The

On the whole, it may be said of this play that, like The Comedy of Errors, it is written exclusively with a view to the stage. What poetical gems may be found in it are with difficulty detached from the context. action proceeds almost uninterruptedly, except for the tedious fooling of Launce and Speed in some of the comic scenes. The plot is illmanaged, especially the dénouement, which is abrupt and somewhat careless. The situations are not as skilfully devised as those of The Comedy of Errors; but the chief characters are more or less sympathetic; and the incidents of the story are sufficiently interesting to fix the attention of an audience. It may seem fanciful to trace throughout this play the influence of the country rather than that of the town on Shakespeare's style; but there is certainly less knowledge of character than observation of nature displayed in the imagery of this play. It would seem that, when he was

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writing it, the fields and woods of Stratfordon-Avon were fresher in Shakespeare's mind than the busy life of London.

Assuming that The Two Gentlemen of Verona was an earlier work than Romeo and Juliet, we have in this play the first instance of Shakespeare's fondness for Italy as the country in which to place his scene. There is not so much local colour as in The Taming of the Shrew, or The Merchant of Venice; and the essentially English character of Launce and Speed is perhaps more strongly marked than in the case of Grumio and Launcelot Gobbo; but the question already arises in our minds, whether Shakespeare's acquaintance with Italy was derived from personal experience or merely from books. This is a point which cannot be discussed at this stage of our work, as it belongs more fitly to the Life of Shakespeare.

SCENE I. Verona. An open place in the city.

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 honour'd love, I rather would entreat thy company To see the wonders of the world abroad, Than, living dully sluggardiz'd at home, Wear out thy youth with shapeless1 idleness. But since thou lov'st, love still, and thrive therein,

Even as I would, when I to love begin.

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Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu!

Think on thy Proteus, when thou haply see'st Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel: Wish me partaker in thy happiness,

When thou dost meet good hap; and in thy danger,

1 Shapeless, purposeless.

Val. That's on some shallow story of deep love:

How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont. Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love; For he was more than over shoes in love.

Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love,

And yet you never swum the Hellespont.
Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the
boots.2

Val. I will not, for it boots thee not.
Pro.
No?-what?
Val. To be in love, where scorn is bought
with groans;

2 The boots, the torture so called.

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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 turn'd to folly, blasting in the bud,
Losing his verdure even in the prime
And all his fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee,
That art a votary to fond desire?

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However, in any case.

2 Circumstance, circumstantial deduction. 3 Circumstance, conduct.

4 Road, harbour. 5 To Milan, by letters (addressed) to Milan.

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.

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Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd; the shepherd for food follows not the sheep thou for wages followest 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? gav'st thou my letter to Julia?

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Speed. Ay, sir: [I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton, and she, a lac'd mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour.

Sheep, pronounced here ship, for the sake of the pun 7 Lac'd mutton, courtezan.

I must go send some better messenger:
I fear my Julia would not deign2 my lines, 160
Receiving them from such a worthless post.
[Exit.
SCENE II. The same. Garden of Julia's house.

Enter JULIA and LUCETTA.

Jul. But say, Lucetta, now we are alone, Wouldst thou, then, counsel me to fall in love? Luc. Ay, madam, so you stumble not unheedfully.

Jul. Of all the fair resort of gentlemen That every day with parle encounter me, In thy opinion which is worthiest love?

Luc. Please you repeat their names, I'll show my mind

According to my shallow simple skill.

Jul. What think'st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour?

Luc. As of a knight well-spoken, neat and fine;

1 Testern'd me, given me sixpence.

2 Deign, deign to accept.

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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 Julia."-Say, from whom?
Luc. 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,

3 Censure, express my opinion.

4 Fire, pronounced here as a dissyllable.