94

SHAKSPEARE.

Clo. Primo, secundo, tertio, is a good play; and the old saying is, the third pays for all: the triplex, sir, is a good tripping measure; or the bells of St. Bennet, sir, may pnt you in mind; One, two, three.

Duke. You can fool no more money out of me at this throw: if you will let your lady know, I am here to speak with her, and bring her along with you, it may awake my bounty further.

Clo. Marry, sir, lullaby to your bounty, till I come again. I go, sir; but I would not have you to think, that my desire of having is the sin of covetousness: but, as you say, sir, let your bounty take a nap, I will awake [Exit Clown. Enter ANTONIO and Officers. Vio. Here comes the man, sir, that did res

it anon.

cue me.

Duke. That face of his I do remember well;
Yet, when I saw it last it was besmear'd
As black as Vulcan, in the smoke of war:
A bawbling vessel was he captain of,
For shallow draught, and bulk, unprizable;
With which such scathful grapple did he make
With the most noble bottom of our fleet,
That very envy, and the tongue or loss,
Cry'd fame and honour on him -What's the
iOf Orsino, this is that Antonio, [matter?
That took the Phoenix, and her franght t, from
And this is he, that did the Tiger board, [Candy;
When your young nephew Titus lost his leg:
Here in the streets, desperate of shaine, and
In private brabble did we apprehend him.[state,
Vio. He did me kindness, sir; drew on my
[me,
side;
But, in conclusion, put strange speech upon
I know not what 'twas, but distraction.

Duke. Notable pirate! thou salt-water thief! What foolish boldness brought thee to their mercies,

Whom thou, in terms so bloody, and so dear,
Hast made thine enemies?
Ant.

Orsino, noble sir,
Be pleas'd that I shake off these names you
Antonio never yet was thief,or pirate, [give me;
Though, I confess, on base and ground enough,
Orsino's enemy. A witchcraft drew me hither:
That most ingrateful boy there, by your side,
From the rude sea's enrag'd and foamy mouth
Did I redeem; a wreck past hope he was:
His life I gave him, and did thereto add
My love, without retention, or restraint,
All bis in dedication: for his sake,
Did I expose myself, pure for his love,
Into the danger of this adverse town;
Drew to defend him, when he was beset;
Where being apprehended, his false cunning,
(Not meaning to partake with me in danger,)
Taught him to face me out of his acquaintance,
And grew a twenty-years-removed thing,
While one would wink; denied me mine own
Which I had recommended to his use [purse,
Not half an hour before.
Vio.
How can this be?
Duke. When came he to this town?

Ant. To-day, my lord; and for three months (No interim, not a minute's vacancy), [before, Both day and night did we keep company. Enter OLIVIA and Attendants.

Duke. Here comes the countess; now heaven walks on earth. [madness: But for thee, fellow, fellow, thy words are Three months this youth hath tended upon me; But more of that anon.Take him aside.

Oli. What would my lord,but that he may not
Wherein Olivia may seem serviceable?--[have,
Cesario, you do not keep promise with me.
Vio. Madam ?

Duke. Gracious Olivia,- [my lord,-
Good
Oli. What do you say, Cesario?-
Vio. My lord would speak,my duty hushes me.
Oli. If it be anght to the old tune, my lord,
It is as fat; and fulcome to mine ear,
As howling after musick.
Duke.

Still so cruel?
[lady,
Oli. Still so constant, lord.
Duke. What! to perverseness? you uncivil
To whose ingrate and unauspicious altars [out,
My soul the faithfull'st offerings hath breath'd
That e'er devotion tender'd! What shall I do?
Oli. Even what it please my lord, that shall
become him.

[do it

Duke. Why should I not, had I the heart to
Like to the Egyptian thief, at point of death,
Kill what I love; a savage jealousy, [this:
That sometime savours nobly?-But hear me
Since you to non regardance cast my faith,
And that I partly know the instrument [favour,
That screws me from my true place in your
Live you, the marble-breasted tyrant, still;
But this your minion, whom, I know, you love,
And whom, by heaven, I swear,I tender dearly,
Him will I tear out of that cruel eye,
Where he sits crowned in his master's spite.—
Come, boy, with me; my thoughts are ripe in
I'll sacrifice the lamb that I do love, [mischief:
To spite a raven's heart within a dove. [Going.

Vio. And I, most jocund, apt, and willingly,
To do you rest, a thousand deaths would die.
[Following.

Oli. Where goes Cesario?
After him I love,
Vio.
More than I love these eyes, more than my life,
More, by all mores, than e'er I shall love wife:
If I do feign, you witnesses above,
Punish my life, for tainting of my love!

Oli. Ah me, detested! how am I beguil'd!
Vio. Who does beguile you? who does do
you wrong?

Oli. Hast thou forgot thyself! Is it so long!—
Call forth the holy father. [Exit an Attendant.
Come away. [TO VIOLA.
Duke.
Oli. Whither, my lord?-Cesario, husband,
Duke. Husband?

