Poft. This is true;

And this you might have heard of here, by me,
Or by fome other.

Iach. More particulars

Muft justify my knowledge.
Poft. So they must,
Or do your honour injury.
Iach. The chimney

Is fouth the chamber; and the chimney-piece,
Chaft Dian, bathing: never faw I figures.

5 So likely to report themselves: the cutter
6 Was as another nature, dumb, out-went her;
Motion and breath left out.

Poft. This is a thing

Which you might from relation likewife reap;
Being, as it is, much spoke of.

Iach. The roof o' the chamber

With golden cherubims is fretted: her andirons,
(I had forgot them) were two winking Cupids
Of filver, each on one foot ftanding, nicely
Depending on their brands.

Poft. 7 This is her honour!

Let it be granted you have feen all this (and praise

Be

5 So likely to report themfelves :-] So near to fpeech. The Italians call a portrait, when the likenefs is remarkable, a Speaking picture. JOHNSON.

6 WAS as another nature, DUMB, -] This nonfenfe should without question be read and pointed thus:

HAS as another nature DONE; out-went her,

Motion and breath left out.

i. e. Has worked as exquifitely, nay has exceeded her, if you will put motion and breath out of the queftion. WARE.

This emendation I think needlefs. The meaning is this, The Sculptor was as nature, but as nature dumb; he gave every thing that nature gives, but breath and motion. In breath is included speech. JOHNSON.

7 This is her honour!

Let it be granted you have feen all this, &c.] Iachimo impudently pretends to have carried his point; and, in confirmation, is very minute in defcribing to the husband all the

furniture

1

Be given to your remembrance) the defcription
Of what is in her chamber nothing faves
The wager you have laid.

8

Iach. Then, if you can [Pulling out the bracelet.
Be pale; I beg but leave to air this jewel: See!
And now 'tis up again. It must be married
To that your diamond. I'll keep them.

Poft. Jove!.

Once more let me behold it. Is it that
Which I left with her?

Iach. Sir (I thank her) that.

She stripp'd it from her arm: I fee her yet,
Her pretty action did out-fell her gift,
And yet enrich'd it too: fhe gave it me,
And faid, fhe priz'd it once.

Poft. May be, fhe pluck'd it off
To fend it me.

Iach. She writes fo to you? Doth she?

But how

It is an

furniture and adornments of his wife's bed-chamber.
is fine furniture any ways a princess's honour?
apparatus fuitable to her dignity, but certainly makes no part
of her character. It might have been called her father's
honour, that her allotments were proportioned to her rank and
quality. I am perfuaded the poet intended Pofthumus should
fay: "This particular defcription, which you make, cannot
"convince me that I have loft my wager: your memory is

66

good; and fome of these things you may have learned from a third hand, or feen yourfelf; yet I expect proofs more "direct and authentic." I think there is little queftion but we ought to restore the place as I have done :

What's this t'her honour? THEOBALD.

This emendation has been followed by both the fucceeding editors, but I think it must be rejected. The expreffion is ironical. Iachimo relates many particulars, to which Pofthumus anfwers with impatience,

This is her honour!

That is, And the attainment of this knowledge is to pass for the corruption of her honour. JOHNSON.

8

if you can

Be pale ;-- -] If you can forbear to flush with rage. JOHNSON.

your cheek

Poft.

Poft. O, no, no, no! 'Tis true. Here, take this [Gives the ring.

too:

It is a bafilifk unto mine eye,

Kills me to look on't: let there be no honour, Where there is beauty; truth, where femblance; love, Where there's another man. 9 The vows of women Of no more bondage be, to where they are made, Than they are to their virtues: which is nothing.O, above measure falfe!

Phil. Have patience, Sir,

And take your ring again; 'tis not yet won:
It may be probable fhe loft it; or,

Who knows, if one of her women, being corrupted,
Hath ftolen it from her.

Poft. Very true;

And fo, I hope, he came by't:-back my ring;-
Render to me fome corporal fign about her,
More evident than this; for this was ftolen.

