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THE first edition of this play was published in 1602. The comedy as it now stands first appeared in the folio of 1623; and the play in that edition contains very nearly twice the number of lines that the original edition 'contains. The succession of scenes is the same in both copies, except in one instance; but the speeches of the several characters are greatly elaborated in the amended copy, and several of the characters not only heightened, but new distinctive features given to them.

Rightly to appreciate this comedy, it is, we conceive, absolutely necessary to dissociate it from the historical plays of Henry IV.' and 'Henry V.' Whether Shakspere produced the original sketch of 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' before those plays, and remodelled it after their appearance, or whether he produced both the original sketch and the finished performance when his audiences were perfectly familiar with the Falstaff, Shallow, Pistol, Nym, Bardolph, and Mistress Quickly of 'Henry IV.' and 'Henry V.,'-it is perfectly certain that he did not intend 'The Merry Wives' as a continuation. It is impossible, however, not to associate the

period of the comedy with the period of the histories. But at the same time we must suffer our minds to slide into the belief that the manners of the times of Henry IV. had sufficient points in common with those of the times of Elizabeth to justify the poet in taking no great pains to distinguish between them. The characters speak in the language of truth and nature, which belongs to all time; and we must forget that they sometimes use the expressions of a particular time to which they do not in strict propriety belong.

The critics have been singularly laudatory of this comedy. Warton calls it "the most complete specimen of Shakspere's comic powers." Johnson says, "This comedy is remarkable for the variety and number of the personages, who exhibit more characters appropriated and discriminated than perhaps can found in any other play." We agree with much of this; but we certainly cannot agree with Warton that it is "the most complete specimen of Shakspere's comic powers." We cannot forget 'As You Like It,' and 'Twelfth Night,' and 'Much Ado About Nothing.' Of those qualities which

put Shakspere above all other men that ever existed, 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' exhibits few traces. Some of the touches, however, which no other hand could give, are to be found in Slender, and we think in Quickly. The principal action of this comedy-the adventures of Falstaff with the Merry Wives-sweeps on with a rapidity of movement which hurries us forward to the dénouement as irresistibly as if the actors were under the influence of that destiny which belongs to the empire of tragedy. No reverses, no disgraces, can save Falstaff from his final humiliation. The net is around him, but he does not see the meshes;-he fancies himself the deceiver, but he is the deceived. The real jealousy of Ford most skilfully helps on the merry devices of his wife; and with equal skill does the poet make him throw away his jealousy, and assist in the last plot against the "unclean knight."

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The movement of the principal action is beautifully contrasted with the occasional repose of the other scenes. The Windsor of the time of Elizabeth is presented to us, as the quiet country town, sleeping under the shadow of its neighbour the castle. Amidst its gabled houses, separated by pretty gardens, from which the elm and the chestnut and the lime throw their branches across the unpaved road, we find a goodly company, with little to do but gossip and laugh, and make sport out of each other's cholers and weaknesses. We see Master Page training his "fallow greyhound;" and we go with Master Ford "a-birding." We listen to the "pribbles and prabbles" of Sir Hugh Evans

and Justice Shallow with a quiet satisfaction; for they talk as unartificial men ordinarily talk, without much wisdom, but with good temper and sincerity. We find ourselves in the days of ancient hospitality, when men could make their fellows welcome without ostentatious display, and half a dozen neighbours "could drink down all unkindness" over "a hot venison pasty." The more busy inhabitants of the town have time to tattle, and to laugh, and be laughed at. Mine Host of the Garter is the prince of hosts; he is the very soul of fun and good temper. His contrivances to manage the fray between the furious French doctor and the honest Welsh parson are productive of the happiest situations. Caius waiting for his adversary-" De herring is no dead so as I vill kill him "— is capital. But Sir Hugh, with his"There will we make our peds of roses, And a thousand fragrant posies, To shallow

Mercy on me! I have a great dispositions to cry,"-is inimitable.

With regard to the under-plot of Fenton and Anne Page-the scheme of Page to marry her to Slender-the counterplot of her mother, "firm for Dr. Caius" and the out of the devices against them-it may be management of the lovers to obtain a triumph sufficient to point out how skilfully it is interwoven with the Herne's Oak adventure of

Falstaff. Over all the misadventures of that night, when "all sorts of deer were chas'd," Shakspere throws his own tolerant spirit of forgiveness and content :

"Good husband, let us every one go home,
And laugh this sport o'er by a country fire;
Sir John and all."

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PERSONS REPRESENTED.

SIR JOHN FALSTAFF.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 3. Act II. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 3; sc. 5. Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 5. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 5.

FENTON.

