicled ^ for wise.
Pro, Yet writers say, as in the sweetest bud
The eating canker * dwells, so eating love
Inhabits in the finest wits of all.
VaL And writers say, as the most forward bud
Is eaten by the canker ere it blow,
Even so by love the young and tender wit
Is turned to folly ; blasting * in the bud,
Losing his verdure even in the prime,
And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee,
That art a votary to fond desire ?
Once more adieu : my father at the road^
Expects my coming, there to see me shipped.
* However] In any case.
* Your circumstance] Your circuitous argument. So in the Mer-
chant of Venice, i. 1,
* You know me well, and herein spend but time,
To wind about my love with circumstance.'
In the next speech, drcurnstanoe means condition.
* Chronicled] Kept account of. So in • Othello^ 11. 1, * To suckle
fools and chronicle small beer.*
* Canker] A species of caterpillar.
* Blasting] Being blasted.
* Road] Haven ; open harbour.
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S TWO GENTLEMEN OF TBRONA, ACT t.
Pro. And thither will I briag thee,^ Valentine.
Vat, Sweet Proteus, no : now let us take our leave.
To Milan let me hear from thee by letters,^
Of thy success in love, and what news else
Betideth here in absence of thy friend ;
And I likewise will visit thee with mine.
Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan t
VaL As much to yeu at home ! and so farewell.
[£aw*f VALENTnqE.
Pro, He after honour hunts, I after love :
He leaves his friends to dignify them more ;
I leave * myself, nay friends, and all for love.
Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphosed me ;
Made me neglect my studies, lose my time,
War with good counsel, set t^e world at nought ;
Made wit with musing weak,, theart sick with thought.
' Bring thee] Be thy cimvoy; aoeompany thee. So in OfHello,
iii. 4, 'I pray you bring me on tha way a little.* To bring one on
his vxiy is an idiom common In our old literature; there are
sev^eral examples of it in Shakspeare, and in Scriptttre;
' ToMUany ^c] Let me hear from thee by letters to Milan, or
let me hear from thee to Milan 'by letters. Shakspearo often con-
fuses in this way the parts «f a prepositioa phrase. Thus ia
K, Bichard II. iii. 2,
* When the searching eye of heaven is bid,
Behind the g1x>be that lights the lower world.;*
i.e. when the sun is hid that lights the lower world at the back of
the globe ;
and mvCymhelinet^, 5,
* Mj sons, I mufit
(For iRtne own part uiifold a dangerous speech.'
i.e. I must unfold a speech daqgerous for mi&e own part..
^ Zeave^ The old text has hve, an obviovfl misprint.
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scion! I. TWO GENTLEMEN OT TERONjI.
Enter Speed.
Speed, Sir Proteus, save you : Saw you my master ?
Pro, But now he parted ^ hence, to embark for Milan.
Speed, Twenty to one then he is shipped already ;
And I have played the sheep ^ in losing him.
Pro, Indeed a sheep doth very often stray,
An if ^ the shepherd be awhile away.
Speed, You conclude that my master is a shepherd
then, and I a sheep ?
Pro, I do.
Speed, Why, then my horns are his horns, whether I
wake or sleep.
Pro, A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep.
Speed, This proves me still a isheep.
Pro, True'; and thy master a shepherd.
Speed, Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance.*
Pro, It shall go hard but I'll prove it by another.
Speed, The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep
the shepherd ; but I seek my master, and my master seeks
not me : therefore, I am no sheep.
* Parted] Departed. A very frequent meaning of the word in
Shakspeare. It is from the French partir,
2 2%« sheep] Sheep is still in some parts of England pronounced
ship. We have the quibble on sheep and ship again in the Coimdif
(^ Errors, lY, 1,
' Thou peevish sheep,
What ship of Epidamnum stays for me ? '
* An \f] The first folio has and if, a corrupt form of an if, often
met with. Thus in Scripture, Matt. xxiv. 48, 'But and if that
evil servant shall say,* &c. The phrase an if, however, is pleonas-
tic, an itself signifying if and being still frequently used for if in
North Britain.
* A circuTnstance] A circumstantial deduction.
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^ TWO GENTLEMEN OF YJBRONA. ACT i.
Pro, The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, the
shepherd for food follows not the sheep ; tho\i for wages
Ibllowest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee :
therefore, thou art a sheep.
Speed, Such another proof will make me cry baa.*
Pro, But dost thou hear? gavest thou my letter to
Julia?
