To. Cl. Write down, mafter gentleman Conrade; mafters, do you ferve God?

Both. Yea, Sir, we hope. (19)

To. Cl. Write down, that they hope they serve God: and write God firft: for God defend, but God fhould go before fuch villains.- Mafters, it is proved already that you are little better than falfe knaves, and it will go near to be thought fo fhortly; how answer you for your felves?

Conr. Marry, Sir, we fay, we are none.

To. Cl. A marvellous witty fellow, I affure you, but I will go about with him. Come you hither, firrah, a word in your ear, Sir; I fay to you, it is thought you are both falfe knaves.

Bora. Sir, I fay to you, we are none.

To. Cl. Well, ftand afide; 'fore God, they are both in a tale; have you writ down, that they are none? Sexton. Master town-clerk, you go not the way to examine, you must call the watch that are their accufers.

(20) To. Cl. Yea, marry, that's the defteft

(19) Both. Yea, Sir, we hope.

way, let

To. Cl. Write down, that they hope, they ferve God: and write God firft: for God defend, but God should go before fuch Villains-] This fhort Paffage, which is truly humourous and in Character, I have added from the old Quarto. Befides, it fupplies a Defect: for, without it, the Town-Clerk asks a Question of the Prisoners, and goes on without ftaying for any Answer to it.

(20) To. Cl. Yea, marry, that's the easiest Way, let the Watch come forth.] This, cafeft, is a Sophistication of our modern Editors, who were at a Lofs to make out the corrupted Reading of the old Copies. The Quarto, in 1600, and the first and second Editions in Folio all concur in reading;

Yea, marry, that's the eftest way, &c.

A Letter happen'd to flip out at Prefs in the firft Edition; and 'twas too hard a Task for the fubfequent Editors to put it in, or guess at the Word under this accidental Depravation. There is no Doubt, but the Author wrote, as I have reftor'd the Text;

Yea, marry, that's the defteft way, &c.

i. e. the readieft, most commodious Way. The Word is pure Saxon. Deafhce, debitè, congruè, duely, fitly. Ledæftlice, opportunè, commode, fitly, conveniently, seasonably, in good time, commodioufly. Vid. Spelman's Saxon Glofs.

the

the Watch come forth; mafters, I charge you in the Prince's name accuse these men.

Enter Watchmen.

1 Watch. This man faid, Sir, that Don John thẹ Prince's brother was a villain.

To. Cl. Write down, Prince John a villain; why this is flat perjury, to call a Prince's brother villain. Bora. Mafter town-clerk,

To. Cl. Pray thee, fellow, peace; I do not like thy look, I promise thee.

1

Sexton. What heard you him fay elfe?

2 Watch. Marry, that he had receiv'd a thousand ducats of Don John, for accufing the lady Hero wrongfully.

To. Cl. Flat burglary, as ever was committed.
Dog. Yea, by th' mafs, that it is.

Sexton. What elfe, fellow?

i Watch. And that Count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to disgrace Hero before the whole affembly, and not marry her.

To. Cl. O villain! thou wilt be condemn'd into everlafting redemption for this.

Sexton. What else?

2 Watch. This is all.

Sexton. And this is more, mafters, than you can de ny. Prince John is this morning fecretly ftoll'n away: Hero was in this manner accus'd, and in this very manner refus'd, and upon the grief of this fuddenly dy'd. Mafter Conftable, let these men be bound and brought to Leonato; I will go before, and fhew him their examination. [Exit.

Dog. Come, let them be opinion'd.
(21) Conr. Let them be in the hands of Coxcomb!

(21) Sexton. Let them be in the hands of Coxcomb.] The Generality of the Editions place this Line to the Sexton. But, why he fhould be pert upon his Brother-Officers, there seems no Reafon from any fuperior Qualifications in him; or any Sufpicion he fhews of knowing their Ignorance. The old Quarto gave me the firft Umbrage for placing it to Conrade; and common Senfe vouches that it ought to come from one of the Prifoners, in Contempt of the despicable Wretches who had them in Cuftody.

VOL. I.

H.h

Dog.

Dog. God's my life, where's the Sexton? let him write down the Prince's officer Coxcomb: come, bind them, thou naughty varlet.

Conr. Away! you are an afs, you are an afs.

Dog. Doft thou not fufpect my place? doft thou not fufpect my years? O that he were here to write me down an afs! but, mafters, remember, that I am an afs; though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass; no, thou villain, thou art full of piety, as fhall be prov'd upon thee by good witnefs; I am a wife fellow, and which is more, an officer; and which is more, an houfholder; and which is more, as pretty a piece of flesh as any in Meina, and one that knows the law; go to, and a rich fellow enough; go to, and a fellow that hath had loffes; and one that hath two gowns, and every thing handsome about him; bring him away; O that I had been writ down an afs! [Exeunt.

