Note XX.

iv. 4. 62. There is evidently some mistake here. On the whole it seems better to change 'Cambio' to 'Biondello' in line 62, than 'Bion.' to 'Luc.' in line 66. The supposed Cambio was not acting as Baptista's servant, and, moreover, had he been sent on such an errand he would have 'flown on the wings of love' to perform it. We must suppose that Biondello apparently makes his exit, but really waits till the stage is clear for an interview with his disguised master. The line 67 is as suitable to the faithful servant as to the master himself.

Note XXI.

iv. 4. 70. Mr Dyce says that in some copies of the first Folio the 'l' in welcome is scarcely visible. It was from one of these copies, doubtless, that the later Folios were printed. The 'l' is clear enough in Capell's copy of F1.

Note XXII.

v. 1. 26. We have retained 'from Padua,' which is the reading of the old Edition, and probably right. The Pedant has been staying some time at Padua, and that is all he means when he contradicts the newly arrived traveller from Pisa.

Note XXIII.

v. 2. 176-189. The following speeches are added by Pope from the old play, and remained as part of the text till Capell's time:

'Enter two Servants bearing Sly in his own apparel, and leave him on the stage. Then enter a Tapster.

Sly awaking.] Sim, give's some more wine—what, all the Players gone? am not I a lord?

Tap. A lord with a murrain! Come, art thou drunk still?

Sly. Who's this? Tapster! oh, I have had the bravest dream that ever thou heardst in all thy life.

Tap. Yea marry, but thou hadst best get thee home, for your wife will course you for dreaming here all night.

Sly. Will she? I know how to tame a Shrew. I dreamt upon it all this night, and thou hast wak'd me out of the best dream that ever I had. But I'll to my wife, and tame her too, if she anger me.'

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ[5].

King of France.

Duke of Florence.

Bertram, Count of Rousillon[6].

Lafeu[7], an old lord.

Parolles[8], a follower of Bertram.

Steward, }

Lavache, a Clown } servants to the Countess of Rousillon.

A Page.

Countess of Rousillon, mother to Bertram.

Helena, a gentlewoman protected by the Countess.

An old Widow of Florence.

Diana, daughter to the Widow.

Violenta,}

} neighbours and friends to the Widow.

Mariana, }

Lords, Officers, Soldiers, &c., French and Florentine.

Scene: Rousillon; Paris; Florence; Marseilles.

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

ACT I.

Scene I. Rousillon. The Count's palace.

Enter Bertram, the Countess of Rousillon, Helena, and Lafeu, all in black.

Count. In delivering my son from me, I bury a second
husband.

Ber. And I in going, madam, weep o'er my father's
death anew: but I must attend his majesty's command, to
5 whom I am now in ward, evermore in subjection.

Laf. You shall find of the king a husband, madam;
you, sir, a father: he that so generally is at all times good,
must of necessity hold his virtue to you; whose worthiness
would stir it up where it wanted, rather than lack it where
10 there is such abundance.

Count. What hope is there of his majesty's amendment?

Laf. He hath abandoned his physicians, madam; under
whose practices he hath persecuted time with hope, and
finds no other advantage in the process but only the losing
15 of hope by time.

Count. This young gentlewoman had a father,—O, that
'had'! how sad a passage 'tis!—whose skill was almost as
great as his honesty; had it stretched so far, would have
made nature immortal, and death should have play for lack
20 of work. Would, for the king's sake, he were living! I
think it would be the death of the king's disease.

Laf. How called you the man you speak of, madam?

Count. He was famous, sir, in his profession, and it was
his great right to be so,—Gerard de Narbon.

25 Laf. He was excellent indeed madam: the king very
lately spoke of him admiringly and mourningly: he was
skilful enough to have lived still, if knowledge could be set
up against mortality.

Ber. What is it, my good lord, the king languishes of?

30 Laf. A fistula, my lord.

Ber. I heard not of it before.

Laf. I would it were not notorious. Was this gentlewoman
the daughter of Gerard de Narbon?

Count. His sole child, my lord; and bequeathed to my
35 overlooking. I have those hopes of her good that her education
promises; her dispositions she inherits, which makes
fair gifts fairer; for where an unclean mind carries virtuous
qualities, there commendations go with pity; they are virtues
and traitors too: in her they are the better for their simpleness;
40 she derives her honesty and achieves her goodness.

Laf. Your commendations, madam, get from her tears.

Count. 'Tis the best brine a maiden can season her praise
in. The remembrance of her father never approaches her
heart but the tyranny of her sorrows takes all livelihood from
45 her cheek. No more of this, Helena, go to, no more; lest
it be rather thought you affect a sorrow than to have—

Hel. I do affect a sorrow, indeed, but I have it too.

