Duke. So then, it seems, your most offenceful act Was mutually committed? Juliet. Mutually. Duke. Then was your sin of heavier kind than his. As that the sin hath brought you to this shame,- ven; Showing, we'd not spare heaven as we love it, Juliet. I do repent me, as it is an evil; Duke. There rest 3. [Exit. Your partner, as I hear, must die to-morrow, Juliet. Must die to-morrow! O, injurious love 4, That respites me a life, whose very comfort Is still a dying horror! Prov. "Tis pity of him. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. A Room in Angelo's House. Enter ANGELO. Ang. When I would pray and think, I think and pray To several subjects: heaven hath my empty words; Whilst my invention 1, hearing not my tongue, 2 i.e. not spare to offend heaven. 3 i. e. keep yourself in this frame of mind. 40 injurious love.' Sir Thomas Hanmer proposed to read law instead of love. 1 Invention for imagination. So, in Shakspeare's 103d Sonnet: That overgoes my blunt invention quite.' And in K. Henry V. O for a muse of fire, that would ascend Anchors on Isabel: Heaven in my mouth, And in my heart, the strong and swelling evil Enter Servant. One Isabel, a sister, How now, who's there? Serv. Desires access to you. Why does Teach her the way. [Exit Serv. my blood thus muster to my heart; Making both it unable for itself, And dispossessing all the other parts So play the foolish throngs with one that swoons; 2 Boot is profit. 3 i. e. outside. 4 Shakspeare judiciously distinguishes the different operations of high place upon different minds. Fools are frighted and wise men 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. 5 Though we should write good angel on the Devil's horn, it will not change his nature, so as to give him a right to wear that crest.' This explanation of Malone's is confirmed by a passage in Lylys Midas, Melancholy! is melancholy a word for barber's mouth? Thou shouldst say heavy, dull, and doltish; melancholy is the crest of courtiers.' Come all to help him, and so stop the air Enter ISABElla. How now, fair maid? 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. Isab. Even so?-Heaven keep your honour! [Retiring. Ang. Yet may he live awhile; and it may be, 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 made7, as to remit Their saucy sweetness, that do coin heaven's image 6 i. e. the people or multitude subject to a king. So, in Hamlet: the play pleased not the million; 'twas caviare to the general.' It is supposed that Shakspeare, in this passage, and in one before (Act i. Sc. 2), intended to flatter the unkingly weakness of James I. which made him so impatient of the crowds which flocked to see him, at his first coming, that he restrained them by a proclamation. i. e. that hath killed a man. Sweetness has here probably the sense of lickereshness. In stamps that are Isab. 'Tis set down so in heaven, but not in earth. Ang. Say you so? then I shall pose you quickly. Which had you rather, That the most just law Now took your brother's life; or, to redeem him, Give up your body to such sweet uncleanness, As she that he hath stain'd? Isab. Sir, believe this, I had rather give my body than my Ang. I talk not of your soul: Our compell'd sins Stand more for number than accompt11. Isab. How say you? Ang. Nay, I'll not warrant that; for I can speak Against the thing I say. Answer to this;I, now the voice of the recorded law, Pronounce a sentence on your brother's life: Might there not be a charity in sin, 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 poise 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, 9 The thought is simply, that murder is as easy as fornication; and the inference which Angelo would draw is, that it is as improper to pardon the latter as the former. 10 Isabel appears to use the words 'give my body,' in a different sense to Angelo. Her meaning appears to be, 'I had rather die than forfeit my eternal happiness by the prostitution of my person.' 11 i. e. actions that we are compelled to, however numerous, are not imputed to us by heaven as crimes. If that be sin, I'll make it my morn prayer 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, But graciously to know I am no better. Ang. Thus wisdom wishes to appear most bright, When it doth tax itself: as these black masks 12 Proclaim an enshield 13 beauty ten times louder Than beauty could displayed.—But mark me ; To be received plain, I'll speak more gross: Your brother is to die. Isab. So. appears Ang. And his offence is so, as it Accountant to the law upon that pain 14. Isab. True. Ang. Admit no other way to save his life, (As I subscribe 15 not that, nor any other. But in the loss of question 16), that you, his sister, Finding yourself desir'd of such a person, Whose credit with the judge, or own great place, Could fetch your brother from the manacles Of the all-binding law; and that there were No earthly mean to save him, but that either 12 The masks worn by female spectators of the play are here probably meant; however improperly, a compliment to them is put into the mouth of Angelo: unless the demonstrative pronoun is put for the prepositive article? At the beginning of Romeo and Juliet, we have a passage of similar import: 'These happy masks that kiss fair ladies' brows, 13 i. e. enshielded, covered. 14 Pain, penalty. 15 Subscribe, agree to. 16 i, e. conversation that tends to nothing. |