Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

The head of Ragozine for Claudio's;
-The offence pardons itfelf.- Dear Ifabel,
I have a motion much imports your good;
Whereto if you'll a willing car incline,

What's mine is yours, and what is yours is mine:So, bring us to our palace; where we'll fhow • What's yet behind, that's meet you all should know.

[blocks in formation]

Befides, I cannot but

certainly no reward or honours, in ftore, regard the word—requital as an interpolation, because it destroys the measure, without improvement of the fenfe. "Fore-running more," therefore, would only fignify preceding further thanks. STEEVENS.

7 I cannot help taking notice with how much judgement Shakfpeare has given turns to this ftory from what he found it in Cynthio Giraldi's novel. In the first place, the brother is there actually executed, and the governour fends his head in a bravado to the fifter, after he had debauched her on promife of marriage: a circumftance of too much horror and villainy for the ftage. And, in the next place, the fifter afterwards is, to folder up her difgrace, married to the governour, and begs his life of the emperour, though he had unjuftly been the death of her brother. Both which abfurdities the poet has avoided by the epifode of Mariana, a creature purely of his own invention. The Duke's remaining incognito at home to fupervise the conduct of his deputy, is alfo entirely our author's fiction.

This story was attempted for the fcene before our author was fourteen years old, by one George Whetstone, in Two Comical Difcourfes, as they are called, containing the right excellent and famous hiftory of Promos and Caffandra, printed with the black letter, 1578. The author going that year with Sir Humphrey Gilbert to Norimbega, left them with his friends to publish.

THEOBALD.

The novel of Cynthio Giraldi, from which Shakspeare is fuppofed to have borrowed this fable, may be read in Shakespeare illuftrated, elegantly tranflated, with remarks which will affift the enquirer to difcover how much abfurdity Shakspeare has admitted or avoided.

I cannot but fufpe& that fome other had new-modelled the novel of Cynthio, or written a ftory which in fome particulars refembled it, and that Cynthio was not the author whom Shakspeare immediately followed. The Emperor in Cynthio is named Maximine; · the Duke, in Shakspeare's enumeration of the perfons of the drama, is called Vincentio. This appears a very flight remark; but fince

the Duke has no name in the play, nor is ever mentioned but by his title, why fhould he be called Vincentio among the perfons but because the name was copied from the ftory, and placed fuperfluously at the head of the lift by the mere habit of transcription? It is therefore likely that there was then a story of Vincentio Duke of Vienna, different from that of Maximine Emperor of the Romans.

Of this play the light or comic part is very natural and pleafing, but the grave scenes, if a few paffages be excepted, have more labour than elegance. The plot is rather intricate than artful. The time of the action is indefinite; fome time, we know not how much, muft have elapsed between the recefs of the Duke and the imprisonment of Claudio; for he must have learned the ftory of Mariana in his difguife, or he delegated his power to a man already known to be corrupted. The unities of action and place are fufficiently preferved. JOHNSON.

The duke probably had learnt the ftory of Mariana in fome of his former retirements, 66 having ever loved the life removed. (Page 29) And he had a fufpicion that Angelo was but a feemer. (page 33) and therefore he ftays to watch him, BLACKSTONE.

[ocr errors]

The Fable of Whetfone's Promos and Cassandra, 1578.

"The Argument of the whole Hiftory."

"In the cyttie of Julio (fometimes under the dominion of Corvinus kynge of Hungarie and Bohemia,) there was a law, that what man fo ever committed adultery fhould lofe his head, and the woman offender fhould weare fome difguifed apparel, during her life, to make her infamously noted. This fevere lawe, by the favour of some merciful magiftrate, became little regarded, untill the time of lord Promos' au&ority; who convicting a young gentleman named Andrugio of incontinency, condemned both him and his minion to the execution of this ftatute. Andrugio had a very virtuous and beautiful gentlewoman to his fifter, named Caffandra: Caffandra, to enlarge her brother's life, fubmitted an humble petition to the lord Promos: Promos regarding her good behaviours, and fantasying her great beawtie, was much delighted with the fweete order of her talke; and doyng good, that evill' might come thereof, for a time he repryved her brother: but wicked man, tourning his liking into unlawfull luft, he fet downe, the fpoile of her honor, raunsome for her brother's life: chafte Caffandra, abhorring both him and his fute, by no perfuafion would yeald to this raunfome. But in fine, wonne by the importunitye of hir brother (pleading for life), upon these conditions the agreed to Promos. First, that he should pardon her brother,

and after marry her. Promes, as feareles in promiffe, as carelesse in performance, with follemne vowe fygned her conditions; but worse then any infydell, his will fatifsfyed, he performed neither the one nor the other: for to keepe his au&oritye unfpotted with favour, and to prevent Caffandra's clamors, he commanded the gayler fecretly, to prefent Caffandra with her brother's head. The gayler, [touched] with the outcryes of Andrugio, (abhorryug Promos lewdenes) by the providence of God provided thus for his fafety. He prefented Caffandra with a felon's head newlie executed; who knew it not, being mangled, from her brother's (who was fet at libertie by the gayler). [She] was fo agreeved at this trecherye, that, at the point to kyl her felf, fhe spared that ftroke, to be avenged of Promos: and devyfing a way, he concluded, to make her fortunes knowne unto the kinge. She, executing this refolution, was fo highly favoured of the king, that forthwith he hafted to do justice on Promos: whofe judgment was, to marry Caffandra, to repaire her crafed honour; which donne, for his hainous offence, he should lofe his head. This maryage folempnised, Caffandra tyed in the greatest bondes of affection to her husband, became an earneft futer for his life: the kinge, tendringe the generall benefit of the comon weale before her special cafe, although he favoured her much, would not graunt her fute. Andrugio (disguised amonge the company) for rowing the griefe of his fifter, bewrayde his fafety, and craved pardon. The kiage, to renowne the vertues of Caffandra, pardoned both him and Promos. The circumftances of this rare historye, in action livelye foloweth.

[ocr errors]

Whetstone, however, has not afforded a very corre& analysis of his play, which contains a mixture of comick fcenes, between a Bawd, a Pimp, Felons, &c. together with fome ferious fituations which are not defcribed. STEEVENS.

One paragraph of the foregoing narrative being firangely confused in the old copy, by fome careleffnefs of the printer, I have endeavoured to redify it, by transposing a few words, and adding two others, which are included within crotchets.

MALONE.

1

C

MUCH A DO

ABOUT

NOTHING.

« AnteriorContinuar »