in the defence yet is weak: unfold to us some warlike refiftance. Par. There is none: man, setting down before you, will undermine you, and blow you up. Hel. Bless our poor virginity from underminers and 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. It is not politick in the commonwealth of nature, to preserve virginity. Loss of virginity is rational increase; and there was never virgin got, 'till virginity was first 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 stand 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 speak on the part of virginity, is to accuse your mother; which is most infallible difobedience. He, that hangs himself, is a virgin virginity murthers itself, and should be buried in highways out of all fanctified limit, as a defperate offendress against nature. Virginity breeds mites, much like a cheese; confumes itself to the very paring, and so dies with feeding its own stomach. Besides, virginity is peevish, proud, idle, made of self-love, which is the most prohibited fin in the canon. Keep it not, you cannot chuse but lose by't. Out with't; within ten years it will make itself two, which is a goodly increase, and the principal itself not much the worse. Away with't. Hel. How might one do, Sir, to lose it to her own liking? Par. Let me fee. Marry, ill, to like him that ne'er it likes. 'Tis a commodity will lose the gloss with lying. The longer kept, the less worth off with't, while 'tis vendible. Answer the time of request. Virginity, like an old courtier, wears her cap out of fashion : richly futed, but unfutable; just like the brooch and the toothpick, which we wear not now: your date is better in your pye and 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. 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, Enter Page. [Exit Page. Page. Monfieur Parolles, My lord calls for you. 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 sitable star. Par. Under Mars, I. Hel. I especially think, under Mars. Par. 1 Par. Why under Mars ? Hel. The wars have kept you so under, that you must needs be born under Mars. Par. When he was predominant. Hel. When he was retrograde, I think, rather. Par. Why think you fo? Hel. You go so much backward, when you fight. Hel. So is running away, when fear proposes safety : but the composition, that your valour and fear makes in you, is a virtue of a good wing, and I like the wear well. Par. I am so full of businesses, as I cannot answer thee acutely: I will return perfect courtier; in the which, my instruction shall serve to naturalize thee, so thou wilt be capable of courtier's counsel, and understand what advice shall thrust upon thee; else thou diest- in thine unthankfulness, and thine ignorance makes thee away; farewel. When thou hast leisure, say thy prayers; when thou haft none, remember thy friends: get thee a good husband, and use him as he uses thee: so farewel. [Exito Hel. Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, [Exi SCENE 1 SCENE changes to the Court of France. Flourish Cornets. Enter the King of France with letters, King. T H and divers Attendants. E Florentines and Senoys are by th' ears; Have fought with equal fortune, and con A braving war. tinue 1 Lord. So 'tis reported, Sir. King. Nay, 'tis most credible; we here receive it, A certainty vouch'd from our cousin Auftria; I Lord. His love and wisdom, King. He hath arm'd our answer; 2 Lord. It may well serve 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'st thy father's face. Frank nature, rather curious than in hatte, Hath well compos'd thee. Thy father's moral parts May'st thou inherit too! Welcome to Paris. Ber. My thanks and duty are your Majesty's. King. I would I had that corporal foundness now, As when thy father and myself in friendship First try'd our foldiership: he did look far Ber. His good remembrance, Sir, As in your royal speech. King. 'Would, I were with him! he would always fay, (3) So like a Courtier, no Contempt or Bitterness Were in his Pride or Sharpness; if they were, His Equal bad awak' d them.] This Paffage feems so very incorrectly pointed, that the Author's Meaning is loft in the Carelessness. As the Text and Stops are reform'd, these are most beautiful Lines, and the Sense this" He had no "Contempt or Bitterness; if he had any thing that look'd like "Pride or Sharpness, (of which Qualities Contempt and Bit"terness are the Excesses,) his Equal had awak'd them, not "his Inferior; to whom he scorn'd to discover any thing that "bore the Shadow of Pride or Sharpnefs." Mr. Warburton. (Methinks, |