meet your trouble: the fafhion of the world is to avoid coft, and you encounter it.

Leon. Never came trouble to my houfe in the likenefs of your grace: for trouble being gone, comfort fhould remain; but when you depart from me, forrow abides, and happiness takes his leave.

Pedro. You embrace your charge too willinglyI think, this is your daughter.

Leon. Her mother hath many times told me fo. Bene. Were you in doubt, fir, that you afk'd her? Leon. Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child.

Pedro. You have it full, Benedick: we may guefs by this what you are, being a man. Truly, the lady fathers herfelf: Be happy, lady! for you are like an honourable father.

Bene. If fignior Leonato be her father, she would not have his head on her fhoulders for all Meffina, as like him as fhe is.

Beat. I wonder, that you will ftill be talking, fignior Benedick; no body marks you.

Bene. What, my dear lady Disdain! are you yet living?

Beat. Is it poffible, Difdain fhould die, while fhe hath fuch meet food to feed it as fignior Benedick? Courtesy itself muft convert to Difdain, if you come in her prefence.

Bene. Then is courtefy a turn-coat: but it is certain, I am lov'd of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart; for, truly, I love none.

Beat. A dear happiness to women; they would elfe have been troubled with a pernicious fuitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for

You embrace your charge- -] That is your buriken, your in

cumbrance.

JOHNSON:

that; I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow, than a man fwear he loves me.

Bene. God keep your ladyfhip ftill in that mind! fo fome gentleman or other fhall 'fcape a predestinate fcratcht face.

Beat. Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere fuch a face as yours were.

Bene. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher.

Beat. A bird of my tongue is better than a beaft of yours.

Bene. I would my horfe had the speed of of your tongue, and fo good a continuer but keep your way o'God's name; I have done.

Beat. You always end with a jade's trick; I know you of old.

Pedro. This is the fum of all: Leonato,-fignior Claudio, and fignior Benedick,-my dear friend Leonato hath invited you all. I tell him, we shall stay here at the leaft a month; and he heartily prays, fome occafion may detain us longer: I dare fwear he is no hypocrite, but prays from his heart.

Leon. If you fwear, my lord, you fhall not be forfworn.--Let me bid you welcome, my lord: being reconciled to the prince your brother, I owe you all duty.

John, I thank you: I am not of many words, but I thank you.

Leon. Please it your Grace lead on?

Pedro. Your hand, Leonato; we will go together. [Exeunt all but Benedick and Claudio. Claud. Benedick, didft thou note the daughter of fignior Leonato?

Bene. I noted her not; but I look'd on her.
Claud. Is the not a modeft young lady?

Bene Do you question me, as an honeft man fhould do, for my fimple true judgment? or would you

have me speak after my cuftom, as being a professed tyrant to their fex?

Claud. No, I pry'ythee, speak in sober judgment.

Bene. Why, i'faith, methinks the is too low for an high praife, too brown for a fair praise, and too little for a great praise: only this commendation I can afford her; that were fhe other than fhe is, fhe were unhandsome; and being no other but as she is, I do not like her.

Claud. Thou think'ft, I am in fport; I pray thee, tell me truly how thou lik'ft her.

Bene. Would you buy her, that you enquire after her?

Claud. Can the world buy such a jewel?

7

Bene. Yea, and a cafe to put it into. But fpeak you this with a fad brow? or do you play the flouting Jack; to tell us Cupid is a good hare-finder, aud Vulcan a rare carpenter? Come, in what key shall a man take you, to go in the fong?

7

-to tell us, Cupid is a good bare-finder, &c.] I know not whether I conceive the jeft here intended. Claudio hints his bve of Hero. Benedick afks whether he is ferious, or whether he only means to jeft, and tell them that Cupid is a good barefader, and Vulcan a rare carpenter. A man praifing a pretty lady i jeft, may fhew the quick fight of Cupid, but what has it to do with the carpentry of Vulcan? Perhaps the thought lies no deeper than this, Do you mean to tell us as new what we all know already? JOHNSON.

