gen, attached to Leonatus by tender and fincere affection, is yet capable of apprehenfion, and liable to folicitude. Iachimo, with an intention of betraying her, fenfible, at the fame time, that infidelity and neglect are the only crimes unpardonable in the fight of a lover, and well aware of the addrefs neceffary to infuse fufpicion into an ingenuous mind, difguifes his inhuman intention with the affectation of a violent and fudden emotion. He feems rapt in admiration of Imogen, and expreffes fentiments of deep aftonishment. Ia. What! are men mad? hath nature given them eyes To fee this vaulted arch, and the rich crop Imo. What makes your admiration? Ia. It cannot be i' th' eye; for apes and monkeys, 'Twixt two fuch fhe's, would chatter this way, and Contem Contemn with mowes the other: nor i' the judgement; Be wifely definite, Imo. What, dear fir, Thus raps you? are you well? We never feel any paffion or violent emotion without a cause, either real or imagined. We are never confcious of anger, but when we apprehend ourselves injured; and never feel esteem without the conviction of excellence in the object. . Senfible, as it were by intuition, of this invariable law in the conduct of our paffions, we never fee others very violently agitated without a conviction of their having fufficient cause, or that they are themfelves convinced of it. If we fee a man deeply afflicted, we are perfuaded that he has fuffered fome dreadful calamity, or that he believes it to be fo. Upon this principle, which operates inftinctively, and almost without being obferved, is founded that capital rule in oratorial compofition, "That he who would affect and 66 con "convince his audience, ought to have "his own mind convinced and affected.” Accordingly, the crafty Italian, availing himself of this propenfity, counterfeits admiration and astonishment: And, Imogen, deceived by the fpecious artifice, is inclined to believe him. Moved with fearful curiosity, fhe inquires about Leonatus; receives an answer well calculated to alarm her; and, of confequence, betrays uneafinefs. Imo. Continues well my Lord his health, 'befeech you? Ia. Well, madam. Imo. Is he difpos'd to mirth? I hope he is. Ia. Exceeding pleasant; none a stranger there Imo. When he was here, He did incline to sadness, and oft times By reprefenting the fentiments of Leonatus as unfavourable to marriage and the the fair fex, he endeavours to stimulate her difquietude. Ia. The jolly Briton cries, Can my fides hold, to think, that man, who knows By hiftory, report, or his own proof, What woman is, yea, what the cannot chuse But must be, Will his free hours languifh for affured bondage? Imo. Will my Lord fay fo? Ia. Ay, madam, with his eyes in flood with laughter. But heaven knows, Some men are much to blame. Imo. Not he, I hope. This expreffion of hope is an evident symptom of her anxiety. If we are certain of any future good, we are confident and expect: We only hope when the event is doubtful. Iachimo practises every art; and, by expreffing pity for her condition, he makes farther progrefs in her good opinion. Pity fuppofes calamity; and the imagination of Imogen, thus irritated and alarmed, conceives no other caufe of compaffion than than the infidelity of Leonatus. The myfterious conduct of Iachimo heightens her uneafinefs; for the nature and extent of her misfortune not being precisely afcertained, her apprehenfions render it exceffive. The reluctance he difcovers, and his feeming unwillingness to accuse her husband, are evidences of his being attached to him, and give his furmises credit. Imogen, thus agitated and afflicted, is in no condition to deliberate coolly; and, as her anxiety grows vehement, she becomes credulous and unwary. Her fenfe of propriety, however, and the delicacy of her affections, preferve their influence, and she conceals her impatience by indirect inquiries. Ia. Whilft I am bound to wonder, I am bound To pity too. Imo. What do you pity, fir? Ia. Two creatures, heartily. Imo. Am I one, fir? You look on me; what wreck difcern you in me 4 |