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. Provost. THOMAS, two friars. ELBOW, a simple constable. FROTH, a foolish gentleman. Clown, servant to Mrs. Over-done. ABHORSON, an executioner. BARNARDINE, a dissolute prisoner. ISABELLA, sister to Claudio. MARIANA, betrothed to Angelo. JULIET, beloved by Claudio. FRANCISCA, a nun. Mistress OVER-DONE, a bawd. Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and other Atten dants. SCENE.--Vienna. Varrius might be omitted, for he is only once spoken to, and says nothing JOHNSON MEASURE FOR MEASURE. ACT L SCENE I.—An apartment in the Duke's palace. Enter Duke, ESCALUS, Lords, and Attendants. ESCALUS, Escal. My lord. Duke. Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, My strength can give you: Then no more remains For common justice, you are as pregnant 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 Lent him our terror, drest him with our love; To undergo such ample grace and honour, Enter ANGELO. Duke. 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, That, to th' observer, doth thy history Fully unfold Thyself and thy belongings Are not thine own so proper, as to waste As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd, Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech To one that can my part in him advértise; In our remove, be thou at full ourself; Live in thy tongue and heart: Old Escalus, Ang. Now, good my lord, Let there be some more test made of my metal, Be stamp'd upon it. Duke. No more evasion: We have with a leaven'd' and prepared choice Ang. Yet, give leave, my lord, you well That we may bring you something on the way. 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; [1] To great consequences; for high purposes. JOHNSON. When bread is leavened it is left to ferment; a leavened choice is therefore a choice not hasty, but considerate, not declared as soon as it fell into the imagina tion, but suffered to work long in the mind. JOHNSON. |