Pet. Signior Hortensio, come you to part the fray? Con tutto il core bene trovato, may I say. Ι Hor. Alla nostra casa bene venuto, Molto honorato signor mio Petruchio. Rise, Grumio, rise; we will compound this quarrel. Gru. Nay, 'tis no matter, what he 'leges in Latin.'— If this be not a lawful cause for me to leave his service. Look you, sir, -he bid me knock him, and rap him soundly, sir: Well, was it fit for a servant to use his master so; being, perhaps, (for aught I see,) two and thirty, a pip out? Whom, 'would to God, I had well knock'd at first, Then had not Grumio come by the worst. Pet. A senseless villain! - Good Hortensio, I bade the rascal knock upon your gate, And could not get him for my heart to do it. Spake you not these words plain, — Sirrah, knock me here, ? Rap me here, knock me well, and knock me soundly 2? Pet. Such wind as scatters young men through the world, To seek their fortunes further than at home, Where small experience grows. But in a few3, 1. what he 'leges in Latin.] i. e. I suppose, what he alleges in Latin. STEEVENS. 2 knock me soundly?] Shakspeare seems to design a ridicule on this clipped and ungrammatical phraseology; which yet he has introduced in Othello: “I pray talk me of Cassio.” 3 Where small experience grows. But, in a few,] In a few, means the same as in short, in few words. JOHNSON. Signior Hortensio, thus it stands with me: - And I have thrust myself into this maze, Hor. Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee, And very rich:-but thou'rt too much my friend, Pet. Signior Hortensio, 'twixt such friends as we, I come to wive it wealthily 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, though she have as many diseases 4 (As wealth is burthen of my wooing dance,)] The burthen of a dance is an expression which I have never heard; the burthen of his wooing song had been more proper. JOHNSON. 5 Be she as foul as was Florentius' love,] The allusion is to a story told by Gower in the first Book De Confessione Amantis. Florent is the name of a knight who had bound himself to marry a deformed hag, provided she taught him the solution of a riddle on which his life depended. 6 aglet-baby;] i. e. a diminutive being, not exceeding in size the tag of a point. An aglet-baby was a small image or head cut on the tag of a point, or lace. as two and fifty horses; why, nothing comes amiss, so money comes withal. Hor. Petruchio, since we have stepp'd thus far in, I will continue that I broach'd in jest. I can, Petruchio, help thee to a wife With wealth enough, and young, and beauteous; Is, that she is intolerably curst, And shrewd, and froward; so beyond all measure, I would not wed her for a mine of gold. Pet. Hortensio, peace; thou know'st not gold's effect:Tell me her father's name, and 'tis enough; For I will board her, though she chide as loud An affable and courteous gentleman: Renown'd in Padua for her scolding tongue. Pet. I know her father, though I know not her: I will not sleep, Hortensio, till I see her; Gru. I pray you, sir, let him go while the humour lasts. O' my word, an she knew him as well as I do, she would think scolding would do little good upon him: She may, perhaps, call him half a score knaves, or so: why, that's nothing; an he begin once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks. I'll tell you what, sir, an she 7 8 shrewd,] Here means, having the qualities of a shrew. The adjective is now used only in the sense of acute, intelligent. 8 an he begin once, he'll rail in his rope-tricks.] Ropery or rope-tricks originally signified abusive language, without any determinate idea; such language as parrots are taught to speak. stand him but a little, he will throw a figure in her face, and so disfigure her with it, that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat1: You know him not, sir. Hor. Tarry, Petruchio, I must go with thee; For in Baptista's keep my treasure is : He hath the jewel of my life in hold, His youngest daughter, beautiful Bianca ; (For those defects I have before rehears'd,) A title for a maid, of all titles the worst. Hor. Now shall my friend Petruchio do me grace; And offer me, disguis'd in sober robes, To old Baptista as a schoolmaster Well seen in musick 3, to instruct Bianca : That so I may by this device, at least, Have leave and leisure to make love to her, And, unsuspected, court her by herself. Enter GREMIO; with him LUCENTIO disguised with books under his arm. Gru. Here's no knavery! See; to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together! 9 - 1 stand him —] i. e. withstand, resist him. that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat :] It may mean, that he shall swell up her eyes with blows, till she shall seem to peep with a contracted pupil, like a cat in the light. JOHNSON. 2 Therefore this order hath Baptista ta'en;] To take order is to take measures. 3 Well seen in musick,] Seen is versed, practised. Master, master, look about you: Who goes there? ha! Hor. Peace, Grumio; 'tis the rival of my love:— Petruchio, stand by a while. Gru. A proper stripling, and an amorous! [They retire. Gre. O, very well; I have perus'd the note. Hark you, sir; I'll have them very fairly bound: All books of love, see that at any hand *; And see you read no other lectures to her: You understand me: · Over and beside Signior Baptista's liberality, I'll mend it with a largess: Take your papers too, And let me have them very well perfum'd; For she is sweeter than perfume itself, To whom they go. What will you read to her? Gre. O this learning! what a thing it is! Hor. Grumio, mum! - God save you, signior Gre mio! Gre. And you're well met, signior Hortensio. Trow you, Whither I am going? - To Baptista Minola. I promis❜d to enquire carefully About a schoolmaster for fair Bianca: And, by good fortune, I have lighted well On this young man; for learning, and behaviour, |