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MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

ANGELO, Lord Deputy in the Duke's absence.

CLOWN, Servant to Mrs. Overdone.
ABHORSON, an Executioner.

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.

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SCENE,

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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.'
* Kirk.

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:

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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.

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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,

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There is a kind of character in thy life,
That, to th' 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
But to fine issues: nor nature never lends
The smallest scruple of her excellence,
But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines
Herself the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and use; but I do bend my speech
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.

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| 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;
I'll privily away: I love the people,

But do not like to stage me to their eyes:
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause, and aves vehement:
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion

That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
Ang. The heavens give safety to your purposes!
Esc. Lead forth, and bring you back in happiness!
Duke. I thank you. Fare you well. [Exit.
Esc. 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 Touching that point.

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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.
Claud. One word, good friend:
with you.

Lucio, a word

[Takes him aside.

Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good.
Claud. Thus stands it with me: - - Upon a true
contract,

I got possession of Julietta's bed;
You know the lady; she is fast my wife,
Save that we do the denunciation lack
Of outward order: this we came not to,
Only for propagation of a dower
Remaining in the coffer of her friends;
From whom we thought it meet to hide our love,
Till time had made them for us. But it chances,
The stealth of our most mutual intercourse,

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?
Claud. Unhappily, even so.

And the new deputy now for the duke,
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness;
Or whether that the body public be

A horse whereon the governor doth ride,
Who, newly in the seat, that it may know
He can command, let's it straight feel the spur:

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.

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Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this restraint?

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio,
liberty:

As surfeit is the father of much fast,
So every scope by the immoderate use
Turns to restraint: Our natures do pursue,
(Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,)
A thirsty evil; and when we drink, we die.

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.
thy offence, Claudio?

What's

Claud. What, but to speak of would offend again.
Lucio. What is it? murder?

Or in his eminence that fills it up,

I stagger in: . But this new governor
Awakes me all the enrolled penalties,
Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by the wall
So long, that nineteen zodiacs have gone round,
And none of them been worn; and, for a name,
Now puts the drowsy and neglected act
Freshly on me — 'tis surely, for a name.

Lucio. I warrant, it is: and thy head stands se
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.
Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found
I pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind service:
This day my sister should the cloister enter,
And there receive her approbation :
Acquaint her with the danger of my state;
Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
To the strict deputy: bid herself assay him;
I have great hope in that: for in her youth
There is a prone and speechless dialect,
Such as moves men: beside, she hath prosperous art
When she will play with reason and discourse,
And well she can persuade.

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.
Lucio. Within two hours,

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