was one, sir, in this interlude; one Sir Topas, sir ; | but that's all one :-By the Lord, fool, I am not mad.-But do you remember? Madam, why laugh you at such a barren rascal? an you smile not, he's gagg'd: And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges. Mai. I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you. [Exit. Oli. He hath been most notoriously abus'd. Of our dear souls.-Mean time, sweet sister, SONG. Clo. When that I was 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, 1 i. e. Shall serve, agree, be convenient. 'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate, But when I came, alas! to wive, But when I came unto my bed, With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, A great while ago the world begun, This play is in the graver part elegant and easy, and in some of the lighter scenes exquisitely humorous Ague-cheek is drawn with great propriety, but his character is, in a great measure, that of natural fatuity, and is therefore not the proper prey of a satirist. The soliloquy of Malvolio is truly comic; he is betrayed to ridicule merely by his pride. The marriage of Olivia, and the succeeding perplexity, though well enough contriv.. ed 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. PRELIMINARY REMARKS. SHAKSPEARE took the fable of this play from the forthwith he hasted to do justice on Promos: whose Promos and Cassandra of George Whetstone, pub-judgment was to marry Cassandra, to repair her crased lished, in 1578, of which this is The Argument.'' honour; which done, for his heinous offence, he should In the city of Julio (sometimes under the dominion lose his head. This marriage solemnized, Cassandra of Corvinus King of Hungary and Bohemia,) there was tied in the greatest bonds of affection to her husband, a law, that what man soever committed adultery should became an earnest suitor for his life: the king tenderlose his head, and the woman offender should wearing the general benefit of the commonweal before her some disguised apparel, during her life, to make her special case, although he favoured her much, would infamously noted. This severe law, by the favour of not grant her suit. Andrugio (disguised among the some merciful magistrate, became little regarded, until company,) sorrowing the grief of his sister, bewrayed the time of Lord Promos's authority; who convicting a his safety, and craved pardon. The king to renown young gentleman named Andrugio of incontinency, the virtues of Cassandra, pardoned both him and Procondemned both him and his minion to the execution of mos. The circumstances of this rare history, in action this statute. Andrugio had a very virtuous and beauti-lively followeth.' ful gentlewoman to his sister, named Cassandra. Cas- Whetstone, however, has not afforded a very correct sandra, to enlarge her brother's life, submitted an hum- analysis of his play, which contains a mixture of comic ble petition to the Lord Promos. Promos regarding her scenes, between a bawd, a pimp, felons, &c. together good behaviour, and fantasying her great beauty, was with some serious situations which are not described. much delighted with the sweet order of her talk; and A hint, like a seed, is more or less prolific, according to doing good, that evil might come thereof, for a time he the qualities of the soil on which it is thrown. This reprieved her brother: but, wicked man, turning his story, which in the hands of Whetstone produced little liking into unlawful lust; he set down the spoil of her more than barren insipidity, under the culture of Shakhonour, ransom for her brother's life: chaste Cassan-speare became fertile of entertainment. The curious dra, abhorring both him and his suit, by no persuasion reader may see the old play of Promos and Cassandra would yield to this ransom. But in fine, won by the among Six old plays on which Shakspeare founded, importunity of her brother (pleading for life,) upon &c.' published by Mr. Steevens, printed for S. Leacroft, these conditions she agreed to Promos: First, that he Charing Cross. The piece exhibits an almost complete should pardon her brother, and after marry her. Pro- embryo of Measure for Measure; yet the hints on mos, as fearless in promise, as careless in performance, which it is formed are so slight, that it is nearly as imwith solemn vow signed her conditions; but worse than possible to detect them, as it is to point out in the acorn any infidel, his will satisfied, he performed neither the the future ramifications of the oak. The story origi one nor the other: for to keep his authority unspotted nally came from the 'Hecatommithi' of Cinthio. Decad with favour, and to prevent Cassandra's clamours, he 8, novel 5, and is repeated in the Tragic Histories of commanded the jailer secretly to present Cassandra Belleforest. with her brother's head. The jailer [touched] with the outcries of Andrugio (abhorring Promos's lewdness,) by the providence of God provided thus for his safety. He presented Cassandra with a felon's head newly executed; who knew it not, being mangled, from her brother's (who was set at liberty by the jailer.) [She] was so aggrieved at this treachery, that, at the point to kill