Duke. Angelo,

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 waste
Thyself upon thy virtues; them on thee.
Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do;
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 fmalleft fcruple of her excellence,
But, like a thrifty goddefs, fhe determines
Herfelf the glory of a creditor,

8 There is a kind of character in thy life,

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 a man's life informs the obferver of his history? Might it be fuppofed that Shakespeare 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.

Shakespeare muft, I believe, be antwerable for the unneceffary folemnity of this introduction. He has the fame thought in Hensy IV. p. 2. which is the best comment on this paffage.

"There is a history in all mens' 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
"As yet not come to life, &c.”

STEEVENS.

WARBURTON.

to fine iffues:] To great confequences. For high

purposes. JOHNSON.

Both

Both thanks and ufe. But I do bend my speech
To one that can my part in him advertise ;*
Hold therefore, Angelo: 3

In our remove, be thou at full ourself:
Mortality and mercy in Vienna

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

Ang. Now, good my lord,

Let there be fome more teft made of my metal,
Before so noble and fo great a figure

Be stamp'd upon it.

Duke. Come, no more evafion:

We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice

? I do bend my speech,

To one that can my part in him advertise ;]

Pro

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 advertise; i.e. who knows what appertains to the character of 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 fworn to extirpate; that is, to take away one of Shakespeare's characteristic marks]; which, if not one of the comelieft, is yet one of the strongest. So he alters this to,

To one that can, in my part, me advertise.

A better expreffion indeed, but, for all that, none of Shakespeare'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.

3 Hold therefore, Angelo:] That is, continue to be Angelo; bold as thou art. JOHNSON.

+-firft in queftion,

pointed. JOHNSON.

-] That is, firft called for; first ap.

We bave with a leaven'd and prepared choice] Leaven'd has no fenfe in this place: we should read,

-levell'd choice.

The

Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.
Our hafte from hence is of fo quick condition,
That it prefers itfelf, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings fhall importune,
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 fcruple: your scope is as mine own,"
So to inforce, or qualify the laws,

As to your foul feems good. Give me your hand;
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 Ave's vehement;
Nor do I think the man of fafe difcretion,
That does affect it. One more, fare you well.
Ang. The heavens give fafety to your purposes!
Efcal. Lead forth, and bring you back in happi-
nefs !

Duke. I thank you: Fare you well.

[Exit.

The allufion is to archery, when a man has fixed upon his object, after taking good aim. WARBURTON.

No emendation is neceffary. Leaven'd choice is one of Shakefpeare's harsh metaphors. His train of ideas feems to be this. I kave 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.

6 your fcope is as mine own.] That is, Your amplitude of power. JOHNSON.

Efcal.

Efcal. I fhall defire you, fir, to give me leave To have free fpeech 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 instructed.

Ang. 'Tis fo with me:-Let us withdraw together,

And we may foon our fatisfaction have

Touching that point.

Efcal. I'll wait upon your honour.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Enter Lucio, and two Gentlemen.

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.

1 Gent Heaven grant us its peace, but not the king of Hungary's!

2 Gent. Amen.

Lucio. Thou conclud'ft like the fanctimonious pirate, that went to fea with the Ten Commandments, but fcrap'd one out of the table.

2 Gent. Thou shalt not fteal?Lucio. Ay, that he raz'd.

I Gent. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the reft from their functions; they put forth to steal. There's not a foldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well, that prays for peace.

2 Gent. I never heard any foldier dislike it, Lucio I believe thee; for, I think, thou never waft where grace was faid.

2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least,

1 Gent,

I Gent. What? 7 in metre?

Lucio. In any proportion, or in any language. 1 Gent. I think, or in any religion.

Lucio. Ay, why not? Grace is grace, defpight of all controverfy: As for example, thou thyself art a wicked villain, despight of all grace.

1 Gent. Well, there went but a pair of fheers be

tween us.'

Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lifts and the velvet. Thou art the lift.

1 Gent. And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou art a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a lift of an English kerfey, as be pil'd, as

-in metre ?] In the primers, there are metrical graces, fuch as, I fuppofe, were used in Shakespeare's time. JOHNSON.

In any proportion, &c.] The Oxford editor gives us a dialogue of his own instead of this: and all for want of knowing the meaning of the word proportion, which fignifies measure: and refers to the queftion, What? in metre? WARBURTON.

defpight of all controversy:] Satirically infinuating that the controverfies about grace were fo intricate and endless, that the difputants unfettled every thing but this, that grace was grace; which, however, in fpite of controverfy, ftill remained certain. WARBURTON.

I am in doubt whether Shakespeare's thoughts reached fo far into ecclefiaftical difputes. Every commentator is warped a little by the tract of his own profeffion. The question is, whether the fecond gentleman has ever heard grace. The firt gentleman li mits the question to grace in metre. Lucio enlarges it to grace in any form or language. The firit gentleman, to go beyond him, fays, or in any religion, which Lucio allows, because the nature of things is unalterable; grace is as immutably grace, as his merry antagonist is a wicked villain. Difference in religion cannot make a grace not to be grace, a prayer not to be holy; as nothing can make a villain not to be a villain. This feems to be the meaning, fuch as it is. JOHNSON.

there went but a pair of sheers between us.] We are both of the fame piece. JOHNSON.

So in the Maid of the Mill, by Beaumont and Fletcher."There went but a pair of theers and a bodkin between them.”

STEEVENS.

thou