_Herc._ Why, according to her creation. Nature made
them pretty, toying, idle, fantastic, imperfect creatures;
even so I would in justice affect them, with a pretty,
toying, idle, fantastic, imperfect affection; and as indeed
they are only created for show and pleasure, so would I
only love them for show and pleasure.
_Nym._ Why, that's my humour to the very thread; thou
dost speak my proper thoughts.
_Herc._ But, sir, with what possibility can your constitution
be so boundlessly amorous as to affect all women,
of what degree, form, or complexion soever? 29
_Nym._ I'll tell thee: for mine own part I am a perfect
Ovidian, and can with him affect all. If[205] she be a virgin,
of a modest eye, shamefaced, temperate aspect, her very
modesty inflames me, her sober blushes fires me; if I
behold a wanton, pretty, courtly, petulant ape, I am extremely
in love with her, because she is not clownishly
rude, and that she assures her lover of no ignorant, dull,
unmoving[206] Venus; be she sourly severe, I think she
wittily counterfeits, and I love her for her wit; if she be
learned, and censures poets, I love her soul, and for her
soul her body; be she a lady of profess'd ignorance, oh,
I am infinitely taken with her simplicity, as one assured
to find no sophistication about her; be she slender and
lean, she's the Greek's delight; be she thick and plump,
she's the Italian's pleasure; if she be tall, she's of a
goodly form, and will print a fair proportion in a large
bed; if she be short and low, she's nimbly delightful, and
ordinarily quick-witted; be she young, she's for mine
eye; be she old, she's for my discourse, as one well
knowing there's much amiableness in a grave matron;
but be she young or old, lean, fat, short, tall, white, red,
brown, nay, even black, my discourse shall find reason
to love her, if my means may procure opportunity to
enjoy her. 53
_Herc._ Excellent, sir: nay, if a man were of competent
means, were't not a notable delight for a man to have for
every month in that year?
_Nym._ Nay, for every week of the month?
_Herc._ Nay, for every day of the week?
_Nym._ Nay, for every hour of that day?
_Herc._ Nay, for every humour of a man in that hour,
to have a several mistress to entertain him; as if he were
saturnine, or melancholy, to have a black-haired, pale-faced,
sallow, thinking mistress to clip him; if jovial and
merry, a sanguine, light-tripping, singing,--indeed a mistress
that would dance a[207] caranto as she goes to embrace
him; if choleric, impatient, or ireful, to have a mistress
with red hair, little ferret eyes, a lean cheek, and a sharp
nose, to entertain him. And so of the rest. 68
_Enter_ DONNETTA.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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