SCENE VII.

Enter Beatrice.

Hero. Good morrow, coz.

Beat. Good morrow, fweet Hero.

Hero. Why, how now? do you speak in the fick tune?

Beat. I am out of all other tune, methinks.

6

Marg. Clap us into Light o' love; that goes without a burden; do you fing it, and I'll dance it.

Beat. Yes, Light o' love with your heels; then if your husband have stables enough, you'll look he shall lack no barns.

7

Marg. O illegitimate conftruction! I fcorn that with my heels.

Beat. 'Tis almoft five o'clock, coufin; 'tis time you were ready. By my troth, I am exceeding ill-hey ho! Marg. For a hawk, a horfe, or a husband?

8

Beat. 'For the letter that begins them all, H.

9

Marg. Well, if you be not turn'd Turk, there's no more failing by the star.

Beat. What means the fool, trow?

Marg. Nothing I, but God fend every one their heart's defire!

Hero. Thefe gloves the count fent me, they are an excellent perfume.

6 Light o' love] A tune fo called; which has been already mentioned by our authour.

7 No barns.] A quibble between barns, repofitories of corn, and bairns, the old word for children.

8 For the letter that begins them all, H.] This is a poor jeft, fomewhat obfcured, and not worth the trouble of elucidation.

Margaret afks Beatrice for what the cries, bey bo; Beatrice answers, for an H, that is, for an ach or pain.

9 turn'd Turk.] i. e. taken captive by Love, and turn'd a Renegado to his religion.

Q3

WARBURTON. This interpretation is fomewhat far-fetched, yet, perhaps, it is right.

Beat.

1

Beat. I am ftufft, coufin, I cannot fmell. Marg. A maid, and stufft! there's goodly catching of cold.

Beat. O, God help me, God help me, how long have you profeft apprehenfion?

Mar. Ever fince you left it; doth not my wit become me rarely?

Beat. It is not feen enough, you should wear it in your cap By my troth, I am fick.

Marg. Get you fome of this diftill'd Carduus Benedictus, and lay it to your heart; it is the only thing for a qualm.

Hero. There thou prick'ft her with a thistle.

Beat. Benedictus? why Benedi&us? you have' fome moral in this Benedictus.

Marg. Moral? no, by my troth, I have no moral meaning, I meant plain holy thistle: you may think, perchance, that I think you are in love; nay, bi'rlady, I am not fuch a fool to think what I lift; nor I lift not to think what I can; nor, indeed, I cannot think, if I would think my heart out with thinking, that you are in love, or that you will be in love, or that you can be in love, yet Benedick was fuch another, and now is he become a man; he fwore, he would never marry; and yet now, in defpight of his heart, he eats his meat without grudging; and how you may be converted, I know not; but, methinks, you look with your eyes as other women do.

Some moral.] That is, fome fecret meaning, like the moral of a fable.

2 He eats his meat without

grudging;] I do not fee how this is a proof of Benedick's change of mind. It would afford more proof of amoroufnefs to fay, be eats not his meat without grudging; but it is impoffible to fix

2

the meaning of proverbial expreflions: perhaps, to eat meat without grudging, was the fame as to do as others do, and the meaning is, he is content to live by eating like other mortals, and will be content, notwithstanding his boafts, like other mortals, to have a wife.

Beat.

Beat. What pace is this that thy tongue keeps ?
Marg. Not a falfe gallop.

Enter Urfula.

Urf. Madam, withdraw; the Prince, the Count, Signior Benedick, Don John, and all the Gallants of the town, are come to fetch you to Church.

Hero. Help to drefs me, good coz, good Meg, good Urfula.

Leon.

SCENE VIII.

Another Apartment in Leonato's House.

[Exeunt.

Enter Leonato, with Dogberry and Verges.

WHAT would you with me, honest neigh

Dogb. Marry, Sir, I would have fome confidence with you, that decerns you nearly.

Leon. Brief, I pray you; for you see, 'tis a busy time with me.

Dogb. Marry, this it is, Sir.

Verg. Yes, in truth it is, Sir.

Leon. What is it, my good friends?

Dogb. Goodman Verges, Sir, fpeaks a little of the matter an old man, Sir, and his wits are not fo blunt, as, God help, I would defire they were; but, in faith, as honeft as the skin between his brows.

Verg. Yes, I thank God, 'I am as honest as any man living, that is an old man, and no honefter than I. Dogb.

3 I am as honest as any man living, that is an old man, and no honefter than 1.] There is much humour, and extreme good sense, under the covering of this blundering expreffion. It is a

fly infinuation that length of years, and the being much backnied in the ways of men, as Shakespeare expreffes it, take off the glofs of virtue, and bring much defilement on the manners.

Dogb. Comparisons are odorous: palabras, neighbour Verges.

Leon. Neighbours, you are tedious.

Dogb. It pleafes your worship to fay fo, but we are the poor Duke's officers; but, truly, for mine own part, if I were as tedious as a king, I could find in my heart to beftow it all of your worship.

Leon. All thy tedioufnefs on me, ha?

Dogb. Yea, and 'twere a thousand times more than 'tis, for I hear as good exclamation on your worship as of any man in the city; and tho' I be but a pcor man, I am glad to hear it.

Verg. And fo am I.

Leon. I wonld fain know what you have to say. Verg. Marry, Sir, our Watch to night, excepting your Worship's prefence, hath ta'en a couple of as arrant knaves as any in Mefina.

4

Dogb. A good old man, Sir; he will be talking, as they fay; when the age is in, the wit is out; God help us, it is a world to fee-well faid, i'faith, neighbour Verges-well, he's a good man ; an two men ride an horse, one must ride behind-an honest soul, i’faith, Sir, by my troth he is, as ever broke bread, but God is to be worfhipp'd; all men are not alike, alas, good neighbour!

Leon. Indeed, neighbour, he comes too fhort of you.

Dogb. Gifts, that God gives.
Leon. I must leave you.

For, as a great Wit fays,Youth is the feafon of Virtue; corruptions grow with years, and I believe the oldeft rogue in England is the greatest. WARBURTON.

is not out of place, or without meaning. Dogberry, in his vanity of fuperiour parts, apologizing for his neighbour, obferves, that, of two men on a horse, one must ride behind. The firft place of rank, or understanding, can belong but to one, and that happy one ought not to despise If two men ride, &c.] This his inferiour.

Much of this is true, but I believe Shakespeare did not intend to bestow all this reflection on the speaker.

Dogb.

Dogb. One word, Sir; our Watch have, indeed, comprehended two aufpicious perfons; and we would have them this morning examin'd before your Worship.

Leon. Take their examination yourself, and bring it me; I am now in great hafte, as may appear unto you.

Dogb. It fhall be fuffigance.

Leon. Drink fome wine ere you go fare you well.

Enter a Meffenger:

Meff. My lord, they stay for you to give your daughter to her husband.

Leon. I'll wait upon them. I am ready.

[Exeunt Leonato. Dogb. Go, good Partner, go get you to Francis Seacoale, bid him bring his pen and inkhorn to the jail; we are now to examine those men.

Verg. And we must do it wifely.

Dogb. We will spare for no wit, I warrant; here's That [touching his forehead] fhall drive fome of them to a non-come. Only get the learned writer to fet down our excommunication, and meet me at the Jail.

[Exeunt.

ACT