Bel. He wrings at some distress. Arv. Or I, whate'er it be, What pain it coft, what danger, Gods! Bel. Hark, boys. Imo. Great men, [Whispering. That had a court not bigger than this cave, That did attend themselves, and had the virtue That nothing-gift of defering multitudes, Could not out peer these twain. Pardon me, Gods! I'd change my fex to be companion with them, Since Leonatus is falfe. Bel. It fhall be fo: Boys, we'll go dress our hunt. Fair youth, come in; Difcourfe is heavy, fafting; when we've fupp'd, We'll mannerly demand thee of thy ftory, So far as thou wilt speak. Guid. I pray, draw near. [welcome! Arv. The night to th' owl, and morn to th' lark lefs Imo. Thanks, Sir. Arv. I pray, draw near. That nothing-gift of differing multitudes, [Exeunt. Could not out-peer these twain.] The only idea, that differing can here convey, is, variable, changing multitudes; as in the prologue to 2 Henry V. The fiill-difcordant, wavʼring multitude. But then what is the nothing-gift which they are fuppos'd to bestow? The Poet muft mean, that court, that obfequious adoration, which the fhifting vulgar pay to the great, as a tribute of no price or value. So in K. Henry V. O Ceremony, fhew me but thy worth, Art thou aught elfe, but place, degree, and forme? I am perfuaded therefore, our Peet coin'd this participle from the French verb, and wrote That nothing-gift of defering multitudes, i. e. obfequious, paying deference.Deferer, Geder par respect à quelcun, obeir, condefcendre, &c. RICHELET. VOL. VII. N SCENE 1 Sen. SCENE changes to Rome. Enter two Roman Senators, and Tribunes. T HIS is the tenor of the Emperor's writ; That fince the common men are now in action 'Gainft the Pannonians and Dalmatians, And that the legions now in Gallia are Full weak to undertake our war against The fall'n-off Britons; that we do incite The gentry to this bufinefs. He creates Lucius Pro-conful; (39) and to you, the tribunes For this immediate levy, he commends His abfolute commiffion. Long live Cafar! Tri. Is Lucius Gen'ral of the forces? 2 Sen. Ay. Tri. Remaining now in Gailia? 1 Sen. With those legions Which I have spoke of, whereunto your levy Of their dispatch. Tri. (40) We will discharge our duty. -And to you the tribunes [Exeunt. His abfolute commission.] Commands his commiffion is fuch a phrafe as Shakespeare would hardly have us'd. I have, by Mr. Warburton's advice, ventur'd to substitute; be commends His abfolute commission. i. e. he recommends the care of making this levy to you; and gives you an abfolute commiffion for fo deing. (40) Tri. We will difcharge our duty.] Here the third act ends in the old copies; and Mr. Rowe has follow'd that divifion. Mr. Pope has not only thought fit to degrade the preceding fhort fcene; but alfo to tranfpofe hither a fcene (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 affign'd 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 I A CT IV. SCENE, the Foreft, in Wales. Enter Cloten alone. AM near to th' place where they should meet, if Pifano have mapp'd it truly. How fit his garments ferve me! why should his mistress, who was made by him that made the tailor, not be fit too? the rather, (faving reverence of the word) because, 'tis said, a woman's fitness comes by fits. Therein I must play the workman; I dare speak it to myself, (for it is not vainglory 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 lefs 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! Pofthumus, thy head, which is now growing upon thy fhoulders, fhall within this hour be off, thy mittress enforc'd, 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 ty'd up fafe: out, fword, and to a fore purpose! Fortune put them into my hand; this is the very description of their meeting place, and the fellow dares not deceive me. [Exit. point we are not to tie our poet up to. As the liberty taken, therefore, is both needlefs and arbitrary, I have chofe to follow the order of more authentick copies. Had Mr. Pope fpar'd us a critical note, to justify his conduct in this tranfpofition; I might, perhaps, have fubmitted to the fagacity and weight of it, SCENE changes to the Front of the Cave. Enter Belarius, Guiderius, Arviragus, and Imogen, from the Cave Bel. QU are not well: remain here in the cave; Arv. Brother, stay here: Are we not brothers ? Imo. So man and man fhould be ; [To Imogen. Guid. Go you to hunting, I'll abide with him: But not fo citizen a wanton, as To feem to die, ere fick : fo please you, leave me ; Since I can reafon of it. I'll rob none but myself; Stealing fo poorly. Pray you, truft me here, Guid. I love thee: I have spoke it ; How much the quantity, the weight as much, Bel. What? how? how? Arv. If it be fin to fay fo, Sir, I yoke me Bel. O noble ftrain! O worthiness of nature, breed of greatness! Cowards father cowards, and base things fire the base: Nature hath meal and bran; contempt and grace. I'm not their father; yet who this fhould be, Doth miracle itself, lov'd before me! 'Tis the ninth hour o'th' mora. Arv. Brother, farewel. Imo. I wish ye sport. Arv. You health so please you Sir, [heard! Imo. These are kind creatures. Gods, what lies I've Our courtiers fay, all's favage, but at court: Th' imperious feas breed monfters; for the dish, I am fick ftill, heart-fick- -Pifanio, I'll now taste of thy drug. [Drinks out of the phial. He faid, he was gentle, but unfortunate: Arv. Thus did he answer me; yet said, hereafter I might know more, Bel. To th' field, to th' field: We'll leave you for this time; go in and rest, Arv. We'll not be long away. Bel. Pray be not sick, For you must be our housewife. "Imo. Well or ill, I am bound to you. Bel. And fhalt be ever. * [Exit Imogen, to the Cave, This youth, howe'er distress'd, appears to have had Good ancestors. Arv. How angel like he fings! Guid. But his neat cookery! Arv. He cut our roots in characters; And fauc'd our broth, as Juno had been fick, Arv. Nobly he yokes A fmiling with a figh, as if the figh Was that it was, for not being fuch a smile: With winds that failors rail at. Guid. (41) I do note, That grief and patience, rooted in bim both, That Mingle their pow'rs together.] Thus Mr. Pope in his Quarto N 3 edition |