ACTI.

SCENE the Duke's Palace.

Enter Duke, Efcalus, and Lords.

SCALUS,

E Efcal. My Lord.

DUKE.

Duke. Of government the properties t' unfold, Would feem in me t' affect speech and discourse. Since I am not to know, that your own science Exceeds, in that, the lifts of all advice

My ftrength can give you then no more remains: (1)

then no more remains

Put

(1) Put that to your fufficiency, as your worth is able, And let them work.] I doubt not, but this paffage, either from the impertinence of the actors, or the negligence of the copyifts, has come maim'd to us. In the first place, what an unmeasurable, inharmonious verse have we here; and, then, how lame is the sense ! What was Efcalus to put to his fufficiency? Why, his feince. But his fcience and his fufficiency were but one and the fame thing.. On what then does the relative them, depend? The old editions read thus.

-Then no more remains,

But that to your fufficiency, as your worth is able,
And let them work.

Here, again, the sense is manifeftly lame and defective, and as the verfification is fo too, they concur to make me think,

a line has

acciden

Put that to your fufficiency, as your worth is able,
And let them work. The nature of our people,
Our city's inftitutions, and the terms

Of common juftice, y'are as pregnant in,

As art and practice hath enriched any

That we remember. There is our commiffion,

From which we would not have you warp. Call hither,

I fay, bid come before us Angelo:

What figure of us, think you, he will bear?

For you must know, we have with special foul
Elected him our abfence to fupply;

you

of it?

Lent him our terror, dreft him with our love;
And giv'n his deputation all the organs
Of our own power: fay, what think
Efcal. If any in Vienna be of worth
To undergo fuch ample grace and honour,
It is Lord Angelo.

Enter Angelo.

Duke. 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,
That to th' obferver doth thy history
Fully unfold: thyfelf and thy belongings
Are not thine own fo proper, as to wafte
Thyself upon thy virtues; they on thee.

accidentally been left out. Perhaps, fomething like this might fupply our Author's meaning.

-Then no more remains,

But that to your fufficiency you add

Due diligency, as your worth is able ;

And let them work.

By fome fuch fupplement both the fenfe and measure would be cur'd. But as the conjecture is unfupported by any authorities, I have not pretended to thrust it into the text; but fubmit it to judgment. They, who are acquainted with books, know, that, where two words of a fimilar length and termination happen to lie under one another, nothing is more common than for tranfcribers to glance their eye at once from the first to the undermoft word, and fo leave out the intermediate part of the sentence.

Heav'n doth with us, as we with torches do,

Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues (2)
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 smalleft fcruple of her excellence,

But, like a thrifty Goddefs, fhe determines
Herself the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks, and ufe. But I do bend my fpeech

To one that can my part in him advertise;

Hold therefore, Angelo:

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

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

Ang. Now, good my Lord,

Let there be fome more teft made of
my metal,
Before fo noble and so great a figure
Be stampt upon it.

Duke. Come, no more evasion:
We have with a prepar'd and leaven'd choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take your

honours.
Our hafte from hence is of fo quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We fhall 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 th' hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commiffions.

Ang. Yet give me leave, my Lord,

That we may bring you fomething on the way.
Duke. My hafte may not admit it;

Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we had them not.] This fentiment feems to have sprung from the following paffages of Horace, Lib. 4. Ode 9.

Paulum fepulta diftat Inertia

Celata Virtus.

Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any fcruple; your fcope 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 Aves vehement :
Nor do I think the man of fafe difcretion,
That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
Ang. The heav'ns give fafety to your purposes!
Efcal. Lead forth, and bring you back in happiness!
Duke. I thank you, fare you well.

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

A pow'r 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, the Street.

[Exeunt.

Lucio. F the

with the

Enter Lucio, and two Gentlemen.

to compofition with the King of Hungary,

why, then all the Dukes fall upon the King.

i Gent. Heav'n 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 steal.

Lucio. Ay, that he raz'd.

1 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 meát, do relish the petition well that prays for peace.

2 Gent. I never heard any foldier dislike it.

Lutio. I believe thee: for, I think, thou never wast where grace was said.

2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least.

I Gent. What? in meeter?

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 thyfelf art a wicked villain, defpight 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'rt a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a lift of an English kerfey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I fpeak feelingly

now?

Lucio. I think thou doft; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy fpeech: I will, out of thine own confeffion, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I live forget to drink after thee.

i Gent. I think, I have done myself wrong, have I

not?

2 Gent. Yes, that thou haft; whether thou art tainted, or free.

Lucio. Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes. 1 Gent. I have purchas'd ás many diseases under her roof, as come to

2 Gent. To what, I pray?

I Gent. Judge.

2 Gent. To three thousand dollars a year.

1 Gent. Ay, and more.

Lucio. A French crown more. (3),

1 Gent.

(3) A French crown more.] Lucio means here not the piece of money fo call'd, but that venereal scab which among the furgeons is