vanquisheth and disarmeth Iachimo, and then leaues him. The Battaile con tinues, the Britaines fly, Cymbeline is taken: Then enter to his rescue, Bellarius, Guiderius, and Aruiragus. Enter Posthumus, and seconds the Britaines. They rescue Cymbeline, and Exeunt.-Cym., v. 2. ... Enter Cymbeline, &c. [See DUMB SHOWS; where this stage direction is given at length.]-Ibid., v. 3. Solemne musicke. Enter (as in an Apparition) Sicillius Leonatus, Father to Posthumus, an old man, attyred like a warriour, leading in his hand an ancient Matron (his wife, and Mother to Posthumus) with Musicke before them. Then, after other Musicke, followes the two young Leonati (Brothers to Posthumus) with Wounds as they died in the Warrs. They circle Posthumus round as he lies sleeping... Iupiter descends in Thunder and Lightning, sitting vppon an Eagle: hee throws a Thunder-bolt. The Ghostes fall on their Knees. Ascends. ... ... Vanish. Ibid., v. 4. In the First Folio there are a few stage directions which contain mention of certain characters that appear nowhere else in the play; and it is probable that they were characters afterwards omitted by the author, although suffered by inadvertence to remain in the original version used for theatrical representation :— Enter Leonato, Gouernor of Messina, Imogen his wife, Hero his daughter, and Beatrice his neece, with a Messenger.-M. Ado, i. 1. Enter Leonato, his brother, his wife, Hero his daughter, and Beatrice his neece, and a kinsman.-Ibid., ii. 1. Leonato's "wife" is omitted in all modern editions, as she takes no part in the play; while they substitute the particular mention of a "kinsman" by "others." This "kinsman" probably meant the "cousin to whom Leonato refers in act i., sc. 2, where he says to Antonio, "How now, brother! where is my cousin, your son? hath he provided this music? Flourish. Enter Lewis the French King, his sister Bona, his Admirall, call'd Bourbon; Prince Edward, Queene Margaret, and the Earle of Oxford. Lewis sits, and riseth op againe.-3 H. VI., iii. 3. As the French Admiral does not figure in the dialogue, his name is substituted in modern versions of this stage direction by the word "attended." Enter Enobarbus, Lamprius, a Soothsayer, Rannius, Lucillius, Charmian, Iras, Modern editions omit the names of Lamprius, Rannius, and Lucillius, as they are personages not introduced by Shakespeare into the speech or action of the play. But the first of these three names possesses an interest for us, inasmuch as it may indicate an original intention on the part of the dramatist to introduce into this play a character and historical authority thus mentioned in North's Plutarch: "I have heard my grandfather Lampryas report, that one Philotas, a Physitian, borne in the city of Amphion, told him that he was at that present time in Alexandria, and studied Physicke: and that having acquaintance with one of Antonius cookes, he tooke him with him to Antonius house (being a young man desirous to see things) to shew him the wonderful sumptuous charge and preparation of one only supper." There are a few stage situations, in the course of Shakespeare's dramas, which have no accompanying stage direction either in the ancient or modern editions of his works; yet which require bearing in mind, duly to comprehend the passages where they occur: Gonzalo. Beseech you, sir, be merry; you have cause (So have we all) of joy; for our escape Is much beyond our loss. Alonso. Prithee, peace. Sebastian. He receives comfort like cold porridge. I saw him beat the surges under him, And ride upon their backs. . . . I not doubt Sebastian. Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss, That would not bless our Europe with your daughter.-Temp., ii. 1. During the above dialogue, we must imagine the speakers to be arranged in two separate groups: King Alonso surrounded by his faithful adherents, Gonzalo, Adrian, Francisco, and the rest, engaged in endeavouring to comfort him; while Sebastian and Antonio remain apart together, commenting sneeringly upon the others. Countess. . . . No more of this, Helena,-go to, no more; lest it be rather thought you affect a sorrow than to have. Helena. I do affect a sorrow, indeed; but I have it too. Lafeu. Moderate lamentation is the right of the dead; excessive grief the enemy to the living. Helena. If the living be enemy to the grief, the excess makes it soon mortal. Lafeu. How understand we that? Countess. Be thou blest, Bertram !—All's W., i. 1. The Countess, at the commencement of the above passage, leaves Helena, and goes over to Bertram; so that the following speeches. crossing each other [See CROSSING SPEECHES], show that the mother and son are engaged together, while Lafeu remains near Helena, addressing her. Lafeu. Do all they deny her?—Ibid., ii. 3. This denotes that Lafeu is within sight, but not within hearing of what is taking place; since he supposes that the young lords, each in turn, refuse Helena, and does not discover that it is she who successively declines to take them. Leontes. Is he won yet?-W. T., i. 2. These words indicate that Leontes has remained somewhat apart. playing with his little son Mamillius, while Hermione fulfils his wish of pleading with Polixenes for a longer sojourn. And hither am I come, A prologue arm'd,-but not in confidence Of author's pen or actor's voice; but suited In like conditions as our argument.-Tr. & Cr. (Prologue). This gives us to understand that the person appointed to speak the present prologue was clad in armour, consistently with the "argument" of the play; instead of being dressed in the customary suit of black worn by the speaker of a prologue in Shakespeare's time. Where's your father? . . . It hath made me mad.