blowers up! Is there no military policy, how virgins. might blow up men ?

Par. Virginity being blown down, man will quicklier be blown up: marry, in blowing him down again, with the breach yourselves made, you lose your city. (3) It is not politick in the commonwealth of nature, to preferve virginity. Lofs of virginity is rational increase; and there was never virgin got, 'till virginity was fift loft. That, you were made of, is metal to make virgins. Virginity, by being once loft, may be ten times found: by being ever kept, it is ever loft; 'tis too cold a companion; away with't.

Hel. I will ftand for't a little, though therefore I die a virgin.

Par. There's little can be faid in't; 'tis against the rule of nature. To fpeak on the part of virginity, is to accuse your mother; which is most infallible difobedience. He, that hangs himself, is a virgin: virginity murders itself, and fhould be buried in highways out of all fanctified limit, as a defperate offendrefa against nature. Virginity breeds mites; much like acheese; confumes itfelf to the very paring, and fo dies with feeding its own ftomach. Befides, virginity is peevish, proud, idle, made of felf-love, which is the moft prohibited fin in the canon. Keep it not, you cannot chafe but lofe by't. Out with't; within ten years it will make itfelf two, which is a goodly increaft, and the principal itfelf not much the worie. Away with't.

Hel. How might one do, Sir, to lofe it to her own liking?

Par. Let me fee. Marry, ill, to like him that neʼer · it likes. "Tis a commodity will lofe the glofs with lying. The longer, kept, the lefs worth: off with't, while 'tis vendible. Anfwer the time of request. Vir

(3) It is not politick in the commonwealth of nature to preferve virginity. Lofs of virginity is rational increase; and there was never virgin got, till virginity was firft loft. The context feems to me rather to require-national increafe; tho' I have not ventur'd to difturb the text, as the other reading will admit of a meaning.

A 5.

ginity,

ginity, like an old courtier, wears her cap out of tafhion; richly fuited, but unfuitable; juft like the b.ooch and the tooth-pick, which we wear not now: date is better in your pye and your your porridge, than in your cheek; and your virginity, your old virginity, is like one of our French wither'd pears; it looks ill, it eats drily; marry, 'tis a wither'd pear: it was formerly better; marry, yet 'tis a wither'd pear. Will you any thing with it?

Hel. Not my virginity yet.

There fhall your mafter have a thousand loves,
A mother, and a mistress, and a friend,
A phoenix, captain, and an enemy,
A guide, a goddefs, and a Sovereign,
A counfellor, a traitress, and a dear;
His humble ambition, proud humility;
His jarring concord; and his difcord dulcet;
His faith, his fweet difafter; with a world
Of pretty fond adoptious chriftendoms,

That blinking Cupid goffips. Now fhall he-
I know not, what he fhall-God fend him well!.
The court's a learning place-and he is one-
Par. What one, i’faith?

Hel. That I wish well-'tis pity

Par. What's pity?

Hel. That wishing well had not a body in't,
Which might be felt; that we the poorer born,
Whofe bafer ftars do fhut us up in wishes,
Might with effects of them follow our friends;
And fhew what we alone muft think, which never
Returns us thanks.

Enter Page.

Page. Monfieur Parolles,

My Lord calls for you.

[Exit Page.

Par. Little Helen, farewel; if I can remember thee, I will think of thee at court.

Hel. Monfieur Parolles, you were born under a cha ritable ftar.

Par. Under Mars, I.

Hel.

Hel. I especially think, under Mars.

Par. Why under Mars?

Hel. The wars have kept you fo under, that you muft needs be born under Mars.

Par. When he was predominant.

Hel. When he was retrograde, I think, rather.
Par. Why think you so?

Hel. You go fo much backward, when you fight.
Par. That's for advantage.

Hel. So is running away, when fear proposes safety: but the compofition, that your valour and fear makes you, is a virtue of a good wing, and I like the wear well.

in

:

Par. I am fo full of bufineffes, as I cannot answer thee acutely I will return perfect courtier; in the which, my inftruction fhall ferve to naturalize thee, fo thou wilt be capable of courtiers counsel, and underftand what advice fhall thrust upon thee; elfe thou dieft in thine unthankfulness, and thine ignorance makes thee away; farewel. When thou haft leifure, fay thy prayers; when thou haft none, remember thy friends; get thee a good husband, and ufe him as he

ufes thee: fo farewel.

