sertion of the superiority of the directing mind over the executing hand; and his reflections on the endeavours which every one ought to make to keep himself in his just station in society. Nestor's argument, also, on the necessity of matching Ajax against Hector, to repress the presumption of Achilles, is conceived and conducted with great ingenuity.‡ It appears from the preface to the quarto edition of this play, which was not, however, written by Shakspeare, that Troilus and Cressida was published previous to its representation; an instance, it is believed, singular in the history of our author's dramatic works. But the story had in all probability previously appeared on the stage, as two sums of money were advanced by the manager Henslow to Decker and Chettle, "in earnest of their booke called Troyeles and Creassedaye," which, if ever completed, is now no longer in existence. "They tax our policy and call it cowardice," &c.— Act I. sc. 3. + "Time hath, my lord,a wallet at his back." Act III. sc. 3. "It is most meet: Whom may you else oppose?" Act I. - sc. 3. 54 MEASURE FOR MEASURE. 1603. JURISTE, governor of Inspruck, was in the highest reputation for wisdom and virtue, when the relatives of a young lady complained to him of the violation of her person by Lodovico. The man was seized; and, confessing the fact, condemned, in due course of law, to lose his head. Epitia, the sister of the offender, was a virgin of exquisite beauty, and highly cultivated mind. She loved her brother with the tenderest affection, and resolved to attempt his deliverance. As a suppliant, on her knees, she pleaded the cause of the unhappy culprit with pathetic earnestness and impressive eloquence. Juriste stood enraptured the beauteous form extended at his feet, the lovely features bathed in tears, the heavenly sweetness of Epitia's voice, énchanted and subdued him. Virtue sunk under the temptation, and licentiousness triumphed. In exchange for the possession of her person he promised to spare the life of Lodovico. With all the dignity of insulted innocence, the infamous proposal was rejected. But the pusillanimous Lodovico was unworthy the possession of such a sister: he wept, he sobbed, he clasped her to his bosom, and besought her, by every tie of nature and of love, to save his life. His prayers and tears prevailed: under the promise of marriage Epitia resigned herself to the arms of Juriste. The supposed ransom of her brother's life was the sacrifice of her honour; who then shall describe the agony of Epitia when the bleeding corpse of Lodovico was borne into her presence? The governor, regardless of his vows, had enforced the order for Lodovico's execution. The spirit of a just revenge now animated the bosom of the insulted Epitia. She carried her complaints to Maximine, emperor of the Romans; Juriste was summoned to appear; he stood convicted; was compelled to repair the injury done to Epitia by marriage; and, as an atonement for the life of Lodovico, was condemned to lose his own. By a wonderful exertion of the virtue of forgiveness, Epitia recognised in Juriste the sacred character of a husband only, and earnestly pleaded for his pardon. Struck with astonishment and admiration at the greatness of her her solicitations; unmerited kind mind, the emperor yielded to and Juriste, reflecting on the ness and generosity of Epitia, loved her with the most ardent affection, and lived happy with her the remainder of his life. From this novel, which is Cinthio's, Shakspeare has been erroneously supposed to have derived his plot of Measure for Measure. But the story had been dramatised as early as 1578, in a play in two parts, entitled the " Historye of Promos and Cassandra," by George Whetstone. Instead of condemning the youth for the crime of violation, Whetstone makes his offence the guilty indulgence of his passion with a female to whom he was affianced. Instead of suffering execution for his crime, Whetstone saves the culprit by producing the head of another person instead of that which had been severed from the youth. Both these deviations from Cinthio are found in Shakspeare; and a further comparison of his play with that of Whetstone will lead to the conclusion, that Promos and Cassandra furnished the materials for the construction of Measure for Measure. Promos thus replies to the solicitations of the suppliant virgin "Leave thy bootless suit: by law he hath been tried ; Law found his fault, law judged him death." Which is quite paralleled by Shakspeare: "Be thou content, fair maid; It is the law, not I, condemns your brother." Both the governors attribute their fall in the hour of temptation to the same singular cause,the charms of modesty and virtue, and their superiority over the meritricious lures of vice: "I do protest her modest words hath wrought in me amaze. Though she be fair, she is not deckt with garish shews for gaze; Her beauty lures, her looks cut off fond suits with chaste disdain." Thus in Measure for Measure: "Can it be That modesty may more betray our sense O cunning enemy, that to catch a saint, To sin in loving virtue: never could the strumpet, Once stir my temper; but this virtuous maid When men were fond, I smiled, and wonder'd how."* Act II. sc. 2. |