—Hamlet, iii. 1. In the above dialogue there is token that-after the first involuntary greeting, in which he addresses her in his old tone of gentleness and affection Hamlet instinctively perceives Ophelia's meeting him to be the suggestion of others, by whom they are both watched; and he immediately falls into his resolved course of wildness, levity, and mad harshness. Kent. Good my lord, take his offer; go into the house. . . Gloster. . . . I do beseech your grace, Lear. Oh, cry you mercy, sir. Noble philosopher, your company. Edgar. Tom's a-cold. Gloster. In, fellow, there, into the hovel: keep thee warm. Kent. Lear. This way, my lord. With him; I will keep still with my philosopher. Kent. Good my lord, soothe him; let him take the fellow. Gloster. Take him you on. Kent. Sirrah, come on; go along with us. Lear. Come, good Athenian.-Lear, iii. 4. It must be imagined that "the house "-probably some cottage or farmhouse belonging to one of Gloster's tenants-lies on the opposite side of the stage from that on which lies "the hovel." When Gloster says, "I do beseech your grace," he attempts to lead the king in the direction of the shelter he has provided in the farmhouse; but Lear will not leave his "philosopher," and Gloster bids the Bedlam "fellow" go into the "hovel," that he may be out of the king's sight, who then proposes to follow him thither, by saying, "Let's in all." Kent endeavours to draw Lear away; but, finding him resolved to "keep still with" his "philosopher," begs Gloster to humour the king and "let him take the fellow" with him. Gloster accedes, and bids Kent himself take the fellow with them in the direction they desire to go: this is done, and they all quit the stage together. SUPERNATURAL MUSIC. Several times in the course of his dramas Shakespeare introduces supernatural music; and always with charming effect, aiding the dramatic impression he intends to convey : [Solemn and strange music Alonso. What harmony is this? My good friends, hark! [Then, to soft music, enter the Shapes again.]—Temp., iii. 3 [Still music.] As You L., v. 4. Soft music. A masque. Enter IRIS.—Temp., iv. 1. ... Some heavenly music (which even now I do) And, deeper than did ever plummet sound, I'll drown my book. [Solemn music.]—Ibid., v. 1. [Still music. Oberon. Sound, music! [Still music.]—Mid. N. D., iv. 1. Rosalind, being supposed by the persons on the stage to be brought to their forest assemblage through magic means, is imagined to be escorted by some spirit impersonating Hymen, and attended by enchanted music. Glendower. Do so; And those musicians that shall play to you, Hang in the air a thousand leagues from hence; And straight they shall be here: sit and attend. [GLENDOWER speaks some words in Welsh, and music is heard. Hotspur. Now I perceive the devil understands Welsh; And 'tis no marvel he's so humorous. By'r lady, he's a good musician.-1 H. IV., iii. 1. The sly comment put into Hotspur's mouth lets us into the secret that probably the Welsh chieftain has some such instrument as an Eolian harp placed under the control of one of his people, commissioned, at a signal, to set it playing; although Glendower would fain have it believed to be produced by such agency as that to which he alludes when he says he can "call spirits from the vasty deep.” Second Soldier. 'Tis the god Hercules, whom Antony lov'd, Now leaves him.-Ant. & C., iv. 3. The dramatist derived this incident, of supernatural music heard at night when Antony's fortunes were waning, from North's Plutarch; and excellently is it turned to account. [Solemn music. Guiderius. What does he mean? since death of my dear'st mother Although this "solemn music" is naturally accounted for, and the ingenious instrument" was probably intended to be of similar kind to the one that Glendower has at his command, yet the awe-stricken words with which its sound is noted by those whose ear it thus unexpectedly comes upon, give it all the effect of supernatural music. The music of the spheres! List, my Marina. Lysimachus. It is not good to cross him; give him way. Pericles. Most heavenly music! It nips me into listening, and thick slumber Hangs upon mine eyes: let me rest [Sleeps].-Per., v. 1. It has been suggested by some commentators that the word "music," which we have italicised in Lysimachus's speech, should be transposed from the dialogue and placed as a stage direction; but we cannot think this was intended by Shakespeare. We think he meant Lysimachus to repeat the word used by Pericles, as a mode of humouring his fancy that he hears "rarest sounds;" these "rarest sounds" being purely a visionary music, the spiritual echo of the king's harmonious condition of soul, which is tuned to rapture by the recent recovery of his supposed dead child Marina. To us this seems to be an extremely beautiful idea of the poet-making the divine strains of vouchsafed "heavenly music" merely audible to the entranced senses of Pericles himself. TAKING ONE BIRD FOR ANOTHER. To take one bird for another was anciently in English proverbial use to signify want of discernment, as to know one bird from another was similarly employed to signify discrimination. In "The Three Lords of London," 1590, we find, "No more skill than take a falcon for a buzzard"; the "buzzard" being the bald-kite,' a degenerate hawk. Nares quotes, from Comenii Janua. Lond. ed, 1662, a sentence that serves in illustration,-" Between hawk and buzzard,' means, 'between a good thing and a bad of the same kind': the hawk being the true sporting bird, the buzzard a heavy lazy fowl of the same species"; and Singer affirms that "there is an old Italian proverb- Saper discerner i Tordi da Stornelli,' for to know one thing from another.' Shakespeare has several allusions to this figurative form of proverbial expression: We'll teach him to know turtles from jays.-Merry W., iii. 3. The turtle has long been held as a type of true love; while a jay' was a term for a wanton woman. |