herself, she spared that stroke to be avenged of Promos: and devising a way, she concluded, to make ner fortunes known to the king. She, executing this resolution, was so highly favoured of the king, that "This play," says Mr. Hazlitt, "is as full of genius as it is of wisdom. Yet there is an original sin in the nature of the subject, which prevents us from taking a cordial interest in it. The height of moral argument,' which the author has maintained in the intervals of passion, or blended with the more powerful impulses of nature, is hardly surpassed in any of his plays. But there is a general want of passion, the affections are at a stand; our sympathies are repulsed and defeated in all directions." Isabella is a lovely example of female purity and vir tue; with mental energies of a very superior kind, she is placed in a situation to make trial of them all, and the firmness with which her virtue resists the appeal of natural affection has something in it heroically sublime. The passages in which she encourages her brother to meet death with firmness rather than dishonour, his burst of indignant passion on learning the price at which his life might be redeemed, and his subsequent clinging to life, and desire that she would make the sacrifice required, are among the finest dramatic passages of Shakspeare. What heightens the effect is that this scene follows the fine exhortation of the Duke in the character of the Friar about the little value of life, which had almost made Claudio resolved to die.' The comic parts of the play are lively and amusing, and the reckless Barnardine, fearless of what's past, present, and to come,' is in fine contrast to the sentimentality of the other characters. Shakspeare "was a moralist in the same sense in which nature is one. He taught what he had learnt from her. He showed the greatest know. ledge of humanity with the greatest fellow feeling for it."* Malone supposes this play to have been written about the close of the year 1603. Characters of Shakspeare's Plays, 2d ed. London. 1818, p. 120. PERSONS VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna. ANGELO, Lord Deputy in the Duke's absence. REPRESENTED. FROTH, a foolish Gentleman. Clown, Servant to Mrs. Over-done. ESCALUS, an ancient Lord, joined with Angelo in ABHORSON, an Executioner. the Deputation. CLAUDIO, a young Gentleman. LUCIO, a Fantastic. Two other like Gentlemen. VARRIUS, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke. Provost. SCENE I. An Apartment in the Duke's Palace. Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, And let them work. The nature of our people, For common justice, you are as pregnant in, I say, bid come before us, Angelo.- Lent him our terror, drest him with our love; 4 i. e. ready in. 5 So much thy own property. 6 i. e. high purposes. BARNARDINE, a dissolute Prisoner. ISABELLA, Sister to Claudio. JULIET, beloved by Claudio. FRANCISCA, a Nun. MISTRESS OVER-DONE, a Bawd. Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and other Attendants. SCENE, Vienna. Ang. Always obedient to your grace's will, I come to know your pleasure. Duke. Angelo, 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 virtues Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd, 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, tive, are common in Shakspeare's writinga, so in Julius Cæsar: Nor to no Roman else.' 8 i. e. Nature requires and allots to herself the same advantages that creditors usually enjoy-thanks for the endowments she has bestowed, and extraordinary exertions in those whom she has favoured; by way of use (1. e. interest) for what she has lent. 9 i. e. to one who is already sufficiently conversant with the nature and duties of my office of that office which I have now delegated to him. 10 i. e. I delegate to thy tongue the power of pro nouncing sentence of death, and to thy heart the privi lege of exercising mercy. 11 A choice mature, concocted, fermented; i, e. not 7 Two negatives, not employed to make an affirma.hasty, but considerate. As time and our concernings shall importune, Yet, give leave, my lord, As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand; But do not like to stage me to their eyes; Duke. I thank you: Fare you well. [Exit. Escal. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave To have free speech with you; and it concerns me To look into the bottom of my place: A power I have; but of what strength and nature I am not yet instructed. Ang. 'Tis so with me:-Let us withdraw together, And we may soon our satisfaction have Escal. I'll wait upon your honour. [Exeunt. 1 Gent. Claudio to prison! 'tis not so. Bawd. Nay, but I know, 'tis so; I saw him arrested; saw him carried away; and which is more, off. within these three days his head's to be chopped Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so: art thou sure of this? Baned. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting madam Julietta with child. Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since; and he was ever precise in promise-keeping. 2 Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose. 1 Gent. But most of all, agreeing with the pro Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten command-clamation. ments, but scraped one out of the table. 