our own.

SCENE II.-LEONATO's Garden.

Bene. Suffer love! a good epithet. I do suffer Enter BENEDICK and MARGARET, meeting.

love, indeed, for I love thee against my will.

Beat. In spite of your heart, I think. Alas, poor Bene. Pray thee, sweet mistress Margaret, de- heart! If you spite it for my sake, I will spite it for serve well at my hands by helping me to the speech yours; for I will never love that which my friend of Beatrice.

hates. Marg. Will you, then, write me a sopnet in Bene. Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably. praise of my beauty ?

Beat. It appears not in this confession: there's Bene. In so high a style, Margaret, that no man not one wise man among twenty that will praise living shall come over it; for, in most comely truth, himself. thou deservest it.

Bene. An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that Marg. To have no man come over me? why lived in the time of good neighbours. If a man do shall I always keep below stairs ?

not erect, in this age, his own tomb ere he dies, he Bene. Thy wit is as quick as the greyhound's shall live no longer in monument, than the bell mouth; it catches.

rings, and the widow weeps. Marg. And your's as blunt as the fencer's foils, Beat. And how long is that, think you? which hit, but hurt not.

Bene. Question :-why an hour in clamour, and Bene. A most manly wit, Margaret; it will not a quarter in rheum: therefore is it most expedient hurt a woman: and so, I pray thee, call Beatrice. for the wise, (if Don Worm, his conscience, find no I give thee the bucklers.

impediment to the contrary,) to be the trumpet of Marg. Give us the swords, we have bucklers of his own virtues, as I am to myself. So much for

praising myself, who, I myself will bear witness, is Bene. If you use them, Margaret, you must put praiseworthy. And now tell me, how doth your in the pikes with vice; and they are dangerous cousin ? weapons for maids.

Beat. Very ill. Marg. Well, I will call Beatrice to you, who, 1 Bene. And how do you? think, hath legs.

[Erit MARGARET. Beat. Very ill too. Bene. And therefore will come.

Bene. Serve God, love me, and mend. There The god of love, [Singing.)

will I leave you too, for here comes one in haste. That sils above,

Enter URSULA.
And knows me, and knows me,
How pitiful I deserve,

Urs. Madam, you must come to your uncle.

Yonder's old coil at home: it is proved, my lady I mean, in singing; but in loving, Leander the good Hero hath been falsely accused, the prince and swimmer, Troilus the first employer of panders, and Claudio mightily abused; and Don John is the a whole book full of these quondam carpet-mongers, author of all, who is fled and gone. Will you come whose names yet run smoothly in the even road of

presently? . a blank verse, why, they were never so truly turned Beat. Will you go hear this news, signior ?

over and over as my poor self, in love. Marry, I Bene. I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and cannot show it in rhyme; I have tried : I can find be buried in thy eyes; and, moreover, I will go out no rhyme to “ lady” but “ baby," ,"an innocent with thee to thy uncle's.

[Excunt. rhyme; for “scorn,” “horn," a hard rhyme; for “school," "fool," a babbling rhyme-very ominous SCENE III.— The Inside of a Church. endings. No, I was not born under a rhyming planet, nor I cannot woo in festival terms.

Enter Don PEDRO, Claudio, and Attendants, with

music and tapers. Enter BEATRICE.

Claud. Is this the monument of Leonato? Sweet Beatrice, would'st thou come when I called Atten. It is, my lord. thee?

Claud. [Reads. ]
Beat. Yea, signior; and depart when you bid me.
Bene. O, stay but till then!

Done to death by slanderous ton gues
Beat. “ Then" is spoken; fare you well now:-

Was the Hero that here lies: and yet, ere I go, let me go with that I came for;

Death, in guerdon of her wrongs, which is, with knowing what hath passed between

Gires her fame which never dies. you and Claudio.

So the life, that died with shame,
Bene. Only foul words; and thereupon I will Lives in death with glorious fame.
kiss thee.
Beat. Foul words is but foul wind, and foul wind

Hang thou there upon the tomb, is but foul breath, and foul breath is noisome; there

Praising her when I am dumb. fore I will depart unkissed.

Now, music, sound, and sing your solemn hymn. Bene. Thou hast frighted the word out of his right sense, so forcible is thy wit. But, I must tell Pardon, goddess of the night, thee plainly, Claudio undergoes my challenge, and Those that slew thy virgin knight; either I must shortly hear from him, or I will

For the which, with songs of woe, subscribe him a coward. And, I pray thee now,

Round about her tomb they go. tell me, for which of my bad par didst thou first

Midnight, assist our moan ; fall in love with me?

Help us to sigh and groan, Beat. For them all together; which maintained so

Heavily, heavily: politic a state of evil, that they will not admit any

Graves, yawn,

dead, good part to intermingle with them. But for which

Till death be uttered, of my good parts did you first suffer love for me?

