Queen' (Book II., Canto IV.). The European story, which Ariosto and Spenser have thus adopted, has formed also the groundwork of one of Bandello's Italian novels. It was for Shakspere to surround the main incident with those accessories which he could nowhere borrow, and to make of it such a comedy as no other man has made—a comedy not of manners or of sentiment, but of life viewed under its profoundest aspects, whether of the grave or the ludicrous. The title of this comedy, rightly considered, is the best expositor of the idea of this comedy. It is "a representation of the contrast and contradiction between life in its real essence and the aspect which it presents to those who are engaged in its struggle."

The Much Ado about Nothing' was acted under the name of Benedick and Beatrice,' even during the life of its author. These two characters absorb very much of the acting interest of the play; but they cannot be separated from the play without being liable to misconstruction. The character of Beatrice cannot be understood, except in connection with the injuries done to Hero; and except we view it, as well as the characters of all the other agents in the scene, with reference to the one leading idea, that there is a real aspect of things which is to be seen by the audience and not seen by the agents. The character of Don John, for example, and the characters of his loose confederates, are understood by the spectators; and their villainy is purposely transparent. Without Don John the plot could not move. He is not a rival in ClauIdio's love, as the "wicked duke" of Ariosto: he is

simply a moody, ill-conditioned, spiteful rascal ;—such a one as ordinarily takes to backbiting and hinting away character. Shakspere gets rid of him as soon as he can he fires the train and disappears. He would be out of harmony with the happiness which he has suspended, but not destroyed; and so he passes from the stage, with

"Think not on him till to-morrow."

But his instrumentality has been of the utmost importance. It has given us that beautiful altar-scene, that would be almost too tragical if we did not know that the "Much Ado" was "about Nothing." But that maiden's sorrows, and that father's passion, are real aspects of life, however unreal be the cause of them. The instrumentality, too, of the hateful Don John has given us Dogberry and Verges. Coleridge has said, somewhat hastily we think,-" Any other less ingeniously absurd watchmen and night-constables would have answered the mere necessities of the action." Surely not. Make Dogberry in the slightest degree less self-satisfied, loquacious, full of the official stuff of which functionaries are still cut out, and the action breaks down before the rejection of Hero by her lover. For it is not the ingenious absurdity that prevents the detection of the plot against Hero; it is the absurdity which prevents the prompt disclosure of it after the detection. Truly did Don Pedro say, "This learned constable is too cunning to be understood." The wise fellow, and the rich fellow, and the fellow that hath had losses, and one that hath two gowns, and everything handsome about him, nevertheless holds his prisoners

VOL. II.

U

fast; and when he comes to the Prince, with "Marry, sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; secondarily, they are slanders; sixth and lastly, they have belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified unjust things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves," though his method be not logical, his matter is all-sufficient. The passionate lover, the calm and sagacious Prince, the doting father, were the dupes of a treachery, not well compact, and carried through by dangerous instruments. They make no effort to detect what would not have been very difficult of detection they are satisfied to quarrel and to lament. Accident discovers what intelligence could not penetrate; and the treacherous slander is manifest in all its blackness to the wise Dogberry:

"Flat burglary as ever was committed."

Here is the crowning irony of the philosophical poet. The players of the game of life see nothing, or see minute parts only; but the dullest by-stander has glimpses of something more.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

DON PEDRO, Prince of Arragon.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1.

Act II. sc. 1; sc. 3.

Act III. sc. 2.

Act IV. sc. 1.

Act V. sc. 1; sc. 3; sc. 4.

DON JOHN, bastard brother to Don Pedro.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act III. sc. 2. Act IV. sc. 1.

CLAUDIO, a young lord of Florence, favourite of

Appears, Act I. sc. 1.

Act IV. sc. 1.

Don Pedro.

BENEDICK, a young lord of Padua, favourite likewise

of Don Pedro.

LEONATO, Governor of Messina.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 3. Act III. sc. 2; sc. 5. Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 4.

ANTONIO, brother to Leonato.

Appears, Act I. sc. 2.

Act II. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 4.

BALTHAZAR, servant to Don Pedro.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 3.

BORACHIO, follower of Don John.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act III. sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 2. Act V. sc. 1.

CONRADE, follower of Don John.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act III. sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 2. Act V. sc. 1.

DOGBERRY, a city officer.

Appears, Act III. sc. 3; sc. 5. Act IV. sc. 2. Act V. sc. 1.

VERGES, a city officer.

Appears, Act III. sc. 3; sc. 5. Act IV. sc. 2. Act V. sc. 1.
A Sexton.

Appears, Act IV. sc. 2. Act V. sc. 1.
A Friar.

Appears, Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 4.
A Boy.

Appears, Act II. sc. 3.

HERO, daughter to Leonato.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 4.

BEATRICE, niece to Leonato.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 3. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 2; sc. 4.

MARGARET, a gentlewoman attending on Hero. Appears, Act II. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 4. Act V. sc. 2.

URSULA, a gentlewoman attending on Hero. Avpears, Act II. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 4 Act V. sc. 2; se. 4.

Messengers, Watch, and Attendants.

SCENE,-MESSINA.