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Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, a Tribune, Apparitions, a Soothsayer, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and

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Of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not
Glad at the thing they fcowl at.

2 Gent. And why fo?

1 Gent. He that hath mifs'd the princefs, is a thing

1 Gent. You do not meet a man, but frowns: Too bad for bad report: and he that bath her,.

our bloods

No more obey the heavens, than our courtiers',

Still feem, as does the king's 1.

2 Gent. But what's the matter?

(I mean, that marry'd her,―alack, good man !-
And therefore banish'd) is a creature fuch

As, to feek through the regions of the earth
For one his like, there would be fomething failing

1 Gent. His daughter, and the heir of his king-In him that should compare. I do not think,

dom, whom

He purpos'd to his wife's fole fon, (a widow,
That late he married) hath referr'd herself

Unto a poor, but worthy gentleman: She's wedded;
Her husband banish'd; the imprifon'd: all
Is outward forrow; though, I think, the king
Be touch'd at very heart.

2 Gent. None but the king?

[queen,

1 Gent. He, that hath loft her, too: fo is the That most defir'd the match: But not a courtier, Although they wear their faces to the bent

So fair an outward, and such stuff within,
Endows a man but he.

2 Gent. You fpeak him far.

I Gent. I do extend him, fir, within himself 2
Crush him together, rather than unfold
His measure duly.

2 Gent. What's his name, and birth?

1 Gent. I cannot delve him to the root: His father
Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour,
Against the Romans, with Caffibelan;
But had his titles by Tenantius, whom

1 Dr. Johnson obferves, that this paffage is fo difficult, that commentators may differ concerning it without animofity or shame ;-that the lines ftand as they were originally written, and that a paraphrafe, fuch as the licentious and abrupt expressions of our author too frequently require, will make emendation unneceffary. We do not met a man but frowns; our bloods our countenances, which, in popular speech, are faid to be regulated by the temper of the blood, -no more obey the laws of heaven,-which direct us to appear what we really are,- than our courtiers; that is, than the bloods of our courtiers; but our bloods, like theirs, fill feem, as doth the king's. Mr. Steevens is of opinion, that blood appears to be used for inclination; and Mr. Tyrwhitt propofes to make the paffage clear by a very flight alteration, only leaving out the laft letter; "You do not meet a man but frowns: our bloods no more obey the heavens than our courtiers ftill feem, as does the king. That is, Still look as the king does." 2 The meaning is, My praise, however extenjive, is within his merit.

He

He ferv'd with glory and admir'd fuccefs;
So gain'd the fur-addition, Leonatus :

And had, befides this gentleman in question,
Two other fons; who, in the wars o' the time,
Dy'd with their fwords in hand for which, their
father

(Then old and fond of iffue) took fuch forrow,
That he quit being; and his gentle lady,
Big of this gentleman, our theme, deceas'd
As he was born. The king, he takes the babe
To his protection; calls him Posthumus;
Breeds him, and makes him of his bed-chamber;
Puts to him all the learning that his time
Could make him the receiver of; which he took,
As we do air, fast as 'twas minister'd; and
In his fpring became a harvest: Liv'd in court,
(Which rare it is to do) most prais'd, most lov'd :
A fample to the youngeft; to the more mature,
A glafs that feated them; and to the graver,
A child that guided dotards: to his mistress,
For whom he now is banifh'd, her own price
Proclaims how the efteem'd him and his virtue;
By her election may be truly read,
What kind of man he is.

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2 Gent. That a king's children fhould be fo conSo flackly guarded! And the search fo flow, That could not trace them!

1 Gent. Howfoe'er 'tis ftrange,

Or that the negligence may well be laugh'd at,
Yet is it true, fir.

2 Gent. I do well believe you.

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I'll fetch a turn about the garden, pitying
The pangs of barr'd affections; though the king
Hath charg'd you should not speak together. [Exit.