[stay.
Oli Ay, husband; Can he that deny ?
Duke. Her husband, sirrah?
No, my lord, not I.
Vio.
Oli. Alas, it is the baseness of thy fear,
That makes thee strangle thy propriety:
Fear not, Cesario, take thy fortunes up;
Be that thou know'st thou art, and then thou art
* Dull, gross.
Disown thy property.

Clo. O he's drunk, sir Toby, an hour agone;

his eyes were set at eight i'the morning.

To. Then he's a rogue. After a passy

measure, or a pavint, I hate a drunken rogue. Oli. Away with him: Who hath made this bavock with them?

Serions dances.

96

SHAKSPEARE.

You would have been contracted to a maid;
Nor are you therein, by my life, deceiv'd,
You are betroth'd both to a maid and man.

Duke. Be not amaz'd; right noble is his
If this be so,as yet the glass seems true,[blood.-
I shall have share in this most happy wreck :
Boy, thou hast said to me a thousand times,
[TO VIOLA.
Thou never should'st love woman like to me.
Vio. And all those sayings will I over-swear;
And all those swearings keep as true in soul,
As doth that orbed continent the fire
That severs day from uight.

Give me thy Kand;
Duke.
And let me see thee in thy woman's weeds.
Vio. The captain, that did bring me first on
[action,
shore,
Hath my maid's garments: he, upon some
Is now in durance; at Malvolio's suit,
A gentleman, and follower of my lady's.

Oli. He shall enlarge him :-Fetch Malvolio
And yet, alas, now I remember me, [hither:
They say, poor gentleman, he's much distract.
Re-enter Clown, with a letter.
A most extracting frenzy of mine own
From my remembrance clearly banish'd his.
How does he, sirrah ?

Clo. Truly, madam, he holds Belzebub at the stave's end, as well as a man in his case may do he has here writ a letter to you, I should have given it you to-day morning: but as a madman's epistles are no gospels, so it skills not much, when they are delivered.

Oli. Open it, and read it.

Clo. Look then to be well edified, when the fool delivers the madman:-By the lord, madam,

Oli. How now! art thou mad?

Clo. No, madam, I do but read madness: an your ladyship will have it as it ought to be, you must allow tor.

Oli. Pr'ythee, read i'thy right wits. Clo. So I do, madonna; but to read his right wits, is to read thus: therefore perpend +, my princess, and give ear.

Oli. Read it you, sirrah. [To FABIAN. Fab. [reads.] By the Lord, madam, yeu wrong me, and the world shall know it: though you have put me into darkness, and given your drunken cousin rule over me, yet have I the benefit of my senses as well as your ladyship. I have your own letter that induced me to the semblance I put on; with the which I doubt not but to do myself much right, or you much shame. Think of me as you please. I leave my duty a litte unthought of, and speak out of my injury. The madly-used Malvolio.

Oli. Did he write this?
Clo. Ay, madam.

Duke. This savours not much of distraction.
Oli. See him deliver'd, Fabian; bring him
hither.
[Exit FABIAN.
My lord, so please you, these things further
To think ine as well a sister as awife, thought on,

One day shall crown the alliance on't, so please you,

your offer.

Here at my house, and at my proper cost.
Duke. Madam, I am most apt to embrace
[your service done him,
Your master quits you; [To VIOLA.] and, for
So much against the mettle of your sex,
So far beneath your soft and tender breeding,
And since you call'd me master for so long,
Here is my hand; you shall from this time be
Oli.
Your master's mistress.
A sister?-you are she.
Re-enter FABIAN, with MALVOLIO.
Duke. Is this the madman?

Oli.

Ay, my lord, this same :

How now, Malvolio?
Mal. Madam, you have done me wrong,
Notorious wrong.

Oli.

Have I, Malvolio? no.
Mal. Lady, you have. Pray you, perose that
You must not now deny it is your hand, letter:
Write from it, if you can, in hand, or phrase;
Or say, 'tis not your seal, nor your invention:
You can say none of this: Well, grant it then,
And tell me, in the modesty of honour, [favour;
Why you have given me such clear lights of
Bade me come smiling, and cross-garter'd to
To put on yellow stockings, and to frown [you,
Upon sir Toby, and the lighters people;
And, acting this in an obedient hope,
Why have you suffer'd me to be imprison'd,
Kept in a dark house, visited by the priest,
And made the most notorious geck 1,and gull,
That e'er invention play'd on? tell me why.

Oli. Alas, Malvolio, this is not my writing,
Though, I confess, much like the character:
But, out of question, 'tis Maria's hand.
And now I do bethink me, it was she [smiling,
First told me, thou wast mad; then cam❜st in
And in such forms which here were pre-
suppos'd

Upon thee in the letter. Fr'ythee, be content:
[of it,
This practice hath nost shrewdly pass'd upon
thee;
Bot, when we know the grounds and anthors
Thon shalt be both the plaintiff and the judge
Of thine own cause.

