killed his father Joafh," &c. With this quotation I was furnished by Mr. Malone.

A quarto volume of plays attributed to Shakspeare, with the cypher of King Charles II. on the back of it, is preserved in Mr. Garrick's collection.

Though we are well convinced that Shakspeare has written flight ballads for the fake of difcriminating characters more strongly, or for other neceffary purposes, in the course of his mixed dramas, it is fcarce credible, that after he had cleared his stage, he should exhibit his Clown afresh, and with fo poor a recommendation as this fong, which is utterly unconnect.d with the subject of the preceding comedy. I do not therefore hefitate to call the nonfenfical ditty before us, fome buffoon actor's compofition, which was accidentally tacked to the Prompter's copy of Twelfth-Night, having been cafually fubjoined to it for the diverfion, or at the call, of the lowest order of fpectators. In the year 1766, I faw the late Mr. Wefton fummoned out and obliged to fing Johnny Pringle and his Pig, after the performance of Voltaire's Mahomet, at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane.

STEEVENS,

This play is in the graver part elegant and eafy, and in fome of the Fighter fcenes exquifitely humourous. Ague-cheek is drawn with great propriety, but his character is, in a great measure, that of natural fatuity, and is therefore not the proper prey of a satirist. The foliloquy of Malvolio is truly comic; he is betrayed to ridicule merely by his pride. The marriage of Olivia, and the fucceeding perplexity, though well enough contrived to divert the stage, wants credibility, and fails to produce the proper inftruction required in the drama, as it exhibits no juft picture of life.

MEASURE

FOR

MEASURE.

T 3.

MEASURE FOR MEASURE.] The story is taken from Cinthio's Novels, Decad. 8, Novel 5. POPE.

We are fent to Cinthio for the plot of Meafure for Measure, and Shakfpeare's judgment hath been attacked for fome deviations from him in the conduct of it, when probably all he knew of the matter was from Madam Ifabella, in The Heptameron of Whetstone, Lond. 4to, 1582.She reports, in the fourth dayes Exercife, the rare Hiftorie of Promos and Caffandra. A marginal note informs us, that Whetstone was the author of the Comedie on that fubject; which likewife had probably fallen into the hands of Shakfpeare. FARMER.

There is perhaps not one of Shakspeare's plays more darkened than this by the peculiarities of its author, and the unfkilfulness of its editors, by distortions of phrafe, or negligence of transcription. JOHNSON.

Dr. Johnson's remark is fo juft refpecting the corruptions of this play, that I fhall not attempt much reformation in its metre, which is too often rough, redundant, and irregular. Additions and omiffions (however trifling) cannot be made without conftant notice of them; and fuch notices, in the prefent inftance, would fo frequently occur, as to become equally tire fome to the commentator and the reader.

Shakspeare took the fable of this play from the Promos and Cassandra of George Whetstone, published in 1578. See Theobald's note at the end.

A hint, like a feed, is more or lefs prolific, according to the qualities of the foil on which it is thrown. This story, which in the hands of Whetftone produced little more than barren infipidity, under the culture of Shakfpeare became fertile of entertainment. The curious reader will find that the old play of Promos and Caffandra exhibits an almost complete embryo of Measure for Meafure; yet the hints on which it is formed are fo flight, that it is nearly as impoffible to detect them, as it is to point out in the acorn the future ramifications of the oak.

Whetstone opens his play thus:

A&t I. Scene i.

"Promos, Mayor, Shirife, Sworde bearer: one with a bunche of keyes; Phallax, Promos Man.

"You officers which now in Julio staye,

"Know you your leadge, the King of Hungarie,

"Sent me to Promos, to joyne with you in sway :
"That ftyll we may to Juftice have an eye.
"And now to fhow my rule and power at lardge,
"Attentivelie his letters patents heare:

"Phaliax, reade out my Soveraines chardge.
Phal. As you commaunde I wyll give heedeful eare.

Pro.

Phallax readeth the Kinges Letters Pattents, which must be fayre written in parchment, with fome great counterfeat

zeale.

"Loe, here you fee what is our Soveraignes wyl,
"Loe, heare his with, that right, not might, beare fwaye :
"Loe, heare his care, to weede from good the yll,
"To fcoorge the wights, good lawes that difobay.

"Such

Pro.

"Such zeale he beares, unto the common weale,
"(How fo he byds, the ignoraunt to fave)

"As he commaundes, the lewde doo rigor feele, &c. &c. &c

"Both fwoorde and keies, unto my princes ufe,
"I do receyve, and gladlie take my chardge.
"It refteth now, for to reforme abuse,

"We poynt a tyme of counfell more at lardge,
"To treate of which, a whyle we wyll depart.

Al. Speake. "To worke your wyll, we yeelde a willing hart.

Exeunt."

The reader will find the argument of G. Whetstone's Promos and Caffandra, at the end of this play. It is too bulky to be inferted here. See likewife the piece itself among Six old Plays on which Shakspeare founded, &c. published by S. Leacroft, Charing-crofs. STEEVENS.

Measure for Meafure was, I believe, written in 1603. See An Attempt to ascertain the Order of Shakspeare's Plays, Vol. I. MALONE.