That bore thee at a burden two fair sons: Ege. If I dream not, thou art Æmilia; Abb. By men of Epidamnum, he, and 1, Duke. Why, here begins his morning story right; Ant. S. No, sir, not I; I came from Syracuse. Ant. E. Brought to this town by that most famous Duke Menaphon, your most renowned uncle. Adr. Which of you two did dine with me to-day? Adr. And are not you my husband? Ant. S. And so do I, yet did she call me so; Ang. That is the chain, sir, which you had of me. 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. Ant. S. This purse of ducats I receiv'd from you, And Dromio, my man, did bring them me: I 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. Ant. E. These ducats pawn I for my father here. Abb. Renowned duke, vouchsafe to take the pains To go with us into the abbey here And hear at large discoursed all our fortunes :- The duke, my husband, and my children both, After so long grief, such nativity! Duke. With all my heart, I'll gossip at this feast. [Exeunt Duke, Abbess, geon, 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, Dromio: Come, go with us: we'll look to that anon: Embrace thy brother there, rejoice with him. [Exeunt Antipholus Š. 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; She now shall be my sister, not my wife. Dro. E. Methinks, you are my glass, and not my brother. I see by you, I am a sweet-faced youth. Dro. E. That's a question: how shall we try it? Dro. S. We will draw cuts for the senior: till then, lead thou first. 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 was no work of his, is an opinion which (as Benedict says) fire cannot melt out of me; I will die in it at the stake.' Thus, as we are informed by Aulus Gellius, lib. iii. cap. 3, some plays were absolutely ascribed to Plautus, which in truth had only been (retractata et expolita) retouched and polished by him. 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. C. Whittingham, Printer, Chiswick. Fleance, Son to Banquo. Siward, Earl of Northumberland, General of the Eng lish Forces: Young Siward, his Son. Seyton, an Officer attending on Macbeth.. An English Doctor. A Scotch Doctor. Lady Macbeth. Lady Macduff. Gentlewoman attending on Lady Macbeth. Lords, Gentlemen, Officers, Soldiers, Murderers, Attendants, and Messengers. The Ghost of Banquo, and several other Apparitions. SCENE, in the End of the Fourth Act, lies in England; through the rest of the Play, in Scotland; and, chiefly, at Macbeth's Castle. |