Laf. Moderate lamentation is the right of the dead;
excessive grief the enemy to the living.

50 Count. If the living be enemy to the grief, the excess
makes it soon mortal.

Ber. Madam, I desire your holy wishes.

Laf. How understand we that?

Count. Be thou blest, Bertram, and succeed thy father
55
In manners, as in shape! thy blood and virtue
Contend for empire in thee, and thy goodness
Share with thy birthright! Love all, trust a few,
Do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy
Rather in power than use; and keep thy friend
60
Under thy own life's key: be check'd for silence,
But never tax'd for speech. What heaven more will,
That thee may furnish, and my prayers pluck down,
Fall on thy head! Farewell, my lord;
'Tis an unseason'd courtier; good my lord,
Advise him.
65
Laf. He cannot want the best
That shall attend his love.
Count. Heaven bless him! Farewell, Bertram. [Exit.
Ber. [To Helena] The best wishes that can be forged in
your thoughts be servants to you! Be comfortable to my
70
mother, your mistress, and make much of her.
Laf. Farewell, pretty lady: you must hold the credit
of your father.
[Exeunt Bertram and Lafeu.
Hel. O, were that all! I think not on my father;
And these great tears grace his remembrance more
75
Than those I shed for him. What was he like?
I have forgot him: my imagination
Carries no favour in 't but Bertram's.
I am undone: there is no living, none,
If Bertram be away. 'Twere all one
80
That I should love a bright particular star
And think to wed it, he is so above me:
In his bright radiance and collateral light
Must I be comforted, not in his sphere.
The ambition in my love thus plagues itself:
85
The hind that would be mated by the lion
Must die for love. 'Twas pretty, though a plague,
To see him every hour; to sit and draw
His arched brows, his hawking eye, his curls,
In our heart's table; heart too capable
90
Of every line and trick of his sweet favour:
But now he's gone, and my idolatrous fancy
Must sanctify his reliques. Who comes here?
Enter Parolles.
[Aside] One that goes with him: I love him for his sake;
And yet I know him a notorious liar,
95
Think him a great way fool, solely a coward;
Yet these fix'd evils sit so fit in him,
That they take place, when virtue's steely bones
Look bleak i' the cold wind: withal, full oft we see
Cold wisdom waiting on superfluous folly.
100
Par. Save you, fair queen!
Hel. And you, monarch!
Par. No.
Hel. And no.
Par. Are you meditating on virginity?
105
Hel. Ay. You have some stain of soldier in you: let
me ask you a question. Man is enemy to virginity; how
may we barricado it against him?
Par. Keep him out.
Hel. But he assails; and our virginity, though valiant,
110
in the defence yet is weak: unfold to us some warlike
resistance.
Par. There is none: man, sitting down before you, will
undermine you and blow you up.
Hel. Bless our poor virginity from underminers and
115
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
120
politic in the commonwealth of nature to preserve virginity.
Loss of virginity is rational increase and there was never
virgin got till virginity was first lost. That you were made
of is metal to make virgins. Virginity by being once lost
may be ten times found; by being ever kept, it is ever lost:
125
'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 said in 't; 'tis against the rule
of nature. To speak on the part of virginity, is to accuse
130
your mothers; which is most infallible disobedience. He
that hangs himself is a virgin: virginity murders itself; and
should be buried in highways out of all sanctified limit, as a
desperate offendress against nature. Virginity breeds mites,
much like a cheese; consumes itself to the very paring, and
135
so dies with feeding his own stomach. Besides, virginity is
peevish, proud, idle, made of self-love, which is the most inhibited
sin in the canon. Keep it not; you cannot choose
but lose by 't: out with 't! within ten year it will make
itself ten, which is a goodly increase; and the principal
140
itself not much the worse: away with 't!
Hel. How might one do, sir, to lose it to her own liking?
Par. Let me see: 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;
145
answer the time of request. Virginity, like an old courtier,
wears her cap out of fashion; richly suited, but unsuitable:
just like the brooch and the tooth-pick, which wear not now.
Your date is better in your pie and your porridge than in
your cheek: and your virginity, your old virginity, is like
150
one of our French withered pears, it looks ill, it eats drily;
marry, 'tis a withered pear; it was formerly better; marry,
yet 'tis a withered pear: will you any thing with it?
Hel. Not my virginity yet....
There shall your master have a thousand loves,
155
A mother and a mistress and a friend,
A phœnix, captain and an enemy,
A guide, a goddess, and a sovereign,
A counsellor, a traitress, and a dear;
His humble ambition, proud humility,
160
His jarring concord, and his discord dulcet,
His faith, his sweet disaster; with a world
Of pretty, fond, adoptious christendoms,
That blinking Cupid gossips. Now shall he—
I know not what he shall. God send him well!
165
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,
170
Which might be felt; that we, the poorer born,
Whose baser stars do shut us up in wishes,
Might with effects of them follow our friends,
And show what we alone must think, which never
Returns us thanks.
Enter Page.
175
Page. Monsieur Parolles, my lord calls for you.
[Exit.
Par. Little Helen, farewell: if I can remember thee, I
will think of thee at court.
Hel. Monsieur Parolles, you were born under a charitable
star.
180
Par. Under Mars, I.
Hel. I especially think, under Mars.
Par. Why under Mars?
Hel. The wars have so kept you under, that you must
needs be born under Mars.
185
Par. When he was predominant.
Hel. When he was retrograde, I think, rather.
Par. Why think you so?
Hel. You go so much backward when you fight.
Par. That's for advantage.
190
Hel. So is running away, when fear proposes the 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, I cannot answer thee
acutely. I will return perfect courtier; in the which, my
195
instruction shall serve to naturalize thee, so thou wilt be
capable of a courtier's counsel, and understand what advice
shall thrust upon thee; else thou diest in thine unthankfulness,
and thine ignorance makes thee away: farewell. When
thou hast leisure, say thy prayers; when thou hast none,
200
remember thy friends: get thee a good husband, and use
him as he uses thee: so, farewell. [Exit.
Hel. Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie,
Which we ascribe to heaven: the fated sky
Gives us free scope; only doth backward pull
205
Our slow designs when we ourselves are dull.
What power is it which mounts my love so high;
That makes me see, and cannot feed mine eye?
The mightiest space in fortune nature brings
To join like likes and kiss like native things.
210
Impossible be strange attempts to those
That weigh their pains in sense, and do suppose
What hath been cannot be: who ever strove
To show her merit, that did miss her love?
The king's disease—my project may deceive me,
215
But my intents are fix'd, and will not leave me. [Exit.

