A fiend, a fury, pitilefs and rough, (17)

A wolf, nay, worse, a fellow all in buff; [mands
A back-friend, a fhoulder-clapper, one that com-
The paffages of alleys, creeks, and narrow lands;
A hound that runs counter, and yet draws dry-foot
well;

One that before the judgment carries poor fouls to
Adr. Why, man, what is the matter? [hell.
S. Dro. I do not know the matter; he is arreft
ed on the cafe.

Adr. What, is he arrested? tell me at whofe fuit? S. Dro. I know not at whose fuit he is arrested, well; but he's in a fuit of buff which rested him, that I can tell. Will you fend him Mistress, Redemption, the money in his defk?

Adr. Go fetch it, fifter.

This I wonder at,

[Exit Luc.. That he, unknown to me, should be in debt!

Tell me, was he arrested on a bond?

S. Dro. Not on a bond, but on a stronger thing,
A chain, a chain; do you not hear it ring?
Adr. What, the chain?

S. Dra. No, no, the bell; 'tis time that I were gone.
It was two ere I left him, and now the clock strikes

one.

(17) A fiend, a fairy, pitilefs and rough,]. Dromio here bringing word in hafte that his mafter is arrefted, defcribes the bailiff by names proper to raise horror and deteftation of fuch a creature, fuch as, a devil, a fiend, a wolf, &c. But how does fairy come up to thefe terrible ideas? Or with what propriety can it be used here? Does he mean, that a bailiff is like a fairy in ftealing away his mafter? The tru eft believers of thofe little phantoms never pretended to think, that they ftole any thing but children. Certainly, it will fort better in fenfe with the other names annexed, as well as the character of a catch-pole, to conclude that the Poct wrote;a fiend, a fury, &c. I made this conjecture in my Shakespeare Reftored; and Mr Pope has thought fit to embrace it in his laft edition.

a

Adr. The hours come back! that I did never hear. S. Dro. O yes, if any hour meet a ferjeant, a'turns back for very fear.

Adr. As if Time were in debt! how fondly doft reafon?

:S. Dro. Time is a very bankrout, and owes mor than he's worth to Seafon.

Nay, he's a thief too; have you not heard men fay,
That Time comes ftealing on by night and day?
If Time be in debt and theft,, and a ferjeant in the

way,...

Hath he not reason to turn back an hour in a day?

Enter LUCIANA.

Adr. Go, Dromio, there's the money, bear it ftrait,

And bring thy mafter home immediately. Come, fister, I am prefs'd down with conceit; Conceit, my comfort and my injury. [Exeunt

SCENE. changes to the Street.

Enter ANTIPHOLIS of Syracufe.

S. Ant. There's not a man I meet but doth falute me, As if I were their well-acquainted friend; And every one doth call me by my name. Some tender money to me, fome invite me; Some other give me thanks for kindneffes; Some offer me commodities to buy. Ev'n now a tailor call'd me in his fhop, And fhow'd me filks that he had bought for me, And therewithal took meafure of my body.

Sure, thefe are but imaginary wiles,

And Lapland forcerers inhabit here.

Enter DROMIO of Syracufe.

S. Dro. Mafter, here's the gold you fent me for: (18) what, have you got rid of the picture of old Adam new-apparel'd?

S. Ant. What gold is this? what Adam doit thou mean?

S. Dro. Not that Adam that kept the paradife, but that Adam that keeps the prifon; he that goes in the calves-fkin that was killed for the prodigal; he that came behind you, Sir, like an evil angel, and bid you forfake your liberty.

S. Ant. I understand thee not.

S. Dro. No? why 'tis a plain cafe; he that went like a bafe-viol in a cafe of leather: the man, Sir, that, when gentlemen are tired, gives them a fob, and refts them; he, Sir, that takes pity on decayed men, and gives them fuits of durance; he that fets up his reft to do more exploits with his mace, than a morris-pike.

(18) ——what, have you got the picture of old Adam new apparelled] A fhort word or two must have flipt out here, by fome accident in copying, or at prefs; otherwise I have no conception of the meaning of the paffage. The cafe is this: Dromio's mafter had been arrefted, and fent his fervant home for money to redeem him; he running back with the money, meets the twin Antipholis, who he mistakes for his mafter, and feeing him clear of the officer before the money was come, he cries in a furprize;

What, have you got rid of the picture of old Adam new apparel'd?

For fo I have ventured to fupply, by conjecture. But why is the officer called old Adam new apparelled? The allufion is to Adam in his ftate of innocence going naked; and immediately after the fall, being cloathed in a frock of fkins. Thus he was new-apparelled and in like manner the ferjeants of the counter were formerly clad in buff, or calves-jkin, as the Auther humourously a little lower calls it.

S. Ant. What! thou meaneft an officer?

S. Dro. Ay, Sir, the ferjeant of the band; he that brings any man to answer it that breaks his bond; one that thinks a man always going to bed, and faith, God give you good rest.

e S. Ant. Well, Sir, there reft in your foolery. Is there any fhip put forth to-night? may we be gone?

S. Dro. Why, Sir, I brought you word an hour fince, that the bark Expedition puts forth to-night; and then were you hindered by the ferjeant, ta tarry for the hoy Delay; here are the angels that you fent for, to deliver you.

• S. Ant. The fellow is distract, and so am I, And here we wander in illufions;

Some bleffed power deliver us

from hence !

Enter a Courtezan.

Cour. Well met, well met, mafter Antipholis... I fee, Sir, you have found the goldsmith now: Is that the chain you promifed me to-day?

S. Ant. Satan avoid! I charge thee, tempt me

not.

S. Dro. Mafter, is this mistress Satan?

S. Ant. It is the devil.

S. Dro. Nay, the is worse, fhe's the devil's dam; and here the comes in the habit of a light wench, and thereof comes that the wenches fay, God dam me; that's as much as to fay, God make me alight wench. It is written, they appear to men like angels of light: light is an effect of fire, and fire will burn; ergó, light wenches will burn: come not

near her.

Cour. Your man and you are marvellous merry, Sir. Will you go with me? we'll mend our dinner here.

S. Dro. Mafter, if you do expect spoon-meat, befpeak a long spoon.

S. Ant. Why, Dromio?

S. Dro. Marry, he must have a long spoon that must eat with the devil. [of fupping? S. Ant. Avoid then, fiend! what tell'ft thou me Thou art, as you are all, a forceress:

I conjure thee to leave me, and be gone. [dinner,
Cour. Give me the ring of mine, you had at
Or for my diamond the chain you promised,
And I'll be gone, Sir, and not trouble you.

S. Dro. Some devils afk but the parings of one's nail, a rush, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin, a nut, a cherry stone; but the, more covetous, would have a chain. Mafter, be wife; an if you give it her, the devil will fhake her chain, and fright us with it. Cour. I pray you, Sir, my ring, or else the chain: I hope you do not mean to cheat me fo?

S. Ant. Avaunt thou witch! come, Dromio, let : us go.

S. Dro. Fly pride, fays the peacock; mistress,
that you know.
[Exeunt.

Manet Courtezan.

Cour. Now, out of doubt, Antipholis is mad;
Elfe would he never fo demean himself.
A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats,
And for the fame he promised me a chain ;
Both one and other he denies me now.
The reason that I gather he is mad,
(Befides this prefent inftance of his rage)
Is a mad tale he told to-day at dinner,

Of his own doors being shut against his entrance.
Belike, his wife, acquainted with his fits,
On purpose shut the doors against his way.
My way is now to hye home to his house,