I'

SCENE, before Leonato's House.

Enter Leonato and Antonio.

ANTONIO.

F you go on thus, you will kill yourself;
And 'tis not wifdom thus to fecond grief
Against your self.

Leon. I pray thee, cease thy counfél,
Which falls into mine ears as profitless
As water in a fieve; give not me counsel,
Nor let no Comforter delight mine ear,

But fuch a one whofe wrongs do fuite with mine.
Bring me a father, that fo lov'd his child,
Whose joy of her is overwhelm'd like mine,
And bid him fpeak of patience;

Measure

Measure his woe the length and breadth of mine,
And let it answer every ftrain for strain:
As thus for thus, and fuch a grief for such,
In every lineament, branch, fhape and form;
If fuch a one will fmile and ftroke his beard, (22)
And Sorrow wage; cry, hem! when he should groan;
Patch grief with proverbs; make misfortune drunk
With candle-wafters; bring him yet to me,
And I of him will gather patience.

But there is no fuch man; for, brother, men
Can counfel, and give comfort to that grief
Which they themselves not feel; but tafting it,
Their counsel turns to paffion, which before
Would give preceptial medicine to rage;
Fetter ftrong madness in a filken thread,
Charm ach with air, and agony with words.
No, no; 'tis all mens office to speak patience (23)

(22) If fuch a One will smile, and ftroke his Beard,

Το

And hallow, wag, cry hem, when he should groan,] Mr. Rowe is the first Authority that I can find for this Reading. But what is the Intention, or how are we to expound it? "If a Man will halloo, and whoop, and fidget, and wriggle about, to fhew a Pleafure when He fhould groan, &c. This does not give much Decorum to the Sentiment. The old Quarto, and the 1ft and 2d Folio Editions all read,

And forrow, wagge, cry hem, &c.

! We don't, indeed, get much by this Reading; tho', I flatter my felf, by a flight Alteration it has led me to the true one,

And Sorrow wage; cry, bem! when he should groan;

i. e. If fuch a One will combat with, frive against Sorrow, &c. Nor is this Word infrequent with our Author in thele Significations.

So, in his Lear;

To wage; against the Enmity o'th' Air,
Neceffity's ftrong Pinch.

So, in Othello;

Neglecting an Attempt of Eafe and Gain,
To wake and wage a Danger profitlefs.

And in the 1ft Henr. IV.

I fear the Pow'r of Percy is too weak
To wage an infant Tryal with the King.

(23) No, no; 'tis all Men's Office to fpeak Patience
To thofe, that wring under the Load of Sorrow;
But no Man's Virtue, nor Sufficiency,

To be fo moral, when he shall endure

The like himself.] Patience under Misfortunes eafier advis'd,

than maintain'd, is one of the Topics of Shakespeare, for which, Mr.

Hh z

Gildon

To those, that wring under the load of forrow;
But no man's virtue, nor fufficiency,

To be fo moral, when he fhall endure

The like himself; therefore give me no counsel;
My griefs cry louder than advertisement.

Ant. Therein do men from children nothing differ. Leon. I pray thee, peace; I will be flesh and blood; For there was never yet philofopher,

That could endure the tooth-ach patiently;
However they have writ the ftyle of Gods,
And made a pish at chance and sufferance.
Ant. Yet bend not all the harm upon your felf:
Make thofe, that do offend you, fuffer too.

Leon. There thou speak'st reason; nay, I will do so. My foul doth tell me, Hero is bely'd;

And that fhall Claudio know, fo fhall the Prince;
And all of them, that thus dishonour her.

Enter Don Pedro, and Claudio.

Ant. Here comes the Prince and Claudio hastily.
Pedro. Good den,, good den.

Claud. Good day to both of you.

Leon. Hear you, my lords?

Pedro. We have fome hafte, Leonato.

Gildon told us, he had met with no Parallels among the Antients: And This Obfervation is particularly directed to the Paffage now before Us. A Man of fo much Reading muft certainly be betray'd by his Memory in this Point: For I have long ago obferv'd no lefs than five Paffages, all which feem to be a very reasonable Foundation for our Author's Sentiments on this Subject.

Facilè omnes, quùm valemus, recta Confilia ægrotis damus;
Tu fi bic fis, aliter fentias.

Ελαφρόν, ὅτις σημάτων ἔξω πόδα

Terent.

Εχεις παραινών, νοθετεῖν τε του κακῶς