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Two Ladies. Nay, 'tis true.

Vol. Look, here's a letter from him; the state hath another, his wife another; and, I think, there's one at home for you.

Men. I will make my very house reel to-night:-A letter for me?

Vir. Yes, certain, there's a letter for you; I saw it. Men. A letter for me? It gives me an estate of seven years' health; in which time I will make a lip at the physician: the most sovereign prescription in Galen, is but empiricutick, and, to this preservative, of no better report than a horse-drench. Is he not wounded? he was wont to come home wounded.

Vir. O, no, no, no.

Vol. O, he is wounded, I thank the gods for 't.

Men. So do I too, if it be not too much:-Brings 'a victory in his pocket?-The wounds become him.

Vol. On's brows, Menenius: he comes the third time home with the oaken garland.

Shakspeare so often mentions throwing up caps in this play, that Menenius may be well enough supposed to throw up his cap in thanks to Jupiter. Johnson.

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-in Galen-] An anachronism of near 650 years. Menenius flourished Anno U. C. 260, about 492 years before the birth of our Saviour.-Galen was born in the year of our Lord 130, flourished about the year 155 or 160, and lived to the year 200.

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Grey.

empiricutick,] The old copies-empirickqutique. "The most sovereign prescription in Galen (says Menenius) is to this news but empiricutick: an adjective evidently formed by the author from empiric (empirique, Fr.) a quack." Ritson.

8 On's brows, Menenius:] Mr. M. Mason proposes that there should be a comma placed after Menenius; On 's brows, Menenius, he comes the third time home with the oaken garland, "for," says the commentator, "it was the oaken garland, not the wounds, that Volumnia says he had on his brows.” In Julius Cæsar we find a dialogue exactly similar:

"Cas. No, it is Casca; one incorporate

"To our attempts.-Am I not staid for, Cinna?
"Cin. I am glad on 't."

i. e. I am glad that Casca is incorporate, &c.

But he appears to me to have misapprehended the passage. Volumnia answers Menenius, without taking notice of his last words,-"The wounds become him." Menenius had askedBrings he victory in his pocket? He brings it, says Volumnia, on his brows, for he comes the third time home brow-bound with the oaken garland, the emblem of victory. So, afterwards:

Men. Has he disciplined Aufidius soundly?

Vol. Titus Lartius writes,-they fought together, but Aufidius got off.

Men. And 'twas time for him too, I'll warrant him that: an he had staid by him, I would not have been so fidius'd for all the chests in Corioli, and the gold that's in them. Is the senate possessed of this?9

Vol. Good ladies, let 's go:-Yes, yes, yes: the senate has letters from the general, wherein he gives my son the whole name of the war: he hath in this action out. done his former deeds doubly.

Val. In troth, there 's wondrous things spoke of him. Men. Wondrous? ay, I warrant you, and not without his true purchasing.

Vir. The gods grant them true!

Vol. True? pow, wow.

Men. True? I'll be sworn they are true:-Where is he wounded?-God save your good worships! [To the Tribunes, who come forward.] Marcius is coming home: he has more cause to be proud.Where is he wounded?

Vol. I' the shoulder, and i' the left arm: There will be large cicatrices to show the people, when he shall stand for his place. He received in the repulse of Tarquin, seven hurts i' the body.

Men. One in the neck, and two in the thigh,-there's nine that I know.1

"He prov'd best man o' the field, and for his meed,
"Was brow-bound with the oak."

If these words did not admit of so clear an explanation, (in which the conceit is truly Shakspearian) the arrangement proposed by Mr. M. Mason might perhaps be admitted, though it is extremely harsh, and the inversion of the natural order of the words not much in our author's manner in his prose writings.

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Malone.

possessed of this?] Possessed, in our author's language, is fully informed. Johnson.

So, in The Merchant of Venice:

"I have possess'd your grace of what I purpose -” Steevens.

1 •seven hurts &c.] Old copy-seven hurts i' the body.

Men. One i' the neck, and two i' the thigh;—there's nine that I know. Seven,-one,-and two, and these make but nine? Surely, we may safely assist Menenius in his arithmetick. This is a stupid blunder; but wherever we can account by a probable reason for the cause of it, that directs the emendation. Here it was

Vol. He had, before this last expedition, twenty-five wounds upon him.

Men. Now it's twenty-seven: every gash was an enemy's grave: [A Shout, and Flourish.] Hark! the trumpets.

Vol. These are the ushers of Marcius: before him He carries noise, and behind him he leaves tears; Death, that dark spirit, in 's nervy arm doth lie; Which being advanc'd, declines;2 and then men die. A Sennet. Trumpets sound. Enter COMINIUS and TITUS LARTIUS; between them, CORIOLANUS, crowned with an oaken Garland; with Captains, Soldiers, anda Herald. Her. Know, Rome, that all alone Marcius did fight Within Corioli gates: where he hath won, With fame, a name to Caius Marcius; these In honour follows, Coriolanus:3Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus!

