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"My master preaches patience to him, while His man with scissors nicks him like a fool." Act V., Scene 1. Fools appear to have had their hair cut close and nicked in a par. ticular manner. In the "CHOICE OF CHANGE" (1598), we find: "Three things used by monks, which provoke men to laugh at their follies: 1. They are shaved and notched on the head, like fools." Mr. Tollet states that there is a penalty of ten shillings in one of King Alfred's ecclesiastical laws, if one opprobriously shave a common man like a fool.

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"We came into the world like brother and brother;
And now let's go hand in hand, not one before another."
Act V., Scene 1.

These lines very pleasantly wind up the "COMEDY OF ERRORS," and leave a favorable impression of the good sense and good temper of the two slave brothers. In reference to the loose kind of meter in which they are occasionally made to speak, a few similar specimens from old dramas may be found amusing. Malone introduces them with the subjoined observations:

"The long doggerel verses that Shakspeare has attributed in this play to the two Dromios, are written in that kind of meter which was usually attributed by the dramatic poets before his time, in their comic pieces, to some of their inferior characters; and this circumstance is one of many that authorize us to place the preceding comedy, as well as 'LOVE'S LABOR'S LOST,' and 'THE TAMING OF THE SHREW' (where the same kind of versification is likewise found), among our author's earliest productions; composed probably at a time when he was imperceptiby infected with the prevailing mode, and before he had completely learned to deviate boldly from the common track.' As these early pieces are now not easily met with, I shall subjoin a few extracts from some of them:

LIKE WILL TO LIKE' (1568).

Royst. If your name to me you will declare and showe, You may in this matter my minde the sooner knowe.

Tos. Few wordes are best among friends, this is true, Wherefore I shall briefly show my name unto you. Tom Tospot it is, it need not to be printed, Wherefore I with Raife Roister must needs be acquainted, &c.

'COMMONS CONDITIONS' (about 1570).

Shift. By gogs bloud, my maisters, we were not best longer here to staie,

I think was never such a crafty knave before this daie. [Exit AMBO.
Cond. Are thei all gone? Ha, ha, well fare old Shift at a neede:
By his woundes had I not devised this, I had hanged indeed.
Tinkers (qd you), tink me no tinkes; I'll meddle with them no more.
I thinke was never knave so used by a companie of tinkers before.
By your leave I'll be so bold as to looke about me and spic,
Lest any knave for my coming down in ambush do lie.
By your license I minde not to preach longer in this tree,
My tinkerly slaves are packed hence, as farre as I maie sce.

'PROMUS AND CASSANDRA' (1578).

The wind is yl blows no man's gaine; for colde I neede not care,
Here is nine and twentie sutes of apparel for my share;
And some, berlady, very good, for so standeth the case,

As neither gentleman nor other Lord Promos sheweth any grace;
But I marvel much, poore slaves, that they are hanged so soone,
They were wont to stay a day or two, now scarce an afternoone.

'THE THREE LADIES OF LONDON' (1584).

You think I am going to market to buy rost meate, do ye not?
I thought so, but you are deceived, for I wot what I wot:

I am neither going to the butcher's, to buy veale, mutton, or beefe,
But I am going to a bloodsucker, and who is it? faith Usurie, that

theese.

"THE COBLER'S PROPHESY' (1594).

Quoth Nicenness to Newfangle, thou art such a Jacke,
That thou devisest fortie fashions for my ladie's backe.
And thou, quoth he, art so possest with everie frantick toy,
That following of my ladie's humor thou dost make her coy,
For once a day for fashion-sake, my lady must be sicke,
No meat but mutton, or at most the pinion of a chicke:
To-day her owne haire best becomes, which yellow is as gold,
A periwig is better for to-morrow, blacke to behold:
To-day in pumps and cheveril gloves to walk she will be bold,
To-morrow cuffes and countenance, for fear of catching cold;
Nor is she barefast to be seene, straight on her muffler goes;
Now is she hufft up to the crowne, straight nusled to the nose.
"See also 'GAMMER GURTON'S NEEDLE,' 'DAMON AND PYTHIAS,' &c."

ile. But farce dares add the two Dromios, and is justified in so doing by the laws of its end and constitution. In a word, farce commences in a postulate which must be granted.- COLERIDGE.

