SCENE IV. A Room in ANGELO's House. Enter ANGElo. Ang. When I would pray and think, I think and pray And in my heart, the strong and swelling evil 'Tis not the devil's crest. Why does my blood thus muster to my heart; Making both it unable for itself, And dispossessing all the other parts Of necessary fitness ? [Ex. Serv. So play the foolish throngs with one that swoons; Come all to help him, and so stop the air By which he should revive: and even so [1] Here Shakespeare judiciously distinguishes the different operations of high place upon different minds. Fools are frighted, and wise men are allured. Those who cannot judge but by the eye, are easily awed by splendour; those who consider men as well as conditions, are easily persuaded to love the appearance of virtue dignified with power. JOHNSON. [2] So the Duke had before (act i. sc. 2.) expressed his dislike to popular ap plause. I cannot help thinking that Shakespeare, in these two passages, intended to flatter that unkingly weakness of James I. which made him so impatient of the crowds that flocked to see him, especially upon his first coming, that, as some of our historians say, he restrained them by proclamation. TYRWHIT How now, fair maid? Enter ISABElla. Isab. I am come to know your pleasure. Ang. That you might know it, would much better please me, Than to demand what 'tis. Your brother cannot live. As long as you, or I: Yet he must die. Isab. Under your sentence? Ang. Yea. Isab. When, I beseech you? that in his reprieve, Longer, or shorter, he may be so fitted, That his soul sicken not. Ang. Ha! Fye, these filthy vices! It were as good To pardon him, that hath from nature stolen A man already made, as to remit Their sawcy sweetness, that do coin heaven's image, As to put mettle in restrained means, To make a false one. Isab. 'Tis set down so in heaven, but not in earth. Isab. Sir, believe this, I had rather give my body than my soul. Ang. I talk not of your soul; Our compell'd sins Stand more for number than accompt. Isab. How say you? Ang. Nay, I'll not warrant that; for I can speak Against the thing I say. Answer to this 1, now the voice of the recorded law, Pronounce a sentence on your brother's life: To save this brother's life? Isab. Please you to do't, I'll take it as a peril to my soul, It is no sin at all, but charity. Ang. Pleas'd you to do't, at peril of your soul, Were equal poize of sin and charity." Isab. That I do beg his life, if it be sin, Heaven, let me bear it! you granting of my suit, If that be sin, I'll make it my morn prayer To have it added to the faults of mine, And nothing of your, answer. Ang. Nay, but hear me : Your sense pursues not mine: either you are ignorant, Or seem so, craftily; and that's not good. Isab. Let me be ignorant, and in nothing good, Ang. Thus wisdom wishes to appear most bright, Isab. So. Ang. And his offence is so, as it appears Accountant to the law upon that pain. Isab. True. Ang. Admit no other way to save his life, Isab. As much for my poor brother, as myself: The impression of keen whips I'd wear as rubies, That longing I have been sick for, ere I'd yield Ang. Then must your brother die. [3] The reasoning is thus: Angelo asks, Whether there might not be a charity in sin to save this brother? Isabella answers, That if Angelo will save him, she will stake her soul that it were charity, not sin. Angelo replies, That if Isabella would save him at the hazard of her soul, it would be not indeed no sin, but a sin to which the charity would be equivalent. JOHNS Better it were, a brother died at once, Ang. Were not you then as cruel as the sentence Isab. Ignomy in ransom, and free pardon, Are of two houses: lawful mercy is Nothing akin to foul redemption. Ang. You seem'd of late to make the law a tyrant; And rather prov'd the sliding of your brother A merriment than a vice. Isab. O, pardon me, my lord; it oft falls out, To have what we'd have, we speak not what we mean: For his advantage that I dearly love. Isab. Else let my brother die, If not a feodary," but only he, Ang. Nay, women are frail too. Isab Ay, as the glasses where they view themselves : Which are as easy broke as they make forms. Women !-Help heaven! men their creation mar In profiting by them. Nay, call us ten times frail; For we are as soft as our complexions are, And credulous to false prints. Ang. I think it well: And from this testimony of your own sex, (Since, I suppose, we are made to be no stronger Than faults may shake our frames) let me be bold; I do arrest your words: Be that you are, That is, a woman; if you be more, you're none : If you be one, (as you are well express'd By all external warrants,) show it now, Ignomy-So the word ignominy was formerly written. REED. This is so obscure, but the allusion so fine, that it deserves to be explained. A feodary was one that in the times of vassalage held lands of the chief lord, under the tenure of paying rent and service: which tenures were called feuda amongst the Goths. Now,' says Angelo, we are all frail;' Yes,' replies Isabella, if all mankind were not feodaries, who owe what they are to this tenure of imbecility, and who succeed each other by the same tenure, as well as my brother, I would give him up.' The comparing mankind, lying under the weight of original sin, to a feodary, who owes suit and service to his lord, is, I think, not ill imagined. JOHNSON. [6] To owe is, in this place, to own, to hold, to have possession. JOHNSON [7] Her meaning is, that "men debase their nature by taking advantage of such weak pitiful creatures."-Edin. Mag. Nov. 1806. STEEVENS VOL. I. By putting on the destin❜d livery. Isab. I have no tongue but one: gentle my lord, Let me entreat you speak the former language. Ang. Plainly conceive, I love you. Isab. My brother did love Juliet; and you tell me, That he shall die for it. Ang. He shall not, Isabel, if you give me love. Isab. I know, your virtue hath a license in't, Which seems a little fouler than it is, To pluck on others. Ang. Believe me, on mine honour, My words express my purpose. Isab. Ha! little honour to be much believ'd, And most pernicious purpose !-Seeming, seeming !9 I will proclaim thee, Angelo; look for't: Sign me a present pardon for my brother, Or, with an outstretch'd throat, I'll tell the world Ang. Who will believe thee, Isabel; My unsoil'd name, th' austereness of my life, That you shall stifle in your own report, That banish what they sue for; redeem thy brother Or else he must not only die the death, But thy unkindness shall his death draw out I'll prove a tyrant to him: As for you, Say what you can, my false o'erweighs your true. [Exit. Isab. To whom shall I complain? Did I tell this, Who would believe me? O perilous mouths, That bear in them one and the self-same tongue, [8] Alluding to the licences given by ministers to their spies, to go into all suspected companies, and join in the language of malcontents. WARB. I suspect Warburton's interpretation to be more ingenious than just. The obvious meaning is-"I know your virtue assumes an air of licentiousness which is not natural to you, on purpose to try me."-Ed. Mag. 1806. STEEVENS. [9] Seeming, seeming-Hypocrisy, hypocrisy; counterfeit virtue. JOHNS. |