ace; the first suit is hot
and hasty, like a Scotch jig, and full as fantastical; the wedding
mannerly-modest, as a measure full of state and ancientry; and then
comes repentance, and with his bad legs, falls into the cinque-pace
faster and faster, till he sinks into his grave.

_Leonato._ Cousin, you apprehend shrewdly.

_Beat._ I have a good eye, uncle; I can see a church, by daylight.

In the "Merchant of Venice" Lorenzo thus answers Launcelot--

"How every fool can play upon the word. I think the best grace of
wit will shortly turn into silence, and discourse grow commendable
in none but parrots."

Again Lorenzo--

"Oh, dear discretion, how his words are suited,
The fool hath planted in his memory
An army of good words: And I do know
A many fools that stand in better place
Garnished like him, that for a tricksie word
Defie the matter."

Comedians from Aristophanes downwards have been wont to complain in one
place of that which they adopt in another--their object not being to
adopt fixed principles so much as to show the varying shades of human
thought. Shakespeare required something light to bring his deep
reflections into bolder relief, and therefore frequently had recourse to
humour. We are not surprised that he had no very high estimate of it,
when we find him so much dependant upon "the alms-basket of words."
There is so much of this in his plays, that it is almost superfluous to
quote, but a few instances may be taken at random. Falstaff to Poins--

"You are straight enough in the shoulders; you care not who sees
your back--call you that backing your friends? A plague upon such
backing; give me a man who will face me."

Falstaff to Prince Henry. Act I. Scene II.

I prythee, sweet wag, when thou art king, as God save thy
grace--majesty, I should say, for grace thou wilt have none--

_P. Hen._ What! none?

_Fal._ No, by my troth; not so much as will serve to be prologue to
an egg and butter.

In Love's Labour Lost. Act I. Scene II.

_Armado._ Comfort me, boy. What great men have been in love?

_Inoth._ Hercules, master.

_Arm._ Most sweet Hercules! More authority, dear boy, name more;
and, sweet my child, let them be men of good repute and carriage.

_Inoth._ Samson, master; he was a man of good carriage, for he
raised the town gates on his back like a porter, a