Fal. Well said, good woman's tailor; well said. . . . courageous Feeble. Thou shalt be as valiant as the wrathful dove or most magnanimous mouse.

Fee. . . . I would Wart might have gone, sir. . . Fal. . . . I cannot put him to a private soldier suffice, most forcible Feeble. (2 Hen. IV. iii. 2.)

I must withdraw and weep

Upon the spot of this enforced cause. (John, v. 4.)
Forced marriage. (Mer. Wives, v. 5)

The people . . . . do but stand in a forced affection.

Cunning and forced cause. (Ham. v. 2.)

. let that

(Jul. Cæs. iv. 3.)

So will I clothe me in a forced content. (Ham. v. 2.)

189. More ingenious than naturalle.

The meaning pretty ingenious? (L. L. L. iii. 1.)

A thing rather ingenious than substantial. (Ess. Unity.)
Natural in art. (L. L. L. v. 1.)

190 Quod longe jactum est leviter ferit. (That which is thrown from afar wounds but slightly.)

Ros. Thou canst not hit it, hit it, hit it,
Thou canst not hit it, my good man.

Boyet. An' I cannot, cannot, cannot,

An' I cannot, another can.

Wide o' the bow hand, I' faith your hand is out.
Cost. Indeed a' must shoot nearer,

Or he'll never hit the clout. (L. L. L. iv. 1.) &c.

191. Doe you knowe it? Hoc solum scio quod nihil scio. (This only I know, that I know nothing. A saying of Socrates.)

We know that we know nothing. (Nov. Org. i.)

It is better to know what is necessary and not to imagine we are fully in possession of it, than to imagine that we are fully in possession of it and yet in reality know nothing which we ought. (Nov. Org. i. 126.)

The wise man knows himself to be a fool. (As Y. L. v. 1.) (Compare Nos. 240, 1312, 1412; 1 Hen. IV. i. 2, 96.)

192. I know it do say many.

Cit. Faith, we hear fearful news. 1 Cit.

For mine own part,

When I said banish him, I said it was a pity.

2 Cit. And so did I.

3 Cit. And so I did, and to say the truth, so did very many of

us. .

1 Cit. I ever said we were i' the wrong when we banished him. 2 Cit. So did we all.

(Cor. iv. 7.)

Even when you will.

193. Now you say somewhat.

You have said now, ay, and I have said nothing but what I protest intendment of doing. (Oth. iv. 5.)

There's a letter will say somewhat. (Mer. Wiv. iv. 5.)

194. Now you begynne to conceive-I begynne to say.

Sir And. . . . Begin fool; it begins 'Hold thy peace.'
Clown. I shall never begin if I hold my peace.

(Tw. N. xi. 3.)

(Tam. Sh. i. 2.)

Sir, you say well, and well you do conceive.
Kath.
Mistress, how mean you that?
Widow. Thus I conceive by him.

Pit.

Conceive by me!..

Hor. My widow says thus she conceives her tale.

I conceive,' &c., frequent.)

(Tam. Sh. v. 2.)

195. What do you conclude upon that. Etiam tentas. You conclude that my master is a shepherd

196. All is one. Contrariorum eadem est ratio. contraries the account to be given is the same.)

That is all one. (Mer. Wiv. i. 1.)

Well, it's all one.

(Tw. N. i. 5.)

(Of

"Twere all one that I should have a bright particular star, and

think to wed it.

It's all one.

(All's Well, i. 1.)

(Tw. N. Kins. ii. 3, 31; v. 2, 33 and 85.) (Frequent in plays of the 'Second Period.')

197. Repeat your reason.

Your reason? (Com. Er. ii. 2 rep.; Two Gen. Ver. i. 2; Tw. N. iii. 1 and 2 ; L. L. L. ii. 1 ; v. 1 ; &c.)

197a. Bis ac ter pulchra. (Twice and thrice beautiful.) Thrice fair lady. (Mer. Ven. iii. 2.)

