Beft draw my fword; and if mine enemy But fear the fword like me, he'll fcarcely look on't. Enter Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus. Bel. You, Polydore, have prov'd beft woodman, and Will play the cook and fervant; 'tis our match: Finds the down pillow hard. Now peace be here, bids him peak; if the latter, that is, the den of a savage beast, what then? Take or lend-We should read, Take 'OR 'T END. i. e. Take my life ere famine end it. Or was commonly used for ere: this agrees to all that went before. But the Oxford Editor cuts the knot; Take, or yield food, fays he; as if it was poffible fo plain a fentence should ever have been blundered into Take or lend. WARBURTON. I fuppofe the emendation propofed will not eafily be received; it is trained and obfcure, and the objection against Hanmer's reading is likewife very strong. I queftion whether, after the words, if favage, a line be not loft. I can offer nothing better than to read, Ho! who's here? If any thing that's civil, take or lend, If you are civilifed and peaceable, take a price for what I want, If any thing that's civil, Speak; if favage, -] It is by no means neceffary to fuppofe that favage bold fignifies the habitation of a beaft. It may as well be used for the cave of a favage, or wild man, who, in the romances of the time, were reprefented as refiding in the woods like the famous Orfon, or Bremo the wild man in the play of Macedorus. STEEVENS. Guid. I am thoroughly weary. Arv. I am weak with toil, yet ftrong in appetite. Guid. There is cold meat i' the cave, we'll brouze on that, Whilft what we have kill'd be cook'd. Bel. Stay; come not in: [Looking in. But that it eats our victuals, I fhould think Here were a fairy. Guid. What's the matter, Sir? Bel. By Jupiter, an angel! or, if not, An earthly paragon! Behold divineness No elder than a boy! Enter Imogen. Imo. Good mafters, harm me not: To have begg'd, or bought, what I have took: good troth, I have stolen nought; nor would not, though I had found Gold ftrew'd o' the floor. Here's money for my meat: I would have left it on the board, fo foon As I had made my meal; and parted With prayers for the provider. Guid. Money, youth? Arv. All gold and filver rather turn to dirt! As 'tis no better reckon'd, but of those Who worship dirty gods. Imo. I fee you are angry : Know, if you kill me for my fault, I should Have dy'd had I not made it. Bel. Whither bound? Imo. To Milford-Haven. Bel. What's your name? Imo. Fidele, Sir. I have a kinfman, who To whom being going, almost spent with hunger, VOL. IX. Bel. Bel. Pr'ythee, fair youth, Think us no churls; nor measure our good minds Guid. Were you a woman, youth, I should woo hard, but be your groom in honefty; 3 I'd bid for you, as I'd buy. Arv. I'll make't my comfort He is a man; I'll love him as my brother: After long abfence, fuch is yours:-Moft welcome! Imo. 'Mong'ft friends! If brothers, would it had been fo, that they Had been my father's fons! 4 then had my prize [Afide. Been lefs; and fo more equal ballasting To thee, Pofthumus. Bel. He wrings at some distress. Guid. Would I could free't! Arv. Or I, whate'er it be, What pain it coft, what danger! Gods! Bel. Hark, boys. Imo. Great men, [Whispering. That had a court no bigger than this cave, That did attend themselves, and had the virtue Which their own confcience feal'd them (laying by 3 I'd bid for you, as I'd buy.] This is HANMER's reading. The other copies, I bid for you, as I do buy. JoHNSON. then had my prize The Been lefs; and fo more equal ballafting] HANMER reads plaufibly, but without neceflity, price, for prize, and balancing, for ballafting. He is followed by Dr. WARBURTON. meaning is, Had I been a lefs prize, I fhould not have been too heavy for Pofthumus. JOHNSON. 2 That s That nothing-gift of differing multitudes) Bel. It fhall be fo. Boys, we'll go drefs our hunt. Fair youth, come in: Guid. I pray, draw near. Arv. The night to the owl, and morn to the lark, less welcome! Imo. Thanks, Sir. Arv. I pray draw near. SCENE VII. ROM E. [Exeunt Enter two Roman Senators, and Tribunes. I Sen. This is the tenor of the emperor's writ; I That fince the common men are now in action 'Gainst the Pannonians and Dalmatians, 5 That nothing-gift of differing multitudes)] The poet muft mean, that court, that obfequious adoration, which the shifting vulgar pay to the great, is a tribute of no price or value. I am perfuaded therefore our poet coined this participle from the French verb, and wrote, That nothing-gift of defering multitudes, i. e. obfequious, paying deference.Deferer, Ceder par respect a quelcun, obeir, condefcendere, &c.-Deferent, civil, refpectueux, &c. Richelet. THEOBALD. He is followed by Sir T. HANMER and Dr. WARBURTON; but I do not fee why differing may not be a general epithet, and the expreffion equivalent to the many-headed rabble. JOHNS. That fince the common men are now in action 'Gainft the Pannonians and Dalmatians, And that, &c.] Thefe facts are historically true. Q 2 STEEV. And And that the legions now in Gallia are Tri. Remaining now in Gallia ? 1 Sen. With thofe legions Which I have spoke of, whereunto your levy Must be supplyant: the words of your commiffion Will tie you to the numbers and the time Of their dispatch. 2 Tri. We will discharge our duty. and to you, the tribunes, For this immediate levy, he commands [Exeunt. -] Commands his commiffion is fuch a phrafe as Shakespeare would hardly have used. I have ventur'd to fubftitute; he commends His abfolute commiffion. i. c. He recommends the care of making this levy to you; and gives you an abfolute commiflion for fo doing. WARB. The plain meaning is, he commands the commiffion to be given to you. So we fay, I ordered the materials to the workmen. JOHNSON. ACT |