William.
Mrs. Page.
Is he at master Ford's already, think'st
thou?
Quick.
Sure, he is by this, or will be presently; but
truly, he is very courageous mad about his throwing
into the water. Mistress Ford desires you to come
suddenly.
-- 243 --
Mrs. Page.
I'll be with her by and by: I'll but bring
my young man here to school. Look, where his master
comes; 'tis a playing-day, I see.
Enter Sir Hugh Evans.
How now, sir Hugh! no school to-day?
Eva.
No; master Slender is let the boys leave to
play. 11Q0085
Quick.
Blessing of his heart!
Mrs. Page.
Sir Hugh, my husband says, my son profits
nothing in the world at his book: I pray you, ask
him some questions in his accidence.
Eva.
Come hither, William: hold up your head;
come.
Mrs. Page.
Come on, sirrah: hold up your head;
answer your master, be not afraid.
Eva.
William, how many numbers is in nouns?
Will.
Two.
Quick.
Truly, I thought there had been one number
more, because they say, od's nouns.
Eva.
Peace your tattlings!—What is fair, William?
Will.
Pulcher.
Quick.
Pole-cats! there are fairer things than pole-
cats, sure.
Eva.
You are a very simplicity 'oman: I pray you,
peace.—What is lapis, William?
Will.
A stone.
Eva.
And what is a stone, William?
Will.
A pebble.
Eva.
No, it is lapis: I pray you remember in your
prain.
Will.
Lapis.
Eva.
That is good, William. What is he, William,
that does lend articles?
Will.
Articles are borrowed of the pronoun; and be
thus declined, Singulariter, nominativo, hic, hæc, hoc.
-- 244 --
Evans.
Nominativo, hig, hag, hog; —pray you, mark:
genitivo, hujus. Well, what is your accusative case?
Will.
Accusativo, hinc.
Eva.
I pray you, have your remembrance, child:
accusativo, hing, hang, hog.
Quick.
Hang hog is Latin for bacon, I warrant you.
Eva.
Leave your prabbles, 'oman.—What is the
focative case, William?
Will.
O—vocativo, O.
Eva.
Remember, William; focative is, caret.
Quick.
And that's a good root.
Eva.
'Oman, forbear.
Mrs. Page
Peace!
Eva.
What is your genitive case plural, William?
Will.
Genitive case?
Eva.
Ay.
Will.
Genitive,—horum, harum, horum.
Quick.
Vengeance of Jenny's case! fie on her!—
Never name her, child, if she be a whore.
Eva.
For shame, 'oman!
Quick.
You do ill to teach the child such words.—
He teaches him to hick and to hack, which they'll do
fast enough of themselves; and to call horum,—fie
upon you!
Eva.
'Oman, art thou lunatics? hast thou no understandings
for thy cases, and the numbers of the genders?
Thou art as foolish Christian creatures as I
would desires.
Mrs. Page.
Pr'ythee hold thy peace.
Eva.
Show me now, William, some declensions of
your pronouns.
Will.
Forsooth, I have forgot.
Eva.
It is qui, quæ, quod; if you forget your quis,
your quæs, and your quods, you must be preeches. Go
your ways, and play; go.
Mrs. Page.
He is a better scholar, than I thought he
was.
-- 245 --
Eva.
He is a good sprag memory9 note. Farewell, mistress
Page.
Mrs. Page.
Adieu, good sir Hugh. [Exit Sir Hugh.]
Get you home, boy.—Come, we stay too long.
[Exeunt.
J. Payne Collier [1842–1844], The works of William Shakespeare. The text formed from an entirely new collation of the old editions: with the various readings, notes, a life of the poet, and a history of the Early English stage. By J. Payne Collier, Esq. F.S.A. In eight volumes (Whittaker & Co. [etc.], London) [word count] [S10101].
