COUNTESS OF ROUSILLON, mother to Bertram. HELENA, a gentlewoman protected by the Countess. An old Widow of Florence. DIANA, daughter to the Widow. VIOLENTA, MARIANA, } neighbours and friends to the Widow. Lords, Officers, Soldiers, &c., French and Florentine. SCENE-Rousillon; Paris; Florence; Marseilles. 1 DRAMATIS PERSONE] First given by Rowe. See note (1). 2 Rousillon] Pope. Rossilion. Rowe. Rosillion Capell. 3 LAFEU] LEFEU Steevens conj. 4 PAROLLES] PAROLES Steevens conj. 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 whom I am now in ward, evermore in subjection. 5 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 there is such abundance. 10 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 of hope by time. 15 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 of work. Would, for the king's sake, he were living! I think it would be the death of the king's disease. 21 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. 24 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? Laf. A fistula, my lord. Ber. I heard not of it before. 30 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 overlooking. I have those hopes of her good that her education promises; her dispositions she inherits, which makes 13 persecuted] prosecuted Hanmer. 14 losing] loosing F1. 17 passage] preface Hanmer. presage Warburton. pesage Becket conj. was] om. Collier, ed. 2 (Collier MS.). 18 would] it would Rowe. 't would Singer (ed. 2). 19 have] have had Hanmer. play] play'd Warburton. 23, 24 He...80,-Gerard de Narbon.] Gerard de Narbon,-he...so. Lettsom conj. 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] her disposition Rowe. the honesty of her dispositions Staunton conj. 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; she derives her honesty and achieves her goodness. 40 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 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. Count. If the living be enemy to the grief, the excess makes it soon mortal. Ber. Madam, I desire your holy wishes. Count. Be thou blest, Bertram, and succeed thy father 39 their] her Hanmer (Warburton). 46 it be rather thought you] you be rather to have-] Ff. to have it. Warburton. have it. Capell. to have. Steevens. 48 lamentation] F1. lamentations F2 F3F4 49 to] of Hanmer. 50 Count.] Hel. Tieck. 51 55 60 living...grief] grief...living Gould conj. be] be not Theobald (Warburton). 53 Laf. How...that?] After 1. 47, Wat- 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. Laf. He cannot want the best That shall attend his love. 65 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 mother, your mistress, and make much of her. 70 75 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 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 63 head] F. hand FF3F4. Farewell, my lord;] Farewell my 63-67 Hanmer ends the lines 'tis an 65 Advise him.] Advise him you. Capell. 65-87 Laf. He cannot...draw] Omitted in F4 65 best] best advice Keightley. 67 Heaven] May heaven Hanmer. |