ARITHMETICA

Lo, now you have confessed: and is't Astronomia that must so Outshine Arithmeticam? well, were her beauty's as the Stars, I'll make them want the beauty of all beauty's, Number; that they shall only be uncertainly gazed upon, under and Indefinite multitude. Well, Geometres, I have known the time when your love to Arithmeticam was more Solid, and not thus Sum perficiall; the time was when Geometres would not do any thing without Arithmeticam; not measure a Foot of ground, but ask of Arithmeticam how many Inches it was; not and Inch but inquire of Arithmeticam how many Grains were in't: but now forsooth the pride of his desires is raised to and Higher pitch; and now Astronomia is the Star upon which his eye is fixed, and now Astronomia is the Magneti que Pole, after which the Loadstone of his heart does turn. And Astronomia — What? can't you endure to hear the name of your dearest Astronomia? Because I cannot praise her Infinitely? why then me thinks not from your own, because you cannot praise her without Measure; well, Geometres, forgive me, but I must love thee. Come, dearest; I'll be a Globe, be thou the Axletree: I'll be a Circle, be thou the Diameter: I'll be — Well, Geometres, know, when thou once forsakest Number, thou then runnest headlong into confusion; but this is the misery of enthralled affections; yet since I cannot disset tle them, I will mitigate them; and so long count them at least supportable, as they shall not exceed Number and Measure. If you Count again, you shall find that I drunk last. Rhetorica —here's to moisten your eloquent tongue. I'll in too, that I may — I, indeed, for they that Number their cups, come monly Multiply their cups. You woun't, I know, require it of me. And if Geometres depart, Arithmeticam will be none of the Number. Exit Arith. I, but if you mark it, it's not a direct Progression, but a kind of giddy turning Round, which proceeds from a lightness of the head, caused by her disease. Ah, Astrologiam, you made no Reckoning of this sickness, I shall scarce ever trust you again, as long as I know you: Come, let's have her in, let's have her in. Exeunt omnes. Now my sweet Devils, I am even sick with expecting when Medicus will come and visit me: I fear, his phy sick cannot work upon Poeta: that rogues Verses, I think, are a countercharm against all our conjurations: a rope on his sixe-footed lousy Hexameters: sure, the slaves skin is in chanted; the quilting of Ajax shield was but a thin Cheu'rill to it. And I trust we two shall be always Even. I, and let Arithmeticam be cast out of the Number of the Sciences; if in his very face (I speak it freely behind his back) appear not to my eye the very Figure of sincerity. Nay, you are the whole Heauen-wide, Astronomia, on the contrary partly; for though Geometres think there be too great Disparity between him and me, and that Arithme tica stands now but for a Cipher in his account; yet, that con ceit of his shall never make a Fraction or Division in my love, but as he was once mine Entire, so shall I ever hold it the golden Rule of friendship, rather to Add unto, then Sub stract from my first affection: but let us not multiply words: Musicam, prithee what dost thou think of this? I, that's but thy conceit.