Touch. According to the fool's bolt, Sir, aud such dulcet diseases. Jaq. But for the seventh cause; how did you find the quarrel on the seventh cause ? Touch. Upon a lie seven times removed;Bear your body more seeming,• Audrey :—as thus, Sir. I did dislike the cut of a certain courtier's beard; he sent me word, if I szió bis beard was not cut well, he was in the mind it was: This is called the Retort courteous. If I sent him word again, it was not well cut, be would send me word, he cut it to please timself: This is called the Quip modest. If again, it was not well cut, he disabled my judgment: This is called the Reply churlish. If again, it was not well cut, he would answer, I spake not true: This is called the Reproof valiant. If again, it was not well cut, be would say, I fe: This is called the Countercheck quarrelsome : and so to the Lie circumstantial, and the Lie direct. Jaq. And how oft did you say, his beard was not well cut? Touch. I durst go no further than the Lie circumstantial, nor he durst not give me the Lie direct; and so we measured swords, and parted. Jaq. Can you nominate in order now the degrees of the lie? Touch. O Sir, we quarrel in print, by the book; as you have books for good mauners: i will name you the degrees. The first, the Re You your's, Orlando, to receive his daughter :-tort courteous; the second, the Quip modest; [Exeunt ROSALIND and CELIA. Duke S. I do remember in this shepherd-boy Some lively touches of my daughter's favour. Orl. My lord, the first time that 1 ever saw him, Methought be was a brother to your daughter: * Enter TOUCHSTONE and AUDREY. the third, the Reply churlish; the fourth, the Reproof valiant; the fifth, the Countercbeek quarrelsome: the sixth, the Lie with circumstance; the seventh, the Lie direct. All these you may avoid, but the lie direct; and you may avoid that too, with an If. I knew when seven justices could not take up a quarrel; but when the parties were met themselves, one of them thought but of an If, as If you said so, then I said so; and they shook hands, and swore brothers. Your If is the only peacemaker; much virtue in If. Juq. Is not this a rare fellow, my lord ? he's as good at any thing, and yet a fool. Duke S. He uses his folly like a stalking-horse, and under the presentation of that, he shoots las wit. Jaq. There is, sure, another flood toward, and Enter HYMEN, leading ROSALIND in woman's these couples are coming to the ark! Here comes a pair of very strange beasts, which in all tongues are called fools. Touch. Salutation and greeting to you all! Jaq. Good my lord, bid him welcome: This is the motley-minded gentleman, that I have so often met in the forest: he hath been a courtier, be swears. Touch. it any man doubt that, let him put me to my purgation. I have trod a measure; [ have flattered a lady: I have been politic with my friend, smooth with my enemy; I have undone three tailors; I have had four quarrels, and like to have fought one. Jaq. And bow was that ta'en up? Touch. 'Faith, we met, and found the quarrel was upon the seventh cause. Jaq. How seventh cause ?-Good my lord, like this fellow. Duke S. 1 like him very well. Touch, God'ild you, Sir; I desire you of the like. I press in here, Sir, amongst the rest of the country copulatives, to swear, and to forswear; according as marriage binds, and blood breaks :-A poor virgin, Sir, an ill favoured thing, Sir, but mine own; a poor humour of mine, to take that that no man eise will: Rich honesty dwells like a miser, Sir, in a poor-house as your pearl, in your foul oyster. Duke S. By my faith, he is very swift and scutentions. A stately solemn dance. clothes; and CELIA, Hym. Then is there mirth in heaven, Good duke, receive thy daughter, Whose heart within her bosom is. Ros. To you I give myself, for I am your's." [TO DUKE S. To you I give myself, for I am your's... [TO ORLANDO. Duke S. If there be truth in sight, you are my daughter. Orl. If there be truth in sight, you are my Rosalind. Phe. If sight and shape be true, Why then,-my love, adieu! Ros I'll have no father, if you be not he :— [To DUKE S. I'll bave no husband, if you be not he : Hym. Peace ho! I bar confusion, Of these most strange events: If truth holds true contents. • [To ORLANDO and ROSALIND. You and you are heart in heart: [To OLIVER and CELIA. According to the measure of their states. grooms all, you brides and bride With measure heap'd in joy to the measures fall. Jaq. Sir, by your patience; If I heard you rightly, The duke hath put on a religious life, And thrown into neglect the pompous court? Jaq. To him will I; out of these convertites [TO TOUCHSTONE and AUDREY. There is much matter to be heard and learn'd.