LINENOTES:

  Act i. Scene i.] Actus Primus. Scæna Prima. Ff.

  Enter.... ] Enter yong Bertram, Count of Rossillion, his Mother, and Helena, Lord Lafew, all in blacke. Ff.

[1] Count.] Mother. Ff, and afterwards Mo.

delivering] delivering up Hanmer. dissevering Warburton.

son from me,] son, for me or son, 'fore me, Becket conj.

[3] And I in going, madam] F1. And in going Madam F2 F3 F4. And in going, madam, I Rowe.

[9] lack] slack Theobald (Warburton).

[13] persecuted] prosecuted Hanmer.

[17] passage] preface Hanmer. presage Warburton. pesage Becket conj.

was] om. Collier (Collier MS.).

[18] would] it would Rowe, 't would Singer.

[19] have] have had Hanmer.

play] play'd Warburton.

[29, 31, 52] Ber.] Ros. Ff.

[35] hopes of her good that her] good hopes of her that her or hopes of her that her good Anon. conj.

[36] promises; her] Rowe. promises her Ff. promises her; Pope.

her dispositions] the honesty of her dispositions Staunton conj.

dispositions] disposition Rowe.

[39] their] her Hammer (Warburton).

[41] from her tears] tears from her Pope.

[46] it be rather thought you] you be rather thought to Hanmer.

to have—] Ff. to have it. Warburton. have it. Capell. to have. Steevens.

[48] lamentation] F1. lamentations F2 F3 F4.

[50] Count.] Hel. Tieck.

be] be not Theobald (Warburton).

[52, 53] Ber. Madam, ... Laf. How ... ] Laf. How ... Ber. Madam, ... Theobald conj.

[63] head] F1. hand F2 F3 F4.

Farewell, my lord:] Farewell my Lord, Ff. Farewel.—My lord Lafeu, Capell. Farewell. My lord, Steevens.

[63-67] Hanmer ends the lines 'tis an ... advise him ... attend ... Bertram. S. Walker would end them My lord Lafeu, ... my lord ... that shall ... Bertram, reading can't for cannot in line 65.

[64] Advise him.] Advise him you. Capell.

[65-87] Laf. He cannot ... draw] Omitted in F4.

[67] Heaven] May heaven Hanmer.

[68] [To Helena] Rowe.

[71] must hold] uphold Rann (Mason conj.).

[72] [Exeunt...] Rowe. om. Ff.

[73] Scene ii. Pope.

[75] those I] they are Hanmer.

[77] in't but Bertram's] in it but my Bertram's Pope. in it, but of Bertram Capell. in 't but only Bertram's Collier (Collier MS.).

[79] 'Twere] F1 F2 F3. It were Pope.