The general idea of this play is taken from the "MENECHMI" of Plautus, but the plot is entirely recast, and rendered much more diverting by the variety and quick succession of the incidents. To the twin brothers of Plautus are added twin servants; and though this increases the improbability, yet, as Schlegel observes," when once we have lent ourselves to the first, which certainly borders on the incredible, we should not probably be disposed to cavil about the second; and if the spectator is to be entertained with mere perplexities, they cannot be too much varied."

The clumsy and inartificial mode of informing the spectator, by a prologue, of events which it was necessary for him to be acquainted with in order to enter into the spirit of the piece, is well avoided, and shews the superior skill of the modern dramatist over his ancient prototype. With how much more propriety is it placed in the mouth of Egeon, the father of the twin brothers, whose character is sketched with such skill as deeply to interest the reader in his griefs and misfortunes? Development of character, however, was not to be expected in a piece which consists of an uninterrupted series of mistakes and laughter-moving situations. *** We may conclude with Schlegel's dictum that "This is the best of all written or possible Menæchmi; and if the piece is inferior in worth to other pieces of Shakspeare, it is merely because nothing more could be made of the materials."- SINGER.

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 Benedick says) "fire cannot melt out of me; I will die in it at the stake."-STEEVENS.

On the present occasion, Mr. Steevens appears to have merely followed the example of Maximin :

"And all this I can do, because I dare."

It were to be wished that the writer had assigned some reasons for his opinions. Not having done so, I can only oppose to this peremp tory decision an opinion no less confidently entertained, that the whole of the present comedy was written by Shakspeare.— MALONE.

The myriad-minded man, our and all men's Shakspeare, has in this piece presented us with a legitimate farce, in exact consonance with the philosophical principles and character of farce, as distinguished from comedy and from entertainments. A proper farce is mainly distinguished from comedy by the license allowed, and even required, in the fable, in order to produce strange and laughable situations. The story need not be probable; it is enough that it is possible. A comedy would scarcely allow even the two Antipholuses; because, although there have been instances of almost indistinguishable likeness in two persons, yet these are mere individual accidents, casus ludentis natura; and the verum will not excuse the inverisim

A translation of the "MENECHMI" of Plautus appeared in 1595, by "W. W.," which letters are supposed to have been the initials of William Warner. There is not the slightest internal evidence in Shakspeare's play to shew that he made any use of his version. Indeed, it is highly probable that the "COMEDY OF ERRORS" was written at an earlier period.

The following is a specimen of Warner's translation. It is the commencement of the second Act; the dialogue being between Menrechmus Sosicles (Antipholus of Syracuse) and Messenio:

"Men. Surely, Messenio, I think seafarers never take so comfortable a joy in any thing as, when they have been long tost and turmoilcd in the wide seas, they hap at last to ken land.

Mes. I'll be sworn, I should not be gladder to see a whole country of mine own, than I have been at such a sight. But I pray, wherefore are we now come to Epidamnum? Must we needs go to see every town that we hear of?

Men. Till I find my brother, all towns are alike to me. I must try in all places.

Mes. Why, then, let's even as long as we live seek your brother: six years now have we roamed about thus; Istria, Hispania, Massylia, Illyria, all the upper sea, all high Greece, all haven towns in Italy. I think if we had sought a needle all this time we must needs have found it, had it been above ground. It cannot be that he is alive; and to seek a dead man thus among the living, what folly is it?

Men. Yea, could I but once find any man that could certainly inform me of his death, I were satisfied; otherwise I can never desist seeking: little knowest thou, Messenio, how near my heart it goes. Mes. This is washing of a blackamoor. Faith, let's go home, unless ye mean we should write a story of our travail.

Men. Sirrah, no more of these saucy speeches. I perceive I must teach you how to serve me, not to rule me.

Mes. Ay, so, now it appears what it is to be a servant."

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