— As the winter to foul weather. I am the second son of old Sir Rowland, [To DUKE S. Your patience, and your virtue well deserves it: You [To ORLANDO] to a love, that your true faith doth merit : You [To OLIVER] to your land, and love, and great allies : You [To SILVIUS] to a long and well deserved bed ; And you [To TOUCHSTONE] to wrangling; for thy loving voyage Is but for two months victual'd :-So to your I am for other than for dancing measures. Jaq. To see no pastime, I-what you would have I'll stay to know at your abandon'd cave. [Exit, Duke. S. Proceed, proceed we will begin these rites, And we do trust they'll end in true delights. [A dance. EPILOGUE. Ros. It is not the fashion to see the lady the That bring these tidings to this fair assembly:-epilogue: but it is no more unhandsome, than Duke Frederick, hearing how that every day Duke. S. Welcome, young man ; Shall share the good of our returned fortune, to see the lord the prologne. If it be true, that good wine needs no bush, 'tis true, that a good play needs no epilogue: Yet to good wine they do use good bushes; and good plays prove the better by the help of good epilogues. What a case am I in then, that am neither a good epilogue, nor cannot insinuate with you in the behalf of a good play! I am not furnished like a beggar, therefore to beg will not become me my way is, to conjure you; and I'll begin with the women. I charge you, O women, for the love you bear to men, to like as inuch of this play as please them and so I charge you, O men, for the love you bear to women, (as I perceive by your simpering, none of you hate them,) that between you and the women, the play may please. If I were a woman, I would kiss as many of you as had beards that pleased me, complexions that liked me, and breaths that I defied not; and, I am sure, as many as have good beards, or good faces, or sweet breaths, will, for my kind offer, when I make curt'sy, bid me farewell. • Dressed. [Exeunt. That I liked. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE. IN the fifth book of Orlandɔ Furioso, and in B. II. c. iv. of Spenser's Fairie Queene, a story partly umiar te the fable of this drama may be found; but a novel in the Histoires Tragiques of Belleforest Laken from Bandello) approaches nearest to the design, and probably suggested the idea, of Much ado about Ne thing. The plot is pleasingly intricate; the characters novel and striking; the dialogue exceedingly vinəcious, and well supported to the end. Beatrice and Benedick are two of the most sprightly and amasing characters that Shakspeare ever drew. Wit, humour, nobility, and courage, are combined in the latter though his sallies are not always restrained by reverence or discretion: and if the levity of the forme is somewhat opposed to the becoming reserve and delicacy of the female character, it shows to more advantage the steadiness of her friendship, and the amiable decision of her character, when urging her lover to challenge his most intimate frieud; and as the best claim upon her affection, to risk, bis life in viudicating the purity of her injured, companion Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it. Mess. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even so much, that joy could not show itself modest enough, without a badge of bitterness. Leon. Did he break out into tears ? Leon. A kind overflow of kindness: There are no faces truer than those that are so washed. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping? Beat. I pray you, is signior Moutanto returned from the wars, or no? Mess. I know none of that name, lady; there was none such in the army of any sort. Leon. What is he that you ask for, niece ? Hero. My cousin means signior Benedick of Padua. Mess. Oh he is returned; and as pleasant as ever he was. Beat. He set up his bills here in Messing, and challenged Cupid at the flight: + and my uncle's fool, reading the challenge, subscribed Mess. He hath done good service, lady, in these wars. Beat, You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it be is a very valiant trencherinan, he hath an excellent stomach. Mess. And a good soldier too, lady. Beat. And a good soldier to a lady;-But what is he to a lord ? Mess. