had beene with the fish, and so by chance beene caught up with them in a Nette againe.  It were a shame a little cold water should kill a man of reason, when you shall see a poore Mynow lie in it, that hath no understanding.’  As regards the euphuistic style, the passages already quoted will suffice, but it may be remarked that the marvellous natural history is also put under requisition.  ‘Virgins harts, I perceive,’ remarks one of Diana’s nymphs, ’are not unlike Cotton trees, whose fruite is so hard in the budde, that it soundeth like steele, and beeing rype, poureth forth nothing but wooll, and theyr thoughts, like the leaves of Lunary, which the further they growe from the Sunne, the sooner they are scorched with his beames.’  At times one is almost tempted to imagine that Lyly is laughing in his sleeve, but as soon as he feels an eye upon him, his face would again do credit to a judge.  The following is from a scene between the two disguised maidens: 

    Phillida. It is pitty that Nature framed you not a woman, having
    a face so faire, so lovely a countenaunce, so modest a behaviour.

    Gallathea. There is a Tree in Tylos, whose nuttes have shels like
    fire, and being cracked, the karnell is but water.

    Phil. What a toy is it to tell mee of that tree, beeing nothing
    to the purpose: 
    I say it is pity you are not a woman.

    Gall. I would not wish to be a woman, unless it were because thou art
    a man. (III. ii.)

Gallathea may be plausibly enough assigned to the year 1584[219].  The date of the next play we have to deal with, Love’s Metamorphosis, is less certain, though Mr. Fleay’s conjecture of 1588-9 seems reasonable.  All that can be said with confidence is that it was later than Gallathea, to which it contains allusions, that it is an inferior work, and that it has the appearance at least of having been botched up in a hurry[220].  The story is as follows.  Three shepherds, or rather woodmen, are in love with three of the nymphs of Ceres, but meet with little success, one of the maidens proving obdurate, another proud, and the third fickle.  The lovers make complaint to Cupid, who consents at their request to transform the disdainful fair ones into a rock, a rose, and a bird respectively.  Hereupon Ceres in her turn complains to the God of Love, who promises that the three shall regain their proper shapes if Ceres will undertake that they shall thereupon consent to the love of the swains.  She does so, and her nymphs are duly restored to their own forms, but at first flatly refuse to comply with the conditions.  After a while they yield: 

    Nisa. I am content, so as Ramis, when hee finds me cold in love, or
    hard in beliefe, hee attribute it to his owne folly; in that I retaine
    some nature of the Rocke he chaunged me into....