Scene I. COMEDY OF ERRORS. Neither disturb'd with the effect of wine, Duke. Why, this is strange :-Go call the abbess hither; I think you are all mated,1 or stark mad. [Exit an attendant Haply I see a friend will save my life, Duke. Speak freely, Syracusan, what thou wilt. There did this perjur'd goldsmith swear me But he, I thank him, gnaw'd in two my cords; down, That I this day of him receiv'd the chain, I did obey; and sent my peasant home For certain ducats: he with none return'd. To go in person with me to my house. By the way we met My wife, her sister, and a rabble more Of vile confederates; along with them Now am I Dromio, and his man, unbound. ge. I am sure, you both of you remember me. Ege. Why look you strange on me? you know Ant. E. I never saw you in my life, till now. And careful hours, with Time's deformed hand, They brought one Pinch; a hungry lean-fac'd vil- Have written strange defeatures2 in my face: lain, A mere anatomy, a mountebank, A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune-teller; For these deep shames and great indignities. Duke. But had he such a chain of thee, or no? Mer. Besides, I will be sworn, these ears of Heard you confess you had the chain of him, Duke. Why, what an intricate impeach is this! : Dro. E. Sir, he dined with her there, at the Cour. He did; and from my finger snatch'd Ant. E. 'Tis true, my liege, this ring I had of her. (2) Alteration of features. But tell me yet, dost thou not know my voice? Æge. Dromio, nor thou? Dro. E. No, trust me, sir, nor I. Ege. Not know my voice! O, time's extremity! Ant. E. I never saw my father in my life. ge. But seven years since, in Syracusa, boy, Thou know'st, we parted: but, perhaps, my son, Ant. E. The duke, and all that know me in the Thou sham'st to acknowledge me in misery. city, Can witness with me that it is not so; Duke. I tell thee, Syracusan, twenty years I see, thy age and dangers make thee dote. Abb. Most mighty duke, behold a man much Abb. Whoever bound him, I will loose his bonds, (3) Furrowed, lined. And gain a husband by his liberty :— Abb. By men of Epidamnum, he, and I, Duke. Why, here begins his morning story right; Ant. S. No, sir, not I; I came from Syracuse. Duke. Stay, stand apart! I know not which is which. Ant. E. I came from Corinth, my most gracious lord. Dro. E. And I with him. Ant. E. Brought to this town with that most famous warrior Duke Menaphon, your most renowned uncle. And are not you my husband? Ang. That is the chain, sir, which you had of me. Ant. S. I think it be, sir; I deny it not. Ant. E. And you, sir, for this chain arrested me. Ang. I think I did, sir; I deny it not. Adr. I sent you money, sir, to be your bail, By Dromio; but I think he brought it not. Dro. E. No, none by me. And all that are assembled in this place, Duke. With all my heart, I'll gossip at this feast. [Exeunt Duke, Abbess, Egeon, Courtezan, Merchant, Angelo, and attendants. Dro. S. Master, shall I fetch your stuff from shipboard? Ant. E. Dromio, what stuff of mine hast thou embark'd? Dro. S. Your goods, that lay at host, sir, in the Centaur. Ant. S. He speaks to me; I am your master, Come, go with us: we'll look to that anon: [Exeunt Antipholus S. and E. Adr. and Luc. Dro. S. There is a fat friend at your master's house, That kitchen'd me for you to-day at dinner; Dro. E. Methinks, you are my glass, and not my brother: I see by you, I am a sweet-faced youth. Dro. S. Not I, sir; you are my elder. Dro. E. Nay, then thus: We came into the world, like brother and brother; And now let's go hand in hand, not one before another. [Exeunt. On a careful revision of the foregoing scenes, I do not hesitate to pronounce them the composition of two very unequal writers. Shakspeare had undoubtedly a share in them; but that the entire play Ant. S. This purse of ducats I receiv'd from you, was no work of his, is an opinion which (as Bene And Dromio my man did bring them me: see, we still did meet each other's man, And I was ta'en for him, and he for me, And thereupon these Errors are arose. dict says) fire cannot melt out of me; I will die in Ant. E. These ducats pawn I for my father here.been (retractatæ et expolita) retouched and pol- Abb. Renowned duke, vouchsafe to take the pains And hear at large discoursed all our fortunes : (1) The morning story is what Egeon tells the duke in the first scene of this play. In this comedy we find more intricacy of plot than distinction of character; and our attention is less forcibly engaged, because we can guess in great measure how the denouement will be brought about. Yet the subject appears to have been reluctantly dismissed, even in this last and unnecessary scene; where the same mistakes are continued, till the power of affording entertainment is entirely lost. STEEVENS. Do swarm upon him,) from the western isles Of Kernes and Gallowglasses is supplied ;2 and And fortune, on his damned quarrel3 smiling, Upon the heath: 3 Witch. There to meet with Macbeth. 1 Witch. I come, Graymalkin! Show'd like a rebel's whore: But all's too weak: For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name,) Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel, Which smok'd with bloody execution, Like valour's minion, Cary'd out his passage, till he fac'd the slave; And ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him Till he unseam'd him from the nave to the chaps, And fix'd his head upon our battlements. Dun. O, valiant cousin! worthy gentleman! Sold. As whence the sun 'gins his reflection Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break; So from that spring, whence comfort seem'd to come, Discomfort swells. Mark, king of Scotland, mark: No sooner justice had, with valour arm'd, Compell'd these skipping Kernes to trust their heels: With furbish'd arms, and new supplies of men, But the Norweyan lord, surveying vantage, Began a fresh assault. Dun. Dismay'd not this Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo? Sold. Yes; As sparrows, eagles; or the hare, the lion. Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe: I cannot tell : But I am faint, my gashes cry for help. Dun. So well thy words become thee, as thy wounds; They smack of honour both :-Go, get him surgeons. [Exit Soldier, attended. (5) Truth. (6) Make another Golgotha as memorable as the first. |