Two Gentlemen of Verona The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [9 vols.] · William Shakespeare
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Who is Silvia? what is she, That all our swains commend her? Holy, fair, and wise is she; 40 The heaven such grace did lend her, That she might admired be. Is she kind as she is fair? For beauty lives with kindness. Love doth to her eyes repair, 45 To help him of his blindness, And, being help'd, inhabits there. Then to Silvia let us sing, That Silvia is excelling; She excels each mortal thing 50 Upon the dull earth dwelling: To her let us garlands bring. _Host._ How now! are you sadder than you were before? How do you, man? the music likes you not. _Jul._ You mistake; the musician likes me not. 55 _Host._ Why, my pretty youth? _Jul._ He plays false, father. _Host._ How? out of tune on the strings? _Jul._ Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my very heart-strings. 60 _Host._ You have a quick ear. _Jul._ Ay, I would I were deaf; it makes me have a slow heart. _Host._ I perceive you delight not in music. _Jul._ Not a whit, when it jars so. 65 _Host._ Hark, what fine change is in the music! _Jul._ Ay, that change is the spite. _Host._ You would have them always play but one thing? _Jul._ I would always have one play but one thing. But, host, doth this Sir Proteus that we talk on 70 Often resort unto this gentlewoman?
_Pro._ I grant, sweet love, that I did love a lady; But she is dead. _Jul._ [_Aside_] 'Twere false, if I should speak it; For I am sure she is not buried. _Sil._ Say that she be; yet Valentine thy friend Survives; to whom, thyself art witness, 105 I am betroth'd: and art thou not ashamed To wrong him with thy importunacy? _Pro._ I likewise hear that Valentine is dead. _Sil._ And so suppose am I; for in his grave Assure thyself my love is buried. 110 _Pro._ Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth. _Sil._ Go to thy lady's grave, and call hers thence; Or, at the least, in hers sepulchre thine. _Jul._ [_Aside_] He heard not that. _Pro._ Madam, if your heart be so obdurate, 115 Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love, The picture that is hanging in your chamber; To that I'll speak, to that I'll sigh and weep: For since the substance of your perfect self Is else devoted, I am but a shadow; 120 And to your shadow will I make true love. _Jul._ [_Aside_] If 'twere a substance, you would, sure, deceive it, And make it but a shadow, as I am. _Sil._ I am very loath to be your idol, sir; But since your falsehood shall become you well 125 To worship shadows and adore false shapes, Send to me in the morning, and I'll send it: And so, good rest.
_Pro._ As wretches have o'ernight That wait for execution in the morn. [_Exeunt Pro. and Sil. severally._ _Jul._ Host, will you go? 130 _Host._ By my halidom, I was fast asleep. _Jul._ Pray you, where lies Sir Proteus? _Host._ Marry, at my house. Trust me, I think 'tis almost day. _Jul._ Not so; but it hath been the longest night 135 That e'er I watch'd, and the most heaviest. [_Exeunt._ Notes: IV, 2. SCENE II. Outside ... palace ...] An open place, ... Warburton. Court of the palace. Capell. 1: _have I_] _I've_ Pope. 15: _and_] om. F3 F4. 18: Musicians.] Rowe. Musitian. Ff. at the beginning of the scene. 23: _Who_] F1. Whom F2 F3 F4. 25: _tune_] F1. _turne_ F2. _turn_ F3 F4. 26: at a distance] Capell. _allycholly_] _melancholy_ Pope. 27: _I pray you, why is it_] F1. _I pray you what is it_ F2 F3. _I pray what is it?_ F4. 34: [Music plays] Capell. 40: _is she_] _as free_ Collier MS. 50: _excels_] _exceeds_ S. Walker conj. 53: SCENE III. Pope. 53, 54: _are you ... before?_] _you are ... before_ Heath conj. 68: _You would_] _you would, then,_ Malone. _you would not_ Collier MS. 70, 71: Printed as prose by Capell. 72-74: Printed as verse in Ff. _I tell ... He lov'd ..._ 78: _fear not you_] F1. _fear not_ F2 F3 F4. 80: [Exeunt Thu. and Musicians.] Rowe. 81: SCENE IV. Pope. Enter SILVIA above] Rowe. om. Ff. 85: _You would_] Ff. _You'd_ Pope. 88: _What's_] _What is_ Pope. 89: _even_] F1. _ever_ F2 F3 F4. 102: [Aside] Pope. 105: _thyself_] _even thyself_ Hanmer. 109: _his_] F2 F3 F4. _her_ F1. 112: _hers_] F1 F2. _her_ F3 F4. 114: [Aside] Pope. 115: _if_] _if that_ Warburton. 115, 116: _obdurate, Vouchsafe_] _Obdurate, O, vouchsafe_ Hanmer. 116: _for my love_] om. Hanmer. 122: [Aside] Pope. 125: _since your falsehood shall_] _since you're false, it shall_ Johnson conj. 129: [Exeunt ... severally] om. F1. [Exeunt. F2. 136: _heaviest_] _heavy one_ Pope.
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