Imo. O diffembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant
Can tickle where the wounds!--My deareft husband,
I fomething fear my father's wrath; but nothing,
(Always referv'd my holy duty) what

His rage can do on me: You must be gone;
And I fhall here abide the hourly fhot
Of angry eyes; not comforted to live,
But that there is this jewel in the world,
That I may fee again.

Poft. My queen! my mistress!
O, lady, weep no more; left I give cause
To be fufpected of more tenderness
Than doth become a man! I will remain
The loyal'ft husband that did e'er plight troth.
My refidence in Rome, at one Philario's ;
Who to my father was a friend, to me
Known but by letter: thither write, my queen,
And with mine eyes I'll drink the words you fend,
Though ink be made of gall.

Re-enter Queen.

Queen. Be brief, I pray you :

If the king come, I fhall incur I know not
How much of his difpleasure :-Yet, I'll move him

To walk this way: I never do him wrong, But he does buy my injuries, to be friends; Pays dear for my offences.

-Poft. Should we be taking leave As long a term as yet we have to live, The lothness to depart would grow: Adieu! Imo. Nay, ftay a little :

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[Exit.

Were you but riding forth to air yourself,
Such parting were too petty. Look here, love;
This diamond was my mother's: take it, heart;
But keep it 'till you woo another wife,
When Imogen is dead.

Poft. How! how! another 2-
You gentle gods, give me but this I have,
And fear up my embracements from a next

i Gent. We must forbear: Here comes the With bonds of death !-Remain, remain thou here

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[Putting on the ring. While fenfe can keep it on! And fweeteft, faireit, As I my poor felf did exchange for you, To your fo infinite lofs; fo, in our trifles Iftill win of you: For my fake, wear this; s.It is a manacle of love; I'll place it

Enter the Queen, Pofhumus, Imogen, and attendant, Queen. No, be affur'd, you shall not find me, daughter,

After the flander of moft step-mothers,
Evil-ey'd unto you: you are my prisoner, but
Your gaoler fhall deliver you the keys
That lock up your restraint, For you, Pofthumus,
So foon as I can win the offended king,

I will be known your advocate: marry, yet
The fire of rage is in him; and 'twere good,
You lean'd unto his sentence, with what patience
Your wifdom may inform you.

Poft. Please your highnefs,

I will from hence to-day.

Queen. You know the peril

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1. e. a glass that formed them: meaning, a model, by the contemplation and inspection of which they formed their manners.

1

Imo. There cannot be a pinch in death

More tharp than this.

Cym. O disloyal thing,

That should't repair my youth; thou heapest
A year's age on me!

Im. I befeech you, fir,

Harm not yourself with your vexation; I

Am fenfelefs of your wrath; a touch more rare
Subdues all pangs, all fears.

Cym. Paft grace? obedience?

I

Imo. Paft hope, and in defpair; that way, paft grace.

Cym. That might'ft have had the fole fon of my queen!

Myfelf by with a needle, that I might prick
The goer back. Why came you from your mafter?
Pij. On his command: He would not fuffer me
To bring him to the haven: left these notes.

Of what commands I should be subject to,
When it pleas'd you to employ me.

Queen. This hath been

Your faithful fervant: I dare lay mine honour,
He will remain fo.

Pif. I humbly thank your highness.
Qacen. Pray, walk a while.

Io. About some half hour hence, pray you
fpeak with me:

You fhall, at least, go fee my lord aboard:
Imo. O bleft, that I might not! I chofe an eagle, For this time, leave me.
And did avoid a puttock 2.

Cym. Thou took'ft a beggar; would't have
made my throne

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SCENE

III.

Enter Cloten, and two Lords.

[Exeunt

1 Lerd. Sir, I would advife you to shift a fhirt; the violence of action hath made you reek as a facrifice: Where air comes out, air comes in: there's none abroad fo wholefome as that you

vent.

Clot. If my fhirt were bloody, then to shift it-Have I hurt him?

