SCENE III. Another Apartment in Leonato's House. Enter Don John and Conrade. Conr. What the good-jer, my lord! why are you thus out of measure fad? John. There is no measure in the occafion that breeds it; therefore the fadnefs is without limit. Conr. You should hear reafon. John. And when I have heard it, what bleffing bringeth it? Conr. If not a prefent remedy, yet a patient fuffe rance. John. I wonder, that thou being, (as thou fay'st thou art) born under Saturn, goeft about to apply a moral medicine to a mortifying mifchief. I cannot hide what I am: I must be fad when I have cause, and fmile at no man's jefts; eat when I have ftomach, and wait for no man's leifure; fleep when I am drowsy, and tend on no man's bufinefs; laugh when I am merry, and claw no man in his humour. Conr. Yea, but you must not make the full show of this, till you may do it without controulment, You have of late ftood out against your brother, and he hath ta'en you newly into his grace, where it is impoffible you should take root, but by the fair weather I cannot hide what I am :] This is one of our authour's natural touches An envious and unfocial mind, too proud to give pleasure, and too fullen to receive it, always endeavours to hide its malignity from the world and from itself, under the plainness of fimple honesty, or the dignity of haughty independence. JOHNSON. 7 claw no man in his hum ur.] To claw is to flatter. So the pope's claw-backs, in bishop Jewel, are the pope's flatterers. The fenfe is the fame in the proverb, Mulus mulum ftabit. JOHNSON. VOL, II, R that. that you make yourself: it is needful that you frame the feafon for your own harvest. John. I had rather be a canker in a hedge, than a rofe in his grace; and it better fits my blood to be difdain'd of all, than to fafhion a carriage to rob love from any in this, (though I cannot be faid to be a flattering honeft man) it must not be deny'd but I am a plain-dealing villain. I am trusted with a muzzle, and infranchised with a clog; therefore I have decreed not to fing in my cage: If I had my mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do my liking in the mean time, let me be that I am, and feek not to alter me. Conr. Can you make no use of your difcontent? John. I make all use of it, for I use it only. Who comes here? what news Borachio? Enter Borachio. Bora. I came yonder from a great fupper; the prince, your brother, is royally entertain'd by Leonato; and I can give you intelligence of an intended marriage. John. Will it ferve for any model to build mischief on? What is he for a fool, that betroths himself to unquietness? 8 I had rather be a canker in a hedge, than a rofe in his grace;] A canker is the canker role, dog-rofe, cynfbatus, or hip. The fenfe is, I would rather live in obfcurity the wild life of nature, than owe dignity or estimation to my brother, He still continues his with of gloomy independence. But what is the meaning of the expreffion, a rofe in his grace? if he was a rofe of himself, his brother's grace or favour could not degrade him. I once read thus, I had rather be a canker in a hedge, than a rofe in his garden; that is, I had rather be what nature makes me, however mean, than owe any exaltation or improvement to my brother's kindnefs or cultivation. But a lefs change will be fufficient; I think it fhould be read, I had rather be a canker in a hedge, than a rose by bis grace. JOHNSON, Bora. Bora. Marry, it is your brother's right hand. John. A proper fquire! and who, and who? which way looks he? Bora. Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato. John. A very forward March-chick! How come you to know this? Bora. Being entertain'd for a perfumer, as I was fmoaking a mufty room, comes me the prince and Claudio hand in hand in fad conference. I whipt behind the arras; and there heard it agreed upon, that the prince fhould woo Hero for himself, and having obtained her, give her to count Claudio. John. Come, come, let us thither; this may prove food to my difpleasure. That young start-up hath all the glory of my overthrow; if I can crofs him any way, I blefs myself every way: You are both fure, and will affift me. Conr. To the death, my lord. John. Let us to the great fupper; their cheer is the greater, that I am fubdu'd: 'Would the cook were of my mind!-Shall we go prove what's to be done? Bora. We'll wait upon your lordship. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. A Hall in Leonato's House. Enter Leonato, Antonio, Hero, Beatrice, Margaret, and Urfula. Beat. How tartly that gentleman looks! I never can fee him, but I am heart-burn'd an hour after." Hero. He is of a very melancholy disposition. Beat. He were an excellent man, that were made juft in the mid-way between him and Benedick: the one is too like an image, and fays nothing; and the other too like my lady's eldeft fon, evermore tattling. Leon. Then half fignior Benedick's tongue in count John's mouth, and half count John's melancholy in fignior Benedick's face, Beat. With a good leg, and a good foot, uncle, and money enough in his purfe, fuch a man would win any woman in the world, if he could get her good will. Leon. By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a hufband, if thou be'ft fo fhrewd of thy tongue. Ant. In faith, fhe's too curft. Beat. Too curft is more than curft: I fhall leffen God's fending that way for it is faid, God fends a curft cow short horns; but to a cow too curft he fends none. beart-burn'd an hour after.] The pain commonly called the heart-burn, proceeds from an acid humour in the stomach, and is therefore properly enough imputed to tart looks. JOHNSON. Leon. Leon. So, by being too curft, God will fend you no horns. Beat. Juft, if he fend me no husband; for the which bleffing, I am at him upon my knees every morning and evening: Lord! I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face; I had rather lie in woollen. Leon. You may light upon a husband, that hath no beard. Beat. What fhould I do with him? drefs him in' my apparel, and make him my waiting-gentlewoman? He that hath a beard is more than a youth; and he that hath no beard is lefs than a man: and he that is more than a youth, is not for me; and he that is lefs than a man, I am not for him: therefore I will even take fix-pence in earnest of the bear-herd, and lead his apes into hell. Leo. Well then, go you into hell." Beat. No, but to the gate: and there will the devil meet me, like an old cuckold, with horns on his head, and fay, Get you to heaven, Beatrice, get you to heaven, bere's no place for you maids: fo deliver I up my apes, and away to Saint Peter for the heavens; he fhews me where the batchelors fit, and there live we as merry as the day is long. Ant. 3 Well, niece, I trust, you will be rul'd by your father. [To Hero. Beat. Yes, faith, it is my coufin's duty to make a 3 Well then, &c.] Of the two next fpeeches Mr. Warburton fays, All this impicus nonsense thrown to the bottom is the players, and foifted in without rhyme or reafon. He therefore puts them in the margin. They do not deferve indeed fo honourable a place, yet I am afraid they are too much in the manner of our authour, who is fometimes trying to purchase merriment at too dear a rate. JOHNSON. 2 Leo. Well then, &c.] I have restored the lines omitted. |