Page:Love's Labour's Lost (1925) Yale.djvu/33

Love's Labour's Lost, II. i

Whose edge hath power to cut, whose will still wills

It should none spare that come within his power.

Prin. Some merry mocking lord, belike; is 't so?

1. Lad. They say so most that most his humours know.

Prin. Such short-liv'd wits do wither as they grow.

Who are the rest?

2. Lad. [Kath.] The young Dumaine, a well-accomplish'd youth,

Of all that virtue love for virtue lov'd:

Most power to do most harm, least knowing ill,

For he hath wit to make an ill shape good,

And shape to win grace though he had no wit.

I saw him at the Duke Alençon's once;

And much too little of that good I saw

Is my report to his great worthiness.

3. Lad. [Ros.] Another of these students at that time

Was there with him, if I have heard a truth.

Berowne they call him; but a merrier man,

Within the limit of becoming mirth,

I never spent an hour's talk withal.

His eye begets occasion for his wit;

For every object that the one doth catch

The other turns to a mirth-moving jest,

Which his fair tongue, conceit's expositor,

Delivers in such apt and gracious words,

That aged ears play truant at his tales,

And younger hearings are quite ravished;

So sweet and voluble is his discourse.

Prin. God bless my ladies! are they all in love,

 50 still: ever

57 Of: by

59 shape: form, or figure

63 report: testimony; cf. n.

68 withal: with

72 conceit's expositor: expounder of fancy

74 Cf. n.