198. Hear me out. You never were in.

If my hand is out, then belike your hand is in. (See repar tees, L. L. L. iv. 1.)

It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in some grace, for you did bring me out. (All's W. v. 2.)

*199. You judge before you understand; I judge as I understand.1

Ford.

I will tell you, sir, if you will give me hearing. Fal. . . . Methinks you prescribe to yourself very preposterously.

1 It is evident that this and the succeeding entries, which are here distinguished by an asterisk, consist, like No. 198 and other entries, of a saying and a retort by different speakers. Bacon's punctuation and occasional omission of capital letters have, however, been retained.

Ford.

O understand my drift, &c. (See Mer. Wiv. ii. 2.)

I speak as my understanding instructs me. (W. T. i. 1.)

* 200. You go from the matter; but it was to follow you.

Goodman Verges speaks a little off the matter. (M. Ado, iii. 4.) Does your business follow us? (All's Well, ii. 1.)

Isa. The phrase is to the matter.

Duke. Mended again-the matter-proceed. (M. M. v. 1.)

What's that to the purpose? (Tw. N. i. 3, 87 and 98.)

.

This matter of marrying his king's daughter. . words him, A good deal from the matter. (Cymb. i. 5.)

* 201. Come to the point; why I shall not find you thear.

Then to the point. (1 H. IV. iv. 3.)

There's to the point. (Ant. Cl. ii. 6.) &c.

202. You do not understand the point.

(Ib. iii. 1.)

Let me know the point.

(To the point,' &c., frequent.)

203. Let me make an end of the tale; that which I

will say will make an end of it.

Make an end of my deceiver. (Mer. W. i. 2.)

Make an end of the ship. (W. T. iii. 2.)

Let me end the story. (Cymb. v. 5.)

I will end here. (Per. v. 1.)

And to conclude, this evening I must leave you.

(1 Hen. IV. ii. 4.)

To conclude, let him be true to himself.' (Gesta Gray., Statesman's Sp.)

204. You take more than is granted. You graunt

lesse than is proved.

But that you take that doth to you belong,

It were a fault to snatch words from my tongue.

(L. L. L. v. 2.)

1 Compare Hamlet, i. 3, 78-80.

Mistake not, uncle, further than you should.

Take not good cousin further than you should. (R. II. iii. 2.)

You have spoken truer than you proposed.

You have answered wiselier than I meant you should.

(Temp. ii. 1.)

* 205. You speak colorably; you may not say truly.

I do fear colourable colours. (L. L. L. iv. 3.)

Why hunt I for colour or excuses? (R. Lucrece, 266.) Howsoever you colour it . . . come tell me true. (M. M. ii. 1.)

* 206. That is not so, by your favour; verily, by my reason it is so.

May it please your grace

No, sir-it does not please me. (H. VIII. v. 3.)

(See repartees, Two. Gen. Ver. ii. 1, 128–410, and M. Ado, ii. 1,

54-57.)

Folio 876.

207. It is so I will warrant you.

me, but I think I shall not vouch you.

Luc. I warrant your honour.

You may warrant

Duke. The warrant's for yourself. Take heed to it.

I'll warrant you. (Two Gen. Ver. ii. 2.)

(M. M. v. 1.)

I think the boy hath grace in him. I warrant you, my lord, more grace than boy. (Two Gen. Ver. v. 4, and see Temp. ii. 1, 56, 57.)

me.

* 208. Answer directly; you mean as you would direct

Answer me directly. (1 Hen. IV. ii. 3, 85; Jul. Cæs. i. 1, 13.) Cin. To answer every man directly, I am a bachelor. . . 2 Cit. Proceed; directly.

Cin. Directly, I am going to Cæsar's funeral.

2 Cit. That matter is answered directly. (Jul. Cæs. iii. 3.) Yield me a direct answer. (M. M. iv. 2.) &c.