Appears, Act I. sc. 4. Act III. sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 6.
Act V. sc. 5.

SHALLOW, a country justice.
Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 3.
Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 2.
Act V. sc. 2.

SLENDER, Cousin to Shallow.

Act II. sc. 3.
Act V. sc. 2; sc. 5.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 4. MR. FORD, a gentleman dwelling at Windsor.

Appears, Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2.

Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 4.

MR. PAGE, a gentleman
Appears, Act I. sc. 1.

Act III. sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 5. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 5. dwelling at Windsor. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 3.

Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 4.
Act V. sc. 2; sc. 5.

WILLIAM PAGE, a boy, son to Mr. Page.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 1.

SIR HUGH EVANS, a Welsh parson. Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 4; sc. 5. Act V. sc. 4; sc. 5.

DR. CAIUS, a French physician.

Appears, Act I. sc. 4.

Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3.

Act II. sc. 3.

Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 5. Act V. sc. 3; sc. 5.

Host of the Garter Inn.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 3.

Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act IV. sc. 3; sc. 5; sc. 6.

BARDOLPH, a follower of Falstaff.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 3. Act II. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 5.
Act IV. sc. 3; sc. 5.

NYM, a follower of Falstaff.
Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1.

PISTOL, a follower of Falstaff.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2.
Act V. sc. 5.

ROBIN, page to Falstaff.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act II. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 2; sc. 3.

SIMPLE, servant to Slender.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 4. Act III. sc. 1.
Att IV. sc. 5.

RUGBY, servant to Dr. Caius.

Appears, Act I. sc. 4. Act II. sc. 3.
Act III. sc. 1; sc. 2.

MRS. FORD.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 4. Act V. sc. 3; sc. 5.

MRS. PAGE.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1.

Act III. sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 4.
Act V. sc. 3; sc. 5.

MRS. ANNE PAGE, daughter to Mrs. Page.
Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 4. Act V. sc. 5.
MRS. QUICKLY, servant to Dr. Caius.
Appears, Act I. sc. 4. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2.
Act III. sc. 4; sc. 5.

Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 5.
Act V. sc. 1; sc. 5.

Servants to Page, Ford, &c.

SCENE,-WINDSOR

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SCENE I.-Windsor. Garden Front of Page's House.

Enter Justice SHALLOW, SLENDER, and Sir HUGH EVANS.

SHAL. Sir Hugh', persuade me not; I will make a Star-chamber a matter of it: if he were twenty sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire.

SLEN. In the county of Gloster, justice of peace, and coram.

So in Ben Jonson, ('Magnetic Lady,' Act III., Scene 4):

"There is a Court above, of the Star-chamber.

To punish routs and riots."

SHAL. Ay, cousin Slender, and Cust-alorum.

SLEN. Ay, and ratolorum too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself armigero; in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, armigero:

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SHAL. Ay, that I do; and have done any time these three hundred years. SLEN. All his successors, gone before him, have done 't; and all his ancestors, that come after him, may: they may give the dozen white luces in their

coat.

SHAL. It is an old coat.

EVA. The dozen white louses do become an old. coat well; it agrees well, passant: it is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love.

SHAL. The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an old coat2.

SLEN. I may quarter, coz?

SHAL. You may, by marrying.

EVA. It is marring, indeed, if he quarter it.

SHAL. Not a whit.

EVA. Yes, py 'r lady; if he has a quarter of your coat there is but three skirts for yourself, in my simple conjectures: but that, is all one: If sir John Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my benevolence, to make atonements and compromises between you.

SHAL. The council shall hear it; it is a riot.

EVA. It is not meet the council hear a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot: the council, look you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your vizaments d in that.

SHAL. Ha! o'my life, if I were young again the sword should end it.

EVA. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it: and there is also another device in my prain, which, peradventure, prings goot discretions with it:

t

There is Anne Page, which is daughter to master George Page, which is pretty virginity.

SLEN. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair, and speaks small like a

woman.

EVA. It is that fery person for all the 'orld, as just as you will desire; and seven hundred pounds of moneys, and gold, and silver, is her grandsire upon his death's-bed (Got deliver to a joyful resurrections!) give, when she is able to overtake seventeen years old: it were a goot motion if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and desire a marriage between master Abraham and mistress Anne Page.

SHAL. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound?

a Cust-alorum is meant for an abbreviation of Custos Rotulorum. Slender, not understanding the abbreviation, adds, "and ratolorum too."

The justice signed his attestations, "jurat' coram me, Roberto Shallow, armigero."

• Have done-we have done-" his successors, gone before him," as Slender explains it.

d Vizaments-advisements.

• The folio has Thomas; but Mrs. Page repeatedly calls her husband George.

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