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OBSERVATIONS on the Ufe Shakespear has made of the Menæchmus of Plautus, in his Comedy of Errors.

SHAKESPEAR's Comedy of Errors has

been generally allowed to be founded on the Menæchmi of Plautus. Mr. Langbain, in his Account of the Dramatic Poets, fays that if it be not a juft Translation of it, it is at least a Paraphrafe, and in his Opinion far beyond a Translation, called Menæchmus, Printed at London, 1593.

From this Tranflation of Plautus's Menechmi, Shakespear certainly borrowed his Comedy of Errors; but not being able to procure a Copy of it, and being wholly unacquainted with the Latin Tongue, I have turned Monfieur Gueudiville's French Tranflation of the Menæchmi into English, which although, as I am informed, it be not very literal as to the Dialogue, yet the Plot, the Incidents, and Characters, being exactly the fame with the Latin Poet's, it will ferve to fhew how much of the Plot Shakespear has borrowed in his Comedy of Errors.

L 2

The

That we may be the better able to trace him in his Imitations, it will be neceffary to examine the Comedy of Errors Scene by Scene, and take the Story a little higher than the Commencement of the Action of the Play.

The Cities of Syracuse and Ephefus being at War with each other, a Law was made in both, by which it was provided, that if any Ephefian Merchant was feen to traffic in Syracufe, or any Syracufan Merchant in Ephefus, his Goods fhould be confifcated, and himself condemned to Death.

An old Merchant of Syracufe,named Ægeon, landing at Ephefus, is apprehended upon this Law.

Here the Action of the Play begins, as Egeon is leading to Prifon, the Duke of Ephefus meeting him, demands the Caufe of his having left his native Country, and coming to Ephefus; Egeon thereupon gives a long Account of himself and his Family, which, in order to understand well the following Incidents, I will transcribe.

In Syracufa was I born, and wed Unto a Woman, happy but for me, And by me too, had not our Hap been bad: With her I liv'd in Joy, our Wealth increas'd,

By profperous Voyages I often made

To Epidamnum, 'till my Factor's Death;

And

And he great Store of Goods at random

leaving,

Drew me from kind Embracements of my

Spoufe ;

From whom my Abfence was not fix Months old,

Before herself (almost at fainting under
The pleafing Punishment that Women bear)
Had made Provifion for her following me,
And foon and fafe arrived where I was..

There she had not been long but the be

came,

A joyful Mother of two goodly Sons; And, which was ftrange, the one fo like the other,

As could not be distinguish'd but by Names.

That very Hour, and in the felf-fame Inn, A poor mean Woman was deliver'd Of fuch a Burthen, Male-Twins both alike: Thofe (for their Parents were exceeding poor) I bought, and brought up to attend my Sons.

My Wife, not meanly proud of two fuch
Boys,

Made daily Motions for our home Return:
Unwilling I agreed, alas! too foon!
We came aboard.

A League from Epidamnum had we fail'd, Before the always-Wind-obeying Deep, Gave any tragic Inftance of our Harm; L 3

But

But longer did we not retain much Hope:
For what obfcured Light the Heavens did
grant,

Did but convey unto our fearful Minds,
A doubtful Warrant of immediate Death;
Which though myself would gladly have em-
brac'd,

Yet the inceffant Weeping of my Wife,
Weeping before for what the faw must come,
And piteous Plainings of the pretty Babes
That mourn'd for Fathion, ignorant what to
fear,

Forc'd me to feek Delays for them and me:
And this it was (for other Means were none)
The Sailors fought for Safety by our Boat,
And left the Ship then finking-ripe to us;
My Wife, more careful for the elder born,
Had faften'd him unto a small spare Maft,
Such as Sea-faring Men provide for Storms;
To him one of the other Twins was bound,
Whilft I had been like heedful of the other.

The Children thus difpos'd, my Wife and I. Fixing our Eyes on whom our Care was fixt, Faften'd ourfelves at the End of either Maft, And floating ftreight, obedient to the Stream, Were carry'd towards Corinth, as we thought.

At length the Sun gazing upon the Earth, Difperft thofe Vapours that offended us; And by the Benefit of his wifh'd Light, The Seas wax'd calm, and we discover'd Two Ships from far making amain to us; Of Corinth that, of Epidauris this;

But