3. Who reverentlefs fhall fwear or curse, Who checks the Barber in his Tale, 5. Who will or can not mifs, his hat, And he who can, or will not pay, He forfeit muft, in meal or malt. But, mark -who is alreads in drink, The Cannikin muft never clink. L. 16. and a corward.] So again afterwards, KENRICK. You, Sirrah, that know me for a fool, a coward, One of all luxury But Lucio had not in the former converfation, mentioned cowardice among the faults of the Duke.-Such failures of memory are incident to writers more diligent than this poet. JOHNS. P. 327. 1. 4. Sherw your fbeep-biting face, and be bang'd an bour: will't not off] This is intended to be the common language of vulgar indignation. Our phrafe on fuch occafions is fimply; show your sheep-biting face and be barged. The words an hour have no particular ufe here, nor are authorised by cuftom. I fuppofe it was written thus, how your fbeep-biting face and be hanged an' low? wilt not off. In the midland counties, upon any unexpected obstruction or refiftance, it is common to exclaim an' bow? JOHNS. P. 328. 1. 6. Advertising and holy.] Attentive and faith ful. JOHNS. JOHNS. L. 13. you as free to us.] Be as generous to us, pardon us as we have pardoned you. L. 21. That brain'd my purpose.] We now use in converfation a like phrafe, This it was that knocked my defign on the head." Dr. Warburton reads baned my pur pofe. JOHNS. even from his proper tongue.] Even from So above, P. 329. I. 6. Angelo's own tongue. In witness of his proper ear To call him villain. JOHNS. L. II. — deny thee vantage.] Take from thee all opportunity, all expedient of denial. WARB. P. 330. 2. Against all fenfe you do importune ber.] The meaning required is, against all reafon and natural affection; Shakespear, therefore, judiciously ufes a fingle word that implies both; Senfe fignifying both reafon and affection. WARB. L. 18. 'Till he did look on me.] The Duke has juftly obferved that Ifabel is importuned against all fenfe to folicit for Angelo, yet here against all fenfs the follicits for him. Her argument is extraordinary. A due fincerity govern'd his deeds, 'Till he did look on me: fince it is fo, Let him not die. That Angelo had committed all the crimes charged against him, as far as he could commit them, is evident. The only intent which bis act did not overtake, was the defilement of Ifabel. Of this Angelo was only intentionally guilty. Angelo's crimes were fuch, as muft fufficiently justify punishment, whether its end be to fecure the innocent from wrong, or to deter guilt by the example; and I believe every reader feels fome indignation when he finds him fpared. From what extenuation of his crime can Isabel, who yet fuppofes her brother dead, form any plea in his favour. "Since he was good 'till he looked on me, let him not die." I am afraid our Varlet Poet intended to inculcate, that women think ill of nothing that raifes the credit of their beauty, and are ready, however virtuous, to pardon any act which they think incited by their own charms. JOHNS. P. 331. 1. 13. Go, fetch him hither :- -] The introducing Barnardine here, is, feemingly a matter of no confequence; but it is not done without double art; it gives a handle for the discovery of Claudio being alive, and so hastens the furprize; and at the fame time, by the pardon of Barnardine, gives a fine opportunity of making the Duke's character more amiable, both for mercy, and virtue. THEO,* VOL. I. PART II. D P. 331. 1. 28. for those earthly faults.] Thy faults, fo far as they are punishable on earth, fo far as they are cognifable by temporal power, I forgive. JOHNS. P. 332. 1. 10.] It is fomewhat strange, that Ifabel is not made to exprefs either gratitude, wonder, or joy, at the fight of her brother. L. 12. JOHNS. your evil quits you well.] Quits you, recompenfes, requites you. JOHNS. L. 13. her worth, worth yours.] Sir T. Hanmer reads, Her worth works yours. This reading is adopted by Dr. Warburton, but for what reason? How does her worth work Angelo's worth, it has only contributed to work his pardon. The words are, as they are too frequently, an affected gingle, but the fenfe is plain. Her worth worth yours; that is, her value is equal to your value, the match is not unwor thy of you. JOHNS. L. 15. bere's one in place I cannot pardon.] After the pardon of two murderers, Lucio might be treated by the good Duke with lefs harshness; but perhaps the Poet intended to show, what is too often feen, "that men eafily forgive wrongs which are not committed against themselves. JOHNS L. 20.