*ACT IV. *SCENE I. - Athens. A Room in the Prison. *Enter Jailer and First Friend. *Jailer. Hear you no more? was nothing said of me *Concerning the escape of Palamon? *Good sir, remember. *1 Friend. Nothing that I heard; *For I came home before the business *Of those two ladies; and, to second them, That truly noble prince Pirithous, *Half his own heart, set in too, that I hope *All shall be well: neither heard I one question *Of your name or his 'scape. *Jailer. Pray Heaven, it hold so ! *Enter Second Friend. *2 Friend. Be of good comfort, man: I bring you news, *Good news. *Jailer. They're welcome. #2 Friend. Palamon has clear'd you, *And got your pardon, and discover'd how *And by whose means he 'scaped, which was your daughter's, *Whose pardon is procured too; and the prisoner – *A large one I'll assure you. *Jailer. *And ever bring good news. *1 Friend. Ye're a good man, How was it ended? 2 Friend. Why, as it should be: they that never begg'd *But they prevail'd, had their suits fairly granted; *The prisoners have their lives. *1 Friend. * I knew 'twould be so. 2 Friend. But there be new conditions, which you'll *Wooer. Alas, sir, where's your daughter? *Jailer. *Wooer. O, sir, when did you see her? #2 Friend. Why do you ask? How he looks! *Jailer. I do not think she was very well; for, now *You make me mind her, but this very day *I ask'd her questions, and she answer'd me *So sillily, as if she were a fool, But what of her, sir? * Wooer. Notning but my pity: *But you must know it, and as good by me *As by another that less loves her. *What you have told me: the gods comfort her! *Either this was her love to Palamon, *Or fear of my miscarrying on his 'scape, *Or both. *Wooer. 'Tis likely. *Jailer. But why all this haste, sir? *Wooer. I'll tell you quickly. As I late was angling *In the great lake that lies behind the palace, *From the far' shore, thick set with reeds and sedges, As patiently I was attending sport, *I heard a voice, a shrill one; and attentive *I gave my ear; when I might well perceive *To his own skill, came near, but yet perceived not *Jailer. Pray, go on, sir. * Wooer. She sung much, but no sense; only I heard her *Repeat this often, Palamon is gone, *1 Friend. *Wooer. His shackles will *And what shall I do then? Pretty soul ! betray him, he'll be taken ; *A hundred black-eyed maids that love as I do, *And see the house made handsome. Then she sung *And, Palamon was a tall young man. 1 An antic probably means a comic dance; as to play the antic was to enact the buffoon. See vol. iv. page 198, note 4. 2 The same song, no doubt, that Desdemona so pathetically sings parts of. See vol. xvii. page 278, note 6. 8 The first scene of the fourth Act (by Fletcher again) contains a piece * Wooer. I made in to her: *She saw me, and straight sought the flood; I saved her, *And set her safe to land: when presently She slipt away, and to the city made, *With such a cry, and swiftness, that, believe me, *She left me far behind her. Three or four *I saw from far off cross her, one of 'em *I knew to be your brother; where she stay'd, *And fell, scarce to be got away: I left them with her, of description which has principally given rise to the notion that the Jailer's Daughter is a copy of Ophelia. It is a misfortune that, when a notion once becomes, as it were, stereotyped, thenceforward it stands as a bar to all inquiry. The fact is that, allowing for their both being females, and both unsettled in their senses, no two characters can be drawn more distinctly different than the Jailer's Daughter and Ophelia. To prove this, we must turn back to the first scene (ii. 1) in which the former appears. Absorbed in the contemplation of Palamon, though speaking of both the prisoners, a comparison she makes between them and her pretendu shows the current of her feelings: "Lord, the difference of men!" At her next appearance, (ii. 4) she avows in soliloquy her love for Palamon, and her determination to release him. As we proceed further, we find (ii. 6) that she has set him at liberty, but has some misgivings as to whether he will return her love. We next (iii. 2) meet with her in despair at having missed Palamon at the place she had appointed to meet him; conjuring up all kinds of fancies, and finally in terror lest her mind should sink under the weight of anguish and apprehension which oppressed it. What she feared has become a reality when (iii. 4) she appears again; and at this point we come to the description in the scene before us. Now, in all that has passed, not only the circumstances, but the springs of action, are different from those of Ophelia; and the language and sentiments are still more unlike. But the description in this scene has a certain resemblance to the circumstance of the death of Ophelia, and was probably written with that scene in view. It has no reference whatever to the character of the Jailer's Daughter; and it is the only circumstance in the whole play common to her and Ophelia. She afterwards appears upon the stage, following up her nautical fancy, in which she is humoured by her friends.-The Queen's description of the death of Ophelia is a necessary part of the play; it subserves the catastrophe; and it may even be said to forward the action instead of impeding it: on the other hand, the action of The Two Noble Kinsmen stands still while the Wooer gives a long, laboured, and perfectly unnecessary description. — HICKSON, |