Fab.

Good madam, hear me speak;
And let no quarrel, nor no brawl to come,
Taint the condition of this present hour, [not,
Which I have wonder'd at. In hope it shall
Most freely 1 confess, myself, and Toby,
Set this device against Malvolio here,
Upon some stubborn and uncourteous parts
We had conceiv'd against him: Maria writ
The letter, at sir Toby's great importance;
In recompense whereof, he hath married her.
How with a sportful inalice it was follow'd,
May rather pluck on laughter than revenge;
If that the injuries be justly weigh'd,
That have on both sides past.

[thee!

Oli. Alas, poor fool! how have they baffled *• Clo. Why, Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrown upon them. I was one, sir, in this Fool. § Inferior.

Frame and constitution.
* Cheated.
Importanacy.

Clo.

• Shall serve.

SONG.

When that I was and a little tiny boy,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
A foolish thing was but a toy,

For the rain it raineth every day. But when I came to man's estate, With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, 'Gainst knave and thief men shut their gate,

For the rain it raineth every day. But when I came, alas! to wive,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
By swaggering could I never thrive,
For the rain it raineth every day.
But when I came unto my bed,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
With toss-pots still had drunken head,
For the rain it raineth every day.
A great while ago the world begun,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
But that's all one, our play is done,
And we'll strive to please you every
day.
[Exit.

This play is in the graver part elegant and easy, and in some of the lighter scenes exqui. itely humorous. Ague-cheek is drawn with great propriety, but his character is, in a reat measure, that of natural fatuity, and is therefore not the proper prey of a satirist. The oliloquy of Malvolio is truly con ic; he is betrayed to ridicule merely by his pride. The marriage of Olivia, and the succeeding perplexity, though well enough contrived to divert on the stage, wants credibility, and fails to produce the proper instruction required in the drama, as it exhibits no just picture of life.-JOHNSON

MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

Persons represented.

VINCENTIO, duke of Vienna.
ANGELO, lord deputy in the duke's absence.
ESCALUS, an ancient lord, joined with
Angelo in the deputation.
CLAUDIO, a young gentleman.

LUCIO, a fantastic.

Two other like gentlemen.

A JUSTICE.

ELBOW, a simple constable.
FROTH, a foolish gentleman.
CLOWN, Servant to Mrs. Over-done.
ABHORSON, an executioner.
BARNARDINE, a dissolute prisoner.
ISA BELLA, sister to Claudio.

VARRIUS, a gentleman, servant to the duke. MARIANA, betrothed to Angelo.

PROVOST.

THOMAS,

PETER,'} two friars.

JULIET, beloved by Claudio.
FRANCISCA, a nun.

MISTRESS OVER-DONE, a bawd.

Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and other Attendants.

Scene,-Vienna.

ACT I.

Duke. Escalus,-
Escal. My lord.

remains

Duke. Of government the properties to
unfold,
[course;
Would seem in me to affect speech and dis-
Since I am pot to know, that your own science,
Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice
My strength can give you: Then no more
[able,
But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is
And let then work. The nature of our people
Our city's institutions, and the terms
For common justice, you are as pregnantt in,
As art and practice hath enriched any
That we remember: There is our commission,
From which we would not have you warp.
I say,bid come before us Angelo.[Call hither,

;!

There is a kind of character in thy life,
That, to the observer, doth thy history
Fully unfold: Thyself and thy belongings $
Are not thine own so proper, as to waste
Thyself upon thy virtues, them on thee.
Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do,
Not light them for themselves: for if our
Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike [virtues
As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely
touch'd,

But to fine issues : nor nature never lends
The smallest scruple of her excellence,
[speech
But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines
Herself the glory of a creditor,
Both thanks and use. But I do bend my
To one that can my part in him advértise;
Hold therefore, Angelo ;

In our remove, be thou at full ourself;
Mortality and mercy in Vienna
Live in thy tongue and heart: Old Escalus,
Though first in question, is thy secondary:
Take thy commission.

Now, good my lord,
Let there be some more test made of my metal,
Before so noble and so great a figure
Be stamp'd upon it.

Duke..

Ang.
[Exit an Attendant.
What figure of us think you he will bear?
For you must know, we have with special soul
Elected him our absence to supply;
Lent him our terror, drest him with our love
And given his deputation all the organs
Of our own power: What think you of it?
Escal. If any in Vienna be of worth
To undergo such ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo.

Duke.

Enter ANGELO.

Look, where he comes.
Ang. Always obedient to your grace's will.
1 coine to know your pleasure.
Duke.

Angelo,

No more evasion:
We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.
Our haste from hence is of so quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall importune,
How it goes with us; and do look to know
What doth befall you here. So, fare you well:
To the hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commissions.

Endowments. 1 For high purposes.

So much thy own property. ¶ Interest.