He has taken pains, in faith, sir, and deserv'd,
In my poor judgment, I speak it under favour,
Not to contrary you, sir, very richly—
Well-to be cozen'd.

Volp. Troth, and I think so too,

By that I heard him, in the latter end.

Mos. O, but before, sir: had you heard him first
Draw it to certain heads, then aggravate,
Then use his vehement figures-I look'd still
When he would shift a shirt: and, doing this
Out of pure love, no hope of gain--
Volp. 'Tis right.

I cannot answer him Mosca, as I would,
Not yet; but for thy sake, at thy entreaty,
I will begin, even now-to vex them all,
This very instant.

When he would shift a shirt ;] Through the violence of action, accompanying his eloquence. The modern Italian preachers are known to use great vehemence of gesture in their declamatory harangues; and perhaps it may be equally so with the advocates at the bar. Nor was it otherwise with the advocates of old: the death of the great orator Hortensius was occasioned by a cold he got, after pleading with his usual energy and warmth in behalf of a client. WHAL.

Could Whalley have heard the Neapolitan "advocates" of the present day plead the cause of an ass-driver, or a basketwoman, where the value of the whole matter in dispute (grapes or apples) frequently falls short of three-pence, he would have found his conjecture amply verified. The fees which stimulate the supernatural exertions of these "poor rags" of the law, are not unworthy of the magnificent questions agitated. The siccus petasunculus et vas Pelamidum, which, in Juvenal's days, rewarded the toil and skill of their learned predecessors, are now seldom heard of. The joint labours of the whole fraternity would scarcely be estimated at the price of the humblest of such dainties.

!,

Enter CASTRONE and NANO.

Nano. Here.

Volp. Shall we have a jig now?'

Mos. What you please, sir.

Volp. Go,

Sadly, do

Straight give out about the streets, you two, That I am dead; do it with constancy, you hear? impute it to the grief [Exeunt Cast. and Nano. Mos. What do you mean, sir? Volp. O,

Of this late slander.

I shall have instantly my Vulture, Crow,
Raven, come flying hither, on the news,
To peck for carrion, my she-wolf, and all,
Greedy, and full of expectation—

Mos. And then to have it ravish'd from their mouths!

Volp. "Tis true. I will have thee put on a gown, And take upon thee, as thou wert mine heir; Shew them a Will: Open that chest, and reach Forth one of those that has the blanks; I'll straight Put in thy name.

Mos. It will be rare, sir. [Gives him a paper. Volp. Ay,

When they ev'n gape, and find themselves deluded

Mos. Yes.

Volp. And thou use them scurvily!

Dispatch, get on thy gown.

9 Shall we have a jig now?] A piece of low humour, a farce; such as that which he immediately proposes.

Sadly, do you hear?] Not sorrowfully; but with a confirmed and serious countenance. See Vol. II. p. 465.

Mos. [putting on a gown.] But what, sir, if they

ask

After the body?

Volp. Say, it was corrupted.

Mos. I'll say, it stunk, sir; and was fain to have it

Coffin'd up instantly, and sent away.

Volp. Any thing; what thou wilt. Hold, here's my Will.

Get thee a cap, a count-book, pen and ink,
Papers afore thee; sit as thou wert taking
An inventory of parcels: I'll get up

Behind the curtain, on a stool, and hearken;
Sometime peep over, see how they do look,
With what degrees their blood doth leave their
faces.

O, 'twill afford me a rare meal of laughter! Mos. [putting on a cap, and setting out the table, &c.] Your advocate will turn stark dull upon it.

Volp. It will take off his oratory's edge. Mos. But your clarissimo, old round-back, he Will crump you like a hog-louse, with the touch. Volp. And what Corvino?

Mos. O, sir, look for him,

To-morrow morning, with a rope and dagger,

To visit all the streets; he must run mad.
My lady too, that came into the court,
To bear false witness for your worship-
Volp. Yes,

And kiss'd me 'fore the fathers, when my face
Flow'd all with oils.

Mos. And sweat, sir. Why, your gold Is such another med'cine, it dries up All those offensive savours: it transforms The most deformed, and restores them lovely,

As 'twere the strange poetical girdle. Jove
Could not invent t' himself a shroud more subtle
To pass Acrisius' guards. It is the thing
Makes all the world her grace, her youth, her

Volt. How now, my Mosca?

Mos. [writing.] Turkey carpets, nine-
Volt. Taking an inventory! that is well.
Mos. Two suits of bedding, tissue--

Volt. Where's the Will?

Let me read that the while.

2

-it transforms

The most deformed, and restores them lovely,

As 'twere the strange poetical girdle.] This is from the dialogue of Lucian, already quoted: Μεταποιεί τις αμορφοτερες ώσπερ ὁ ποιήλικος εκείνος μέρος. WHAL.

The allusion in the next line is to the well-known fable of Danaë, the daughter of Acrisius.

Enter Servants with CORBACCIO in a chair.

Corb. So, set me down,

And get you home.

[Exeunt Servants.

Volt. Is he come now, to trouble us!

Mos. Of cloth of gold, two more——
Corb. Is it done, Mosca?

Mos. Of several velvets, eight-

Volt. I like his care.

Corb. Dost thou not hear?

Enter CORVINO.

Coro. Ha! is the hour come, Mosca?

Volp. [peeping over the curtain.] Ay, now they

muster.

Coro. What does the advocate here,

Or this Corbaccio?

Corb. What do these here?

Enter Lady POL. WOULD-BE.

Lady P. Mosca !

Is his thread spun?

Mos. Eight chests of linen

Volp. O,

My fine dame Would-be, too!

Corv. Mcsca, the Will,

That I may shew it these, and rid them hence.
Mos. Six chests of diaper, four of damask.-There.
[Gives them the Will carelessly, over his shoulder.
Corb. Is that the Will?

Mos. Down-beds, and bolsters—
Volp. Rare!

Be busy still. Now they begin to flutter:
They never think of me. Look, see, see, see!