but I have not feen the moft precious diamond that is, nor you the lady. Poft. I prais'd her, as I rated her: fo do I Post. More than the world enjoys. my ftone. Jack. Either your unparagon'd miftrefs is dead, or fhe's out-priz'd by a trifle. Poft. You are mistaken: the one may be fold or given, if there were wealth enough for the purchase, or merit for the gift. The other is not a thing for fale, and only the gift of the gods. lach. Which the gods hath given you? Poft. Which, by their graces, I will keep. Iach. You may wear her in title yours: but, you know, ftrange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds. Your ring may be ftolen too: fo, of your brace of could he not believe she did excel them? Nonfenfe. We must frike out the negative, and the fenfe will be this, "I can "eafily believe your mistress excels many, tho' fhe be not the "most excellent; just as I fee that diamond of yours is of more "value than many I have beheld, though I know there are "other diamonds of much greater value.' WARBURTON. The old reading, I think, may very well stand; and I have therefore replaced it." If (fays Iachimo) your mistrefs went "before fome others I have feen, only in the fame degree your "diamond outluftres many I have likewife feen, I fhould not "admit on that account that the excelled many: but I ought "not to make myself the judge of who is the faireft lady, or "which is the brighteft diamond, till I have beheld the finest "of either kind which nature has hitherto produced." The paffage is not nonfenfe. It was the bufinefs of Iachimo to appear on this occafion as as infidel to beauty, in order to spirit Posthumus to lay the wager, and therefore will not admit of her excellence on any comparison. The author of The Revifal would read, "I could but believe." STEEVENS. I fhould explain the fentence thus: "Though your lady "excelled as much as your diamond, I could not believe she "excelled many; that is, I too could yet believe that there are many hom the did not excel." But I yet think Dr. Warburton right. JOHNSON. unprizeable unprizeable estimations, the one is but frail, and the other cafual. A cunning thief, or a that-way accomplifh'd courtier, would hazard the winning both of firft and laft. Poft. Your Italy contains none fo accomplish'd a courtier to convince the honour of my miftrefs; if in the holding, or lofs of that, you term her frail. I do nothing doubt, you have store of thieves; notwithstanding, I fear not my ring. Phil. Let us leave here, gentlemen. Poft. Sir, with all my heart. This worthy fignior, I thank him, makes no stranger of me; we are familiar at first. Iach. With five times fo much conversation, I should get ground of your fair mistress: make her go back, even to the yielding; had I admittance, and opportunity to friend. Poft. No, no Iach. I dare thereupon pawn the moiety of my eftate to your ring; which, in my opinion, o'er-values it fomething. But I make my wager rather against your confidence, than her reputation; and to bar your offence herein too, I durft attempt it against any lady in the world. Poft. You are a great deal 2 abus'd in too bold a persuasion; and, I doubt not, you'd fuftain what you're worthy of, by your attempt. Iach. What's that? Poft. A repulfe: though your attempt, as you call it, deferves more; a punishment too. Phil. Gentlemen, enough of this: it came in too Overcome. to convince the honour of my mistress ; WARBURTON, -] Convince, for fuddenly; fuddenly; let it die as it was born, and I pray you, be better acquainted. Iach. 'Would I had put my estate and my neighbour's on the 3 approbation of what I have fpok e. Poft. What lady would you chufe to affail? Iach. Yours; who in conftancy, you think, ftands fo fafe. I will lay you ten thousand ducats to your ring, that, commend me to the court where your lady is, with no more advantage than the opportunity of a second conference, I will bring from thence that honour of hers, which you imagine fo referv'd. Poft. I will wage against your gold, gold to it: my ring I hold dear as my finger, 'tis part of it. Iach. 4You are a friend, and therein the wifer. If you buy ladies' flesh at a million a dram, you cannot preferve it from tainting. But, I fee, you have fome religion in you, that you fear. Poft. This is but a cuftom in your tongue: you bear a graver purpose, I hope. Iach. I am the master of my speeches; and would undergo what's fpoken, I swear. Poft. Will you? I fhall but lend my diamond till your return: let there be covenants drawn between us. My mistress exceeds in goodness the hugenefs of your unworthy thinking. I dare you to this match; here's my ring. 3 Phil. I will have it no lay. approbation -Proof. JOHNSON. + You are a friend, and therein the wifer.] I correct it, You are afraid, and therein the wifer. What Iachimo fays, in the clofe of his fpeech, determines this to have been our poet's reading: But, I fee, you have fome religion in you, that you fear. WARBURTON. You are a friend to the lady, and therein the wifer, as you will not expofe her to hazard; and that you fear, is a proof of your religious fidelity. JOHNSON. s If I bring you no Iach. By the gods it is one. fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thousand ducats are yours, fo is my diamond too: if I come off, and leave her in fuch honour as you have truft in, fhe your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours; provided I have your commendation for my more free entertainment. Poft. I embrace thefe conditions; let us have articles betwixt us: only thus far you fhall answer. If you make your voyage upon her, and give me directly to understand you have prevail'd, I am no further your enemy; fhe is not worth our debate: if fhe remain unfeduc'd (you not making it appear otherwise) for your ill opinion, and the affault you have made to her chastity, you fhall answer me with your fword. s Iach. If I bring you No fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thousand ducats are YOURS; fo is your diamond too: if I come off, and leave her in fuch honour as you have truft in, fhe your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours, &c. Poft. I embrace thefe conditions, &c.] This was a wager be, tween the two speakers. Iachimo declares the conditions of it; and Pofthumus embraces them: as well he might; for Iachimo mentions only that of the two conditions which was favourable to Pofthumus, namely, that if his wife preferved her honour he fhould win concerning the other, in cafe the preserved it not, lachimo, the accurate expounder of the wager, is filent. To make him talk more in character, for we find him sharp enough in the profecution of his bet, we fhould ftrike out the negative, and read the reft thus: If I bring you fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd, &c. my ten thousand ducats are MINE; fo is your diamond too. If I come off, and leave her in fuch honour, &c. fhe your jewel, &c. and my gold are your's. WARBURTON. I once thought this emendation right, but am now of opinion, that Shakespeare intended that Iachimo, having gained his purpose, fhould defignedly drop the invidious and offenfive part of the wager, and to flatter Poithumus, dwell long upon the more pleasing part of the reprefentation. One condition of a wager implies the other, and there is no need to mention both. JOHNSON. Iach. Your hand; a covenant. We will have thefe things fet down by lawful counfel, and ftraight away for Britain; left the bargain fhould catch cold, and starve. I will fetch my gold, and have our two wagers recorded. Poft. Agreed. [Exit Pofthumus and Iachimo. French. Will this hold, think you? Phil. Signior Iachimo will not from it. Pray, let us follow 'em. SCENE [Exeunt. VI. Cymbeline's palace. Enter Queen, Ladies, and Cornelius. Queen. While yet the dew's on ground, gather those flowers: Make hafte.Who has the note of them? 1 Lady. I, madam. Queen. Dispatch. [Exeunt ladies. Now, mafter doctor; you have brought those drugs? Cor. Pleaseth your highness, ay: here they are, madam. But I beseech your grace (without offence My confcience bids me afk) wherefore you have Queen. I wonder, doctor, Thou afk'ft me fuch a queftion: have I not been Other |