Iach. By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.

Poft. Hark you, he fwears; by Jupiter he fwears. 'Tis true;-nay, keep the ring-'tis true: 'I'm fure She could not lofe it: her attendants are

All fworn and honourable.-They induc'd to steal it! And by a stranger!-no, he hath enjoy'd her. 2 The cognizance of her incontinency

9 The vows of women, &c.] The love vowed by women no more abides with him to whom it is vowed, than women adhere to their virtue. JOHNSON.

1

I'm fure

She could not lose it: her attendants are

All fworn and honourable.-They induc'd to fteal it!

And by a stranger !—no,—] The abfurd conclusions of jealoufy are here admirably painted and expofed. Pofthumus, on the credit of a bracelet, and an oath of the party concerned, judges against all appearances from the intimate knowledge of his wife's honour, that she was falfe to his bed; and grounds that judgment, at laft, upon much lefs appearances of the honour of her attendants. WARBURTON.

2 The cognizance] The badge; the token; the vifible proof. JOHNSON.

Is

Is this; fhe hath bought the name of whore thus

dearly.

There, take thy hire; and all the fiends of hell
Divide themfelves between you!
Phil. Sir, be patient:

This is not ftrong enough to be believ'd
Of one perfuaded well of-

Poft. Never talk on't:

She hath been colted by him.
Iach. If you feek

For further fatisfying, under her breast,

3 (Worthy the preffing) lies a mole, right proud
Of that most delicate lodging:-by my life,
I kifs'd it; and it gave me prefent hunger

To feed again, though full. You do remember
This ftain upon her?

Poft. Ay, and it doth confirm
Another ftain, as big as hell can hold,

Were there no more but it.

Iach. Will you hear more?

Poft. Spare your arithmetic.

Ne'er count the turns: once, and a million!

If

Iach. I'll be fworn

Poft. No fwearing:

you will fwear you have not done't, you lye;

And I will kill thee, if thou dost deny

Thou haft made me cuckold.

. Iach. I will deny nothing.

Poft. O, that I had her here, to tear her limb-meal!

I will go there, and do't; i' the court; before
Her father:--I'll do fomething-

Phil. Quite befides

The government of patience! You have won :

[Exit.

3 (Worthy the preffing)-] Thus the modern editions. The old folio reads,

(Worthy her preffing)

JOHNSON.

Let's

Let's follow him, and pervert the present wrath

He hath against himself.
Iach. With all my heart.

S CE

[Exeunt.

Enter Pofthumus.

Poft. Is there no way for men to be, but women Must be half-workers? We are baftards all; And that moft venerable man, which I Did call my father, was I know not where When I was ftamp'd. Some coiner with his tools Made me a counterfeit: yet my mother feem'd The Dian of that time: fo doth my wife The non-pareil of this.-Oh vengeance, vengeance Me of my lawful pleasure she reftrain'd, And pray'd me oft forbearance: did it with A pudency fo rofy, the fweet view on't

Might well have warm'd old Saturn;-that I thought

her

As chafte as unfunn'd fnow.-Oh, all the devils!
This yellow Iachimo, in an hour,-was't not?-
Or lefs-at first? Perchance he spoke not; but
Like a full-acorn'd boar, a German one,
Cry'd oh! and mounted: found no oppofition
But what he look'd for fhould oppofe, and fhe
Should from encounter guard. Could I find out
The woman's part in me! for there's no motion
That tends to vice in man, but, I affirm,
It is the woman's part: be't lying, note it,
The woman's; flattering, hers; deceiving, hers;
Luft, and rank thoughts, hers, hers; revenges, hers;
Ambitions, covetings, change of prides, difdain,
Nice longings, flanders, mutability:

All faults that may be nam'd, nay, that hell knows,
Why, hers, in part, or all; but rather all :

Is there no way, &c.] MILTON was very probably indebted to this fpeech for the fentiments which he has given to Adam. Paradife Loft, book x. STEEVENS.