[Flourish

All. Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus! Cor. No more of this, it does offend my heart; Pray now, no more.

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Kneels.

You have, I know, petition'd all the gods

For my prosperity.

Vol.
Nay, my good soldier, up;
My gentle Marcius, worthy Caius, and
By deed-achieving honour newly nam'd,
What is it? Coriolanus, must I call thee?
But O, thy wife

easy for a negligent transcriber to omit the second one, as a needless repetition of the first, and to make a numeral word of too. Warburton.

The old man, agreeable to his character, is minutely particular: Seven wounds? let me see; one in the neck, two in the thigh-Nay, I am sure there are more; there are nine that I know of. Upton.

2 Which being advanc'd, declines;] Volumnia, in her boasting strain, says, that her son to kill his enemy, has nothing to do but to lift his hand up and let it fall. Johnson.

3 - Coriolanus:] The old copy-Martius Caius Coriolanus.

Steevens.

The compositor, it is highly probable, caught the words Marius Caius from the preceding line, where also in the old copy the original names of Coriolanus are accidently transposed. The correction in the former line was made by Mr. Rowe; in the latter by Mr. Steevens. Malone.

Cor.

My gracious silence, hail!
Would'st thou have laugh'd, had I come coffin'd home,
That weep'st to see me triumph? Ah, my dear,
the widows in Corioli wear,

Such eyes
And mothers that lack sons.
Men.
Now the gods crown thee!
Cor. And live you yet?-O my sweet lady, pardon.

[To VAL. Vol. I know not where to turn:-O welcome home; And welcome, general;-And you are welcome all.

Men. A hundred thousand welcomes: I could weep, And I could laugh; I am light, and heavy: Welcome: A curse begin at very root of his heart,

That is not glad to see thee!-You are three,

4 My gracious silence, hail!] The epithet to silence shows it not to proceed from reserve or sullenness, but to be the effect of a virtuous mind possessing itself in peace. The expression is extremely sublime; and the sense of it conveys the finest praise that can be given to a good woman. Warburton.

By my gracious silence, I believe, the poet meant, thou whose silent tears are more eloquent and grateful to me, than the clamorous applause of the rest! So, Crashaw:

"Sententious show'rs! O! let them fall!

"Their cadence is rhetorical.”

Again, in Love's Cure, or the Martial Maid of Beaumont and Fletcher:

"A lady's tears are silent orators,

"Or should be so at least, to move beyond
"The honey-tongued rhetorician."

Again, in Daniel's Complaint of Rosamond, 1599:
"Ah beauty, syren, fair enchanting good!

"Sweet silent rhetorick of persuading eyes!

"Dumb eloquence, whose power doth move the blood, "More than the words, or wisdom of the wise!"

Again, in Every Man out of his Humour:

"You shall see sweet silent rhetorick, and dumb eloquence speaking in her eye." Steevens.

I believe, "My gracious silence," only means "My beauteous silence," or "my silent Grace." Gracious seems to have had the same meaning formerly that graceful has at this day. So, in The Merchant of Venice:

"But being season'd with a gracious voice."

Again, in King John:

"There was not such a gracious creature born."

Again, in Marston's Malcontent, 1604:-"he is the most exquisite in forging of veines, spright'ning of eyes, dying of haire, sleeking of skinnes, blushing of cheekes, &c. that ever made an old lady gracious by torchlight." Malone.

That Rome should dote on: yet, by the faith of men,
We have some old crab-trees here at home, that will not
Be grafted to your relish. Yet welcome, warriors:
We call a nettle, but a nettle; and

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Ere in our own house I do shade my head,
The good patricians must be visited;

From whom I have receiv'd not only greetings,
But with them change of honours.

Vol.

To see inherited my very wishes,

I have lived

And the buildings of my fancy: only there
Is one thing wanting, which I doubt not, but
Our Rome will cast upon thee.

Cor.

Know, good mother,

I had rather be their servant in my way,
Than sway with them in theirs.

Com.

On, to the Capitol.

[Flourish. Cornets. Exeunt in state, as before.

The Tribunes remain.

5 Com. Ever right.

Cor. Menenius, ever, ever.
r.]

Rather, I think:

Com. Ever right Menenius.

Cor. Ever, ever.

Cominius means to say, that--Menenius is always the same; -retains his old humour. So, in Julius Cæsar, Act V, sc. i, upon a speech from Cassius, Antony only says-Old Cassius still. Tyrwhitt. By these words, as they stand in the old copy, I believe, Co. riolanus means to say-Menenius is still the same affectionate friend as formerly. So, in Julius Cæsar: " - for always I am Cesar" Malone.

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6 But with them change of honours.] So all the editions read. But Mr. Theobald has ventured (as he expresses it) to substitute charge. For change, he thinks, is a very poor expression, and communicates but a very poor idea. He had better have told the plain truth, and confessed that it communicated none at all to him. However, it has a very good one in itself; and signifies variety of honours; as change of rayment, among the writers of that time, signified variety of rayment. Warburton.

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