A similar theme, with a tragic dénouement, is to be found in the Comedia von Julio und Hippolyta, a play acted by the English actors in Germany, preserved only in a German paraphrase (cp. Schauspiele der englischen Komödianten in Deuschland, ed. J. Tittmann; also, Zupitza, "Shakespeare Jahrbuch," xxiii.).

Bandello's Novel of Appolonius and Sylla, which was translated by Riche (1581), may have suggested certain incidents (cp. Hazlitt's Shakespeare's Library, Vol. I. part i.); Sidney's Arcadia (Book I. ch. vi.)—itself greatly indebted to Montemayor's Diana, Sidney's favourite book -may possibly be the original of Valentine's consenting to lead the robber-band, and the speech at the beginning of the scene (V. iv.) in praise of Solitude may also have been suggested by a passage in the same book.

The Form of the Play. In order to understand the form of The Two Gentlemen'-probably the first of Shakespeare's plays dealing with love-intrigue-the reader must remember that it links itself to the preShakespearian romantic dramas based on Italian lovestories; but these earlier dramas are rare. The best example of the kind extant is without doubt a very scarce production, registered in the books of the Stationers' Company 1584 (and printed soon after), entitled "Fidele and Fortune: the Receipts in Love discoursed in a Comedie of ij Italian Gentlemen, translated into English" by A. M., i.e. probably Anthony Munday). This crude effort may certainly be regarded as one of the most valuable of the prototypes of the Shakespearian romantic plays; it has hitherto been strangely neglected (cp. Extracts, printed by Halliwell in his "Illustrations to the Literature of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries "*). One is inclined to think that Shakespeare is indebted for something more than the title of his first love-play to "The Two

*Halliwell printed certain scenes in order to illustrate the witchcraft in Macbeth; it is remarkable that he did not notice the real value of the play.

Italian Gentlemen." In this connection it is perhaps noteworthy that Meres, as early as 1598, and Kirkman, as late as 1661, mention Shakespeare's play as The Gentlemen of Verona.' This was perhaps customary in order to distinguish it from Munday's translated drama.

Forward-Links. The play contains many hints of incidents and characters more admirably developed in later plays; e.g. the scenes between Julia and her maid Lucetta at Verona anticipate the similar talk between Portia and Nerissa at Belmont; Julia's disguise makes her the first of Shakespeare's best-beloved heroines, Portia, Jessica, Rosalind, Viola, Imogen; Valentine's lament (Act III. sc. i. I. 170-187), with its burden of "banished," is heard again as Romeo's death-knell; the meeting of Eglamour and Silvia at Friar Patrick's cell suggests the meeting-place of the two star-crossed lovers at Friar Laurence's.

Launcelot Gobbo owes much to his namesake Launce, and something also to Speed, whose description of the various signs whereby one may know a lover finds development in the character of Benedick.

Duration of Time. The Time covered is seven days on the stage, with intervals between scenes and acts:Day 1: Act I. sc. i. and ii.; interval of a month or perhaps sixteen months (cp. iv. 1-21). Day 2: Act I. sc. iii. and Act II. sc. i. Day 3: Act II. sc. ii. and iii.; interval, Proteus's journey to Milan. Day 4: Act II. sc. iv. and v.; interval of a few days. Day 5: Act II. sc. vi. and vii., Act III. and Act IV. sc. i.; interval, including Julia's Journey to Milan. Day 6: Act IV. sc. ii. Day 7: Act IV. sc. iii. and iv. and Act V. (cp. Daniel, New Shakespeare Society's Transactions, 1877-79).

Critical Comments.

I.

Argument.

I. Valentine and Proteus, two gentlemen of Verona, are intimate friends accustomed to telling their hearts' secrets freely, the one to the other. Valentine goes to the court of Milan to gain worldly experience and honour. Proteus, for love of a Veronese maiden named Julia, would fain stay at home; but his father, ignorant of the love affair, and desirous that his son shall see something of the world, sends him to join Valentine at Milan.

