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That life is better life, past fearing death,

Than that which lives to fear: make it your comfort; So, happy is your brother.

Re-enter Angelo, Mariana, Peter, and Provost. Ifab. I do, my lord.

Duke. For this new-marry'd man, approaching here, Whofe falt imagination yet hath wrong'd

Your well-defended honour, you must pardon him For Mariana's fake: But as he adjudg'd your brother, (Being criminal, in double violation

Of facred chastity, and in promise-breach,
Thereon dependant, for your brother's life)
The very mercy of the law cries out

Moft audible, even from his proper tongue, 3
An Angelo for Claudio, death for death.

Hafte till pays haste, and leisure answers leisure ;
Like doth quit like, and Measure ftill for Meafure.
Then, Angelo, thy fault's thus manifefted;
Which tho' thou would'ft deny, deny thee 'vantage :4
We do condemn thee to the very block,

Where Claudio ftoop'd to death; and with like hafte
Away with him.

Mari. Oh, my moft gracious lord,

I hope, you will not mock me with a husband!
Duke. It is your husband mock'd you with a huf-
band:

Confenting to the fafeguard of your honour,
I thought your marriage fit; elfe imputation,

—even from his proper tongue,] Even from Angelo's

own tongue. So above.

In the witness of his proper ear

To call him villain.

JOHNSON.

-deny thee vantage:] Take from thee all

nity, all expedient of denial. WARBURTON.

opportu,

For

For that he knew you, might reproach your life,
And choak your good to come. For his poffeffions,
Altho' by confifcation they are ours,

We do enftate and widow you withal,
To buy you a better husband.

Mari. Oh, my dear lord,

I crave no other, nor no better man.

Duke. Never crave him; we are definitive.
Mari. Gentle, my liege-

Duke. You do but lofe your labour;——

Away with him to death.

[Kneeling.

Now, fir, to you.

[To Lucio. Mari. Oh, my good lord !-fweet Ifabel, take my

part;

Lend me your knees, and all my life to come
I'll lend you all my life, to do you fervice.
Duke. Againft all fenfe you do importune her; 5
Should the kneel down, in mercy of this fact,
Her brother's ghoft his paved bed would break,
And take her hence in horror.

Mari. Ifabel,

Sweet Ifabel, do yet but kneel by me;

Hold up your hands, fay nothing, I'll speak all-
They fay, beft men are moulded out of faults;
And, for the moft, become much more the better
For being a little bad, fo may my husband.
-Oh, Ifabel! will you not lend a knee?
Duke. He dies for Claudio's death.

Ifab. Moft bounteous fir,

[Kneeling.

Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd,
As if my brother liv'd: I partly think,

A due fincerity govern'd his deeds,

5 Against all fenfe you do importune her.] The meaning required is, against all reafon and natural affection; Shakespeare, therefore, judiciously ufes a fingle word that implies both; fenfe fignifying both reafon and affection. JOHNSON.

'Till

'Till he did look on me; • fince it is fo,

6

Let him not die. My brother had but justice,
In that he did the thing for which he dy❜d.

For Angelo,

His act did not o'ertake his bad intent;

And must be bury'd but as an intent,

That perish'd by the way: thoughts are no subjects; Intents, but merely thoughts.

Mari. Merely, my lord.

Duke. Your fuit's unprofitable; stand

up,

I fay

I have bethought me of another fault.-
Provost, how came it, Claudio was beheaded
At an unusual hour?

Prov. It was commanded fo.

Duke. Had you a fpecial warrant for the deed? Prov. No, my good lord; it was by private meffage.

Duke. For which I do discharge you of your office: Give up your keys.

Till be did look on me.] The duke has juftly observed that Isabel is importuned against all fenfe to folicit for Angelo, yet here against all fenfe the folicits for him.. Her argument is extraordinary.

A due fincerity govern'd bis deeds,

'Till he did look on me ; fince it is fo,

Let him not die.

That Angelo had committed all the crimes charged against him, as far as he could commit them, is evident. The only intent which bis act did not overtake, was the defilement of Ifabel. Of this Angelo was only intentionally guilty.

Angelo's crimes were fuch, as muft fufficiently justify punishment, whether its end be to fecure the innocent from wrong, or to deter guilt by example; and I believe every reader feels fome indignation when he finds him fpared. From what extenuation of his crime, can Ifabel, who yetfuppofes her brother dead, form any plea in his favour. Since he was good 'till be looked on me, let bim not die. I am afraid our varlet poet intended to inculcate, that women think ill of nothing that raises the credit of their beauty, and are ready, however virtuous, to pardon any act which they think incited by their own charms. JOHNSON.

Prov. Pardon me, noble lord:

I thought it was a fault, but knew it not;
Yet did repent me, after more advice:
For teftimony whereof, one in the prifon,
That should by private order elfe have dy'd,
I have referv'd alive.

Duke. What's he?

Prov. His name is Barnardine.

Duke. I would, thou had'ft done fo by Claudio.Go, fetch him hither; let me look upon him.

[Exit Provoft.
Efcal. I am forry one fo learned and fo wife
As you, lord Angelo, have ftill appear'd,
Should flip fo grofly, both in the heat of blood,
And lack of temper'd judgment afterward.

Ang. I am forry, that fuch forrow I procure;
And fo deep fticks it in my penitent heart,
That I crave death more willingly than mercy;
'Tis my deferving, and I do intreat it.

Re-enter Provoft, Barnardine, Claudio, and Julietta.
Duke. Which is that Barnardine ?

Prov. This, my lord.

Duke. There was a friar told me of this man :Sirrah, thou art said to have a ftubborn foul, That apprehends no further than this world, And fquar'ft thy life according: Thou'rt condemn'd; But, for thofe earthly faults, I quit them all; I pray thee, take this mercy to provide For better times to come. -Friar, advife him;

I leave him to your hand.-What muffled fellow's that?

Prov. This is another prifoner, that I fav'd,

7 for those earthly faults,] Thy faults, fo far as they are punishable on earth, fo far as they are cognifable by temporal power, I forgive. JOHNSON.

Who

Who should have dy'd when Claudio loft his head; : As like almoft to Claudio, as himself.

Duke. If he be like your brother, for his fake

[To Ifab. Is he pardon'd; and for your lovely fake, Give me your hand, and fay, you will be mine, He is my brother too: But fitter time for that. By this, lord Angelo perceives he's fafe;" Methinks, I fee a quickning in his eye: Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well: 9 Look, that you love your wife; her worth, worth yours.'

I find an apt remiffion in myself,

And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon. *
You, firrah, that knew me for a fool, a coward,

One of all luxury, an afs, a mad-man;
Wherein have I deferved fo of you,

That you extol me thus ?

[To Lucie.

Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick: if you will hang me for it, you may; but

-perceives be's fafe;] It is fomewhat ftrange, that Ifabel is not made to exprefs either gratitude, wonder or joy at the fight of her brother. JOHNSON.

?your evil quits you well.] Quits you, recompenfes, requites you. JOHNSON.

-her worth, worth yours.] Sir T. Hanmer reads,

Her worth works yours.

This reading is adopted by Dr. Warburton, but for what reason? How does her worth work Angelo's worth? it has only contributed to work his pardon. The words are, as they are too frequently, an affected gingle, but the fenfe is plain. Her worth, worth yours; that is, her value is equal to your value, the match is not unworthy of you. JOHNSON.

2

-bere's one in place I cannot pardon.] After the pardon of two murderers, Lucio might be treated by the good duke with lefs harshness; but perhaps the poet intended to fhow, what is too often seen, that men easily forgive wrongs which are not committed against themselves. JOHNSON.

I

I had

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