hold'st, But in his motion like an angel sings, Come, ho, and wake Diana with a hymn; Jes. I am never merry, when I hear sweet music. [Music. Lor. The reason is, your spirits are attentive: For do but note a wild and wanton herd, Or race of youthful and unhandled colts, Fetching mad bounds, bellowing, and neigbing loud, Which is the hot condition of their blood; Since nought so stockish, hard, and full of rage, Nor is not mov'd with concord of sweet sounds, Enter PORTIA and NERISSA at a distance. Por. So doth the greater glory dim the less: A substitute shines brightly as a king, Until a king be by; and then his state Empties itself, as doth an inland brook Into the main of waters. Music hark! Ner. It is your music, madam, of the house. Por. Nothing is good, I see, without respect; Methinks, it sounds much sweeter than by day. Ner. Silence bestows that virtue on it, madam. Por. The crow doth sing as sweetly as the Jark, When neither is attended; and, I think, Lor. That is the voice, [Music ceases. Or I am much deceiv'd, of Portia. Lor. Year husband is at hand, I hear his trumpet; We are no tell-tales, madam; fear you not. Por. This night, methinks, is but the day light sick, It looks a little paler; 'tis a day, Such as the day is, when the sun is hid. Enter BASSANIO, ANTONIO, GRATIANO, and their Followers. Bass. We should hold day with the Antipodes, If you would walk in absence of the sun. For a light wife doth make a heavy husband, But God sort all !-You are welcome home, my lord. Bass. I thank you, madam: give welcome to my friend. This is the man, this is Antonio, To whom I am so infinitely bound. Por. You should in all sense be much bound to him, For, as I hear, he was much bound for you. In faith, I gave it to the judge's clerk: matter? Gra. About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring Ner. What, talk you of the posy, or the value ? Gave it a judge's clerk !-but well I know, The clerk will ne'er wear hair on his face that had it. Gra. He will, an if he live to be a man. Ner. Ay, if a woman, live to be a man. Gra. Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth,A kind of boy; a little scrubbed boy, No higher than thyself, the judge's clerk; A prating boy, that begg'd it as a fee; I could not for my heart deny it him. Por. You were to blame, I must be plain with you, To part so slightly with your wife's first gift; Por. He knows me, as the blind man knows I gave my love a ring, and made him swear the cuckoo, By the bad voice. Lor. Dear lady, welcome home. Por. We have been praying for our husbands' welfare, Which speed, we hope, the better for our words. Lor. Madam, they are not yet; Por. Go in, Nerissa, Give order to my servants that they take [A tuckett sounds. A small flat dish, used in the administration of the Eucharist-or, according to Warburton, plates of gold borne in heraldry. A flourish on a trumpet. Never to part with it; and here he stands; [off, [Aside. Gra. My lord Bassanio gave his ring away Unto the judge that begg'd it, and, indeed, Deserv'd it too; and then the boy, his clerk, That took some pains in writing, he begg'd mine: And neither man nor master, would take aught But the two rings. Por. What ring gave you, my lord? + Regardfu I would deny it; but you see, my finger Por. Even so void is your false heart of truth. Ner. Nor I in your's, Till I again see mine. Bass. Sweet Portia, If you did know to whom I gave the ring, When naught would be accepted but the ring, sure. Por. If you had known the virtue of the ring, Or half her worthiness that gave the ring, I'll die for't, but some woman had the ring. No woman had it, but a civil doctor, Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me, Ant. I once did lend my body for his wealth; Por. Then you shall be his surety: Give him And bid him keep it better than the other. Bass. By heaven, it is the same I gave the Por. I had it of him: pardon me, Bassanio; In lieu of this, last night did lie with me. In summer, where the ways are fair enough; Por. Speak not so grossly.-You are all Here is a letter, read it at your leisure; Of my dear friend. What should I say, sweet And I have better news in store for you, lady? I was enforc'd to send it after him; I was beset with shame and courtesy; My honour would not let ingratitude So much besmear it: Pardon me, good lady; Had you been there, I think you would have The ring of me to give the worthy doctor. Por. Let not that doctor e'er come near my Since he hath got the jewel that I lov❜d, I'll not deny him any thing I have, Lie not a night from home; watch me, like If you do not, if I be left alone, Now, by mine honour, which is yet my own, Ner. And I his clerk; therefore be well ad- How you do leave me to mine own protection. For, if I do, I'll mar the young clerk's pen. Por. Sir, grieve not you; You are welcome Bass. Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong; And, in the hearing of these many friends, Por. Mark you but that! In both my eyes he doubly sees himself: Buss. Nay, but hear me : Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear, Than you expect: unseal this letter soon; Ant. I am dumb. Bass. Were you the doctor, and I knew you not? Gra. Were you the clerk, that is to make me cuckold? Ner. Ay; but the clerk that never meaus to do it, Unless he live until he be a man. Bass. Sweet doctor, you shall be my bed- When I am absent, then lie with my wife. For here I read for certain, that my ships Por. How now, Lorenzo? My clerk hath some good comforts too for you. Lor. Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way Por. It is almost morning, Gra. Let it be so: The first intergatory • Advantage. [Exeunt. MEASURE FOR MEASURE. LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE. THE fable of this play (written in 1603) was taken from the Promos and Cassandra of George Whetstone. That production is described as very meagre and insipid, though forming a complete embryo of Measure for Measure; and if the genius of Shakspeare enabled him to avoid the faults of his modelist, by imparting a greater degree of interest to his own drama, it did not give him strength to resist the besetting sin of his pieces---an indulgence in obscenity, buffoonery, and quibble. Some portion of this would naturally result from the indelicate and improbable incident which he took for the ground-work of his plot. Such an occurrence could only be wrought into a catastrophe, by the introduction of agents whom morality condemus, and by the use of allusions at which modesty revolts. But neither the necessities of the story, nor the purposes of entertainment, can justify such a strange admixture of pathetic contingencies and unmeaning trifles---of ennobling sentiment and disgusting ribaldry as are exhibited in this piece. Still the moral is of excellent application; since there are few situations of life in which delegated authority is not capable of abuse. Satire may fail in restraining tyranny, and precept in correcting intolerance; but they teach mankind the ne cessity of caution in conferring power, by shewing "the fantastic tricks" which mortals are prone to play, when "dressed in a little authority," and entrusted with" the thunder of Jove." Though Shakspeare wrote to gratify monarchs, he never descended to palliate oppression; and in the scene between Angelo and Isabella, where the latter pleads for her brother's life, the reader will meet with another eloquent vindication of the principles of justice and humanity---differing from the speech of Portia, on a somewhat similar occasion, but excellently opposed to that mild and dispassionate appeal, by the cutting and indignant sarcasm with which it lashes "the insolence of office." Dr. Johnson animadverts upon the peculiarities of the play, and thus decides upon its merits: "The light or comic part is very natural and pleasing; but the grave scenes (a few passages excepted) have more labour than elegance. The plot is more intricate than artful.” DRAMATIS PERSONE. VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna. sence. ESCALUS, an ancient Lord, joined with Angelo in the deputation. CLAUDIO, a young Gentlemen. LUCIO, a Fantastic. Two other like Gentleman. FROTH, a Foolish Gentleman. ISABELLA, Sister to Claudio. VARRIUS, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke.JULIET, beloved by Claudio, PROVOST, PETER, A JUSTICE. FRANCISCA, a Nun. MRS. OVER-DONE, a Bawd. Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and other Attendants. THOMAS, Two Friars. ELBOW, a simple Constable. SCENE-Vienna. ACT I. But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able, SCENE I.-An apartment in the DUKE'S And let them work. The nature of our people, Palace. Our city's institutions, and the terms Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, Lords, and Atten- For common justice, you are as pregnant + in, As art and practice hath enriched any say, bid come before us Angelo. [Exit an Attendant. + This is a controverted passage; and as unintelligible as ever. Full of. |
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