2 Lard. No, faith; not fo much as his patience. [Ahd. his body's a paffable carcafs,

I Lord. Hurt him

Imo. Almoft, fir:-Heaven reftore me!--'Would | if he be not hurt it is a thorough-fare for steel, if

A neat-herd's daughter! and my Leonatus

Our neighbour fhepherd's fon!

Re-enter Queen.

Cym. Thou foolish thing!

They were again together: you have done

[To the queen.

Not after our command. Away with her,
And pen her up.

Queen. Befeech your patience:-Peace,
Dear lady daughter, peace !--Sweet fovereign,
Leave us to ourfelves; and make yourfelf fome
' comfort

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it be not hurt.

2 Lord. His fteel was in debt; it went o' the back-fide of the town

Clot. The villain would not stand me.

2 Lord. No; but he fled forward ftill, toward your face. [Alide.

I Lord. Stand you! You have land enough of your own: but he added to your having; gave you fome ground.

2 Lord. As many inches as you have oceans: Puppies! [Afide Clot. I would, they had not come between us. 2 Lord. So would I, 'till you had measur'd how long a fool you were upon the ground. [Afide. Clot. And that the fhould love this fellow, and [Exit. refute me!

Here is your fervant.—How now, fir ? What news?
Pif. My lord your fon drew on my mafter."
Queen. Ha!

No harm, I trust, is done?

Pif. There might have been,

But that my mafter rather play'd than fought,
And had no help of anger: they were parted
By gentlemen at hand.

Queen. I am very glad on't.

Lino. Your fon's my father's friend; he takes his
part.--

To draw upon an exile -O brave fir

I would they were in Africk both together;

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A touch more rare, may mean a nobler passion, or a more exquifite feeling, a fuperior fenfation. 2 A kite. 3 Sign here means fair outward fhew. Mr. Steevens adds, that to underftand the whole force of Shakipeare's idea, it !hould be remember'd, that anciently almoft every Agn had a motto, or fome attempt at a witticifin, underneath it.

SCENE

SCENE IV.

Imogen's Apartments.

Enter Imogen, and Pifanio.

Imo. I would thou grew'ft unto the fhores o' the

haven,

And question'dft every fail: if he should write,
And I not have it, 'twere a paper loft

As offer'd mercy is1. What was the laft
That he spake to thee?

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Pif. 'Twas, His queen, his queen!'
Imo. Then way'd his handkerchief?

Pif. And kifs'd it, madam.

Imo. Senfelefs linen! happier therein than I!And that was all?

Pif. No, madam; for fo long

As he could make me with this eye, or ear,
Diftinguish him from others, he did keep
The deck, with glove, or hat, or handkerchief,
Still waving, as the fits and ftirs of his mind
Could beft exprefs how flow his foul fail'd on,
How fwift his thip.

Imo. Thou fhouldft have made him

As little as a crow, or lefs, ere left

To after-eve him.

Pif. Malam, fo I did.

SCENE V.
Ronse.

An Apartment in Philarid's Houfe. Enter Philario, lacbimo, and a Frenchman, Iath. Believe it, fir: I have feen him in Britain: he was then of a crefcent note; expected to prove fo worthy, as fince he has been allowed the name of: but I could then have look'd on him without the help of admiration; though the catalogue of his endowments had been tabled by his fide, and I to perufe him by items.

Phil. You fpeak of him when he was lefs furnifh'd, than now he is, with that which makes + him both without and within.

French. I have feen him in France; we had very many there, could behold the fun with as firm eyes as he.

Iach. This matter of marrying his king's daughter (wherein he must be weigh'd rather by her value, than his own) words him, I doubt not, a great deal from the matter 5.

French. And then his banishment.

Iach. Ay, and the approbations of those, that weep this lamentable divorce, under her colours *, are wonderfully to extend him; he it but to for

Imo. I would have broke mine eye-ftrings;tify her judgment, which elfe an eafy battery might

crack'd them, but

To look upon him; till the diminution

Of frace 2 had pointed him sharp as my needle:
Nay, follow'd him, 'till he had melted from
The fmallness of a gnat to air; and then [nio,
Have turn'd mine eye, and wept.-But, good Pita-

When fhall we hear from him?

