MEASURE FOR MEASURE.] The Rory is taken from Cinthia's Novels, Decad. 8. Novel 5. POPE. We are fent to Cinthio for the plot of Measure for Measure, and Shakspeare's judgment hath been attacked for fome deviatious from him in the conduct of it, when probably all he knew of the matter was from Madam Ifabella, in The Heptameron of Whetflone, Lond. She reports, in the fourth dayes Exercife, the rare Hiftorie of Promos and Caffandra. A marginal note informs us, that Whetstone was the author of the Comedie on that fubje&; which likewife had probably fallen into the hands of Shakspeare. 410, 1582. FARMER. There is perhaps not one of Shakspeare's plays more darkened than this by the peculiarities of its author, and the unfkilfulness of its editors, by distortious of phrase, or negligence of transcription. JOHNSON. Dr. Johnson's remark is fo juft refpecting the corruptions of this play, that I fhall not attempt much reformation in its metre, which is too often rough, redundant, and irregular. Additions and omiffions however trifling) cannot be made without conftant notice of them; and fuch notices, in the present instance, would fo frequently occur, as to become equally tirefome to the commentator and the reader. Shakspeare took the fable of this play from the Promos and Caffandra of George Whetstone, published in 1578. See Theobald's note at the end. A hint, like a feed, is more or lefs 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 Shakspeare became fertile of entertainment. The curious reader will find that the old play of Promos and Caffandra exhibits an almost complete embryo of Measure for Meafure; 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. Whetstone opens his play thus: A& I. Scene i. Promos, Mayor, Shirife, Sworde bearer: one with a bunche of keyes Phallax, Promos Man. "You officers which now in Julio flave, Know you your leadge, the King of Hungarie, Sent me to Promos, to joyne with you in fway: And now to fhow my rule and power at lardge, "Attentivelie his letters patents heare: Phallax, reade out my Soveraines chardge. Phal. « As you commaunde I wyll: give heedeful eare. Phallax readeth the Kinges Letters Patients, which must be fayre written in parchment, with fome great counter feat zeale. Pro. Loe, here you fee what is our Soveraignes wyl, "Loe, heare his with, that right, not might, beare fwaye: / 66 t . Loe, heare his care, to weede from good the yll, To fcoorge the wights, good lawes that difobay., Such zeale he beares, unto the common weale, (How to he byds, the ignoraunt to fave) "As he commaundes, the lewde doo rigor feele, &c. &c. &c. Pro. Both fwoorde and keies, unto my princes ufe, I do receyve, and gladlie take my chardge. It refteth now, for to reforme abuse,' "We poynt a týme of councell more at lardge, To treate of which, a whyle we wyll depart. Al. Speake. To worke your wyll, we yeelde a willing hart. Exeunt." The reader will find the argument of G. Whetstone's Promos and Caffandra, at the end of this play. It is too bulky to be inferted here. See likewife the piece itself among Six old Plays on which Shakspeare founded, &c. publifhed by S. Leacroft, Charingcrofs. STEEVENS. Meafure for Meafure was, I believe, written in 1603. Attempt to afcertain the Order of Shakspeare's Plays, Vol. II. See An MALONE. PERSONS represented. Vincentio, duke of Vienna. Angelo, lord deputy in the duke's abfence. Lucio, a fantastick. Two other like gentlemen. * Varrius, a gentleman, fervant to the duke. A justice. } two friars. Elbow, a fimple conflable. Froth, a foolish gentleman. Clown, fervant to Mrs. Over-done. Abhorfon, an executioner. Barnardine, a diffolute prifoner. Ifabella, ffter to Claudio. Mariana, betrothed to Angelo. Juliet, beloved by Claudio. Francifca, a nun. Miftrefs Over-done, a bawd. Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and other * Varrius might be omitted, for he is only once spoken to, and fays nothing. JOHNSON. MEASURE FOR MEASURE A C T I. SCENE İ. An apartment in the Duke's palace. Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, Lords, and Attendants. DUKE. Of government the properties to unfold, Would seem in me to affect fpeech and difcourfe; Since I am put to know, that your own science, Exceeds, in that, the lifts of all advice 2 Since I am put to know,] may mean, I am compelled to ac knowledge. So, in King Henry VI. P. II. fc. i: had I firft been put to speak my mind." Again, in Drayton's Legend of Pierce Gaveston: My limbs were put to travel day and night." 3 lifts Bounds, limits. JOHNSON. So, in Othello: STEEVENS. STEEVENS My ftrength can give you: Then no more remains, But that to your fufficiency, às your worth is able, And let them work. The nature of our people, But that to your fufficiency, as your worth is able, And let them work.] To the integrity of this reading Mr. Theobald objects, and fays, What was Efcalus to put to his fufficiency? why, his fcience: But his fcience 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 reftore thus: But that to your fufficiency you add Due diligence, as your worth is able, &c. 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 Thomas Hanmer having caught from Mr. 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. Theobald a hint He has, by this bold conje&ure, undoubtely obtained a meaning, but, perhaps, not even in his own opinion, the meaning of Shakspeare. 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 conje&ures, nor that the change of but to put, which Dr. Warburton has admitted after fome other editor, [Rowe] will amend the fault. There was probably fome original obfcurity in the expreffion, which gave occafion to mistake in repetition or tranfcription. I therefore suspect that the author wrote thus: Then no more remains, But that to your fufficiencies your worth is abled, And let them work. Then nothing remains more than to tell you, that your virtue is now invefted 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 unufual, was changed into able, For abled, however, an authority is not wanting. Lear ufes it in the fame fenfe, or |