1608, or even as 1607, is proved conclusively by an application of the "weak-ending" test, which on such a point as this is decisive (see Prof. Ingram's table of the weak and light endings), and that the "comedy" part of it at least is not so late as 1606, is, I would point out, shown pretty certainly by the occurrence, in i. 2, 228, of the oath "by God's lid" (see Act of Parliament, 3 Jac. I. c. 21), so that the remarks of the preface-writer, about Troilus and Cressida being a new play . . . passing full of the palm comical" must be taken for what they are worth.

66

In 1597, Chapman's Homer (first seven books) had appeared, and to this Shakespeare was perhaps indebted for some of his facts; indeed Augustus Hare (Guesses at Truth, pp. 356-358) suggests that the key to the peculiar diction and style of Troilus and Cressida is to be found in the fact that Shakespeare knew Homer only through Chapman ; and he thinks that the dramatist "taking offence at such pompous phraseology in the mouths of simple warriors," thereupon wrote what Tieck calls " a heroic comedy, a tragic parody." He adds, that "though Agamemnon and his peers were certainly not meant as a satire on James and his court, yet they have sundry features in common." One or two passages derived from other works may be noticed. The expression, "and devil envy say 'Amen'" (ii. 3, 23), has been referred by Mr. R. Simpson (in a letter to the Academy, April 29th, 1876) to the play Mucedorus [1610?] where at the end of the address to the king, we find :

66 Comedy.

Be blessed then
Who other wishes, let him never speak.
"Envy. Amen."

The words, v. 2, 55-57," How the Devil Luxury, with fat rump and potatoe finger, tickles these together! Fry, Lechery, fry!" are due (says Chalmers, of course) to Lodge, Incarnate Devils, 1596.

I have not had an opportunity of consulting the early editions of this play, nor have I seen Lodge's Devils Incarnate.

Dr. C. M. Ingleby (Shakespeare Allusion-Books) N. S. S., p. viii.) compares i. 3, 119-124, beginning "Then everything includes itself in power," &c., with a passage in Greene's Groatsworth of Wit (ut suprà, p. 29); and Dr. R. G. Latham has since pointed out that this passage is really in heroic verse, and may be an extract from Marlowe.

The misapplied anachronism, in ii. 2, 165–167 :—

"Not much

Unlike young men, whom Aristotle thought
Unfit to hear moral philosophy,"

has been compared (see Bacon's works, ed. Ellis and Spedding) with the following passage in the Second Book of the Advancement of Learning (1605), “Is it not the opinion of Aristotle worthy to be regarded, where he saith that young men are not fit auditors of moral philosophy?"

We can scarcely wonder that in a play of so strange a nature; composed, as we have supposed, at different periods of time; consisting, as it does, of nearly every kind of dramatic writing; and clothing, as to a certain extent it does, the beings of old with the habits of to-day; there should be certain peculiarities and even certain discrepancies. Dryden, long ago, tried to improve it! Coleridge, some time since, "did not know what to do with it!" and, now Prof. Dowden shirks it altogether! And yet, I suppose, there is no one but will agree that in this play there occur some of the finest expressions and some of the noblest thoughts that Shakespeare ever uttered.

MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

"My sceptre for a palmer's walking staff.”—Richard II.

This tragedy was not entered at Stationers' Hall, nor was it printed till 1623; Meres does not mention it, and the only direct allusion to it in Shakespeare's time—an entry on the

Revels Records, in 1604—has been declared to be a forged insertion. Still the style and versification, as well as the allusions which will be pointed out, seem to agree pretty conclusively with the generally assumed date, 1603.

Tyrwhitt and Malone have conjectured that two passage s in this play offer "a courtly apology for King James I.'s stately and ungracious demeanour on his entry into England.” Chalmers points out various points of likeness in the characters of the duke and James. Lloyd "fortifies the parallel by note of the coincidences of his Majesty's expedition to Norway for a bride in 1589; when he slipped away privately without knowledge of the nation," having delegated his authority to one of his chief nobles. Prof. Ward accepts Malone's conjecture, "the more so that there is something in the sentiment of the passages not ill according with the tendency towards shrinking from an unnecessary publicity, which we may fairly suppose to have been an element in the poet's own character." The passages referred to are :

"I'll privily away. I love the people,

But do not love to stage me to their eyes.
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause, and arts vehement.”

