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MEASURE

FOR

MEASURE

VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna.

Angelo, Lord Deputy in the Duke's abfence.

Escalus,} 2 an ancient Lord, join'd with Angelo in the

Deputation.

Claudio, a young gentleman.

Lucio, a fantastick.

Two Gentlemen.

Varrius, a gentleman, fervant to the Duke.
Provoft.

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Efcal. My Lord.

Duke. Of Government the properties t'unfold,

Would feem in me t'affect fpeech and dif-
course.

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)

(1)

X 4

-then no more remaines:

Put that to your Sufficiency, as your Worth is able,

Put

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 Senfe! What was Efcalus to put to his Sufficiency? Why, his Science. But his Science and his Sufficiency were but One and the fame Thing. On what then does the Relative, them, depend? The old Editions read thus.

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Here, again, the Senfe is manifeftly lame and defective, and as the Verfification is fo too, they concur to make me think, a Line has accidentally been left out. Perhaps, fomething like This might supply our Author's Meaning.

-Them

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 supply;

Lent him our Terror, dreft him with our Love;
And giv'n his Deputation all the organs

Of our own Power: fay, what think you of it?
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 thy felf and thy belongings
Are not thine own fo proper, as to wafte
Thy felf upon thy virtues; they on thee.
Heav'n doth with us, as we with torches do,

Then no more remains,

But that to your Sufficiency you add

Due Diligency, as your Worth is able;

And let them work.

By fome fuch Supplement both the Sense and Measure would be cur'd. But as the Conjecture is unfupported by any Authorities, I have not pretended to thruft 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 under moft Word, and so leave out the intermediate part of the Sentence.

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 smallest fcruple of her excellence,
But, like a thrifty Goddefs, the determines
Her felf the glory of a creditor,

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

In our Remove, be thou at full our felf.
Mortality and Mercy in Vienna

Live in thy tongue and heart: old Efcatus,
Though firft in queftion, is thy Secondary.
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 ftampt upon it.

Duke. Come, no more evafion:"

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 it felf, 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;

Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do

(2)

-for if our Virtues

Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we bad them not.] This Sentiment feems to have sprurg from the following Paffage of Horace, Lib. 4. Ode 9.

Paullum fepulta diftat Inertia

Celata Virtus.

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