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Fal. I am glad, though you have ta'en a special ftand to ftrike at me, that your arrow hath glanc'd. Page. Well, what remedy? Fenton, heaven give thee joy!

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What cannot be efchew'd, must be embrac❜d.

Eva. I will dance and eat plums at your wedding. Fal. When night-dogs run, all forts of deer are chac’d.

Mrs. Page. Well, I will mufe no further. Master
Fenton,

Heaven give you many, many merry days!
Good husband, let us every one go home,
And laugh this fport o'er by a country fire;
Sir John and all,

Ford. Let it be fo:Sir John,

To mafter Brook you yet fhall hold your word; For he, to-night, fhall lye with mistress Ford. [Exeunt omnes.

Page. Well, what remedy?-] In the first sketch of this play, which, as Mr. Pope obferves, is much inferior to the latter performance, the only fentiment of which I regret the omiffion, occurs at this critical time, when Fenton brings in his wife, there is this dialogue.

Mrs. Ford. Come, mifirefs Page, I must be bold with you, 'Tis pity to part love that is fo true.

Mrs. Page. [Afide.] Although that I have miss'd in my intent, Yet I am glad my husband's match is cross'd.

-Here Fenton, take her.

Eva. Come, mafter Page, you must needs agree.

Ford. I'faith, Sir, come, you fee your wife is pleas'd.
Page. I cannot tell, and yet my heart is eas'd;

And yet it doth me good the Doctor mifs'd.

Come hither, Fenton, and come hither, daughter.

Of this play there is a tradition preferved by Mr. Rowe, that it was written at the command of queen Elizabeth, who was fo delighted with the character of Falstaff, that she wished it to be diffused through more plays; but fufpecting that it might pall by continued uniformity, directed the poet to diverfify his manner, by fhewing him in love. No task is harder than that of writing to the ideas of another. Shakespeare knew what queen, if the story be true, feems not to have known, that

the

by

by any real paffion of tenderness, the selfish craft, the carefefs jollity, and the lazy luxury of Falstaff muft have fuffered fo much abatement, that little of his former caft would have remained. Falstaff could not love, but by ceafing to be Falstaff. He could only counterfeit love, and his profeffions could be prompted, not by the hope of pleasure, but of money. Thus the poet approached as near as he could to the work enjoined him; yet having perhaps in the former plays completed his own idea, feems not to have been able to give Falstaff all his former power of entertainment.

This comedy is remarkable for the variety and number of the perfonages, who exhibit more characters appropriated and difcriminated, than perhaps can be found in any other play.

Whether Shakespeare was the first that produced upon the English ftage the effect of language diftorted and depraved by provincial or foreign pronunciation, I cannot certainly decide. This mode of forming ridiculous characters can confer praife only on him, who originally difcovered it, for it requires not much of either wit, or judgment: its fuccefs must be derived almost wholly from the player, but its power in a skilful mouth, even he that defpifes it, is unable to refift.

The conduct of this drama is deficient; the action begins and ends often before the conclufion, and the different parts might change places without inconvenience; but its general power, that power by which all works of genius fhall finally be tried, is fuch, that perhaps it never yet had reader or fpectator, who did not think it too foon at an end. JOHNSON.

END OF VOLUME THE FIRST,

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

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