Antonio.
Antonio.
If you go on thus, you will kill yourself;
And 'tis not wisdom thus to second grief
Against your self.
Leon.
I pray thee, cease thy counsel,
Which falls into mine ears as profitless
As water in a sieve; give not me counsel,
Nor let no Comforter delight mine ear,
But such a one whose wrongs do suite with mine.
Bring me a father, that so lov'd his child,
Whose joy of her is overwhelm'd like mine,
And bid him speak of patience;
Measure his woe the length and breadth of mine,
And let it answer every strain for strain:
As thus for thus, and such a grief for such,
In every lineament, branch, shape and form.
If such a one will smile and stroke his beard,
(a) noteAnd Sorrow waive; cry, hem! when he should groan;
&plquo;Patch grief with proverbs; make misfortune drunk
&plquo;With candle-wasters; bring him yet to me,
&plquo;And I of him will gather patience.
&plquo;But there is no such man; for, brother, men
&plquo;Can counsel, and give comfort to that grief
&plquo;Which they themselves not feel; but tasting it,
&plquo;Their counsel turns to passion, which before
&plquo;Would give preceptial medicine to rage;
&plquo;Fetter strong madness in a silken thread;
-- 74 --
&plquo;Charm ach with air, and agony with words.
&plquo;No, no; 'tis all mens office to speak patience
&plquo;To those, that wring under the load of sorrow;
&plquo;But no man's virtue, nor sufficiency,
&plquo;To be so moral, when he shall endure
&plquo;The like himself; therefore give me no counsel;
&plquo;My griefs cry louder than advertisement.&prquo;
Ant.
Therein do men from children nothing differ.
Leon.
I pray thee, peace; I will be flesh and blood;
&plquo;For there was never yet philosopher,
&plquo;That could endure the tooth-ach patiently;
&plquo;1 noteHowever they have writ the style of Gods,
&plquo;2 noteAnd made a pish at chance and sufferance.&prquo;
Ant.
Yet bend not all the harm upon yourself:
Make those, that do offend you, suffer too.
Leon.
There thou speak'st reason; nay, I will do so.
My soul doth tell me, Hero is bely'd;
And that shall Claudio know, so shall the Prince;
And all of them, that thus dishonour her.
Alexander Pope [1747], The works of Shakespear in eight volumes. The Genuine Text (collated with all the former Editions, and then corrected and emended) is here settled: Being restored from the Blunders of the first Editors, and the Interpolations of the two Last: with A Comment and Notes, Critical and Explanatory. By Mr. Pope and Mr. Warburton (Printed for J. and P. Knapton, [and] S. Birt [etc.], London) [word count] [S11301].
