!

how you may be converted, I know not; but, me-
thinks, you look with your eyes as other women
do.

Beat. What pace is this that thy tongue keeps?
Marg. Not a falfse gallop.

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 House.

[Exeunt.

Enter Leonato, with Dogberry and Verges.

Leon. What would you with me, honeft neighbour?

Dogb. Marry, fir, I would have some confidence with you, that decerns you nearly.

Leon. Brief, I pray you; for, you fee, 'tis a busy 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, be eats not his meat without grudging; but
it is impoffible to fix the meaning of proverbial expreffions: per-
haps, to eat meat without grudging, was the fame as, to do as others
do, and the meaning is, be is content to live by eating like other mor-
tals, and will be content, notwithstanding his boafts, like other mortals,
to bave a wife. JOHNSON,

but,

but, in faith, as honeft as the fkin 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. Comparisons are odorous; palabras, neighbour Verges.

Leon. Neighbours, you are tedious.

Dogb. It pleases your worship to fay fo, 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 bestow 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 ar rant knaves as any in Messina.

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; an

91 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 expreflies it, take off the glofs of virtue, and bring much defilement on the manners. For, as a great wit fays, Youth is the feafon of virtue: corruptions grow with years, and I believe the oldeft rogue in England is the greateft. WARBURTON. Much of this is true, but I believe Shakespeare did not intend to bestow all this reflection on the fpeaker. JOHNSON.

two men ride of a horse, one must ride behind: An honeft foul, i'faith, fir; by my troth he is, as ever broke bread: but, God is to be worfhipp'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 it me; I am now in great hafte, as may appear unto you.

Dogb. It fhall be fuffigance.

Leon. Drink fome wine ere you go: fare you well.

Enter a Messenger.

Meff. My lord, they stay for you to give your daughter to her husband.

Leon. I will wait upon them; I am ready.

[Exeunt Lecnato. 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

3 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 underftanding can belong but to one, and that happy one ought not to defpite 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.

Enter Don Pedro, Don John, Leonato, Friar, Claudio, Benedick, Hero, and Beatrice.

C

LEON AT 0.

O ME, friar Francis, be brief; only to the plain form of marriage, and you shall 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

Bele.

2

Bene. How now! Interjections? Why, then fome be of laughing, as, ha, ha, he!

Claud. Stand thee by, friar: Father, by your leave; Will you with free and unconstrained foul

Give me this maid your daughter?

Leon. As freely, fon, as God did give her me.
Claud. And what have I to give you back, whofe
worth

May counterpoife this rich and precious gift?
Pedro. Nothing, unless you render her again.
Claud. Sweet prince, you learn me noble thankful-
nefs:-

There, Leonato, take her back again;

Give not this rotten orange to your friend;
She's but the fign and femblance of her honour:-
Behold, how like a maid fhe blushes here:
O, what authority and fhew of truth
Can cunning fin cover itself withal!
Comes not that blood, as modest evidence,
To witnefs fimple virtue? Would you not fwear,
All you that fee her, that fhe were a maid,
By thefe exterior fhews? But fhe is none :
She knows the heat of a luxurious bed: 3
Her blush is guiltinefs, not modefty.
Leon. What do you mean, my lord?
Claud. Not to be marry'd;

Not knit my foul to an approved wanton.

Leon. Dear my lord, if you in your own approof

Have

2 fome be of laughing,] This is a quotation from the Accidence. JOHNSON.

3

-luxurious bed :] That is, lafcivious. Luxury is the confeffor's term for unlawful pleafures of the fex. JOHNSON.

4 Dear my lord, if you in your own proof] I am furpriz'd the poetical editors did not obferve the lameness of this verfe. It evidently wants a fyllable in the last foot, which I have restored by a word, which, I prefume, the first editors might hefitate at; tho' it is a very proper one, and a word elsewhere used by our author.

Befides,