PERSONS REPRESENTED.

VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna.

ANGELO, Lord Deputy in the Duke's absence. ESCALUS, an ancient Lord, joined with Angelo in the Deputation.

CLAUDIO, a young Gentleman.

LUCIO, a Fantastic.

Two other like Gentlemen.

VARRIUS, a Gentleman, servant to the Duke.

Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and other

Attendants.

SCENE, Vienna

Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, Lords, and Attendants.

SCALUS!

Duke.

Escal. My lord.

Duke. Of government the properties to

unfold,

Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse; Since I am put to know, that your own science Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice

My strength can give you: then no more remains But thereto your sufficiency, as your worth is able,

The old copy reads

Then no more remains

But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able,

And let them work.

On which passage we have three pages of notes in the variorum edition. No emendation or explanation of this passage hitherto offered is satisfactory; I feel confident that our great poet never wrote "But that to," following as it does "Exceeds, in that." The remedy lies in the trifling correction of a press error. The word thereto was probably written thrto, and was mistaken by the printer for thtto. The sense of the passage will then be "Since I am so placed as to know that you are better skilled in the nature

And let them work. The nature of our people,
Our city's institutions, and the terms
For common justice, you are as pregnant2 in,
As art and practice hath enriched any

That we remember: There is our commission,
From which we would not have you warp.-Call

hither,

I say, bid come before us Angelo.—

[Exit an Attendant.
What figure of us think you he will bear?
For you must know, we have with special soul
Elected him our absence to supply;

Lent him our terror, drest him with our love;
And given his deputation all the organs
Of our own power : What think you
of it?
Escal. If any in Vienna be of worth
To undergo such ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo.

Duke.

Enter ANGELO.

Look, where he comes.

Ang. Always obedient to your grace's will, I come to know your pleasure.

Duke.

Angelo,

There is a kind of character in thy life,

of government than I am, it would be idle in me to lecture you
on the subject. Then nothing more is wanting but thereto, your
sufficient authority (i. e. to govern) as you have the ability, and
let them (your skill and authority) come into operation." Suf-
ficiency is sufficient authority, the commission which the Duke
just after delivers to Angelo. Shakespeare uses the word thereto
just in the same sense in The Winter's Tale, Act i. Sc. 2.
Camillo,-

As you are certainly a gentleman, thereto
Clerk-like experienc'd, which no less adorns
Our gentry, than our parents' noble names,
In whose success we are gentle, &c.

2 i. e. ready in.

That, to the observer doth thy history
Fully unfold: Thyself and thy belongings
Are not thine own so proper, as to waste
Thyself upon thy virtues, them on thee.3
Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do;
Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues
Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd,
But to fine issues: nor nature never lends
The smallest scruple of her excellence,
But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines
Herself the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and use.

But I do bend my speech

To one that can my part in him advértise;
Hold therefore.-Angelo ;

In our remove, be thou at full ourself;

Mortality and Mercy in Vienna

Live in thy tongue and heart".

Though first in question, is thy secondary:

Take thy commission.

Ang.

Old Escalus,

Now, good my lord,

my metal,

Let there be some more test made of
Before so noble and so great a figure
Be stamp'd upon it.

Duke.

No more evasion :

We have with a leaven'd' and prepared choice

3 The old copy has "they on thee."

• Two negatives, not employed to make an affirmative, are com mon in Shakespeare's writings, so in Julius Cæsar :

'Nor to no Roman else.'

5 i. e. to one who is already sufficiently conversant with the nature and duties of my office;-of that office which I have now delegated to him.

6 i. e. I delegate to thy tongue the power of pronouncing sentence of death, and to thy heart the privilege of exercising mercy. 7 A choice mature, concocted, fermented; i. e. not hasty, but considerate.

Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours, Our haste from hence is of so quick condition, That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd Matters of needful value. We shall write to you, As time and our concernings shall impórtune, How it goes with us; and do look to know What doth befall you here. So, fare well: To the hopeful execution do I leave you commissions.

your

Of

Ang.

you

Yet, give leave, my lord,

That we may bring you something on the way.
Duke. My haste may not admit it;

Nor need you on mine honour have to do
With any scruple: your scope is as mine own ;
So to enforce or qualify the laws,

As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand;
I'll privily away: I love the people,

But do not like to stage me to their eyes:
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause, and aves? vehement;
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion,
That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
Ang. The heavens give safety to your purposes!
Escal. Lead forth, and bring you back in happiness.
Duke. I thank
you: Fare you well.

[Exit.
Escal. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
To look into the bottom of my place :

A power I have; but of what strength and nature I am not yet instructed.

Ang. 'Tis so with me :-Let us withdraw together, And we may soon our satisfaction have Touching that point.

I'll wait upon your honour.

Escal.

[Exeunt.

8 Scope is extent of power

9 Aves are huilings.