But that it eats our victuals, I fhould think Guid. What's the matter, Sir? Bel. By Jupiter, an angel! or if not, An earthly paragon. Behold divinenefs No elder than a boy. སྙ Enter IMOGEN. Imo. Good masters, harm me not; Before I entered here, I called; and thought T have begged or bought what I have took; good troth, I have ftolen nought, nor would not tho' 'd found As I had made my meal; and parted thence Guid. Money, youth? Arv. All gold and filver rather turn to dirt Imo. I fee you're angry: Know, if you kill me for my fault, I fhould Bel. Whither bound? Bel. What's your name? Imo. Fidele, Sir. I have a kinfman, who Is bound for Italy: he embarked at Milford; Bel. Pr'ythee, fair youth, Think us no churls, nor measure our good minds By this rude place we live in. Well encountered! 'Tis almost night, you thall have better cheer Ere you depart, and thanks to stay and eat it. Guid. Were you a woman, youth, I fhould woo hard, but be your groom in honesty; I bid for you, as I do buy. Arv. I'll make't my comfort He is a man; I'll love him as my brother; If brothers.---Would it had been fo, that they To thee, Pofthumus. Bel. He wrings at fome distress. Arv. Or I, whate'er it be, What pain it coft, what danger, Gods! Bel. Hark, boys. Imo. Great men, Afide. [Whispering That had a court no bigger than this cave, If brothers, would it had been fo, that they Ar Had been my father's fons.] I cannot think this the Poet's pointing, and therefore have ventured to reform it. viragus had faid, he would love Imogen as a brother, gives her a welcome as fuch, and tells her fhe is fallen among friends.. -Among friends, indeed, replies the very naturally, if I am to ftand in the rank of a brother. Then ftriking into a private reflexion on having loft her own brothers, fhe wishes thefe two kind youths were but her father's fons. This fenfe is plainly confirmed by what the fays in the laft fcene of the play, where they are difcovered to be really her brothers: When I was but your fifter; I, you brothers, That did attend themselves, and had the virtue I'd change my fex to be companion with them, Bel. It fhall be fo: Boys, we'll go drefs our hunt. Fair youth, come in; Guid. I pray, draw near. Aro. The night to th' owl, and morn to th' lark, Arv. I pray, draw near. [less welcome! [Exeunt. SCENE changes to Rome. Enter two Roman Senators, and Tribunes. 1 Sen. This is the tenor of the Emperor's writ; (38) -laying by 1 bat nothing gift of differing multitudes, Could not cut-peer thefe twain.] The only idea that differing can here convey is, variable, changing multitudes, as in the prologue to a Henry IV. The Hill-difordant, wavering multitude. But then what is the nothing-gift which they are fuppofed to beflow? The Poet muft mean, that court, that obfequious adoration, which the Arifting vulgar pay to the great, is a tribute of no price or value. So in King Henry V. O Ceremony, fhew me but thy worth; Art thou aught elfe, but place, degree, and form? I am perfuaded therefore, our Poet coined this participle from the French verb, and wrote; That nothing-gift of defering multitudes. i. e. obfequious, paying deference.— -Deferer, ceder par re Spelt à quelcun, obeir, condefcendre, &c. Richelet. That fince the common men are now in action 2 Sen. Ay. Tri. Remaining now in Gallia? 1 Sen. With thofe legions Which I have fpoke of, whereunto your levy Must be fuppliant: the words of your commiffion Will ty you to the numbers and the time Of their dispatch. Tri. (40) We will discharge our duty. [Exeunt. (39) And to you the tribunes For this immediate levy, he commands His abfolute commiffion.] Commands his commiffion is fuch a phrafe as Shakefpeare would hardly have used. I have, by Mr Warburton's advice, ventured to fubftitute; -he commends His abfolute commiffion. i. e. he recommends the care of making this levy to you, and gives you an abfolute commiflion for fo doing. (40) Tri. We will dijcharge our duty.] Here the third act ends in the old copies, and Mr Rowe has followed that divifion. Mr Pope has not only thought fit to degrade the preceding fhort fcene; but alfo to tranfpofe hither a scene (lying in Cymbeline's palace) towards the conclufion of the fourth act, and with that finishes the third. This is done without any authority from the copies; tacitly, and without any reafon affigned for it; and, indeed, without any thing in the difpofition of the fcenery requiring it. If the bringing the acts to a more regular equality was the ground of this change, that's a point we are not to tie our Poet up to. As the liberty taken, therefore, is both needlefs and arbi I AM near to the place where they should meet, if Pifanio have mapped it truly. How fit his garments ferve me! why thould his mistress, who was made by him that made the tailor, not be fit too? the rather, (faving reverence of the word) because 'tis faid a woman's fitnefs comes by fits. Therein I must play the workman; I dare fpeak it to my, felf, (for it is not vain-glory for a man and his glafs to confer in his own chamber) I mean, the lines of my body are as well drawn as his; no less young, more ftrong, not beneath him in fortunes, beyond him in the advantage of the time, above him in birth, alike converfant in general fervices, and more remarkable in fingle oppofitions; yet this imperfeverant thing loves him in my defpight. What mortality is! Polthumus, thy head, which is now growing upon thy fhoulders, fhall within this hour be off, thy mistress enforced, thy garments cut to pieces before thy face; and all this done, fpurn her home to her father, who may haply be a little angry for my fo rough ufage; but my mother having power of his teftinefs, fhall turn all into my commendations. My horfe is tied up fafe: out, fword, and to a fore purpose! Fortune put them into my hand; this is the very description of their trary, I have chofe to follow the order of more authentic copies. Had Mr Pope fpared us a critical note, to justify his conduct in this tranfpofition, I might perhaps have submitted to the fagacity and weight of it. |