Beat. What means the fool, trow? Marg. Nothing I; but God fend every one their heart's defire! Hero. These gloves the count fent me, they are an excellent perfume. Beat. I am ftuff'd, coufin, I cannot smell. Marg. A maid, and ftuff 'd! there's goodly catching of cold. Beat. O, God help me! God help me! how long have you profefs'd apprehenfion? Marg. Ever since you left it: Doth not my wit become me rarely? Beat. It is not feen enough, you should wear it in your cap -By my troth, I am fick. Marg. Get you fome of this diftill'd Carduus Be. nedictus, and lay it to your heart; it is the only thing for a qualm. Hero. There thou prick'ft her with a thistle. Beat. Benedictus! why Benedictus? you have 7 fome moral in this Benedictus. Marg. Moral? no, by my troth, I have no moral meaning; I meant plain holy-thiftle. You may think, perchance, that I think you are in love: nay,. by'rlady, I am not fuch a fool to think what I lift; nor I lift not to think what I can; nor, indeed, I cannot think, if would think my heart out o' thinking, that you are in love, or that you will be in love, or that you can be in love: yet Benedick was fuch another, and now is he become a man: he fwore, he would never marry; and yet now, in defpight of his heart, he eats his meat without grudging and 8 how former condition or opinion. So in The Honeft Whore, by Decker, 1616. STEEVENS. "If you turn Turk again, &c." fome moral That is, fome fecret meaning, like the moral of a fable. JOHNSON. * he eats his meat without grudging: I do not fee how this is a U 2 proof how you may be converted, I know not; but, methinks, you look with your eyes as other women do. Beat. What pace is this that thy tongue keeps? Enter Urfula. Urf. Madam, withdraw; the prince, the count, fignior Benedick, Don John, and all the gallants of the town, are come to fetch you to church. Hero. Help to drefs me, good coz, good Meg, good Urfula. SCENE V. Another Apartment in Leonato's Houfe. [Exeunt. Enter Leonato, with Dogberry and Verges. Leon. What would you with me, honeft neighbour? Dogb. Marry, fir, I would have fome confidence with you, that decerns you nearly. Leon. Brief, I pray you; for, you fee, 'tis a bufy time with me. Dogb. Marry, this it is, fir. Verg. Yes, in truth it is, fir. Leon. What is it, my good friends? Dogb. Goodman Verges, fir, fpeaks a little of the matter an old man, fir, and his wits are not fo blunt, as, God help, I would defire they were ; proof of Benedick's change of mind. It would afford more proof of amoroufnefs to fay, he eats not his meat without grudging; but it is impoffible to fix the meaning of proverbial expreffions: perhaps, to eat meat without grudging, was the fame as, to do as others do, and the meaning is, he is content to live by eating like other mortals, and will be content, notwithstanding bis beafts, like other mortals, to have a wife. JOHNSON. but, but, in faith, as honest as the skin between his brows. Verg. Yes, I thank God,' I am as honeft as any man living, that is an old man, and no honefter than I. Dogb. Comparifons are odorous; palabras, neighbour Verges. Leon. Neighbours, you are tedious. Dogb. It pleases your worship to say so, but we are the poor duke's officers; but, truly, for mine own. part, if I were as tedious as a king, I could find in my heart to beftow it all of your worship. Leon. All thy tedioufnefs on me! ha! Dogb. Yea, and 'twere a thousand times more than 'tis for I hear as good exclamation on your worship, as of any man in the city; and tho' I be but a poor man, I am glad to hear it. Verg. And fo am I. Leon. I would fain know what you have to fay. Verg. Marry, fir, our watch to-night, excepting your worship's prefence, hath ta'en a couple of as arrant knaves as any in Meffina. Dogb. A good old man, fir; he will be talking, as they fay; when the age is in, the wit is out; God help us! it is a world to fee!-Well faid, i'faith, neighbour Verges :-well, God's a good man; I am as honeft as any man living, that is an old man, and no bonefter than I.] There is much humour, and extreme good fenfe under the covering of this blundering expreffion. It is a fly infinuation that length of years, and the being much backnied in the ways of men, as Shakespeare exprefies it, take off the glofs of virtue, and bring much defilement on the manners. For, as a great wit fays, Youth is the jeafon of virtue: corruptions grow with years, and I believe the oldeft rogue in England is the grateft. WARBURTON. Much of this is true, but I believe Shakespeare did not intend so beflow all this reflection on the fpeaker. JOHNSON. two men ride of a horfe, one muft ride behind: 'An honest foul, i'faith, fir; by my troth he is, as ever broke bread: but, God is to be worshipp'd; All men are not alike; alas, good neighbour ! . Leon. Indeed, neighbour, he comes too fhort of you. Dogb. Gifts, that God gives. Leon. I must leave you. Dogb. One word, fir: our watch have, indeed, comprehended two afpicious perfons, and we would have them this morning examin'd before your worfhip. Leon. Take their examination yourself, and bring I am now in great hafte, as may appear unto it me; you. Dogb. It fhall be fuffigance. Leon. Drink fome wine ere you go: fare you well. Enter a Messenger. Me. My lord, they ftay for you to give your daughter to her husband. Leon. I will wait upon them; I am ready. [Exeunt Leonato. Dogb. Go, good partner, go, get you to Francis Seacoal, bid him bring his pen and inkhorn to the jail; we are now to examination these men. Verg. And we must do it wifely. Dogb. We will fpare for no wit, I warrant you; here's that [touching his forehead] fhall drive fome of 1 an two men ride, &c.]This is not out of place, or without meaning. Dogberry, in his vanity of fuperiour parts, apologizing for his neighbour, obferves, that of two men on an herfe, one must ride behind. The first place of rank or understanding can belong but to one, and that happy one ought not to defpife his inferiour. JOHNSON. them them to a non-com. Only get the learned writer to fet down our excommunication, and meet me at the jail. [Exeunt. ACT IV. A SCENE I. CHURCH. Enter Don Pedro, Don John, Leonato, Friar, Claudio, Benedick, Hero, and Beatrice. LEON AT O. O ME, friar Francis, be brief; only to the plain form of marriage, and you fhall recount their particular duties afterwards. Friar. You come hither, my lord, to marry this lady? Claud. No. Leon. To be marry'd to her, friar. You come to marry her. Friar. Lady, you come hither to be marry'd to this count? Hero. I do. Friar. If either of you know any inward impedi ment why you should not be conjoined, I charge you, on your fouls, to utter it. Claud. Know you any, Hero? Hero. None, my lord. Friar. Know you any, count? Leon. I dare make his anfwer, none, Claud. O what men dare do! what men may do! what Men daily do not knowing what they do! U 4 Bene |