1 believe no more is meant by thofe ludicrous expreffions than this.

Do you mean, fays Benedick, to amuse us with improbable ftories i

An ingenious correfpondent, whofe fignature is R. W. explainsthe paffage in the fame fenfe, but more amply. "Do you mean tell us that love is not blind, and that fire will not confume what is combuftible ?"— -for both these propofitions are implicain making Cupid a good bare-finder, and Vulcan (the God of fire) good carpenter. In other words, would you convince me whofe option on this head is well known, that you can be in love with. out being lind, and can play with the flame of beauty without being Scorched. STEEVENS.

Claud.

"Claud. In mine eye, fhe is the sweetest lady that I

ever look'd on..

Bene. I can fee yet without fpectacles, and I fee no fuch matter: there's her coufin, an fhe were not poffefs'd with a fury, exceeds her as much in beauty, as the first of May doth the laft of December. But I hope, you have no intent to turn husband; have you?

Claud. I would fcarce truft myself, tho' I had fworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife.

Bene. Is't come to this, in faith? Hath not the world one man, but he will wear his cap with fufpicion? Shall I never fee a batchelor of threefcore again? Go to, i'faith, an thou wilt needs thrust thy něck into a yoke, wear the print of it, and figh away Sundays. Look, Don Pedro is return'd to feek you.

Re-enter Don Pedro and Don John.

Pedro. What fecret hath held you here, that you follow'd not to Leonato's.

Bene. I would, your Grace would conftrain me to tell.

Pedro. I charge thee on thy allegiance.

Bene. You hear, Count Claudio: I can be fecret as a dumb man, I would have you think fo; but, on my allegiance,-mark you this,-on my allegiance.-He is in love. With who?-now that is your grace's part. Mark, how fhort his anfwer is:-with Heo, Leonato's fhort daughter.

wear his cap with fufpicion ?] That is, fubje&t hi head to the difquiet of jealoufy. JOHNSON.

9

-figh away Sundays:] A proverbial expreffio to fig nify that a man has no reft at all; when Sunday, a day ormerly of cafe and diverfion, was paffed fo uncomfortably.

WARNRTON.

Claud.

Claud. If this were fo, fo were it uttered, '

Bene. Like the old tale, my lord: it is not fo, nor 'twas not fo; but, indeed, God forbid it fhould be.

fo.

Claud. If my paffion change not fhortly, God förbid it fhould be otherwife.

Pedro. Amen, if you love her, for the lady is very well worthy.

Claud. You fpeak this to fetch me in, my lord. Pedro. By my troth, I fpeak my thought. Claud. And, in faith my lord, I spoke mine. Bene. And, by my two faiths and troths, my lord, I speak mine.

Claud. That I love her, I feel.

Pedro. That he is worthy, I know.

Bene. That I neither feel how the fhould be loved, nor know how the fhould be worthy, is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me; I will die in it at the stake.

Claud. If this were fo, fo were it uttered.] This and the three next fpeeches I do not well understand; there feems fomething omitted relating to Hero's confent, or to Claudio's marriage, elle I know not what Claudio can with not to be other-wife. The copies all read alike. Perhaps it may be better thus,

Claud. If this were fo, fo were it.

Bene, Uttered like the old tale, &c. Claudio gives a fullen anfwer, if it is fo, fo it is. Still there feems fomething omitted which Claudio and Pedro concur in wishing.

JOHNSON.

If (fays Claudio, evading an explicit answer) this affertion of his were true, it is a truth that might quickly be declared. He alludes to the fort aufwer, c. which Benedick has juft mentioned. Benedick replies, My lord, he is like the old riddling tale, it is not jo, and 'twas not fo; but (now he mentions his own private with) Ifay, God forbid that it should be fo! Claudio then re-affumes his part in the dialogue, and adds, If I do not change the object of my affections, God forbid it should be otherwife. Benedick, by faying God forbid it should be fo, means God forbid you should be married. The other returns for answer, If I continue as much in love with her as I am at prefent, God forbid I should not. STEEVENS,

I

Pedro.