A thing of pity! Sici. Great Nature, like his ancestry, That he deferv'd the praise o'th' world,' 1 Bro. When once he was mature for man,uad LO In Britain where was he That could stand up his parallel, Or rival object be, In eye of Imogen, that beft Could deem his dignity? Moth. With marriage therefore was he mockt, To be exil'd, and thrown From Leonatus' feat, and caft From her his deareft one? Sweet Imogen! Sici. Why did you fuffer Iachimo, To taint his noble heart and brain With needless jealoufie: And to become the geek and scorn O'th' other's villany? 2 Bro. For this, from ftiller feats we came, Our parents, and us twain, That, ftriking in our country's cause, Our fealty, and Tenantius' right, The graces for his merits due, Sici. Thy crystal window ope; look out No longer exercise, Upon a valiant race, thy harsh And potent injuries. Moth. Since, Jupiter, our fon is good,am mo tsdT Take off his miferies. nom que 1 cryo Sici. Peep through thy marble manfion, help! 2 Breth. Help, Jupiter, or we appeal, Jupiter defcends in thunder and lightning, fitting upon their knees., The ghosts fall on Jupit. No more, you petty fpirits of region low, Upon your never-withering banks of flowers. No care of yours it is: you know, 'tis ours. And happier much by his affliction made. Jup drops a tablet. His radiant roof: away, and to be bleft Let us with care perform his great beheft. [anifb. Poft. [waking.] Sleep, thou hast been a grandfire, and begot A father to me: and thou haft created isgA A mother and two brothers. But, oh fcorn! (༢།༤, C། That have this golden chance, and know not why:A [Reads.] A WHEN as the lion's whelp fall, to himself unknown, without feeking find, and be embrac'd by a piece of tender air; and when from a stately cedar shall be lopt branches, which, being dead many years, shall after vive, be jointed to the old flock, and freshly grow, then fhall Pofthumus end his miferies, Britain be fortunate, and flourish in peace and plenty. zidT 'Tis ftill a dream; or elfe fuch ftuff, as madmen Tongue, and brain not: (do either both, or nothing) Or fenfelefs speaking, or a speaking fuch As fenfe cannot untie. But what it is, DaA COM The action of my life is like it, which I'll keep If but for fympathy. Enter Goaler. Goal. Come, Sir, are you ready for death? for that, you are well cookt. OM A Poft. So if it prove a good repaft to the fpectators, the dish pays the fhot. Geal. Goal. A heavy reckoning for you, Sir; but the comfort is, you thall be call'd to no more payments, fear no more tavern bills, which are often the fadnefs of parting, as the procuring of mirth; you come in faint for want of meat, depart reeling with too much drink; forry that you have paid too much, and forry that you are paid too much; purfe and brain, both empty, the brain the heavier, for being too light; the purfe too light, being drawn of heavinefs. Oh, of this contradiction you thall now be quit: oh, the charity of a penny cord, it fums up thousands in a trice; you have no true debtor, and creditor, but it; of what's past, is, and to come, the discharge; your neck, Sir, is pen, book, and counters; fo the acquittance follows. Poft. I am merrier to die, than thou art to live. Goal. Indeed, Sir, he, that fleeps, feels not the toothache: but a man that were to fleep your fleep, and a hangman to help him to bed, I think, he would change places with his officer: for look you, Sir, you know not which way you fhall go. Poft. Yes, indeed, do I, fellow. Goal. Your death has eyes in's head then; I have not seen him so pictur'd: you muft either be directed by fome that take upon them to know; or to take upon your self that, which, I am fure, you do not know; or lump the after-enquiry on your own peril; and how you shall speed in your journey's-end, I think, you'll never return to tell one. Poft. I tell thee, fellow, there are none want eyes, to direct them the way I am going, but fuch as wink, and will not use them. Goal. What an infinite mock is this, that a man fhould have the best use of eyes, to fee the way of blindness! I am fure, hanging's the way of winking. Enter a Meffenger. Mef. Knock off his manacles, bring your prifoner to the King. Poft. Thou bring'ft good news; I am called to be måde free. Goal. 、 Goal. I'll be hang'd then. Poft. Thou shalt be then freer than a goaler: no bolts for the dead. [Exeunt Pofthumus and Melenger. Goal. Unless a man would marry a gallows, and beget young gibbets, I never faw one fo prone. Yet, on my confcience, there are verier knaves defire to live, for all he be a Roman: and there be fome of them too, that die against their wills; fo fhould I, if I were one. I would, we were all of one mind, and one mind good; O, there were defolation of goalers and gallowfes; I fpeak against my prefent profit, (54) but my with hath a preferment in't. [Exit. SCENE, Cymbeline's Tent. Enter Cymbeline, Belarius, Guiderius, Arviragus, Cym. STAND by my fide, you, whom the Gods Prefervers of my Throne. Wo is my heart, Our grace can make him fo. Bel. I never faw (55) Such (54) 1 Speak against my prefent Profit, &c.] All this intermediate Scene, from the Inftant that Pofthumus falls afleep to the Exit of the Goaler here, I could be as well content, as Mr. Pope is, fhould be left out. But as 'tis found in the earliest Folio Edition, tho' it should have been an Interpolation, and not of SHAKESPEARE'S Writing, I did not think, I had any Authority to discard it. I own, to M Me, what Jupiter fays to the Phantoms feems to carry the Stamp of our Author: if the other Parts of the Mafque appear inferior, I heartily wifh, this were the only place where we have Reafon to complain of Inequalities, either in Style, or the Matter. I never faw (55) Such noble Fury in fo poor a Thing; Such precious Deeds in one that promis'd Nought But, pray, how can it be faid that one whofe poor Looks promife Beg VOL. VI. G g gary, |