Virtue itself is reason but refined,

And love the quintessence of that: this proves
My sister's beauty, being rarely fair,

Is rarely virtuous; chiefly in her love,
And chiefly, in that love, her love to me:
If her's to me, then so is mine to her;
Since in like causes are effects alike.

Friar. O ignorance in knowledge! long ago,
How often have I warn'd thee this before?
Indeed, if we were sure there were no Deity,
Nor heaven nor hell; then to be led alone
By nature's light (as were philosophers
Of elder times) might instance some defence.
But 'tis not so: then, madman, thou wilt find,
That nature is in Heaven's positions blind.

Gio. Your age o'errules you; had you youth like mine,

You'd make her love your heaven, and her divine. Friar. Nay, then I see thou'rt too far sold to

hell:

It lies not in the compass of my prayers

To call thee back, yet let me counsel thee;

Persuade thy sister to some marriage.

Gio. Marriage? why that's to damn her; that's to prove

Her greedy of variety of lust.

Friar. O fearful! if thou wilt not, give me leave

To shrive her, lest she should die unabsolv'd. Gio. At your best leisure, father: then she'll tell you,

How dearly she doth prize my matchless love;
Then you will know what pity 'twere we two
Should have been sunder'd from each other's arms.
View well her face, and in that little round
You may observe a world's variety;

For colour,' lips: for sweet perfumes, her breath;
For jewels, eyes; for threads of purest gold,
Hair; for delicious choice of flowers, cheeks;
Wonder in every portion of that throne.-
Hear her but speak, and you will swear the
spheres

Make music to the citizens in heaven.-
But, father, what is else for pleasure fram'd,
Lest I offend your ears, shall go unnam'd.

Friar. The more I hear, I pity thee the more;
That one so excellent should give those parts
All to a second death. What I can do,

Is but to pray; and yet I could advise thee,
Wouldst thou be ruled.

Gio. In what?

3 For colour, lips.] Dodsley reads for coral, lips; but the old copy is right; colour is placed in apposition to perfume. Just below he has form for throne. In the extravagance of Giovanni's praise, it is scarcely possible to know what terms he would adopt; but form appears too tame to be genuine, and frame occurs in the next verse but one. It is not quite clear to me, that a line has not been dropped after throne.

For world's variety, the old copy reads "world of variety," which spoils the metre. I suppose, the printer mistook the 's for o', the old abridgement of of. It would be unjust to say that the Friar has any thing in him of "the old squire of Troy;" yet he certainly betrays his duty both to God and man in the feeble resistance which he offers to the commencement and continuance of this fatal intercourse.

Friar. Why leave her yet:

The throne of mercy is above your trespass;
Yet time is left you both-

Gio. To embrace each other,

Still

Else let all time be struck quite out of number;
She is like me, and I like her, resolv'd.

Friar. No more! I'll visit her;-this grieves

me most,

Things being thus, a pair of souls are lost.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI.

A Room in FLORIO's House.

Enter FLORIO, DONADO, ANNABELLA, and PUTANA.

Flo. Where is Giovanni?

Ann. Newly walk'd abroad,

And, as I heard him say, gone to the friar,
His reverend tutor.

Flo. That's a blessed man,

A man made up of holiness; I hope
He'll teach him how to gain another world.
Don. Fair gentlewoman, here's a letter, sent
To
you from my young cousin ;+ I dare swear
He loves you in his soul: would you could hear
Sometimes, what I see daily, sighs and tears,
As if his breast were prison to his heart.

+ From my young cousin.] Our author, like all the writers of his day, commonly uses cousin for nephew and niece.

Flo. Receive it, Annabella.
Ann. Alas, good man!

Don. What's that she said?

[Takes the Letter.

Put. An't please you, sir, she said, “ Alas, good man!" Truly I do commend him to her every night before her first sleep, because I would have her dream of him; and she hearkens to that most religiously.

Don. Say'st so? God a' mercy, Putana! there is something for thee [Gives her money]-and prithee do what thou canst on his behalf; it shall not be lost labour, take my word for it.

Put. Thank you most heartily, sir; now I have a feeling of your mind, let me alone to work. Ann. Guardian.

Put. Did you call?

Ann. Keep this letter.

Don. Signior Florio, in any case bid her read it instantly.

Flo. Keep it! for what? pray read it me hereright.

Ann. I shall, sir.

[She reads the Letter.

Don. How do you find her inclined, signior? Flo. Troth, sir, I know not how; not all so well As I could wish.

Ann. Sir, I am bound to rest your cousin's debtor.

The jewel I'll return; for if he love,

I'll count that love a jewel.

Don. Mark you that?

Nay, keep them both, sweet maid.

Ann. You must excuse me,

Indeed I will not keep it.

Flo. Where's the ring,

That which your mother, in her will, bequeath'd,
And charged you on her blessing not to give it
Το any but your husband? send back that."
Ann. I have it not.

Flo. Ha! have it not; where is it?

Ann. My brother in the morning took it from

me,

Said he would wear it to-day.

Flo. Well, what do you say

To young Bergetto's love? are you content to
Match with him? speak.

Don. There is the point, indeed.

Ann. What shall I do? I must say something

now.

Flo. What say? why do you not speak?
Ann. Sir, with your leave-
Please you to give me freedom?
Flo. Yes, you have [it.]

[Aside.

Ann. Signior Donado, if your nephew mean
To raise his better fortunes in his match,
The hope of me will hinder such a hope:
Sir, if you love him, as I know you do,
Find one more worthy of his choice than me;
In short, I'm sure I shall not be his wife.

5 Send back that.] Florio juggles strangely with his daughter's suitors. He tells Soranzo in Act I. that he had "his word engaged;" and yet he here endeavours to force her upon another! His subsequent conduct is not calculated to increase our respect for his character, or our sympathy for his overwhelming afflictions.