Dion. I fhall report, (13)

For moft it caught me, the celeftial habits,

jecture of my friend upon this paffage.

But the temple of Apollo at Delphi was not in an island, but in Phocis on the continent. "It's plain, the blundering transcribers had their heads running on. “Delos, an island of the Cyclades. So that the true reading is un-. ❝doubtedly;

The climate's delicate, the air most sweet,

Fertile the foil;

Soil might with a very easy transposition of the letters be corrupted"to ifle. But the true reading manifefts itself likewife on this ac✩ count; that, in a defcription, the fweetness of air, and fertility of "foil, is much more terfe and elegant than air and ifle.

Mr. Warburton. But to confefs the truth, I am very suspicious that our author, notwithstanding, wrote ifle, and for this reafon. The ground-work and incidents of his play are taken from an old story, call'd, The pleasant and delectable Hiftory of Doraftus and Farnia; written by Mr. Robert Green, a Master of Arts in Cambridge, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth: and there the Queen begs of her Lord, in the rage of his jealoufy, That it would pleafe his Majefly to fend fix of bis Nobles, whom he beft trufled, to the ifle of Delphos, there to enquire of the oracle of Apollo, &c. Another palpable abfurdity our author has copied from the fame Tale, in making Bohemia a maritime country, which is known to be inland, and in the heart of the main continent.

(13) Dion.

I shall report,

For moft it caught me, &c.] What will he report? And what means this reafon of his report, viz. that the celeftial babits first.. caught his obfervation? I do not know, whether his declaration of reporting, be more obfcure, or his reafon for it more ridiculous. The speaker seems to be under thofe circumstances, which his brother ambaffador in the next speech talks of,

So furpriz'd my fenfe, that I was nothing.

But if we may fuppofe him recover'd from his furprize, we may be affur'd he faid;

It fhames report.

Foremoft it caught me, the celeftial habits, &c.

Cleomines had faid, the temple much furpafs'd the common praise it bore. Dion replies, Yes, it fhames report by fo far exceeding what. report had pretended to fay of it: and then goes on to particularize the wonders of the place. The first thing, fays he, that ftruck me, was the priest's habits, &c. And, by the bye, it is worth obferving, that the wonders are particulariz'd in their exact order: first, the ha• bits of the priests, who were ready to meet enquirers; then, the priefs behaviour; then, the facrifice; and then, the pronouncing the oracle. The reader may fee Van Dale de Oraculis Ethnicorum; and be fatisfied of this. Mr. Warburton.

(Methinks,,

(Methinks, I fo fhould term them,) and the reverence

Of the grave wearers. O, the facrifice

How ceremonious, folemn, and unearthly

It was i'th' offering!

Cleo. But of all, the burft:

And the ear-deafning voice o'th' oracle,
Kin to Jove's thunder, fo furpriz'd my fense,.
That I was nothing.

Dion. If th' event o'th' journey

Prove as fuccefsful to the Queen, (O, be it fo!)
As it hath been to us, rare, pleasant, speedy,
The time is worth the ufe on't.

Cleo. Great Apollo,

Turn all to th' beft! thefe proclamations,
So forcing faults upon Hermione,
I little like.

Dion. The violent carriage of it

Will clear, or end the bufinefs; when the oracle, (Thus by Apollo's great divine feal'd up,)

Shall the contents difcover: fomething rare

Even then will rush to knowledge. Go; fresh horfes : And gracious be the iffue!

[Exeunt.

SCENE reprefents a Court of Juftice..

Leontes, Lords, and Officers, appear properly feated.

TH

Leo. HIS feffion, (to our great grief, we pronounce,) Ev'n pushes 'gainft our heart. The party try'd, The daughter of a King, our wife, and one

Of us too much belov'd;

--

let us be clear'd

Of being tyrannous, fince we fo openly

Proceed in juftice, which shall have due course,.
Even to the guilt, or the purgation.

Produce the prifoner.

Qf. It is his Hignefs' pleafure, that the Queen Appear in perfon here in court. Silence!

Hermione

Hermione is brought in, guarded; Paulina, and Ladies, attending..

Leo. Read the indictment.

Offi. Hermione, Queen to the worthy Leontes, King of Sicilia, thou art here accufed and arraigned of high treason, in committing adultery with Polixenes, King of Bohemia, and confpiring with Camillo to take away the life of our Sovereign Lord the King, thy royal husband; the pretence. whereof being by circumftances partly laid open, thou, Hermione, contrary to the faith and allegiance of a true fubject, didft counsel and aid them, for their better fafety, to fly away: by night..