Heavenly, heavenly.

ЕРІТАРН.

SONG.

and yield your

Claud. Now, unto thy bones good night!

Bene. And so am I, being else by faith enforc'd Yearly will I do this rite.

To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it. D. Pedro. Good morrow, masters: put your Leon. Well, daughter, and you gentlewomen all, torches out.

Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves, The wolves have prey'd ; and look, the gentle And, when I send for you, come hither mask'd : day,

The prince and Claudio promis'd by this hour Before the wheels of Phæbus, round about To visit me.-You know your office, brother;

Dapples the drowsy east with spots of grey. You must be father to your brother's daughter,
Thanks to you all, and leave us: fare you well. And give her to young Claudio.
Claud. Good morrow, masters: each his several

[Ereunt Ladies. way.

Ant. Which I will do with confirm'd countenance. D. Pedro. Come, let us hence, and put on other Bene. Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think. weeds;

Friar. To do what, signior? And then to Leonato's we will go.

Bene. To bind me, or undo me; one of them.Claud. And Hymen now with luckier issue Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior. speeds,

Your niece regards me with an eye of favour. Than this, for whom we render'd up this woe! Leon. That eye my daughter lent her: 'tis most

[Exeunt.

true.

Bene. And I do with an eye of love requite her. SCENE IV.-A Room LEONATO's House. Leon. The sight whereof, I think, you had from Enter LEONATO, Antonio, BENEDICK, BEATRICE,

From Claudio, and the prince. But what's your URSULA, Friar, and HERO.

will ? Friar. Did I not tell you she was innocent ? Bene. Your answer, sir, is enigmatical: Leon. So are the prince and Claudio, who accus'd But, for my will, my will is, your good will her

May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd Upon the error that you heard debated :

In the state of honourable marriage :But Margaret was in some fault for this,

In which, good friar, I shall desire your help. Although against her will, as it appears

Leon. My heart is with your liking: In the true course of all the question.

Friar.

And my help. Ant. Well, I am glad that all things sort so well. Here come the prince, and Claudio.

me,

:

Enter Don PEDRO and CLAUDIO, with Attendants.

D. Pedro. Good morrow to this fair assembly.
Leon. Good morrow, prince; good morrow,

Claudio :
We here attend you. Are you yet determin'd
To-day to marry with my brother's daughter ?

Claud. old my mind were sh an Ethiop.
Leon. Call her forth, brother: here's the friar
ready.

[Exit ANTONIO D. Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick. Why,

what's the matter,
That you have such a February face,
So full of frost, of storm, and cloudiness?

Claud. I think, he thinks upon the savage bull.-
Tush! fear not, man, we'll tip thy horns with gold,
And all Europa shall rejoice at thee,
As once Europa did at lusty Jove,
When he would play the noble beast in love.

Bene. Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low;
And some such strange bull leap'd your father's

cow,
And got a call in that same noble feat,
Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.

Re-enter Antonio, with the Ladies, masked.
Claud. For this I owe you: here come other

reckonings.
Which is the lady I must seize upon ?

Leon. This same she, and I do give you her.
Claud. Why, then she's mine.-Sweet, let me

see your face.
Leon. No, that you shall not, till you take her
hand

Beat. No, truly, but in friendly recompense. Before this friar, and swear to marry her.

Leon. Come, cousin, I am sure you love the genClaud. Give me your hand before this holy friar:

tleman. I am your husband, if you like of me.

Claud. And I'll be sworn upon't, that he loves Hero. And when I liv'd, I was your other wife:

her;

[Unmasking. For here's a paper, written in his hand, And when you lov'd, you were my other husband. A halting sonnet of his own pure brain, Claud. Another Hero?

Fashion'd to Beatrice.
Hero.
Nothing certainer.

Hero.

And here's another, One Hero died defil'd; but I do live,

Writ in my cousin's hand, stol'n from her pocket, And, surely as I live, I am a maid.

Containing her affection unto Benedick. D. Pedro. The former Hero! Hero that is dead ! Bene. A miracle! here's our own hands against Leon. She died, my lord, but whiles her slander our hearts.—Come, I will have thee; but, by this liv'd.

light, I take thee for pity. Friar. All this amazement can I qualify;

Beat. I would not deny you ;—but, by this good When after that the holy rites are ended,

day, I yield upon great persuasion, and, partly, to I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death :

save your life, for I was told you were in a consumpMean time, let wonder seem familiar,

tion. And to the chapel let us presently.

Bene. Peace! I will stop your mouth. Bene. Soft and fair, friar.— Which is Beatrice? D. Pedro. How dost thou, Benedick, the married Beat. I answer to that name.- - [Unmasking.)

man ? What is your will ?

Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of witBene. Do not you love me?

crackers cannot flout me out of my humour. Dost Beat.

