and, consequently, the popularity of 'Richard the Third,' notwithstanding the moral enormity of its hero, may be readily accounted for, when we recollect that the versatile and consummate hypocrisy of the tyrant has been embodied by the talents of such masterly performers as Garrick, Kemble, Cooke, and Kean.

"So overwhelming and exclusive is the character of Richard, that the comparative insignificancy of all the other persons of the drama may be necessarily inferred; they are reflected to us, as it were, from his mirror, and become more or less important, and more or less developed, as he finds it necessary to act upon them; so that our estimate of their character is entirely founded on his relative conduct, through which we may very correctly appreciate their strength or weakness.

"The only exception to this remark is in the person of Queen Margaret, who, apart from the agency of Richard, and dimly seen in the darkest recesses of the picture, pours forth, in union with the deep tone of this tragedy, the most dreadful curses and imprecations; with such a wild and prophetic fury, indeed, as to involve the whole scene in tenfold gloom and horror.

66 "We have to add that the moral of this play is great and impressive. Richard, having excited a general sense of indignation, and a general desire of revenge, and, unaware of his danger from having lost, through familiarity with guilt, all idea of moral obligation, becomes at length the victim of his own enormous crimes; he falls not unvisited by the terrors of conscience, for, on the eve of danger and of death, the retribution of another world is placed before him ; the spirits of those whom he had murdered reveal the awful sentence of his fate, and his bosom heaves with the infliction of eternal torture."-DRAKE.

MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

PRELIMINARY NOTICE.

THIS play was first printed in the folio of 1623, and is supposed, upon the slight foundation of two or three doubtful allusions to contemporary events, to have been written in 1603. The fact of its having been played before the Court on St. Stephen's night, December 26, 1604, which is gathered from Tylney's account of the expenses of The Revels from the end of October, 1604, to the end of the same month, 1605:

"By his Mates, plaiers. On St. Stivens Night in the Hall, A Play called
Mesur for Mesur ".

proves it to have been written before that date, and this really is all that is known with certainty respecting the period of its production. The plot appears to have been taken from Whetstone's drama, in two parts, called The right excellent and famous Historye of Promos and Cassandra," &c. 1578, of which the "Argument" is as follows:

66

"In the cyttie of Julio (sometimes vnder the dominion of Coruinus Kinge of Hungarie and Boemia) there was a law, that what man so euer committed adultery should lose his head, and the woman offender should weare some disguised apparel during her life, to make her infamouslye noted. This seuere lawe, by the fauour of some mercifull magistrate, became little regarded vntill the time of Lord Promos auctority; who conuicting a yong gentleman named Andrugio of incontinency, condemned both him and his minion to the execution of this statute. Andrugio had a very vertuous and beawtiful gentlewoman to his sister, named Cassandra: Cassandra to enlarge her brothers life, submitted an humble petition to the Lord Promos: Promos regarding her good behauiours, and fantasying her great beawtie, was much delighted with the sweete order of her talke; and, doying good that euill might come thereof, for a time he repryu'd her brother; but, wicked man, tourning his liking vnto vnlawfull lust, he set downe the spoile of her honour raunsome for her brothers life. Chaste Cassandra, abhorring both him and his sute, by no perswasion would yeald to this raunsome: but in fine, wonne with the importunitye of hir brother (pleading for life) vpon these conditions she agreede to Promos; first that he should pardon her brother, and after marry her. Promos, as feareles in promisse as carelesse in performance, with sollemne vowe sygned her conditions: but worse then any infydel, his will satisfyed, he performed neither the one nor the other; for, to keepe his aucthoritye vnspotted with fauour, and to preuent Cassandraes clamors, he commaunded the gayler secretly to present Cassandra with her brothers head. The gayler, with the outeryes of Andrugio [sic], abhorryng Promos lewdenes, by the prouidence of God prouided thus for his safety. He presented Cassandra with a felon's head newlie executed, who (being mangled, knew it not from her brothers, by the gayler who was set at libertie) was so agreeued at this trecherye, that, at the pointe to kyl her selfe, she spared that stroke to be auenged of Promos: and deuisyng a way, she concluded to make her fortunes knowne vnto the kinge. She (executinge this resolution) was so highly fauoured of the king, that forthwith he hasted to do justice on Promos: whose judgement was, to marrye Cassandra to repaire

her crased honour; which donne, for his hainous offence he should lose his head. This maryage solempnised, Cassandra, tyed in the greatest bondes of affection to her husband, became an earnest suter for his life: the kinge (tendringe the generall benefit of the common weale before her special ease, although he fauoured her much,) would not graunt her sute. Andrugio (disguised amonge the company) sorrowing the griefe of his sister, bewrayde his safetye, and craued pardon. The kinge, to renowne the vertues of Cassandra, pardoned both him and Promos. The circumstances of this rare historye in action lyuelye foloweth."

Whetstone was indebted for the story, of which he afterwards introduced a prose narrative in his " Heptameron of Civil Discourses" 1582, to Giraldi Cinthio's Hecatommithi,-Parte Seconda, Deca. viii. Novella 5:—

"Juriste è mandato da Massamiano Imperadore in Ispruchi, ove fà prendere un giovane violatore di una vergine, e condannalo a morte: la sorella cerca di liberarlo : Juriste da speranza alla donna di pigliarla per moglie, e di darle libero il fratello: ella con lui si giace, e la notte istessa Juriste fà tagliar al giovane la testa, e la manda alla sorella. Ella ne fà querela all' Imperadore, il quale fà sposare ad Juriste la donna ; poscia lo fà dare ad essere ucciso: la donna lo libera, e con lui si vive amorevolissimamente."

ACT I.

SCENE I.—An Apartment in the Duke's Palace. Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, Lords, and Attendants. DUKE. Escalus!

ESCAL. My lord.

DUKE. Of government the properties to unfold,
Would seem in me to 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, you 're 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 say, bid come before us Angelo.

What figure of us think you he will bear?

For you must know, we have with special soul
Elected him our absence to supply,

Lent him our terror, drest him with our love,
And given his deputation all the organs
Of our own power: what think you of it?
ESCAL. If any in Vienna be of worth
To undergo such ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo.

DUKE.

Look where he comes.

Enter ANGELO.

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

Then no more remains,

[Giving it.

[Exit an Attendant.

Malone was perhaps right in suspecting some omission here; though the transposition of a single word will restore the passage to sense: we might read

"Then no more remains,

But that, [Tendering his Commission.] to your sufficiency,
And, as vour worth is able, let them work."

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, 't were 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.

Let there be some more test made of my metal,
Before so noble and so great a figure

Be stamp'd upon it.

DUKE.

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,
As time and our concernings shall importune,
How it goes with us; and do look to know
What doth befall you here. So, fare you well:
To the hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commissions.

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,

[Giving it.

That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.

ANG. The heavens give safety to your purposes!

ESCAL. Lead forth, and bring you back in happiness!
DUKE. I thank
you. Fare you well.

[Exit.