Lent him our terror, drest him with our love; To undergo such ample grace and honour, Duke. · Enter ANGELO. Look, where he comes. 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, 8 That, to the observer, doth thy history There is a kind of character in thy life, That, to the observer, &c.] Either this introduction has more solemnity than meaning, or it has a meaning which I cannot discover. What is there peculiar in this, that a man's life informs the observer of his history? Might it be supposed that Shakspeare wrote this? There is a kind of character in thy look. History may be taken in a more diffuse and licentious meaning, for future occurrences, or the part of life yet to come. If this sense be received, the passage is clear and proper. Johnson. Shakspeare must, I believe, be answerable for the unnecessary pomp of this introduction. He has the same thought in Henry IV, P. II, which affords some comment on this passage before us : "There is a history in all men's lives, 66 Figuring the nature of the times deceas'd: "The which observ'd, a man may prophecy "With a near aim, of the main chance of things On considering this passage, I am induced to think that the words character and history have been misplaced, and that it was originally written thus: There is a kind of history in thy life, That to the observer doth thy character This transposition seems to be justified by the passage quoted by Steevens from the Second Part of Henry IV. M. Mason. thy belongings — ] i. e. endowments. Malone. 1 Are not thine own so proper,] i. e. are not so much thy own property. Steevens. 2 them on thee.] The old copy reads-they on thee. Thẹ emendation was made by Sir T. Hanmer. Steevens. Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do; Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues3 As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd, The smallest scruple of her excellence, Both thanks and use." But I do bend my speech 3 - for if our virtues, &c.] "Celata virtus." HOR. Theobald. Again, in Massinger's Maid of Honour: "Virtue, if not in action, is a vice, "And, when we move not forward, we go backward." Thus, in the Latin adage-Non progredi est regredi. Steevens. to fine issues:] To great consequences; for high purposes. Fohnson. 4 5 nor nature never lends - ] Two negatives, not employ ed to make an affirmative, are common in our author. So, in Julius Cæsar: "There is no harm intended to your person, she determines Herself the glory of a creditor, Both thanks and use.] i. e. She (Nature) requires and allots to herself the same advantages that creditors usually enjoy,thanks for the endowments she has bestowed, and extraordinary exertions in those whom she hath thus favoured, by way of interest for what she has lent. Use in the phraseology of our author's age, signified interest of money. Malone. 7- I do bend my speech, To one that can my part in him advértise;] This is obscure. The meaning is, I direct my speech to one who is able to teach me how to govern; my part in him, signifying my office, which I have delegated to him. My part in him advertise; i. e. who knows what appertains to the character of a deputy or viceroy. Can advertise my part in him; that is, his representation of my person. But all these quaintnesses of expression, the Oxford editor seems sworn to extirpate; that is, to take away one of Shakspeare's characteristic marks; which, if not one of the comeliest, is yet one of the strongest. So he alters this to, To one that can, in my part me advertise. A better expression indeed, but, for all that, none of Shakspeare's. Warburton. Hold therefore, Angelo;8 In our remove, be thou at full ourself; Live in thy tongue and heart: Old Escalus, Ang. Now, good my lord, Let there be some more test made of my metal, Be stamp'd upon it. Duke. No more evasion: We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice1 I know not wether we may not better read,- -- One that can inform himself of that which it would be otherwise my part to tell him. Johnson. To advertise is used in this sense, and with Shakspeare's accentuation, by Chapman, in his version of the 11th Book of the Odyssey: "Or, of my father, if thy royal ear I believe, the meaning is,—I am talking to one who is himself already sufficiently conversant with the nature and duties of my office; of that office, which I have now delegated to him. So, in Timon of Athens: "It is our part, and promise to the Athenians, "To speak with Timon." Malone. 8 Hold therefore, Angelo;] That is, continue to be Angelo; hold as thou art. Johnson. I believe that-Hold therefore, Angelo; are the words which the Duke utters on tendering his commission to him. He concludes with- Take thy commission. Steevens. If a full point be put after therefore, the Duke may be understood to speak of himself. Hold therefore, i. e. Let me therefore hold, or stop. And the sense of the whole passage may be this.-The Duke, who has begun an exhortation to Angelo, checks himself thus: "But I am speaking to one, that can in him [in or by himself] apprehend my part [all that I have to say]: I will therefore say no more [on that subject]." He then merely signifies to Angelo his appointment. Tyrwhitt. 9 - first in question,] That is, first called for; first appointed. Johnson. 1 We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice-] Leaven'd choice is one of Shakspeare's harsh metaphors. His train of ideas seems to be this: I have proceeded to you with choice mature, concocted, fermented, leavened. When bread is lea Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours. Ang. Yet, give leave, my lord, That we may bring you something on the way.? Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do With any scruple: your scope is as mine own;3 As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand; 4 But do not like to stage me to their eyes: That does affect it. Once more, fare you well. [Exit. Escal. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave To have free speech with you; and it concerns me vened it is left to ferment: a leavened choice is therefore a choice not hasty, but considerate; not declared as soon as it fell into the imagination, but suffered to work long in the mind. Thus explained, it suits better with prepared than levelled. Johnson. "She 2 bring you something on the way.] i. e. accompany you. So, in A Woman kill'd with Kindness, by Heywood, 1617: went very lovingly to bring him on his way to horse." And the same mode of expression is to be found in almost every writer of the times. Reed. 3 - your scope is as mine own;] That is, your amplitude of power. Johnson. 4to stage me to their eyes:] So, in one of Queen Elizabeth's speeches to parliament, 1586: "We princes, I tel you, are set on stages, in the sight and viewe of all the world," &c. See The Copy of a Letter to the Right Honourable the Earle of Leycester, &c. 4to. 1586. Steevens. To look into the bottom of my place: A power I have; but of what strength and nature Ang. 'Tis so with me:-Let us withdraw together, And we may soon our satisfaction have Touching that point. Escal. I'll wait upon your honour. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Street. Enter Lucio, and two Gentlemen. Lucio. If the duke, with the other dukes, come not to composition with the king of Hungary, why, then all the dukes fall upon the king. 1 Gent. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the king of Hungary's! 2 Gent. Amen. Lucio. Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the ten commandments, but scraped one out of the table. 2 Gent. Thou shalt not steal? Lucio. Ay, that he razed. 1 Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions; they put forth to steal: There 's not a soldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace. 2 Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it. Lucio. I believe thee; for, I think, thou never wast where grace was said. 2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least. 1 Gent. What? in metre?5 Lucio. In any proportion, or in any language. 5 in metre?] In the primers there are metrical graces, such as, I suppose, were used in Shakspeare's time. Johnson. 6 In any proportion, &c.] Proportion signifies measure; and refers to the question, What? in metre? Warburton. This speech is improperly given to Lucio. It clearly belongs to the second Gentleman, who had heard grace" a dozen times at least," Ritson. |