2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal? Laucio. Ay, that he razed. Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt Lucro and Gentlemen. Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the 1 Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to com- sweat, what with the gallows, and what with pomand the captain and all the rest from their func-verty, I am custom-shrunk. How now? what's the tions; they put forth to steal: There's not a sol-news with you? dier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace. 2 Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it. Lucio. I believe thee; for I think, thou never wast where grace was said. 2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least. 1 Gent. What? in metre? Lucio. In any proportion, or in any language. 1 Gent. I think, or in any religion. Lucio. Ay! why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy: As for example; Thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace. 1 Gent. Well, there went but a pair of shears between us. Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lists and the velvet: Thou art the list. 1 Gent. And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou art a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I speak feelingly now? Lucio. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine Enter Clown. Clo. Yonder man is carried to prison. Bawd. But what's his offence? Clo. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. Bawd. What, is there a maid with child by him? Clo. No; but there's a woman with maid by him: You have not heard of the proclamation, have you? Bawd. What proclamation, man? Clo. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down. Bawd. And what shall become of those in the city? Clo. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them, Bawd. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pulled down?? Clo. To the ground, mistress. Bawd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the commonwealth! What shall become of me? In old times the cup of an infected person was thought to be contagious. 6 The sireat; the consequences of the curative process then used for a certain disease 1 Scope is extent of power. 2 Apes are hailings. 3 i. e. measure. 4 We are both of the same piece. 5 Pil'd, for a French velvet.'-Velvet was esteemed according to the richness of the pile; three-pil'd was 7 In one of the Scotch Laws of James it is ordered, the richest. But pil'd also means bald. The jest al- 'that common_tromen be put at the utmost endes of ludes to the loss of hair in the French disease. Lucio, townes, queire least peril of fire is.'-It is remarkable finding the Gentleman understands the distemper so that the licensed houses of resort at Vienna, are at this well, and mentions it so feelingly, promises to remem-time all in the suburbs, under the permission of the bor to drink his health, but to forget to drink after him. Committee of Chastity. Clo. Come, fear not you; good counsellors lack no clients though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster still. Courage; there will be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered. Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let's withdraw. Clo. Here comes signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison: and there's madam Juliet. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. He can command, lets it straight feel the spur: Lucio. I warrant, it is: and thy head stands so Enter Provost,' CLAU-tickle on thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the duke, and appeal to him. DIO, JULIET, and Officers; Lucio and two Gen tlemen. Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to Bear me to prison where I am committed. Claud. Thus can the demi-god, Authority, Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty; Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would send for certain of my creditors: And yet, to say the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom, as the morality of imprisonment.-What's thy offence, Claudio? Claud. What, but to speak of, would offend again. Lucio. Lechery? Claud. Call it so. Prov. Away, sir; you must go. Claud. One word, good friend:-Lucio, a word with you. [Takes him aside. Lucio. A hundred if they'll do you any good.Is lechery so look'd after? Claud. Thus stands it with me:-Upon a true I got possession of Julietta's bed;" From whom we thought it meet to hide our love, Claud. Unhappily, even so. And the new deputy now for the duke,- 1 i. e. gaoler. 2 Authority being absolute in Angelo, is finely styled by Claudio, the demigo1, whose decrees are as little to be questioned as the words of heaven. The poet alJudes to a passage in St. Paul's Epist. to the Romans, ch. ix. v. 15-18: 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.' 3 To ravin is to voraciously devour. 4 So, in Chapman's Revenge for Honour: 5 This speech is surely too indelicate to be spoken concerning Juliet before her face. Claudio may therefore be supposed to speak to Lucio apart. 