ABSTRACT
Love'sLabour'sLost atedit,orthathewroteallofitasitnowstands',IOfcourse theremayhavebeenanearlierplay,continentalinoriginand affectedbythecommediadell'artetradition(hencethetypenamesinQ).Thedoggerellinespointneithertoearlydatenor toanearlierplaybuttocompositionbyShakespt:arein1593-5; fortheyarepartofanextensiveexerciseinvariouskindsof rhythmandrhymewhichshowsitselfinlongpassagessuchas 1.1.49-177andII.I.I7g-256.Experimentsinrhymewerea featureofcourt-dramaundertheinfluenceofthePembroke circle(cf.SamuelDanielandhisremarksinTheDefenceof Ryme(x6og)).Theplayshowsthesamedelightinrhetorical dexterityandimageryasVenusandLucrece,buthasanew lightnessoftouchwithwhichthemetricalgaietyisincomplete accord.