Pif. Be affur'd, madam, With his next vantage 3.

Imo. I did not take my leave of him, but had Moft pretty things to fay: ere I could tell him, How I would think on him, at certain hours, Such thoughts, and fuch; or I could make him fwear,

[him,

The fhe's of Italy fhould not betray
Mine intereft, and his honour; or have charg'd
At the fixth hour of morn, at noon, at midnight,
To encounter me with orifons, for then

I am in heaven for him; or ere I could
Give him that parting kiss, which I had fet
Betwixt two charming words, comes in my father,
And, like the tyrannous breathing of the north,
Shakes all our buds from growing.
Enter a Lady.

Lady. The queen, madam,
Defires your highnefs' company.

[patch'd.

Imo. Thofe things I bid you do, get them dif-
I will attend the queen.
Pif. Madam, Ifhall.

[Exeunt.

lay flat, for taking a beggar without more quality. But how comes it, he is to fojourn with you ?How creeps acquaintance?

Phil. His father and I were foldiers together; to whom I have been often bound for no less than my life:

Enter Posthumus.

Here comes the Briton: Let him be fo entertained amongst you, as fuits, with gentlemen of your knowing, to a ftranger of his quality. I befeech you all, be better known to this gentleman; whom I commend to you, as a noble friend of mine :How worthy he is, I will leave to appear hereafter, rather than flory him in his own hearing. French. Sir, we have known together in Orleans.

Poft. Since when I have been debtor to you for courtefies, which I will be ever to pay, and yet ftill.

pay

French. Sir, you o'er-rate my poor kindness; I was glad I did atone7 my countryman and you; it had been pity, you fhould have been put together with fo mortal a purpose, as then each bore, upon importance of fo flight and trivial a nature.

Poft. By your pardon, fir, I was then a young traveller; rather thunn'd to go even with what I others' experiences: but, upon my mended heard, than in my every action to be guided by judgment, (if I offend not to fay it is mended) my quarrel was not altogether flight.

1 The meaning is, that the lofs of that paper would prove as fatal to her, as the lofs of a pardon to a condemn'a criminal. 2 Dr. Johnfon remarks, that the diminution of space, is the dimination of which pace is the caufe. Trees are killed by a blaft of lightning, that is, by blafing, not blasted lightning. 31. e. next opportunity. 4 Make is here used in the fenfe in which we say, This will make or mar you. si.e. makes the defcription of him very diftant from the truth. • i. c. by her influence. 7 To atone fignifies in this place to reconcile. 8 Tha is, I was then willing to take for my direction the experience of others, more than fuch intelligence as I had gathered myself. French

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French. 'Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitre- her go back, even to the yielding; had I admitment of fwords; and by fuch two, that would, [tance, and opportunity to friend.

by all likelyhood, have confounded one the other, or have fallen both..

Poft. No, no.

Iach, I dare, thereupon, pawn the moiety of Lach. Can we, with manners, afk what was the my estate to your ring; which, in my opinion, difference? o'er-values it fomething But I make my wager French. Safely, I think: 'twas a contention in rather against your confidence, than her reputa publick, which may, without contradiction, fuffer tion: and, to bar your offence herein too, I durft the report 1. It was much like an argument attempt it against any lady in the world. that fell out last night, where each of us fell in praise of our country miftreifes: This gentle-a man at that time vouching, (and upon warrant of bloody affirmation) his to be more fair, virtuous, wife, chafte, conftant-qualified, and lefs attemptible, than any the rareft of our ladies in France.

lach. That lady is not now living; or this gentleman's opinion, by this, worn out.

Poft. She holds her virtue still, and I my mind. Tach. You must not fo far prefer her 'fore ours of Italy.

