Claudio. Away, I will not have to do with you. Leonato. Canst thou so daff me? Thou hast kill'd my child; If thou kill'st me, boy, thou shalt kill a man. LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST : A COMEDY, BY WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE. THE present is another play, which all the editors of this Poet have concurred in censuring, and which some have regarded as altogether unworthy of him; though it is admitted that it contains many proofs of his genius, and that none of his pieces have more certain evidences of his hand. This remark is partly supported by the title-page to the oldest known edition, 1598, 4to., whereon the drama is stated to have been “newly corrected and augmented by W. Shakspeare," which some have considered to express his only share in the production: but it's irregularities, continual play upon words, and loose rhymes in the dialogue,—which are the chief faults it is charged with,-may, perhaps, be accounted for by considering it as one of Shakspeare's earliest pieces. From a supposed reference in it to Vincentio Saviolo's treatise of Honourable Quarrels, published in 1595, and the mention of "Bankes's Horse," which had been exhibited before 1589, Malone has referred it's first composition to 1594, or earlier; with some additions to 1597. The expression of the old edition already cited, he thinks, implies that there had been either a former impression of the play, or else that it had been originally performed in a less perfect state than that in which it was printed and now appears; and in which the title-page states it was " 'presented before her Highness"-Queen Elizabeth-"the last Christmas," namely, that of 1597. It was also acted at the Black-Friars and Globe Theatres. Love's Labour's Lost was not entered at Stationers' Hall until January 22nd, 1606-7, and the next earliest known edition of it is that of 1631, 4to. The original novel on which this Comedy was founded, has hitherto eluded the search of Shakspeare's commentators; but, from the names of the characters, it is expected to prove of French extraction. Francis Meres, who mentions this play in his very valuable notice of Shakspeare's works in his Wits' Treasury, published about September 1598,- also speaks of a drama by the poet, called Love's Labour Won; which is, however, generally supposed to be no other than All's Well that ends Well. The scene of this Comedy is laid in the Kingdom of Navarre. The action is probably intended to be comprised within a very few days, or, perhaps, little more than one, out of the three years mentioned in the commencement. A twelvemonth and a day are supposed to ensue at the end, before the marriages of the lovers take place. King. What will Birón say, when that he shall hear For all the wealth that ever I did see, I would not have him know so much by me. Biron. Now step I forth to whip hypocrisy. Ah, good my liege, I pray thee pardon me. [Descends from the tree.] Moth. Come, you transgressing slave; away. Costard. Let me not be pent up, sir; I will fast, being loose. Moth. No, sir; that were fast and loose: thou shalt to prison. Act 1. Sc. 2. THIS beautiful creation of the fancy of the great Poet, is distinguished by the ordinary characteristic of his early plays,-the introduction of whole passages and scenes in rhyme. From this circumstance, added to the glowing poetry which it contains, the slightness of the fable, and the want of discrimination in the higher personages of the drama,—Malone is inclined to attribute it to a youthful hand, and to think that it was written in 1592. It does not, however, appear entered on the Stationers' Hall books until October 8th, 1600, in which year it was also twice printed in quarto, as "acted by the Lord Chamberlain's servants." The original hint of the plot has been referred to Chaucer's Knights Tale; and Tyrwhitt remarks that Pluto and Proserpina, in the Marchante's Tale of the same Poet, appear to have been the true progenitors of Shakspeare's Oberon and Titania: but both personages had been made familiar in a Masque, presented to Elizabeth at Lord Hertford's, in 1591, 4to. Perhaps, from the fanciful nature of the ethereal essences with which this drama is filled, and the many sweet and beautiful descriptions it contains, it's scenes, in their original form, are fitted rather for perusal than performance; yet different portions have been separately made use of in the formation of separate pieces. The Interlude of Pyramus and Thisbe was produced as a Comic Masque at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in 1716, and as a Mock-Opera at Covent Garden in 1745. The merry-conceited humours of Bottom the Weaver, is one of Robert Cox's Drolls, which used to be performed at Bartholomew, and other Fairs, by the strolling companies: and the parts of Oberon and Titania formed the foundation of the Fairy Queen, acted at the Haymarket in 1692; and of the elder Colman's and Garrick's Fairies and Fairy Tale, produced at Drury-Lane in 1763, 1764, and 1777; the first of which pieces was acted but twice only, to a very thin house, which it sent to sleep. The Midsummer Night's Dream, was the first of that series of Shakspeare's Dramas which were with happier effect converted into Musical Plays by the addition of songs, &c. from the Author's own works, united to some of the richest melodies of Bishop; and it was thus produced, with considerable splendour, at Covent-Garden, January 17th, 1816. The scene of this Play is "Athens, and a wood not far from it ;" and the action is supposed to be comprised within the four days before the Duke's marriage, mentioned in Scene 1. From Act ii., however, to the beginning of Act iv., the incidents all take place on the second night. |