Dramatis Perfonæ.

VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna.
Angelo, Lord Deputy in the Duke's abfence.

Efcalus,

an ancient Lord, join'd with Angelo in the 3 Deputation.

Claudio, a young Gentleman.

Lucio, a Fantaftick.

Two Gentlemen.

Varrius, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke..

MEASURE for MEASURE.

E

ACT T I.

SCENE, the Duke's Palace.

Enter Duke, Efcalus, and Lords,

SCALUS,

Efcal. My Lord.

DUKE.

Duke. Of government the properties t' unfold, Would feem in me t' affect fpeech and difcourfe. Since I am not to know, that your own science Exceeds, in that, the lifts of all advice

My strength can give you: then no more remains: (1)

Put that to your fufficiency, as your worth is able,

come maim'd to us.

Put

And let them work. I doubt not, but this paffage, either from the impertinence of the actors, or the negligence of the copyitts, has 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 feience and his fufficiency were but one and the fame thing. On what then does the relative, them, depend? The old editions read

thus.

And let them work.

Here, again, the fenfe is manifeftly lame and defective, and as the verfification is fo too, they concur to make me think, a line baş

acciden

Put that to your fufficiency, as your worth is able, And let them work. The nature of our people, Our city's inftitutions, and the terms

Of common juice, y'are as pregnant in,

As art and practice hath enriched any

That we remember. There is our commifon,
From which we would not have you warp. Call hither,

I fay, bid come before us Angelo:

What figure of us, think you, he will bear?
For you must know, we have with special fout
Elected him our abfence to fupply;

Lent him our terror, dreft him with our love ♣
And giv'n his deputation all the organs
Of our own power: fay, what think you of it
Efcal. If any in Vienna be of worth

To undergo fuch ample grace and honour,
It is Lord Angelo.

Enter Angelo.

Duke. Look, where he comes.

Ang. Always obedient to your Grace's will, I come to know your pleafure.

Duke. Angelo,

There is a kind of character in thy life,
That to th' obferver doth thy hiftory
Fully unfold thyfelf and thy belongings
Are not thine own fo proper, as to wafte
Thyfelf upon thy virtues; they on thee.

accidentally been left out. Perhaps, fomething like this might fupply our Author's meaning.

Then no more remains,

But that to your fufficiency you add

Due diligency, as your worth is able z

And let them work

By fome fuch fupplement both the fenfe and measure would be cur'd. But as the conjecture is unfupported by any authorities, L have not pretended to thrust it into the text; but submit it to judg ment. 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 firft to the undermoft word, and so leave out the intermediate part of the fentence.

Heav'n doth with us, as we with torches do,

Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues (2) forth of us, 'twere all alike

Did not go

As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd, But to fine iffues: nor nature never lends

The fmalleft fcruple of her excellence,

But, like a thrifty Goddefs, the determines
Herfelf the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks, and ufe. But I do bend my speech
To one that can my part in him advertise

Hold therefore, Angelo:

In our remove, be thou at full ourself.
Mortality and mercy in Vienna

Live in thy tongue and heart: old Efcalus,
Though firft in question, is thy fecondary.
Take thy commiffion.

Ang. Now, good my Lord,

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

Be ftampt upon it.

Duke. Come, no more evafion :

We have with a prepar'd and leaven'd choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.
Our hafte from hence is of fo quick condition,
That it prefers itfelf, and leaves unqueftion'd
Matters of needful value. We fhall write to you,
As time and our concernings fhall importune,
How it goes with us; and do look to know
What doth befal you here. So, fare you well.
To th' hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commiffions.

Ang. Yet give me leave, my Lord,

That we may bring you fomething on the way.
Duke. My hafte may not admit it;

(2)

-for if our virtues

Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we bad them not.] This fentiment feems to have sprung from the following paffage of Horace, Lib. 4. Ode 9.

Paullum fepulta diftat Inertie

Gelata Virtus,

Nor

Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any fcruple; your fcope is as mine own,
So to inforce, or qualify the laws,

As to your foul feems good. Give me your hand
I'll privily away. I love the people;
But do not like to ftage me to their eyes:
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause, and Ave's vehement :
Nor do I think the man of fafe difcretion,
That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.

Ang The heav'ns give fafety to your purposes!
Ejcal, Lead forth, and bring you back in happiness!
Duke. I thank you, fare you well.

[Exit. Ejcal. I fhall defire you, Sir, to give me leave To have free (peech with you; and it concerns me To look into the bottom of my place:

A pow'r I have, but of what ftrength and nature 1 am not yet inftructed.

Ang. 'Tis fo with me: let us withdraw together, And we may foon our fatisfaction have Touching that point.

Efcal. I'll wait upon your honour.

Lucio.

IF

SCENE, the Street.

Enter Lucio, and two Gentlemen.

[Exean.

F the Duke, with the other Dukes, come not to compofition with the King of Hungary, why, then all the Dukes fall upon the King.

1 Gent. Heav'n grant us its peace, but not the King of Hungary's!

2 Gent. Amen.

Lucio. Thou conclud'ft like the fanctimonious pirate, that went to fea with the ten Commandments, but fcrap'd one out of the table.

2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal.. Lucio. Ay, that he raz'd.

Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the reft from their functions; they put forth to fteal; there's not a foldier of us all, that,