Poft. Being fo far provok'd as I was in France, I would abate her nothing; though I profefs myfelf her adorer, not her friend.

Iach. As fair, and as good, (a kind of hand-inhand comparifon) had been fomething too fair, and too good, for any lady in Britany. If the went before others I have feen, as that diamond of yours out-luftres many I have beheid, I could not believe the excelled many: but I have not feen the moft precious diamond that is, nor you the lady. [ftone. Poft. I prais'd her, as I rated her; fo do I my lach. What do you efteem it at ? Pofl. More than the world enjoys.

Poff. You are a great deal abus'd 3 in too bold perfuafion; and I doubt not you sustain what you're worthy of, by your attempt.

Iach. What's that?

Poft. A repulfe: Though your attempt, as you call it, deferves more; a punishment too.

Phil. Gentlemen, enough of this: it came in too fuddenly; let it die as it was born, and, I pray you, be better acquainted.

Iach. 'Would I had put my estate, and my neighbour's, on the approbation 4 of what I have fpoke.

Poft. What lady would you chufe to affail?

Iach. Yours who in conftancy, you think, ftandis fo fafe. I will lay you ten thousand ducats to your ring, that, commend me to the court where your lady is, with no more advantage than the opportunity of a fecond conference, and I will bring from thence that honour of hers, which you imagine fo referv'd.

Poft. I will wage against your gold, gold to it: my ring I hold dear as my finger; 'tis part of it.

Iach. You are a friend, and therein the wifer §. If you buy ladies' fleth at a million a dram, you cannot preferve it from tainting: But, I fee, you

fach. Either your unparagon'd mistress is dead, have fome religion in you, that you fear. or fhe's out-priz'd by a trifle.

Poft. You are mistaken: the one may be fold, or given; if there were wealth enough for the purchase, or merit for the gift: the other is not a thing for fale, and only the gift of the gods.

Iach. Which the gods have given you ? Poff. Which, by their graces, I will keep. Juch. You may wear her in title yours: but, you know, ftrange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds. Your ring may be ftolen too: fo, of your brace of unprizeable estimations, the one is but frail, and the other cafual: a cunning thief, or a that-way-accomplish'd courtier, would hazard the winning both of firit and laft.

Pof. Your Italy contains none fo accomplish'd a courtier, to convince 2 the honour of my mittrefs; if, in the holding or loss of that, you term her frail. I do nothing doubt, you have ftore of thieves; notwithstanding, I fear not my ring...

Phil. Let us leave here, gentlemen. Poft. Sir, with all my heart. This worthy fignior, I thank him, makes no stranger of me; we are familiar at first.

Poft. This is but a cuftom in your tongue; you bear a graver purpose, I hope.

Iach. I am the master of my speeches; and would undergo what's fpoken, I fwear.

Poft. Will you?--I fhall but lend my diamond 'till your return :-Let there be covenants drawn between us: My miftrefs exceeds in goodness the hugeness of your unworthy thinking: I dare you to this match: here's my ring.

Phil. I will have it no lay.

Iach. By the gods, it is one :-If I bring you no fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thou fand ducats are yours; fo is your diamond too If I come off, and leave her in futh honour as you have truft in, she your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours;-provided, I have your commendation, for my more free entertainment.

Poft. I embrace thefe conditions; let us have articles betwixt us :-only, thus far you halk anfwer. If you make your voyage upon her, and give me directly to understand you have prevail'd, I am no further your enemy, fhe is not worth our Lach. With five times fo much converfation, 1 debate: if the remain unfeduc'd, (you not making fhould get ground of your fair miftrefs: make it appear otherwife) for your ill opinion, and the

1. That is, Which, undoubtedly, may be publickly told 2 Convince for overcome.. 3. i. e. desciv'd.. 4 i. e. proof. 5 The meaning is, "You are a friend to the lady, and therein the tfer, as you will not expofe her to hazard; and that you fear, is a proof of your religious ficeday.'

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