VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna. Angelo, Lord Deputy in the Duke's abfence. Efcalus, an ancient Lord, joined with Angelo in the deputation. Claudio, a young Gentleman. Lucio, a Fantastick. Two other like Gentlemen. * Varrius, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke. Provoft. Francifca, a Nun. Miftrefs Over-done, a Bawd. Guards, Officers, and other Attendants. SCENE, Vienna. Varrius might be omitted, for he is only once spoken to, and fays nothing. JOHNSON. MEA MEASURE FOR MEASURE.' ACT I. SCENE I, E The Duke's Palace.* Enter Duke, Efcalus, and Lords, DUKE. SCALUS, Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, Would feem in me to affect speech and discourse; 1 There is perhaps not one of Shakespeare's plays more darkened than this by the peculiarities of its authour, and the unskilfulnefs of its editors, by diftortions of phrafe, or negligence of tran fcription. JOHNSON. Shakespeare took the fable of this play from the Promos and CafJandra of George Whetstone, published in 1598. See Theobald's note at the end. A hint, like a feed, is more or less prolific, according to the qualities of the foil on which it is thrown. This ftory, which in the hands of Whetstone produced little more than barren infipidity, under the culture of Shakespeare became fertile of entertainment. The curious reader will find that the old play of Promos and Caf Jandra exhibits an almost complete embryo of Measure for Measure & yet the hints on which it is formed are fo flight, that it is nearly as impoffible to detect them, as it is to point out in the acorn the future ramifications of the oak. STEEVENS, 2 The story is taken from Cinthio's Novels, Decad. 8. Novel 5. B 2 POPE. Since 3 Since I am put to know, that your own science, Exceeds, in that, the lifts of all advice 4 My ftrength can give you: Then no more remains," 3 Since I am not to know,-] Old copy, -put to know, Perhaps rightly. JOHNSON. I am fut to know, may mean, I am obliged to acknowledge. 4 -lits-] Bounds, limits. JOHNSON. But STEEVENS. Then no more remains, &c.] This is a paffage which has exercised the fagacity of the editors, and is now to employ mine. Then no more remains, Put that to your fufficiency, as your worth is able, J doubt not, but this paffage, either from the impertinence of the actors, or the negligence of the copyifts, has come maimed to us. In the first place, what an unmeafurable, inharmonious verfe have we here; and then, how lame is the fenfe! What was Efcalus to put to his fufficiency? Why, his fcience. But his fcience and his fufficiency were but one and the fame thing. On what then does the relative them depend? The old editions read thus, Then no more remains, But that to your fufficiency, as your worth is able, Here, again, the fenfe is manifeftly lame and defective, and as the verfification is fo too, they concur to make me think, a line has accidentally been left out. Perhaps, fomething like this might fupply our author's meaning. By fome fuch fupplement both the fenfe and measure would be cured. But as the conjecture is unfupported by any authorities, I have not pretended to thrust it into the text; but fubmit it to judgment. They, who are acquainted with books, know, that, where two words of a fimilar length and termination happen to lie under one another, nothing is more common than for tranfcribers to glance their eye at once from the first to the undermoft word, and fo leave out the intermediate part of the fentence. THEOBALD. Since But that your fufficiency, as your worth is able, Since I am not to know, that your own science My frength can give you: then no more remains : Our To the integrity of this reading Mr. Theobald objects, and says, What was Efcalus to put to his Jufficiency? why bis fcience: But his Science and fufficiency were but one and the fame thing. On what then does the relative them depend? He will have it, therefore, that a line has been accidentally dropp'd, which he attempts to reflore by due diligence. Nodum in fcirpo quærit. And all for want of knowing, that by fufficiency is meant authority, the power delegated by the duke to Efcalus. The plain meaning of the word being this: Put your skill in governing (fays the duke) to the power which I give you to exercife it, and let them work together. WARBURTON. Sir Tho. Hanmer, having caught from Mr. Theobald a hint that a line was loft, endeavours to fupply it thus. -Then no more remains, But that to your fufficiency you join A will to ferve us, as your worth is able. He has by this bold conjecture undoubtedly obtained a meaning, but, perhaps not, even in his own opinion, the meaning of Shakespeare. That the paffage is more or lefs corrupt, I believe every reader will agree with the editors. I am not convinced that a line is loft, as Mr. Theobald conjectures, nor that the change of but to put, which Dr. Warburton has admitted after fome other editor, will amend the fault. There was probably fome original obfcurity in the expreffion, which gave occafion to miftake in repetition or tranfcription. I therefore fufpect that the authour wrote thus, -Then no more remains, But that to your fufficiencies your worth is abled, Then nothing remains more than to tell you, that your virtue is now invested with power equal to your knowledge and wisdom. Let therefore your knowledge and your virtue now work together. It may eafily be conceived how fufficiencies was, by an inarticulate fpeaker, or inattentive hearer, confounded with fufficiency as, and how abled, a word very unusual, was changed into able. For abled, however, an authority is not wanting. Lear ufes it in the fame fenfe, or B 3 nearly וי Our city's inftitutions, and the terms For common juftice, you are as pregnant in," That we remember. There is our commiffion, I fay, bid come before us Angelo. What figure of us, think you, he will bear? nearly the fame, with the Duke. As for fufficiencies, D. Hamilton, in his dying speech, prays that Charles II. may exceed both the virtues and fufficiencies of his father. JOHNSON. The uncommon redundancy, as well as obfcurity, of this verfe may be confidered as fome evidence of its corruption. Take away the three first words, and the fenfe joins well enough with what went before. Then (fays the duke) no more remains to say: "Your fufficiency as your worth is able, And let them work." i. e. Your skill in government is in ability to ferve me, equal to the integrity of your beart, and let them co-operate in your future ministry. The verfification requires that either fomething fhould be added, or fomething retrenched. The latter is the eafier, as well as the fafer task. I join in the belief, however, that a line is loft; and whoever is acquainted with the inaccuracy of the folio, (for of this play there is no other old edition) will find this opinion justified. STEEVENS. The deficiency may be thus fupplied. then no more remains, But that to your fufficiency you put A zeal as willing as your worth is able, T. T. For common juftice, you are as pregnant in,] The later editions all give it, without authority, Of juftice, -the terms and Dr. Warburton makes terms fignify bounds or limits. I rather think the Duke meant to fay, that Efcalus was pregnant, that is, ready and knowing in all the forms of law, and, among other things, in the terms or times fet apart for its adminiftration. JOHNSON. |