Why, no; no more than reason. thou think, I care for a satire, or an epigram? No: Bene. Why, then, your uncle, and the prince, if a man will be beaten with brains, a' shall wear and Claudio,

nothing handsome about him. In brief, since I do Have been deceived: they swore you did.

purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose Beat. Do not you love me?

that the world can say against it; and therefore Bene.

Troth, no; no more than reason. never flout at me for what I have said against it, for Beat. Why, then, my cousin, Margaret, and Ur- man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion.sula,

For thy part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten Are much deceiv'd; for they did swear, you did. thee; but, in that thou art like to be my kinsman, Bene. They swore that you were almost sick for live unbruised, and love my cousin.

Claud. I had well hoped, thou wouldst have deBeat. They swore that you were well-nigh dead nied Beatrice, that I might have cudgelled thee out

of thy single life, to make thee a double dealer; Bene. 'Tis no such matter.—Then, you do not which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my cousin love me?

do not look exceeding narrowly to thee.

a

me.

for me.

a

Bene. Come, come, we are friends.-Let's have

Enter a Messenger. a dance ere we are married, that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wives' heels.

Mess. My lord, your brother John is ta'en in Leon. We'll have dancing afterward.

flight, Bene. First, of my word; therefore, play, mu- And brought with armed men back to Messina. sic!—Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee Bene. Think pot on him till to-morrow : I'll dea wife : there is no staff more reverend than one vise thee brave punishments for him.-Strike up, tipped with horn.

pipers.

(Dance.

ACT I.-SCENE I.

in his discourses on Scripture, quoted by Edwards, " — with a Messenger”—The old stage-direction runs

speaking of Adam, says—"He whom God had stuffed

with so many excellent qualities.” And, in the Winthus, explaining the relations of the parties to each other,

TER's Tale, we havethere being originally no list of characters :-" Enter

- of stuff'd sufficiency. Leonato, governor of Messina, Imogen his wife, Hero Beatrice starts an idea at the words stuffed man, and his daughter, and Beatrice his niece, with a messenger." It is clear, therefore, that the mother of Hero made her prudently checks herself in the pursuit of it. A stuffed

man appears to have been one of the many cant phrases appearance before the audience, although she says

for a cuckold. nothing throughout the comedy.

“-four of his five wits"—The five senses, long “ I know none of that name"-Beatrice asks after

before the time of Shakespeare, were called the “five Benedick by a term of the fencing-school, “Montanto :"

wits.” In his time wits became the general name for a term with which Capt. Bobadil has made most readers

the intellectual powers, and these, by analogy to the familiar—"Your punto, your reverso, your stoccato,

senses, “the inlets of ideas,” were also supposed to be your montanto," etc. The humour of this the messen

five in number. Shakespeare, in his One hundred and ger does not understand, and answers, “I know none of that name, lady."

forty-first “Sonnet," distinguishes the “five wits” from

the five senses :“He set up his bills”—To " set up bills” was to give

But my five wits, nor my five senses, can public notice of a challenge, by posting placards.

Dissuade one foolish heart from loving thee. “ – challenged Cupid at the FLIGHT"_"' Flights'

"— the fashion of his hat, it ever changes with the were long and light-feathered arrows, that went directly

next BLOCK"-" In the perpetual change of fashions to the mark; bird-bolts, short thick arrows, without a

which was imputed to the English in Elizabeth's day, point, and spreading, at the extremity, into a blunt or

the hat underwent every possible transition of form. nobbed head. The meaning of the whole is—Benedick,

We had intended to have illustrated this by exhibiting from a vain conceit of his influence over women, chal

the principal varieties which we find in pictures of that lenged Cupid at the 'flight-i. e. to shoot at hearts.

day; but if our blocks had been as numerous as these The fool, to ridicule this piece of vanity, in his turn

blocks, we should have filled pages with the graceful challenged Benedick at the bird-bolt-an inferior kind or grotesque caprices of the exquisites from whom of archery, used by fools, who, for obvious reasons,

Brummell inherited his belief in the powers of the hat. were not permitted to shoot with pointed arrows :

Why, Mr. Brummell, does an Englishman always look whence the proverb—A fool's bolt is soon shot.'".

better dressed than a Frenchman?' The oracular reply Douce.

was, “'Tis the hat.' We present, however, the portrait

of one ancient Brummell, with a few hats at his feet to “ – he'll be meet with you”-i. e. He will be even

choose from."-Knight. (See cut, end of scene, p. 44.) with you, or he will be your match—a phrase common in old dramatists, and other writers; and still preserved,

"- the gentleman is not in your books”—“The in colloquial use, in the midland counties of England.

meaning of this expression, which we retain to the

present day, is generally understood. He who is in "— STUFFED with all honourable virtues"_“Stuffed," your books'—or, as we sometimes say, in your good in this first instance, has no ridiculous meaning. Mede, books—is he whom you think well of—whom you trust.

a