[80] particular] F1 F2 F3. partic'lar Pope.

[81] me:] Rowe. me F1 F2 F3.

[84] The] Th' F1 F2 F3.

[88] brows] browes F1 F2. arrows F3 F4.

[89] our] my Collier MS.

[90] trick] trait Becket conj.

[92] reliques] F1 F2. relick F3 F4.

Enter Parolles.] Ff. Dyce transfers to line 99.

[93] [Aside] Edd.

[95] solely] F3 F4. solie F1 F2. wholly Hanmer.

[97] steely] seely Williams conj.

[98] Look] Rowe. Lookes F1 F2. Looks F3 F4.

i'the] in the Pope.

withal] om. Pope.

[99] Cold] S. Walker conjectures that this is corrupt.

folly] F3 F4. follie F1 F2.

[100] Scene iii. Pope.

Save] 'Save Hanmer.

[105] stain] strain Halliwell conj.

[107] barricado] Rowe. barracedo F1. barrocado F2 F3 F4.

[107-109] him? Par. Keep him out. Hel. But] him to keep him out? for Hanmer.

[109] assails] assails us S. Walker conj.

[109, 110] valiant, in the defence yet] Ff. valiant in the defence, yet Steevens.

[110] to us] F1. us F2 F3 F4.

[112] sitting] Johnson. setting Ff.

[114] Bless] 'Bless Capell conj. MS.

[121] rational] national Hanmer (Theobald conj.). natural Anon. ap. Halliwell conj.

[122] got] F2 F3 F4. goe F1.

[130] mothers] mother Rowe.

[130, 131] He ... is] He ... is like Hanmer. As he ... so is Warburton.

[135] his] its Rowe. on its Hanmer.

[137] inhibited] F1. inhabited F2 F3 F4. prohibited Pope.

[138, 139] ten year ... ten,] ten years ... ten Hanmer. ten yeare ... two F1. ten yeares ... two F2 F3. ten years ... two F4. two years ... two Collier, ed. 2 (Steevens conj.). ten years ... twelve Tollet conj. ten months ... two Singer (Malone conj.). one year ... two Grant White. the year ... two Anon. conj.

[142, 143] it likes] likes it S. Walker conj.

[143] 'Tis] And 'tis Hanmer.

[147] wear] Capell. were Ff. we wear Rowe.

[152] yet] yes, Hanmer.

will you] will you do Collier MS.

with it?] with me? Johnson conj. with us? Tyrwhitt conj. with it? I am now bound for the court. Malone conj. with it? We are for the Court. Staunton conj.

[153] Not] Not with Collier MS.

yet.] yet. You're for the Court: Hanmer. See note (ii).

[153, 154] Not ... your] No!—my virginity! yet There shall its Jackson conj.

[154] shall] should Steevens conj.

[155] A mother] Another Rowe (ed. 2).

[156-163] A phœnix ... shall he] Put in brackets as spurious by Warburton.

[156] captain] captor Anon. conj.

[159] humble] F1. humblest F2 F3 F4.

[162] pretty] petty Harness.

fond, adoptious] fond-adoptious S. Walker conj.

[163] he—] Rowe. he: Ff.

[165] learning place] learning-place Steevens.

one—] Rowe. one. Ff.

[167] pity—] Rowe. pitty. F1 F2 F3. pity. F4.

[168] Par. What's pity?] Omitted in Pope (ed. 2).

[170] the] F1. om. F2 F3 F4.

[176] Exit.] Theobald.

[183] wars have] Pope. warres hath F1 F2. waters hath F3 F4. waters have Rowe.

[190] So ... safety] Printed as two lines in Ff, the first ending away.

the safety] safety F3 F4.

[191] makes] make Hanmer.

[192] wing] ming Warburton.

I like the wear] is like to wear Mason conj.

[193] businesses] F1 F2 F3. business F4. businesses, as Theobald.

[195] instruction] instrument Rowe (ed. 2).

[196] of a] F1. of the F2 F3 F4. of Pope.

[202] Scene iv. Pope.

[207] That] Which Capell.

[208] The mightiest space] The mighty and base Mason conj. The wid'st apart Staunton conj.

fortune nature] nature fortune Malone conj. (withdrawn).

brings] springs Anon. (Fras. Mag.) conj.

[208, 209] The ... To join like likes] Through ... Likes to join likes Johnson conj. The ... Like to join like Long MS.

[212] hath been cannot be] hath not been ca'nt be Hanmer. ha'nt been cannot be Mason conj. n'ath been cannot be Staunton conj.

[214] The king's disease—] Rowe. (The Kings disease) Ff.

Scene II. Paris. The King's palace.

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