Myself would, on the rereward of reproaches, 8 Chid I for that at frugal nature's frame?] Frame is contrivance, order, disposition of things. So, in The Death of Robert Earl of Huntington, 1603: "And therefore seek to set each thing in frame." Again, in Holinshed's Chronicle, p. 555: ". man that studied to bring the unrulie to frame." Again, in Daniel's Verses on Montaigne: 66 extracts of men, There was no "Though in a troubled frame confus'dly set." Again, in this play: "Whose spirits toil in frame of villainies." Steevens. It seems to me, that by frugal nature's frame, Leonato alludes to the particular formation of himself, or of Hero's mother, rather than to the universal system of things. Frame means here framing, as it does where Benedick says of John, that "His spirits toil in frame of villainies." Thus Richard says of Prince Edward, that he was And, in All's well that ends well, the King says to Bertram: But Leonato, dissatisfied with his own frame, was wont to complain of the frugality of nature. M. Mason. The meaning, I think, is,-Grieved I at nature's being so frugal as to have framed for me only one child? Malone. 7 Who smirched thus, &c.] Thus the quarto, 1600. The folio reads "smeared." To smirch is to daub, to sully. So, in King Henry V: "Our gayness and our gilt are all besmirch'd," &c. 8 But mine, and mine I lov'd, and mine I prais'd, Steevens. And mine that I was proud on;] The sense requires that we should read, as in these three places. The reasoning of the speaker stands thus-Had this been my adopted child, her shame would not have rebounded on me. But this child was mine, as mine I lov'd her, That I myself was to myself not mine, Hath drops too few to wash her clean again;9 Bene. Sir, sir, be patient: For my part, I am so attir'd in wonder, I know not what to say. Beat. O, on my soul, my cousin is belied! I have this twelvemonth been her bedfellow. Leon. Confirm'd, confirm'd! O, that is stronger made, Which was before barr'd up with ribs of iron! Would the two princes lie? and Claudio lie? Who lov'd her so, that, speaking of her foulness, Wash'd it with tears? Hence from her; let her die. Friar. Hear me a little; For I have only been silent so long, And given way unto this course of fortune, praised her, was proud of her consequently, as I claimed the glory, I must needs be subject to the shame, &c. Warburton. Even of this small alteration there is no need. The speaker utters his emotion abruptly. But mine, and mine that I lov'd, &c. by an ellipsis frequent, perhaps too frequent, both in verse and prose. Johnson. 9 the wide sea Hath drops too few to wash her clean again;] The same thought is repeated in Macbeth: "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood "Clean from my hand?" 1 •which may season give Steevens. To her foul tainted flesh!] The same metaphor from the kitchen occurs in Twelfth Night: all this to season "A brother's dead love." Steevens. Against her maiden truth:-Call me a fool; Leon. Friar it cannot be: Thou seest, that all the grace that she hath left, A sin of perjury; she not denies it: Why seek'st thou then to cover with excuse That which appears in proper nakedness? Friar. Lady, what man is he you are accus'd of?" Hero. They know, that do accuse me; I know none: If I know more of any man alive, Than that which maiden modesty doth warrant, Friar. There is some strange misprision in the princes. 2 To burn the errors] The same idea occurs in Romeo and Juliet: 3 "Transparent hereticks be burnt for liars." Steevens. of my book;] i. e. of what I have read. Malone. 4 Friar. •what man is he you are accus'd of?] The friar had just before boasted his great skill in fishing out the truth. And, indeed, he appears by this question to be no fool. He was by, all the while at the accusation, and heard no name mentioned. Why then should he ask her what man she was accused of? But in this lay the subtilty of his examination. For, had Hero been guilty, it was very probable that in that hurry and confusion of spirits, into which the terrible insult of her lover had thrown her, she would never have observed that the man's name was not mentioned; and so, on this question, have betrayed herself by naming the person she was conscious of an affair with. The Friar observed this, and so concluded that were she guilty, she would probably fall into the trap he laid for her.-I only take notice of this to show how admirably well Shakspeare knew how to sustain his characters. Warburton. 5 — bent of honour;] Bent is used by our author for the utmost degree of any passion, or mental quality. In this play be And if their wisdoms be misled in this, Leon. I know not; If they speak but truth of her, These hands shall tear her; if they wrong her honour, The proudest of them shall well hear of it. Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havock of my means, Friar. Pause a while, And let my counsel sway you in this case. And publish it, that she is dead indeed: Leon. What shall become of this? What will this do? But on this travail look for greater birth. She dying, as it must be so maintain❜d, fore, Benedick says of Beatrice, her affection has its full bent. The expression is derived from archery; the bow has its bent, when it is drawn as far as it can be. Johnson. 6 Your daughter here the princes left for dead;] In former copies, Your daughter here the princess (left for dead;) But how comes Hero to start up a princess here? We have no intimation of her father being a prince; and this is the first and only time she is complimented with this dignity. The remotion of a single letter, and of the parenthesis, will bring her to her own rank, and the place to its true meaning: Your daughter here the princes left for dead; i, e. Don Pedro, prince of Arragon; and his bastard brother, who is likewise called a prince." Theobald. 7 - ostentation;] Show, appearance. Johnson, 8 Upon the instant that she was accus'd, And every lovely organ of her life Shall come apparell'd in more precious habit, Into the eye and prospect of his soul, Than when she liv'd indeed:-then shall he mourn, No, though he thought his accusation true. Out of all eyes, tongues, minds, and injuries. Bene. Signior Leonato, let the friar advise you: And though, you know, my inwardness2 and love 8 we rack the value;] i. e. we exaggerate the value. The allusion is to rack-rents. The same kind of thought occurs in Antony and Cleopatra : "What our contempts do often hurl from us, 9 died upon his words,] i. e. died by them. So, in ▲ Midsummer Night's Dream: "To die upon the hand I love so well." Steevens. 1 If ever love had interest in his liver,] The liver, in conformity to ancient supposition, is frequently mentioned by Shakspeare as the seat of love. Thus Pistol represents Falstaff as loving Mrs. Ford-" with liver burning hot." Steevens. |