Speed, Ay, sir ; I, a lost mutton,* gave your letter to
her, a laced mutton ; ' and she, a laced mutton, gave me,
a lost mutton, nothing for my labour.
Pro, Here's too small a pasture for such store of
muttons.
Speed. 1£ the ground be overcharged, you were best *
'Btick her.
Pro, Nay, in that you are astray ; • 't were best pound
you.*^
* Baa] The cry of a sheep is here equivocally intended to suggest
the French interjection bah ! equivalent to our pshaw !
' A lost mutton] A stray sheep. Sheep are often called muttons^
and oxen beefs or beeves, in ancient books. In the Merchant of
Venice, i. 1, we have * Flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats.' French
mouton, a sheep ; bcsuf an ox.
* A laced mutton] This was a cant term for a loose woman, laced
meaning set off with laces. Staunton thinks that *the only pallia-
tion for Speed's application of it in this case is, that in reality it
was not the lady but her waiting maid, to whom he gave the letter.'
But both the preceding and the following context imply that Speed
meant Julia ; and we are therefore inclined to think that the term
was sometimes used playfully, and without offence, like our word
hussy,
* You were best] Formerly a very common idiomatic corruption of
it were best for you.
* Astray] That is, a sheep astray.
* Pound you] This refers to the pound, or pinfold, for confining
cattle that have been found astray.
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SCBNB I. TWO GENTLEMEN OF VEKONA. 9
Speed, Nay, sir, less than a pound shall serve me for
carrying your letter.
Pro, You mistake ; I mean the pound, a pinfold.
Speed. From a pound to a pin ? fold it over and over,
'T is threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover.
Fro. But what said she ? [Speed nods,"] Did she nod ?
Speed, U
Fro, Nod, I ; why, that *s noddy.
Speed. You mistook, sir ; I say she did nod : and you
ask me if she did nod ; and I say, I.
Fro. And that set together is — ^noddy.
Speed, Now you have taken the pains to set it together,
take it * for your pains.
Fro. No, no, you shall have it for bearing the letter.
Speed. Well, I perceive I must be fain to bear with
you.
Fro. Why, sir, how do you bear with me ?
Speed. Marry, sir, the letter very orderly ; ^ having
nothing but the word 7iodd^ for my pains.
Fro. Beshrew me, but you have a quick wit.
Speed. And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse.
Fro. Come, come, open the matter in brief: what said
she?
Speed. Open your purse, that the money and the
matter may be both at once delivered.
Fro. Well, sir, here is for your pains : what said she ?
Speed. Truly, sir, I think you '11 hardly win her.
Fro. Why ? Couldst thou perceive so much from her ?
Speed. Sir, I could perceive nothing at all from her ;
no, not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter : and
> /] So the afiSrmative word a^ used to be spelt. See the Editor's
K. Richard 11. p. 91, note 3.
* Take it'\ Take the name to yonrself.
• The letter very orderly] I say very consistently that I bear the
letter with you, that is, with a noddy.
b3
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W * TWO GBNrrLEMBN OF TERONA. ACT I.
^being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she '11
prove as hard to you in telling your mind. Give her no
token bu^ stones ; for she *s as hard as steel.
Fro. What, said she nothing ?
Speed. No, not so much as — 2'ake this^ for thy pains.
To testify your bounty, I thank you, you have testemed me;*
•in requital whereof henceforth carry your lettere yowrself ;
and so, sir, I '11 commend you to my master.
Pro.. Go, go, be g«ie, to save yoror ship from wrack;
Which cannot perish, having thee otboard,
Being destined to a drier death oa shore ; - ^
J must go send some better messeager^
I fear my Julia would not deign my lines,
^ecei^g them from «iich a worfebless post^ \ExeunU
SCENR M.—The mme Gcmden of Julia's JSHouee.
Ent»r Julia and ILucetta*
Jid. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone,
Would 'st thou then, counsel me to^fall in love T
JJMC. Ay^'Biadam^ so you stumble * not unheedfully^
^ Testemed me"] The coin called a tester^ testem, «r tesiril^ wa»
^worth -sixpence, though mnginallj <ft Tepresented a greater value.
It got its name fman the sovweign's head (old Er. te^ie) being
stan^l^ on it.