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuffed with all honourable virtues. Beat. It is so, indeed; he is no less than a stuffed man: but for the stuffing,-Well, we are all mortal. Leon. You must not, Sir, mistake my niece: there is a kind of merry war betwixt siguior Benedick and her they never meet, but there is a skirmish of wit between them. Bene. If siguior Leonato be her father, she would not have his head on her shoulders, for all Messina, as like him as she is. Beat. I wonder, that you will still be talking, signior Benedick; nobody marks you. Bene. What, my dear lady Disdain! are you yet living? Beat. Is it possible, disdain should die, while she hath such meet food to feed it, as signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you come in her presence. Bene. Then is courtesy a turn-coat :-But it is certain, I am loved 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 else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God, and my cold blood, am of your humour for that; I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow, than a man swear be loves me. Bene. God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so some gentleman or other shall 'scape a predestinate scratched face. Beat. Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere such a face as your's were. Bene. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher. Beat. A bird of my tongue, is better than à Beat. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last conflict, four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one so that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a difference be-beast of your's. tween himself and his horse for it is all the Bene. I would my horse had the speed of your wealth that he hath left, to be known a reason-tongue; and so good a continuer: But keep your able creature.-Who is his companion now? He way o' God's name; I have done. hath every month a new sworu brother. Mess. Is it possible? Beat. Very easily possible: he wears his faith but of the fashion of his hat, it ever changes with the next block. Mess. I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books. Beat. No: an be were, I would burn my study. But, I pray you, who is his companion? Is there no young squarer now, that will make a voyage with him to the devil. Mess. He is most in the company of the right noble Claudio. Beat. O Lord! he will hang upon him like a disease: he is sooner caught than the pestilence, and the taker runs presently mad. God help the noble Claudio! if he bave caught the Benedick, it will cost him a thousand pound ere he be cured. Mess. I will hold friends with you, lady. Leon. You will never run mad, niece. Enter Don PEDRO, attended by BALTHAZAR and others, Don JOHN, CLAUDIO, and BENE Beat. You always end with a jade's trick; I know you of old. D. Pedro. This is the sum of all: Leouato,siguior Claudio, and signior Benedick,-my dear friend Leonato, hath invited you all. I tell him, we shall stay here at least a month; and he heartily prays, some occasion may detain us log ger: I dare swear he is no hypocrite, but prays from his heart. Leon. If you swear, my lord, you shall not be forsworn.-Let me bid you welcome, my lord: being reconciled to the prince your brother, I owe you all duty. D. John. I thank you: I am not of many words, but I thank you. Leon. Please it your grace lead on? D. Pedro. Your hand, Leonato; we will go together. [Exeunt all but BENEDICK and CLAUDIO, Claud. Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of signior Leonato ? Bene. I noted her not; but I looked on her. Claud. Is she not a modest young lady? Bene. Do you question me, as an honest man should do, for my simple true judgment; or would you have me speak after my custom, as being a professed tyrant to their sex? Claud. No, I pray thee, speak in sobër judg ment. Bene. Why, i'faith, methinks she is too low for a high praise, toc brown for a fair praise, and too little for a great praise: only this commendation I can afford her; that were she other than she is, she were unhandsome; and being no other but as she is, I do not like her. Claud. Thou thinkest, I am in sport; 1 pray thee, tell me truly how thou Bikest her. Bene. Would you buy her, that you inquire after her. But Claud. Can the world buy such a jewel? Bene. Yea, and a case to put it into. speak you this with a sad brow? or do you play the flouting Jack; to tell us Cupid is a good hare-finder, and Vulcan a rare carpenter? Come, in what key shall a man take you, to go in the song? Claud. In mine eye, she is the sweetest Tady that ever I looked on. Bene. I can see yet without spectacles, and i see no such matter: there's her cousin, an she were not possessed with a fury, exceeds ber as much in beauty, as the first of May doth the last of December. But I hope, you have no intent to turn husband; have you? Claud. I would scarce trust myself, though I had sworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife Claud. If this should ever happen, then would'st be horn-mad D. Pedro. Nay, if Cupid have not spent all his quiver in Venice, thou wilt quake for this shortly. Bene. I look for an earthquake too then. Bene. Is it come to this, i'faith? Hath not the world one man, but he will wear bis cap with D. Pedro. Well, you will temporize with the suspicion? Shall I never see a bachelor of three-hours. In the mean time, good siguior Benescore again? Go to, i'faith; au thou wilt needs thrust thy neck into a yoke, wear the priut of it, and sigh away Sundays. Look, Don Pedro is returned to seek you Re-enter Don PEDRO. D. Pedro. What secret hath held you here, that you followed not to Leonato's ? Bene. I would your grace would constrain me to tell. D. Pedro. I charge thee on thy allegiance. Bene. You hear, ount Claudio: I can be secret as a dumb man, I would have you think 80; 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 short bis answer is:-With Hero, Leonato's short daughter. Claud. If this were so, so were it uttered. Bene. Like the old tale, my lord: it is not so, uor 'twas not so; but, indeed, God forbid it should be so. Claud. If my passion change not shortly, God forbid it should be otherwise. D. Pedro. Amen, if you love her; for the lady is very well worthy. Claud. You speak this to fetch me in, my loid. D. Pedro. By my troth, I speak my thought. Claud. And, in faith, my lord, I spoke mine. Bene. And, by my two faiths and troths, my lord, I spoke mine. Claud. That I love her, I feel. D. Pedro. That she is worthy, I know. Bene. That I neither feel how she should be loved, nor know how she should be worthy, is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me; I will die in it at the stake. D. Pedro. Thou wast ever an obstinate heretic in the despite of beauty. Claud. And never could maintain his part, but in the force of his will. Bene. That a woman conceived me, I thank her; that she brought me up, I likewise give her most humble thanks: but that I will have a recheat winded in my forehead, or hang my bugle in an invisible baldrick, all women shal! pardon me. Because I will not do them the wrong to mistrust any, I will do myself the right to trust none; and the fine is, (for the which I may go the finer,) I will live a bachelor. D. Pedro. I shall see thee, ere I die, look pale with love. Bene. With anger, with sickness, or with hunger, my lord; not with love: prove, that ever I lose more blood with love, than I will get again with drinking, pick out mine eyes with a balladmaker's pen, and hang me up at the door of a brothel-house, for the sign of blind Cupid. D. Pedro. Well, if ever thou dost fall from this faith, thou wilt prove a notable argument. Bene. If I do, bang me in a bottle like a cat, and shoot at me; and he that hits me, let him be clapped on the shoulder, and called Adam. § D. Pedro. Well, as time shall try: In time the savage bull doth bear the yoke. Bene. The savage bull may; but if ever the sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull's borus, and set them in my forehead: and let me be vilely painted; and in such great letters as they write, Here is good horse to hire, let them signify under my sign,-Here you may see Benedick the married man. The tune sounded to call off the dogs. Hunting-horn. 1 Girdle. § Tile name of a famous archer. dick, repair to Leonato's; commend me to bun, and tell him, I will not fail bim at sopper ; for, indeed, he hath made great preparation. Bene. I have almost matter enough in me for such an embassage; and so I commit you— Claud. To the tuition of God : From my bosse, (if I had it,)—. D. Pedro. The sixth of July: Your loving friend, Benedick. Bene. Nay, mock not, mock not: The body of your discourse is sometimes guarded * with fragments, and the guards are but slightly based on neither: ere you flout old ends any further, examine your conscience; and so I leave you. [Erit BENEDICE. Claud. My liege, your highness now may do me good. D. Pedro. My love is thine to teach; teach it but how, And thou shalt see how apt it is to lean Dost thou affect her, Claudio? When you went onward on this ended action, D. Pedro. Thou wilt be like a lover presently Claud. How sweetly do you minister to love, That know love's grief by his complexion ! But lest my liking might too sudden seem, I would have salv'd it with a longer treatise. D. Pedro, What need the bridge much broader than the food ? The fairest grant is the necessity: Look, what will serve, is fit: 'tis once, thee lov'st; And I will fit thee with the remedy. I know, we shall have revelling to-night; |