Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

Angelo,

DUKE.
There is a kind of character in thy life,
That, to the observer, doth thy history
Fully unfold: Thyfelf and thy belongings
Are not thine own fo proper,
as to walle
Thyfelf upon thy virtues, them on thee. 3
Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do;

2

we have with fpecial foul -1 This feems to be only a tranflation of the ufual formal words inferted in all royal grants: De gratia noftra fpeciali, et ex mero motu 3 There is a kind of character in thy life,

66

[ocr errors]

MALONE.

That, to the obferver, &c.] Either this introduction has more folemnity than meaning, or it has a meaning which I cannot difcover. What is there peculiar in this, that man's life informs the obferver of his hiftory? Might it be fuppofed that Shakspeare wrote

this?

There is a kind of character in thy look.

Hiftory may be taken in a more diffufe and licentious meaning, for future occurrences, or the part of life yet to come.

If this fenfe

be received, the paffage is clear and proper. JOHNSON. Shakspeare muft, I believe, be anfwerable for the unneceffary pomp of this introduction. He has the fame thought in Henry IV. P. II. which affords fome comment on this paffage before us:

There is a hiftory in all men's lives,

Figuring the nature of the times deceas'd:
The which obferv'd, a man may prophecy
"With a near aim, of the main chance of things

[ocr errors]

As yet not come to life, &c. STEEVENS.

On confidering this paffage, I am induced to think that the words character and history have been mifplaced, and that it was originally written thus:

There is a kind of history in thy life,

That to the obferver doth thy character
Fully unfold.

This tranfpofition feems to be justified by the paffage quoted by^ Steevens from the Second Part of Henry IV. M. MASON.

9 thy belongings —] i. c. endowments. MALONE.

2 Are not thine own fo proper, ] i. e. are not fo much thy own property. STEEVENS.

3

them on thee. The old copy reads they on thee. The emendation was made by Sir T. Hanmer. STEEVENS.

Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues * Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd,

But to fine iffues : nor nature never lends
The smallest fcruple of her excellence,
But, like a thrifty goddefs, fhe determines
Herfelf the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and use. 7 But I do bend my fpeech
To one that can my part in him advértife;

[blocks in formation]

8

And when we move not forward, we go backward." Thus, in the Latin adage --- Non progredi eft regredi. STEEVENS. to fine ilues To great confequences; for high purpoles. JOHNSON.

[ocr errors]

6

nor nature never lends - Two negatives, not employed to make an affirmative, are common in our author.

[blocks in formation]

Herfelf the glory of a creditor,

STEEVENS.

Both thanks and ufe.] i. e. She (Nature) requires and allots to herfelf the fame advantages that creditors ufually enjoy,

thanks

for the endowments fhe has beftowed, and extraordinary exertions in those whom he hath thus favoured, by way of intereft for what fhe has lent.

Ufe in the phrafeology of our author's age, fignified intereft of. money. MALONE.

[merged small][ocr errors]

I do bend my fpeech,

To one that can my part in him advértife;] This is obfcure. The meaning is, I direct my fpeech to one who is able to teach me how to govern; my part in him, fignifying my office, which I have delegated to him. My part in him advertife; i. e. who knows what appertains to the character of a deputy or viceroy. Can advertise my part in him; that is, his reprefentation of my perfon. But all thefe quaintneffes of expreffion, the Oxford editor feems

Hold therefore, Angeló;

9

In our remove, be thou at full ourfelf;
Mortality and
mercy in Vienna

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

fworn to extirpate; that is, to take away one of Shakspeare's cha racteristic marks; which, if not one of the comelieft, is yet one of the ftrongeft. So he alters this to,

To one that can, in my part me advertife.

A better expreffion indeed, but, for all thats none of Shakspeare's.
WARBURTON.

I know not whether we may not better read,-
One that can, my part to him advertise.

One that can inform himself of that which it would be otherwise my part to tell him. JOHNSON.

To advertise is ufed in this fenfe, and with Shakspeare's accentuation, by Chapmam, in his verfion of the 11th Book of the Odyffey:

"Or, of my father, if thy royal ear

Hath been advértis'd

STEEVENS.

I believe, the meaning is, I am talking to one who is himself already fufficiently converfant 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 promife to the Athenians,

To speak with Timon." MALONE.

9 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 commiffion to him. He concludes with Take thy commiffion.

STEEVENS.

If a full point be put after therefore, the Duke may be underfood to fpeak of himself. Hold therefore, i. e. Let me therefore hold or ftop. And the sense of the whole paffage may be this. - The Duke, who has begun an exhortation to Angelo, checks himfelf thus: «But I am fpeaking to one, that can in him [in or by himself] apprehend my part [all that I have to say]: I will therefore fay no more [on that fubje&t]." He then merely figniSes to Angelo his appointment. TYRWHITT.

. -firft in question,] That is, firft called for; firft appointed.

JOHNSON

ANG.

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

Be ftamp'd upon it.

No more evasion:

We shall write to you,

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

ANG.

Yet, give leave, my lord, That we may bring you fomething on the way. DUKE. My hafte may not admit it;

Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any scruple: your scope is as mine own;
So to enforce, or qualify the laws,

As to your foul feems good. Give me your hand;

3 We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice-] Leaven'd choice is one of Shakspeare's harfh metaphors. His train of ideas feems to be this: I have proceeded to you with choice mature, concocted, fermented, leavened. When bread is leavened it is left to ferment: a leavened choice is therefore a choice not hafty, but confiderate; not declared as foon as it fell into the imagination, but fuffered to work long in the mind. Thus explained, it fuits better with prepared than levelled. JOHNSON.

"She

4 bring you fomething 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 horfe. And the fame mode of expreffion is to be found in almoft every writer of the times. REED,

5

your scope is as mine own; ] That is, your amplitude of power. JOHNSON,

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 applaufe, and aves vehement;
Nor do I think the man of fafe difcretion,
That does affect it. Once
Once more, fare you well.
ANG. The heavens give safety to your purposes!
ESCAL. Lead forth, and bring you back in hap-
pinefs!

DUKE. I thank you: Fare you well.

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

A power I have; but of what ftrength and nature I am not yet inftructed.

ANG. 'Tis fo with me:- Let us withdraw to

[blocks in formation]

LUCIO. If the duke, with the other dukes, come not to compofition with the king of Hungary, why, then all the dukes fall upon the king.

6 to flage me to their eyes] So, in one of Queen Elizabeth's fpeeches to parliament, 1586: « We princes, I tel you, are set on ftages, in the fight and viewe of all the world, &c. See The Copy of a Letter to the Right Honourable the Earle of Leycefler, &c. 4to. 1586. STEEVENS.

« AnteriorContinuar »