4 most sprightly characters that Shakspeare ever drew. The wit, the humourist, the gentleman, and the soldier, are combined in Benedick. It is to be lamented, indeed, that the first and most splendid of these distinctions, is disgraced by unnecessary profaneness; for the goodness of his heart is hardly sufficient to atone for the licence of his tongue. The innocent levity which flashes out in the conversation of Beatrice, receives a sanction from that steadiness and spirit of friendship to her cousin, so apparent in her behaviour, when she urges her lover to risk his own life by a challenge to Claudio. In the conduct of the fable, there is an imperfection similar to that which Dr. Johnson has pointed out in The Merry Wives of Windsor-the second contrivance is less ingenious than the first ;-or, to speak more plainly, the same incident is become stale by repetition. I wish some other method had been found to entrap Beatrice, than that very stratagem which before had been successfully practised on Benedick. STEEVENS. Mrs. Lenox, like Pope and the generality of critics, attributes the plot of this play to Ariosto. But I rather think with Steevens this is a mistake. Perhaps, as Dr. Farmer says, Shakspeare might have gone no further for it than the Geneura of Turberville. Don PEDRO, Prince of Arragon. Don JOHN, his bastard brother. CLAUDIO, a young lord of Florence, favourite to Don Pedro. BENEDICK, a young lord of Padua, favoured likewise by Don Pedro. LEONATO, governor of Messina. ANTONIO, his brother. BALTHAZAR, servant to Don Pedro. BORACHIO, }followers of Don John. CONRADE, DOGBERRY, A Friar. A Boy. HERO, daughter to Leonato. BEATRICE, niece to Leonato. MARGARET, }gentlewomen attending on Hero. URSULA, Messengers, Watch, and Attendants. SCENE, Messina. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING'. ACT I. SCENE I. Before Leonato's House. Enter LEONATO, HERO, BEATRICE, and Others, with a Messenger. Leon. I LEARN in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Messina. Mess. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues off when I left him. Leon. How many gentlemen have you lost in this action? Mess. But few of any sort, and none of name. Leon. A victory is twice itself, when the atchiever brings home full numbers. I find here, that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio. Mess. Much deserved on his part, and equally remember'd by Don Pedro: He hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age; doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, better better'd expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how. Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it. Mess. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even so much, that joy could not show itself modest enough, without a badge of bitterness 2. Leon. Did he break out into tears? Mess. In great measure. Leon. A kind overflow of kindness: There are no faces truer than those that are so washed. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping! Beat. I pray you, is signior Montanto3 returned from the wars, or no? Mess. I know none of that name, lady; there was none such in the army of any sort. Leon. What is he that you ask for, niece? Hero. My cousin means signior Benedick of Padua. Mess. O, he is returned; and as pleasant as ever he was. Beat. He set up his bills here in Messina, and challenged Cupid at the flight: and my uncle's fool, reading the challenge, subscribed for Cupid, and challenged him at the bird-bolt *.-I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he killed? for, indeed, I promised to eat all of his killing. Leon. Faith, niece, you tax signior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not. Mess. He hath done good service, lady, in these wars. |