II. Silvia, the daughter of the Duke of Milan, has many suitors. No sooner does Valentine see her than he becomes one of the number; but he is more fortunate than the rest, for Silvia favours him. The Duke, however, has chosen another for his daughter's husband. Valentine and Silvia plan to elope. At this juncture Proteus arrives from Verona, after having exchanged vows there with Julia. Valentine introduces Proteus to Silvia, confides to him the secret of their proposed clandestine marriage, and asks his assistance. Proteus promises it, but inwardly resolves to play his friend false, and try to win Silvia for himself. His neglected love, Julia, hearing no tidings of him, decides to don boy's garments, and go to Milan in search of him.

III. Proteus foils his friend's schemes by informing the Duke of the lovers' projected flight. The Duke banishes Valentine from his realm. Thurio, the suitor

chosen by the Duke, does not prosper in his wooing, and therefore asks Proteus to aid him.

IV. The banished Valentine flees to a forest near Milan, where he falls into the hands of outlaws, who, pleased by his address, make him their chief.

In Milan, Proteus plays false with Thurio just as he had done with Valentine. Under guise of fostering Thurio's suit he pleads his own cause to Silvia, who scorns him. Julia arrives dressed as a page, and secures employment with Proteus, who does not recognize her. She soon has opportunity to discover her lover's perfidy, since he sends her to Silvia with a ring that was Julia's own love-token to him.

V. Silvia escapes to the forest in search of Valentine, but is seized by some of the outlaws of her lover's band. Before they can bring her to his presence, she is rescued by Proteus, who, however, tries to take advantage of the occasion and compel her to yield to his love. Valentine overhears his false friend and liberates Silvia, at the same time reproaching Proteus so sternly that the latter is stricken with remorse, and humbly begs forgiveness. The generous Valentine accords it. The identity of Julia is discovered, and she is united with her repentant lover.

Meantime the Duke, who had gone also to the forest in search of Silvia, is captured by others of Valentine's outlaws. Valentine releases him; and the Duke pardons all the band, permits them to resume the rights of citizenship, and consents to the nuptials of Silvia and Valentine. MCSPADDEN: Shakespearian Synopses.

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II.

Proteus.

There is the principal agent, Proteus; a man who suns himself" in the esteem and confidence of all his acquaintance, is the early and bosom-friend of Valentine,

is trusted (and to all appearance deservedly so) by his mistress, Julia. He leaves her with the sincerest vows of constancy; and the moment he beholds the mistress of his friend, he not only becomes enamoured of her, but, with a wantonness of treachery, turns low, scoundrel informer to her father of their projected elopement. This not being enough to fill the measure of his villany, at the instance of that father he actually consents to become the calumniator of his unoffending friend to his friend's mistress, and afterwards to woo her for the pantaloon lover, Thurio; an office which he nevertheless endeavours to convert to his own advantage. He next sends his own mistress's love-pledge, and by herself (disguised, however, as his page) to her rival; and, im-, mediately after, attempts the greatest crime that man can perpetrate towards woman-against that same woman, too, whom he has vainly endeavoured to seduce from his friend; and when, in the sequel, he reads his repentance in four lines, he is at once accepted in two lines by the man he had so injured-who, with unique and amusing simplicity, says: "Then I am paid, and once again I do receive thee honest." But, to crown all, his mistress, Julia, congratulates herself upon having redeemed such a lover! All these confoundings of the probabilities of event may be excused in a story of high romance; but where there is any profession of human passion, we must look to have some regard to the concomitant mystery of human nature in the abstract. Now, Proteus is, confessedly, a solid scoundrel; and, what is worse, he is a mean scoundrel.

CHARLES COWDEN CLARKE: Shakespeare Characters.

III.

Valentine.

The character of Valentine is compounded of some of the elements that we find in Romeo; for the strong