OBSERVATIONS.

THE story of All's Well that Ends Well, or, as I suppose it to have been sometimes called Love's Labour Wonne, is originally indeed the property of Boccace, but it came immediately to Shakspeare from Painter's Giletta of Narbon, in the first volume of the Palace of Pleasure, 4to. 1566. p. 88. FARMER

Shakspeare is indebted to the novel only for a few leading circumstances in the graver parts of the piece. The comic business appears to be entirely of his own formation.

STEEVENS.

This play has many delightful scenes, though not sufficiently probable, and some happy characters, though not new, nor produced by any deep knowledge of human nature. Parolles is a boaster and a coward, such as has always been the sport of the stage, but perhaps never raised more laughter or con tempt than in the hands of Shakspeare.

I cannot reconcile my heart to Bertram; a man noble with. out generosity, and young without truth; who marries Heler as a coward, and leaves her as a profligate: when she is dead by his unkindness, sneaks home to a second marriage, is accused by a woman whom he has wronged, defends himself by falsehood, and is dismissed to happiness.

The story of Bertram and Diana had been told before o

Mariana and Angelo, and, to confess the truth, scarcely merited to be heard a second time.

JOHNSON

PERSONS REPRESENTED.*

King of France.

Duke of Florence.

BERTRAM, Count of Rousillon.

LAFEU, an old lord.

PAROLLES, † a follower of Bertram.

Several young French Lords, that serve with Bertram in the Florentine war.

Steward, } servants to the countess of Rousillon.

Clown,

A Page.

Countess of Rousillon, mother to Bertram.

HELENA, a gentlewoman, protected by the countess. An old Widow of Florence.

DIANA, daughter to the widow.

MMOLENTA, neighbours and friends to the widow.

Lords, attending on the king; Officers, Soldiers, &c. French and Florentine.

SCENE-Partly in France, and partly in Tuscany.

• The persons were first enumerated by Rowe.

† I suppose we should write this name-Paroles; i. e. a creature made up of empty words.

STEEVENS.

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ACT I.

SCENE I.-Rousilion. A Room in the Countess's Palace. En ter BERTRAM, the Countess of Rousillon, HELENA, anc LAFEU, in mourning.

Countess.

IN delivering my son from me, I bury a second husband Ber. And I, in going, madam, weep o'er my father' death anew: but I must attend his majesty's command to whom I am now in ward, evermore in subjection.

Laf. You shall find of the king a husband, madam ;you, sir, a father: He that so generally is at all time good, must of necessity hold his virtue to you; whos worthiness would stir it up where it wanted, rathe than lack it where there is such abundance.

Count. What hope is there of his majesty's amend ment?

Laf. He hath abandoned his physicians, madam under whose practices he hath persecuted time with hope: and finds no other advantage in the process bu only the losing of hope by time.

Count. This young gentlewoman had a father, (O that had! how sad a passage 'tis !) whose skill was al most as great as his honesty; had it stretched so far would have made nature immortal, and death shoul have play for lack of work. 'Would, for the king sake, he were living! I think, it would be the death the king's disease.

Laf. How called you the man you speak of, madam Count. He was famous, sir, in his profession, and was his great right to be so: Gerard de Narbon.

Laf. He was excellent, indeed, madam; the kin very lately spoke of him, admiringly, and mourningly