ページの画像
PDF
ePub

CYMBELINE.

A C T I.

Y

SCENE I.

Cymbeline's Palace in Britaine.

Enter two Gentlemen.

I GENTLEMAN.

OU do not meet a man, but frowns:
Our brows

No more obey the heavens than our
courtiers;

But feem, as does the King's.

2 Gent. But what's the matter?

1 You do not meet a man, but frowns: our BLOODS No more obey the heavens than our Courtiers ;

I Gent.

But feem, as does the King's.] The thought is this, we are not now (as we were wont) influenced by the weather but by the King's looks. We no more obey the heavens [the sky] than our Courtiers obey the heavens [God] By which it appears, that the reading-our bloods is wrong. For tho' the blood may be affected with the weather, yet that affection is discovered not by change of colour, but by change of countenance. And it is the outward not the inward change that is here talked of, as appears from the word feem. We fhould read therefore,

-Our BROWS

No more obey the heavens &c.

Q.3

Which

1 Gent. His daughter, and the heir of's Kingdom, (whom

He purpos'd to his wife's fole fon, a widow

That late he married) hath referr'd herself
Unto a poor, but worthy, gentleman.
She's wedded;

Her husband banish'd; fhe imprifon'd: All
Is outward forrow, though, I think, the King'
Be touch'd at very heart.

2 Gent. None but the King?.

Gent. He, that hath loft her, too: fo is the
Queen,

That most defir'd the match. But not a courtier,
(Although they wear their faces to the bent
Of the King's look) but hath a heart that is
Glad at the thing they fcoul at.

2 Gent. And why fo?

1 Gent. He that hath mifs'd the Princess, is a thing
Too bad for bad report: and, he that hath her,
(I mean that marry'd her, alack, good man!
And therefore banish'd) is a creature fuch,
As, to feek, through the regions of the earth
For one his like, there would be fomething failing
In him that should compare. I do not think,
So fair an outward, and such stuff within
Endows a man but him.

Which is evident from the preceding words,
ACD I You do not meet a man but frowns.
And from the following,

But not a Courtier,

Altho' they wear their faces to the bent

Of the King's look, but hath a heart that is
Glad at the thing they scoul at

The Oxford Editor improves upon this emendation, and reads,

our looks

No more obey the heart ev'n than our courtiers;

But by venturing too far, at a fecond emendation, he has ftript it of all thought and fentiment,

I

2 Gent.

[blocks in formation]

1 Gent. I don't extend him, Sir: Within himself Crush him together, rather than unfold

His measure fully.

2 Gent. What's his name and birth?

I Gent. I cannot delve him to the root: his father

Was called Sicillius, who did join his honour
Against the Romans, with Caffibelan ;
But had his titles by Tenantius, whom
He ferv'd with glory and admir'd success;
So gain'd the fur-addition, Leonatus:

And had, befides this gentleman in question,
Two other fons; who, in the wars o' th' time,
Dy'd with their fwords in hand: For which, their
father,

(Then old and fond of iffue) took such sorrow,
That he quit Being; and his gentle lady,
Big of this gentleman, our theam, deceas'd,
As he was born. The King, he takes the babe
To his protection, calls him Pofthumus,

Breeds him, and makes him of his bed-chamber:

2 You Speak bim far.] . . largely in his praife. Shakespear with his common licence, only ufes the length for the breadth. 3 I DO EXTEND him, Sir, within himself;

Crub him together,] Thus the late Editor, Mr. Theobald, has given the paffage, and explained it in this manner; I extend him within the lifts and compass of his merit: Which is juft as proper as to fay, I go out within doors. To extend a thing within itself is the most infufferable nonfenfe: because the very etymology of the word fhews, that it fignifies the drawing out any thing BEYOND its lifts and compass. Befides, a common attention was fufficient to perceive that Shakespear, in this fentence, used extend and crub together, as the direct oppofites to one another; which, in this Editor's fenfe, they are not; but only different degrees of the fame thing. We fhould read and point the paffage thus,

I DON'T EXTEND him, Sir: within himself
Crush him together—

i. e. I do not extend him; on the contrary I crush him together.

Q4

Puts

Puts to him all the Learnings that his time
Could make him the receiver of, which he took
As we do air, faft as 'twas miniftred.

His fpring became a harvest: liv'd in Court
(Which rare it is to do,) most prais'd, most lov'd,
A fample to the young'ft; to th' more mature,
A glass that featur'd them; and to the graver
A child that guided dotards. To his mistress,
(For whom he now is banish'd) her own price
Proclaims, how fhe esteem'd him and his virtue.
By her election may be truly read,

What kind of man he is.

2 Gent. I honour him, ev❜n out of your report. But tell me, is fhe fole child to the King?

i Gent. His only child.

He had two fons, (if this be worth your hearing
Mark it;) the eldest of them at three years old,
I' th' fwathing cloaths the other, from their nursery`
Were ftol'n; and to this hour, no guess in knowledge
Which way they went.

2 Gent. How long is this ago?

1 Gent. Some twenty years.

2 Gent. That a King's children fhould be fo convey'd,

So flackly guarded, and the fearch fo flow

That could not trace them,

I Gent. Howfoe'er 'tis ftrange,

Or that the negligence may well be laugh'd at,
Yet is it true, Sir.

2 Gent. I do well believe you.

I Gent. We muft forbear. Here comes the Gentle

man,

The Queen, and Princess,

[Exeunt,

SCENE

[blocks in formation]

Enter the Queen, Pofthumus, Imogen, and attendants.

Queen. No, be affur'd, you shall not find me, daughter,

After the flander of most step-mothers,

I'll-ey'd unto you: You're my pris'ner, but
Your goaler fhall deliver you the keys

That lock up your reftraint. For you, Pofthumus,
So foon as I can win th' offended King,

I will be known your advocate: marry, yet,
The fire of rage is in him; and 'twere good,
You lean'd unto his Sentence, with what patience
Your wisdom may inform you.

Poft. Please your Highness,

I will from hence to day.

Queen. You know the peril :

I'll fetch a turn about the garden, pitying
The pangs of barr'd affections; though the King
Hath charg'd, you should not speak together. [Exit.
Imo. Diffembling courtefie! how fine this tyrant
Can tickle, where the wounds! My dearest husband,
I fomething fear my father's wrath, but nothing
(Always referv'd my holy duty) what

His rage can do on me. You must be gone,
And I fhall here abide the hourly shot
Of angry eyes: not comforted to live,
But that there is this jewel in the world,
That I may fee again.

Poft. My Queen! my Mistress!
O lady, weep no more, left I give cause
To be fufpected of more tenderness
Than doth become a man. I will remain

The loyall'ft husband, that did e'er plight troth;
My refidence in Rome, at one Philario's;
Who to my father was a friend, to mẹ

Known

« 前へ次へ »