MEASURE FOR MEASURE. VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna. PERSONS REPRESENTED. ANGELO, Lord Deputy in the Duke's absence. CLOWN, Servant to Mrs. Overdone. deputation. ESCALUS, an ancient Lord, joined with Angelo in the BARNARDINE, a dissolute Prisoner. CLAUDIO, a young Gentleman. Lucio, a Fantastic. Two other like Gentlemen. VARRIUS a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke. SCENE, Tins comedy contains scenes which are truly worthy of the first of dramatic poets. Isabella pleading with Angelo in behalf of mercy to her brother, and afterwards insisting that his life must not be purchased by the sacrifice of her chastity, is an object of such interest, as to make the reader desirous of overlooking the many great defects which are to be found in other parts of this play. The story is little suited to a comedy. The wickedness of Angelo is so atrocious, that I recollect only one instance of a similar kind being recorded in history; and that is considered by many persons as of doubtful authority. His crimes, indeed, are not completed, but he supposes them to be so; and his guilt is as great as it would have been, if the person of Isabella had been violated, and the head of Ragozine had been Claudio's This monster of iniquity appears before the Duke, defending his cause with unblushing boldness; and after the detection of his crimes, he can scarcely be said to receive any punishment. A hope is even expressed that he will prove a good husband, but for no good reason - namely, because he has been a little bad. Angelo abandoned his contracted wife for the most despicable of all reasons, the loss of her fortune. He added to his guilt not only insensibility to her affliction, but the detestable aggravation of injuring her reputation by an unfounded slander; ascribing his desertion of Mariana to levity in her conduct, of which she never was guilty. He afterwards betrayed the trust reposed in him by the Duke. He threatened Isabella that if she would not surrender her virtue, he would not merely put her brother to death, but make "His death draw out to lingering sufferance.' And, finally, when he thought his object accomplished, he ordered Claudio to be murdered, in violation of his most solemn engagements. These are the crimes, which, in the language of Mariana, are expressed by the words a little bad; and with a perfect knowledge of Angelo's having committed them, she "Craves no other, nor no better man." Claudio's life having been preserved by the Provost, it would not, perhaps, have been lawful to have put Angelo to death; but the Duke might with great propriety have addressed him in the words of Bolingbroke to Exton: He The best characters act too much upon a system of Other parts of the play are not without faults. duplicity and falsehood; and the Duke, in the first act, trifles cruelly with the feelings of Isabella, allowing her to suppose her brother to be dead much longer than the story of the play required. Lucio is inconsistent as well as profligate appears, in the first act, as the friend of Claudio, and in the fifth he assists the cause of Angelo, whom he supposes to be his murderer. Lastly, the indecent expressions with which many of the scenes abound are so interwoven with the story, that it is extremely difficult to separate the one from the other. it, and I should not be sorry if the merit or demerit I trust, however, that I have succeeded in doing of the whole work were to be decided by the examination of this very extraordinary Play, as it is now printed in the Family Shakspeare. Duke. Escalus, Esc. My lord. Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, Would seem in me t'affect speech and discourse, Since I am put to know, that your own science Exceeds in that the lists of all advice My strength can give you: Then no more remains But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able, And let them work. The nature of our people, Our city's institutions, and the terms For common justice, y'are as pregnant in As art and practice hath enriched any That we remember: There is our commission, From which we would not have you warp. Call hither, I bid come before us Angelo. say, There is a kind of character in thy life, Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do, As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd Both thanks and use; but I do bend my speech Hold, therefore, Angelo: In our remove, be thou at full ourself; Live in thy tongue and heart: Old Escalus, | How it goes with us, and do What doth befall you here. To th' hopeful execution do Of your commissions. look to know So, fare you well: I leave you Ang. Yet, give leave, my lord, That we may bring you something on the way. Duke. My haste may not admit it; Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do With any scruple: your scope is as mine own, So to enforce or qualify the laws As to your soul seems good:- Give me your hand; But do not like to stage me to their eyes: That does affect it. Once more, fare you well. 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 Touching that point. Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten commandments, but scraped one out of the table. 2d Gent. Thou shalt not steal? Lucio. Ay, that he razed. 1st Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions; they put forth to steal: there's not a soldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace. 2d Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it. Lucio. I believe thee; for, I think, thou never wast where grace was said. But see, where Madam Mitigation comes. Enter Mrs. OVERDONE. Overdone. There's one yonder, arrested and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all. 1st. Gent. Who's that, I pray thee? Overd. Marry sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio. 1st Gent. Claudio to prison! 'tis not so. Overd. Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him arrested; saw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head's to be chopped off. Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so: art thou sure of this? Overd. I am too sure of it; and it is on account of Madam Julietta. Lucio. Believe me, this may be he promised to meet me two hours since; and he was ever precise in promise-keeping. 2d Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose. 1st Gent. But most of all, agreeing with the proclamation. Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt Lucio and Gentlemen. Overd. Thus, what with the war, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am customHow now! what's the news with you? shrunk. Enter Clown. Claud. No. Prov. Away, sir; you must go. Lucio, a word [Takes him aside. Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good. I got possession of Julietta's bed; Clown. You have not heard of the proclamation, With character too gross, is writ on Juliet. have you? Overd. What proclamation, man? Clown. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down. Overd. And what shall become of those in the city? Clown. They had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them. Lucio. With child, perhaps? And the new deputy now for the duke, A horse whereon the governor doth ride, Overd. But, shall all our houses of resort in the Whether the tyranny be in his place, suburbs be pulled down? Clown. To the ground, mistress. Overd. Why, here's a change indeed in the commonwealth what shall become of me? Clown. 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. Overd. What's to do here? Thomas Tapster let's withdraw. Clown. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison: and there's Madam Juliet. Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this restraint? Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, As surfeit is the father of much fast, Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, What's Claud. What, but to speak of would offend again. Or in his eminence that fills it up, I stagger in: . But this new governor Lucio. I warrant, it is: and thy head stands se Lucio. I pray, she may: as well for the encouragement of the like, which else would stand under grievous imposition; as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost. I'll to her. Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio. |