his heart is hardly sufficient to atone for the license of his tongue. The too sarcastic levity, which flashes out in the conversation of Beatrice, may be excused on account of the steadiness and friendship so apparent in her behaviour, when she urges her lover to risque his life by a challenge to Claudio. In the conduct of the fable, however, there is an imperfection similar to that which Dr. Johnson has pointed out in The Merry Wives of Windsor:-the second contrivance is less ingenious than the first :-or, to speak more plainly, the same incident has become stale by repetition. I wish some other method had been found to entrap Beatrice, than that very one which before had been successfully practised on Benedick.

STEEVENS.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Don PEDRO, prince of Arragon.
Don JOHN, his bastard brother.

CLAUDIO, a young lord of Florence, favourite to Don Pedro
BENEDICK, a young lord of Padua, favourite likewise of Don
Pedro.

LEONATO, governor of Messina.
ANTONIO, his brother.

BALTHAZAR, servant to Don Pedro.

BORACHIO, followers of Don John.

CONRADE,

HERO, daughter to Leonato.

BEATRICE, niece to Leonato.

MARGARET, gentlewomen attending on Hero.

Messengers, Watch, and Attendants.

SCENE.-Messina.

FOR LOOK

WHERE BEATRICE, LIKE A LAPWING, RUNS CLOSE BY THE GROUND, TO HEAR OUR CONFERENCE.