Her. Since what I am to fay, must be but that Which contradicts my accufation; and

The teftimony on my part, no other

But what comes from myfelf; it fhall scarce boot meɛ To fay, Not guilty: mine integrity,

Being counted falfhood, fhall, as I exprefs it,

Be fo receiv'd. But thus, if

powers divine

Behold our human actions, as they do,

I doubt not then, but innocence shall make
Falfe accufation blufh, and tyranny

Tremble at patience.-You, my Lord, beft know,,
Who leaft will feem to do fo, my past life
Hath been as continent, as chafte, as true,
As I am now unhappy; which is more.
Than history can pattern, tho devis'd,
And play'd, to take fpectators. For behold me
A fellow of the royal bed, which owe

A moiety of the throne, a great King's daughter -
The mother to a hopeful Prince, here ftanding
To prate and talk for life and honour, 'fore
Who pleafe to come and hear. For life, I prize it
As I weigh grief which I would fpare: for honour,
"Tis a derivative from me to mine,

And only that I ftand for. I appeal

To your own confcience, Sir, before Polixenes.
Came to your court, how I was in)

your grace,

How

How merited to be fo; fince he came,
With what encounter fo uncurrant I
Have ftrain'd t'appear thus; if one jot beyond.
The bounds of honour, or in act, or will
That way inclining, hardened be the hearts
Of all that hear me, and my near'st of kin
Cry, fy, upon my grave!

Leo. I ne'er heard yet,

That any of those bolder vices wanted
Lefs impudence to gain-fay what they did,.
Than to perform it first.

Her. That's true enough;

Tho' 'tis a faying, Sir, not due to me.
Leo. You will not own it.

Her. More than mistress of,

What comes to me in name of fault, I must not
At all acknowledge. For Polixenes,

With whom I am accus'd, I do confefs,
I lov'd him, as in honour he requir'd;
With fuch a kind of love, as might become
A Lady like me; with a love, even fuch,
So and no other, as yourself commanded:
Which not to have done, I think, had been in me
Both difobedience and ingratitude

To you, and towards your friend; whofe love had spoke
Even fince it could fpeak, from an infant, freely,
That it was yours. Now for confpiracy,

I know not how it taftes, tho' it be dish'd
For me to try how; all I know of it,
Is, that Camillo was an honest man;

And why he left your court, the Gods themselves
(Wotting no more than I,) are ignorant.

Leo. You knew of his departure, as you know
What you have underta'en to do in's, abfence.
Her. Sir,

You fpeak a language that I understand not;
My life ftands in the level of your dreams,
Which I'll lay down.

Leo. Your actions are my dreams.
You had a baftard by Polixenes,

And

And I but dream'd it:

as you were past all shame, (Thofe of your fact are fo) so paft all truth; Which to deny, concerns more than avails: for as Thy brat hath been caft out, like to itself. No father owning it, (which is, indeed, More criminal in thee than it) fo thou Sha't feel our juftice; in whofe eafieft paffageLook for no lefs than death.

Her. Sir, fpare your threats;

The bug, which you would fright me with, I feek:
To me can life be no commodity;

The crown and comfort of my life, your favour,
I do give loft, for I do feel it gone,

But know not how it went. My fecond joy,
The firft-fruits of my body, from his prefence
I'm barr'd like one infectious. My third comfort,
(Starr'd moft unluckily,) is from my breast
(The innocent milk in its moft innocent mouth)
Hal'd out to murder; myself on every post
Proclaim'd a ftrumpet; with immodeft hatred
The child-bed privilege deny'd, which 'longs
To women of all fashion: laftly, hurried (14)
Here to this place, i'th' open air, before
I have got ftrength of limit. Now, my Liege,
Tell me what bleffings I have here alive,
That I fhould fear to die therefore proceed:
But yet hear this; mistake me not Hollife,-
I prize it not a ftraw; but for mine honour,
Which I would free, if I-shall be condemn'd
Upon furmifes, (all proofs fleeping elfe,
By what your jealoufies awake,) I tell you,
Tis rigour, and not law. Your Honours all,
(14)
laft!, burried

Here to this place, i'th open air, before

I have got frength of Limbs.] This is the reading of Mr. Rove

and Mr. Pope. I have reftor'd, with the old editions ;--

I have got frength of Limit.

before

i. e. Strength enough for coming abroad, going never fo little away.

So, in Cymbeline;

A prifon, for a debtor that not dares

To fride a limit.