6 This singular mode of expression has not been sa tisfactorily explained. The old sense of the word is 'promoting, inlarging, increasing, spreading.' It appears that Claudio would say: for the sake of promot Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found. art SCENE IV. A Monastery. Enter DUKE and Duke. No; holy Father; throw away that thought; Fri. (A man of stricture1s and firm abstinence,) Fri. Gladly, my lord. Duke. We have strict statutes and most biting laws, (The needful bits and curbs for headstrong steeds,) That goes not out to prey: Now, as fond fathers, ing such a dower as her friends might heareafter be Alone may propagate to victory Shakspeare uses To propagate their states,' for to im 7 Zodiacs, yearly circles. 8 Tickle, for ticklish. 9 i. e. enter on her noviciate or probation. 11 Jouer au tric trac is used in French in a wanton sense. 12 A complete bosom' is a bosom completely armed 12 i. e. retired. 14 Bravery is showy dress. Keeps, i. e. resides, 13 Stricture; strictness. father, I have on Angelo impos'd the office; To do it slander: And to behold his sway, Visit both prince and people: there ore, I pr'ythee, Like a true friar. More reasons for this action, FRANCISCA. Isab. And have you nuns no further privileges? Fran. Are not these large enough? Isab. Yes truly; I speak not as desiring more; But rather wishing a more strict restraint Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare. Lucio. Ho! Peace be in this place? [Within. Isab. Who's that which calls? Fran. It is a man's voice: Gentle Isabella, Turn you the key, and know his business of him; You may, I may not; you are yet unsworn: When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men, But in the presence of the prioress: Then, if you speak, you must not show your face; Or, if you show your face, you must not speak. He calls again; I pray you, answer him. [Exit FRANCISCA. Isab. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls? Enter Lucio. Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek-roses Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead me, As bring me to the sight of Isabella, A novice of this place, and the fair sister To her unhappy brother Claudio? Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask; The rather, for I now must make you know I am that Isabella, and his sister. He should receive his punishment in thanks: Isab. Sir, mock me not :-your story." With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest, As with a saint. Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking me. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth,“ 'tis thus: Your brother and his lovers have embrac'd: İsab. Some one with child by him?-My cousin Lucio. Is she your cousin? Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change their .names, By vain though apt affection. Isab. O let him marry her! She it is. This is the point. The duke is very strangely gone from hence; Bore many gentlemen, myself being one, In hand, and hope of action: but we do learn By those that know the very nerves of state, His givings out were of an infinite distance From his true-meant design. Upon his place, And with full line of his authority, Is very snow-broth; one who never feels Governs Lord Angelo; a man, whose blood The wanton stings and motions of the sense; But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge With profits of the mind, study and fast. Which have, for long, run by the hideous law, He (to give fear to usel and liberty, As mice by lions,) hath pick'd out an act, Under whose heavy sense your brother's life Falls into forfeit: he arrests him on it; And follows close the rigour of the statute, To make him an example: all hope is gone, Unless you have the grace by your fair prayer To soften Angelo: And that's my pith Of business 'twixt you and brother. your poor Isab. Doth he so seek his life Lucio. Has censur'd' him Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath A warrant for his execution. Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me Assay the power you have. Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets Men give like gods; but when they weep and knee!, 1 i. e. on his defence. 2 The old copy reads: Sir, make me not your story.' The emendation is Mr. Malone's. 3 This bird is said to draw pursuers from her nest by crying in other places. This was formerly the subject of a proverb, "The lapwing cries most, farthest from her nest,' i. e. tongue far from heart. So, in The Comedy of Errors: Adr. Far from her nest the lapwing cries away; My heart prays for him, though my tongue do curse.' 4 Fewness and truth, in few and true words. 5 i. e. his mistress. 6 Teeming foison is abundant produce. 7 Tilth is tillage. So in Shakspeare's third Sonnet: 9 To rebate is to make dull: Aciem ferri hebetare.Baret. 10 i. e. to intimidate use, or practices long countenan. ced by custom. 11 i. e. power of gaining favour. 12 To censure is to judge. This is the poet's general meaning for the word, but the editors have given him several others. Here they interpret it censured, sen. tenced. We have it again in the next scene: "When I that censure him do so offend, Let mine own judgment pattern out my death,' 13 To owe is to have, to possess. |