[Exit.

Hel. Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, Which we afcribe to heav'n. The fated fky Gives us free fcope; only, doth backward pull Our flow defigns, when we ourselves are dull. What power is it, which mounts my love fo high,, That makes me fee, and cannot feed mine eye? The mightieft fpace in fortune nature brings To join like likes; and kifs, like native things. Impoffible be ftrange attempts, to thofe That weigh their pain in fenfe; and do fuppofe, What hath been, cannot be. Who ever ftrove To fhew her merit, that did mifs her love? The King's difeafe-my project may deceive me, But my intents are fix'd, and will not leave me. [Exit.

SCENE:

SCENE changes to the Court of France.

Flourish Cornets.

Enter the King of France with letters, and divers Attendants.

HE Florentines and are th' ears;

King T Have fought with equal fortune, and continue

A braving war.

1 Lord. So 'tis reported, Sir.

King. Nay, 'tis most credible; we here receive it, A certainty vouch'd from our coufin Austria ; With caution, that the Florentine will move us For fpeedy aid; wherein our dearest friend Prejudicates the bufinefs, and would feem To have us make denial.

1 Lord. His love and wisdom,

Approv'd fo to your Majefty, may plead
For ample credence.

King. He hath arm'd our anfwer;
And Florence is deny'd, before he comes:
Yet, for our gentlemen that mean to fee
The Tuscan fervice, freely have they leave
To fland on either part.

2 Lord. It may well ferve

A nursery to our gentry, who are fick
For breathing and exploit.

King What's he comes here?

Enter Bertram, Lafeu and Parolles.

1 Lord. It is the Count Roufillon, my good Lord, Young Bertram.

King. Youth, thou bear'it thy father's face. Frank nature, rather curious than in hafte,

Hath well, compos'd thee. Thy father's moral parts May't thou inherit too! Welcome to Paris.

Ber. My thanks and duty are your Majefty's. King. I would, I had that corporal foundness now, As when thy father and myself in friendship Firft try'd our foldiership: he did look far Into the fervice of the time, and was Difcipled of the brav'ft. He lafted long;

But

But on us both did haggish age fteal on,
And wore us out of act. It much repairs me
To talk of your good father; in his youth
He had the wit, which I can well obferve
To day in our young Lords; but they may jeft,
Till their own fcorn return to them unnoted,
Ere they can hide their levity in honour :
So like a courtier, no contempt or bitterness (4)
Were in him; pride or fharpness, if there were,
His equal had awak'd them; and his honour,
Clock to itself, knew the true minute when
Exceptions bid him fpeak; and at that time
His tongue obey'd his hand. Who were below him
He us'd as creatures of another place,

And bow'd his eminent top to their low ranks;
Making them proud of his humility,

In their poor praife he humbled: Such a man

Might be a copy to these younger times;

Which, follow'd well, would now demonftrate them

But goers backward.

Ber. His good remembrance, Sir,

Lies richer in your thoughts, than on his tomb;
So in approof lives not his epitaph,

As in your royal specch.

King. Would, I were with him! he would always fay,

(Methinks, I hear him now; his plaufive words

He fcatter'd not in ears, but grafted them

Το

grow there and to bear ;) Let me not live,

(Thus his good melancholy oft began,

On the catastrophe and heel of paftime,

(4) So like a courtier, no contempt or bitterness

Were in his pride or fharpness; if they were,
His equal bad awak'd them.-]

This paffage feems so very incorrealy pointed, that the author's meaning is loft in the carelessness. As the text and ftops are reform'd, thefe are most beautiful lines, and the fenfe this. He

had no centemit or bitterness; if he had any thing that look'd like "pride or sharpnes, (of which qualities contempt and bitterness are "the exceffes,) his equal had awaked them, not his inferior; to "whom he fcorn'd to difcover any thing that bore the shadow of "pride or fharpness. Mr. Warburton.

When