It distresses
Me to see thee standing thus:
On this bank sit down and rest thee.
Carpophorus.
Kindly thought of; for, alas!
I a tottering wall resemble:
At the mouth of this my cave
Let us then sit down together. [They sit down.
What now wouldst thou have, Sir Stranger?
Chrysanthus.
Sir, as long as I remember,
I have felt an inclination
To the love of books and letters.
In my casual studies lately
I a difficulty met with
That I could not solve, and knowing
No one in all Rome more learnéd
Than thyself (thy reputation
Having with this truth impressed me)
I have hither come to ask thee
To explain to me this sentence:
For I cannot understand it.
'T is, sir, in this book.
Carpophorus.
Pray, let me
See it then.
Chrysanthus.
'T is at the beginning;
Nay, the sentence that perplexes
Me so much is that.
Carpophorus.