' Being destined^ ^c] This allndes to the proverbs, ' He never can
'be drowned i^ho is ^born to be hanged,* and ' Harriage and hanging
jgo by destiny* Conpare the Tert^^est, i. 1, where, in the midst of the
- storm, OtonzfUo says^ ■* I have great e^i^oii from this fellow: metShinks
he kath na drowning mariL upon htm; his ciHuplexion is .peifeet
igaltows.*
^ -StuniSle] Thi%48 in 4roxd. |^. with the^ expcesAion ''foU in
floifef
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iCBJns n. TWO GENTLEMEN OF YERONA. 1 1
Jul, Of all the M.v resort of gentlemen,
That every day with parle encounter me,
In thy opmion which is worthiest love ?
Luc. Please you, repeat their names, 1*11 show my
mind
According to my shallow simple skill.*
Jul. What thinkest thou of the fair Sir E^mour ?
Luc, As of a knight well-spoken, neat and fine::
But, were I you, he never should be mine.
Jul. What thinkest tiiou of the rich Mercatio?
Luc. Well of lufl yr&M^ ; 4>ttt of himself, ^so eo.
Jul. What think 'st thou of the gentle l^oteus f
Luc. Lord, Lord ! to see what folly reigns in usi
JuU How now! what means this passion ^ at his name ?
Luc Pardon, dear madam; 'tis a passing shame,'
That I, unworthy body as I am,
'Should censure-* thus on lorely g^itlemen.
Jul. Why not on Proteus, as of all the rest?
Luc, Then thus : of XLdCBiy good^ I titink him best.
Jul. Your reason ?
Luc. I have no other but a woman's reason.;^
1 <diink him so, — because I think him so.
^ul. And wouldst thou have me cast my love en him?
Lmc, Ay, if you thought your love not cast away.
Jul, Why, he of all the rest* hath never moved me.
* TUaaeym repeat tieir names, #«.] Cwnpare t&e dialogue be-
i;w«en Portia «iid Nerifisa in the Merchant of Venice^ i. 2, * I pray
thee oyemame them ; and as thou namest them I will deec^be them/
•:&c.
* PoBskm} Emotion ; fervour.
' A passing sharne] An excesBive^j^c^ne.; a^eiy'^reat-sbame.
* Censure] Pass judgment.
» ffe of all the rest] In this form of speecih, of means compared
with. In the Midsummer Wight's Jhsam, v. I, we:h»ve ' The greatest
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1 2 TWO GBHTLEMEN OF VEKONA. ACT I.
Lac, Yet he of all the rest, I think, best loves ye.
Jul, His little speaking shows his love but small.
Luc, Fire ^ that 's closest kept burns most of all.
Jul, They do not love that do not show their love.
Luc, O, they love least that let men know their love.
Jul, I would I knew his mind.
Luc, Peruse this paper, madam.
Jul. To Juliay — Say, from whom ?
Iaic, That the contents will show.
Jul, Say, say ; who gave it thee ?
Luc, Sir Valentine *s page ; and sent, I think, from
Proteus :
He would have given it you, but I, being in the way,
Did in your name receive it ; pardon the fault,, I pray.
Jul, Now, by my modesty, a goodly broker ! *
Dare you presume to harbour wanton lines ?
To whisper and conspire against my youth ?
Now, trust me, *t is an office of great worth,
And you an officer fit for the place.
There, take the paper, see it be returned ;
Or else return no more into my sight.
Luc, To plead for love deserves more * fee than hate. ^
JiiJ, Will you be gone ?
Luc, That you may ruminate.
lExit,
error of all the rest ; * and the same expression occurs in Bacon's
Advancement of Learning ^ Bk. I. Compare Milton's PL, iv. 823,
* Adam the goodliest man of men since bom/ &c
1 Fire'] Such words as Jire^ hire, hour, are often to be read as
dissyllables in Shakspeare. Thus, in ii. 7, * But qualify the fir^s
extreme rage ; ' and in the Comedy of Errors, iv. 1, * A ship you
sent me to, to hire waftage/
' Broker'] A go-between ; a procuress.
■ To plead, ^.] To plead in behalf of love more deserves, &c.
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SCENE n. TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. 1 3
Jul. And yet, I would I had o 'erlooked the letter.
It were a shame ^ to call her back again,
And pray her to a fault for which I chid her.
What fool is she that knows I am a maid,
And would not force the* letter to my view !
Since maids, in modesty, say No to that
Which ihey would have the profferer consti'ue Ay.
Fie, fie ! how wayward is this foolish love,
That, like a testy babe, will scratch the nurse,
And presently, all humbled, kiss the rod I
How churlishly I chid Lucetta hence.
When willingly I would have had her here !
How angerly I taught my brow to frown,
When inward joy enforced my heart to smile !
My penance is, to call Lucetta back, •
And ask remission for my folly past : —