(i. 1, 68-71.)

"The general, subject to a well-wished king,
Quit their own part, and in obsequious fondness,
Crowd to his presence, where their untaught love
Must needs appear offence."-(ii. 4, 27—30.)

Malone also pointed out the following historical allusions : "Heaven grant us its peace! . . what with the war, I am custom-shrunk" (i. 2,

what with the sweat

4, 83, 84).

James had early announced his intention of bringing to an end the war with Spain, which England was involved in when he ascended the throne; peace was concluded in the autumn of 1604. The year before, as Capell pointed out, a plague had carried off more than 30,000 people in London

alone; that is one-fifth of the then population of the metropolis.

Of ten prisoners, whom the clown names in Act iv., Sc. 3, four are stabbers and duellists; according to Wilson the historian, such enormities were committed in 1604 by roaring boys, bravadoes, roysters, &c., that the "Act of Stabbing" (1 Jac. I. c. 8) was passed to restrain them.

Referring to Escalus's forced and somewhat rude pun about "the biggest thing about" Pompey (ii. 1, 228, 229), Steevens says: "In consequence of a diligent inspection of ancient pictures and prints, it may be pronounced that this ridiculous fashion appeared in the early part of Queen Elizabeth's reign, then declined, and recommenced at the beginning of that of James I."

Chalmers endeavoured to fix the date of the proclamation referred to, in i. 2, 95, but in his efforts to differ from "the commentators," he seems to have become somewhat con

fused.

The allusions, however, mentioned above do not seem forced, and, when taken with a general consideration of the style and versification, appear pretty convincingly to fix the composition of Measure for Measure in the year 1603—4. This date is confirmed, or rather is not contradicted, by the following remarkable and interesting comparison :— "So play the foolish throngs with one that swoons; Come all to help him and so stopt the air

By which he should revive."

(Measure for Measure, ii. 4, 24-27.)

"And like as when some sudden extasie

Seizeth the nature of a sicklie man ;

When he's discerned to swoone, straight by and by
Folke to his helpe confusedly have ran;
And seeking with their art to fetch him backe,
So many throng, that he the ayre doth lacke.'

(Myrrha, the Mother of Adonis.)

Now the author of this poem, William Barksted, who by the by (as Malone points out) at the end of his piece

expressed his personal regard for Shakespeare and his admiration for his writings, was an actor in our author's company, and so doubtless either heard the piece acted or saw the play-book-for it will be remembered that Measure for Measure was not printed during Shakespeare's lifetime. But I may go a step further. Barksted was also one of the children of the Revels, and therefore we may presume in acting for the King's Company would take a woman's part. Is it improbable, then (seeing the impression this passage made upon him), that we have in the author of Myrrha, the original Isabella? He would be listening, for they were the cue-words.

A few words upon the æsthetic and metrical tests; as for these latter, they all support the position here assigned to the play; see the rhyme-test, the feminine-ending test, the classical allusion test, and, as Mr. Fleay remarks (Shakespeare Manual, p. 46) "the play is the central one for the metre of the third period; it has more lines with extra syllables before a pause in the middle of a line than any other. It is freer in rhythm than any play in the first and second period."

Although the subject is undoubtedly a painful one, and the play itself has scarcely ever been a popular one, yet when we think of the many marvellous passages which it contains, when we remember the wonderful delineation of character which it exhibits, and when we compare the drama as Shakespeare produced it with the original' upon which

The plot of this piece is taken from the History of Promos and Cassandra translated by G. Wheatstone from one of Cinthio's novels, and afterwards dramatised by the translator in 1578. Collier suggests that the title of Shakespeare's play may have been suggested by the following lines from the old drama:

"Who others doth deceyve,

Deserves himself like measure to receyve.'

Malone compared the following passage from A Warning for Faire Women, 1599:"The trial now remains, as shall conclude Measure for Measure, and lost blood for blood."

But surely the expression was then, as now, a proverbial one; it is used in 3 Henry VI. (ii. 6).