- according to the trick.] To my custom, my habitual practice. Dr. Warburton fays it means, according to the Fashion. JOHNS. P. 333. 1. 5. thy other forfeits.] Thy other punish ments. JOHNS. L. 13. Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness.] I have always thought that there is great confufion in this concluding speech. If my criticism would not be cenfured as too licentious, I fhould regulate it thus, Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness We shall employ thee in a worthier place. Ang. Th' offence pardons itself. Duke. There's more behind: That is more gratulate. Dear Ifabel, I have a motion, &c. JOHNS. END of the NOTES on MEASURE FOR MEASURE. ON THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. TH HE Jew of Venice was a story exceedingly well-known in Shakespeare's time; celebrated in ballads; and taken (perhaps) originally from an Italian book, intitid"H Pecorone:" the author of which calls himself, Ser Giovanni Fiorentino; and writ his book, as he tells you in some humorous verfes at the beginning of it, in 1378, three years after the death of Boccace: it is divided into giornata's, and the story we are fpeaking of is in the first novel of the giornata quarto; Edit. 1565, octavo, in Vinegia. This noveř Shakespeare certainly read; either in the original, or (which I rather think) in some translation that is not now to be met with, and form'd his play upon it. It was tranflated anew, and made publick in 1755, in a fmall octavo pamphlet printed for M. Cooper: and, at the end of it, a novel of Boccace; (the firft of day the tenth) which, as the tranflator rightly judges, might poffibly produce the fcene of the cafkets, fubftituted by the Poet in place of one in the other novel, that was not proper for the stage. CAPELL.* It has been lately difcovered, that this Fable is taken from a story in the Pecorone of Ser Giovanni Fiorentino, a novelist, who wrote in 1378. The story has been published in English, and I have epitomifed the tranflation. The tranflator is of opinion, that the choice of the cafkets is borrowed from a tale of Boccace, which I have likewife abridged, though I believe that Shakespeare muft have had fome other novel in view. TALE from IL PECORONE. There lived at Florence a merchant whofe name was Bindo. He was rich, and had three fons. Being near his end, he called for the two eldeft, and left them heirs: to the youngest he left nothing. This youngest, whofe name VOL. I. PART II. A was Giannetto, went to his father, and faid, What has my father done? The father replied, Dear Giannetto, there is none to whom I wish better than to you. Go to Venice to your godfather, whofe name is Anfaldo; he has no child, and has wrote to me often to fend you thither to him. He is the richest merchant amongst the christians: if you behave well, you will be certainly a rich man. The fon answered, I am ready to do whatever my dear father fhall command: upon which he gave him his benediction, and in a few days died. He Giannetto went to Anfaldo, and prefented the letter given by the father before his death. Anfaldo reading the letter, cried out, My dearest godfon is welcome to my arms. then asked news of his father. Giannetto replied, He is dead. I am much grieved, replied Anfaldo, to hear of the death of Bindo; but the joy I feel, in seeing you, mitigates orders gave my forrow. He conducted him to his house, and to his fervants, that Giannetto fhould be obeyd, and served with more attention than had been paid to himself. He then delivered him the keys of his ready money; and told him, Son, fpend this money, keep a table, and make yourfelf known: remember, that the more you gain the good will of every body, the more you will be dear to me. Giannetto now began to give entertainments. He was more obedient and courteous to Anfaldo, than if he had been an hundred times his father. Every body in Venice was fond of him. Anfaldo could think of nothing but him; fo much was he pleased with his good manners and behaviour. It happened, that two of his most intimate acquaintance defigned to go with two fhips to Alexandria, and told Giannetto, he would do well to take a voyage and fee the world. I would go willingly, faid he, if my father Anfaldo will give leave. His companions go to Anfaldo, and beg his permiffion for Giannetto, to go in the fpring with them to Alexandria; and defire him to provide him a fhip. Anfaldo immediately procured a very fine ship, loaded it with merchandize, adorned it with streamers, and furnished it with arms; and, as foon as it was ready, he gave orders to the captain and failors to do every thing that Giannetto commanded. It |