I know you are more clement than vile men, And cancel thofe 3 cold bonds. Oh Imogen! [He fleeps. + Solemn mufic. Enter, as in an apparition, Sicilius Leonatus, father to Pofthumus, an old man, attired like who is willing to furrender up all to appeafe his creditor. This being the fenfe in general, I may venture to say, the true reading must have been this, to fatisfy, I d'off my freedom; 'tis the main part; take No ftricter render of me than my all. The verb d'of is too frequently used by our author to need any inftances; and is here employed with peculiar elegance, i. e. To give all the fatisfaction I am able to your offended godheads, I voluntarily diveft myfelf of my freedom; 'tis the only thing I have to atone with, 3 take No stricter render of me, than my all. WARBURTON. cold bonds.. -] This equivocal ufe of bonds is another inftance of our auther's infelicity in pathetic fpeeches. JOHNS. 4 Solemn mufic, &c.] Here follow a vifion, a mafque, and a prophefy, which interrupt the fable without the leaft neceffity, and unmeafurably lengthen this act. I think it plainly foisted in afterwards for mere fhow, and apparently not of Shakefpeare. POPE. Every reader must be of the fame opinion. The following paffage from Mr. FARMER'S Efay will fhew that it was no unufual thing for the players to indulge themfelves in making additions equally unjuftifiable.- "We have a fufficient inftance of the liberties taken by the actors, in an old pamphlet, by Nash, called Lenten Stuffe, with the Prayfe of the red Herring, 4to, 1599, where he affures us, that in a play like a warrior; leading in his hand an ancient matron, his wife, and mother to Pofthumus, with mufic before them. Then, after other mufic, follow the two young Leonati, brothers to Pofthumus, with wounds as they died in the wars. They circle Pofthumus round, as he lies fleeping. Sici. No more, thou thunder-mafter, fhew With Mars fall out, with Juno chide, That thy adulteries Rates and revenges. Hath my poor boy done aught but well, I dy'd, whilft in the womb he stay'd, Whofe father, Jove! (as men report Thou shouldft have been, and shielded him Moth. Lucina lent not me her aid, 5 That from me my Pofthumus ript, A thing of pity! Sici. Great Nature, like his ancestry, That he deferv'd the praife o' the world, As great Sicilius' heir. 1 "play of his, called The Isle of Dogs, foure acts, without his "confent, or the leaft guefs of his drift or scope, were supplied "by the players." STEEVENS. 5 That from me my Posthumus ript,] The old copy reads, That from me was Pofthumus ript, Perhaps we should read, That from my womb Pofthumus ript, Came crying 'mongst his foes. JOHNSON. 1 Bro. When once he was mature for man, That could ftand up his parallel, Moth. With marriage wherefore was he mock'd, To be exil'd and thrown From Leonatus' feat, and caft From her his dearest one? Sweet Imogen!- Sici. Why did you fuffer Iachimo, To taint his nobler heart and brain And to become the geck and fcorn 2 Bro. For this, from ftiller feats we came, Our fealty, and Tenantius' right, 1 Bro. Like hardiment Pofthumus hath The graces for his merits due; Being all to dolours turn'd? Sici. Thy crystal window ope; look out; Upon a valiant race thy harsh And potent injuries. Moth. Since, Jupiter, our fon is good, Take off his miferies. Sici. Peep through thy marble manfion, help! Or we poor ghosts will cry Το To the fhining fynod of the reft 2 Buth. Help, Jupiter, or we appeal, Jupiter defcends in thunder and lightning, fitting upon an eagle he throws a thunder-bolt. The ghosts fall on their knees. Jupit. No more, you petty fpirits of region low, No care of yours it is; you know, 'tis ours. He fell And ot This taber Our pi And f h by his affliction made. r his breaft, wherein s full fortune doth confine; No farther with your din Exp patience, left you ftir up mine. Mount, eagle, to my palace cryftalline. [Afcends. Sici. He came in thunder, his cœleftial breath Was fulphurous to imell; the holy eagle Stoop'd, as to foot us. His afcenfion is More sweet than our bleft fields; his royal bird cloys his beak,] What cloys means in this inftance, I do not exactly know. STEEVENS. Perhaps we should read, claws his beak. T. T. All. All. Thanks, Jupiter! Sici. The marble pavement closes, he is enter'd His radiant roof. Away! and to be bleft Let us with care perform his great beheft. [Vanish. Poft. [waking.] Sleep, thou haft been a grandfire, and begot A father to me: and thou hast created A mother and two brothers. But (oh fcorn!) [Reads.] WHEN as a lion's whelp fhall, to himself unknown, without feeking find, and be embrac'd by a piece of tender air; and when from a stately cedar fhall be lopt branches, which, being dead many years, shall after revive, be jointed to the old stock, and freshly grow; then fball Pofthumus end his miferies, Britain be fortunate, and flourish in peace and plenty. 7 'Tis still a dream; or else such stuff, as madmen 7 'Tis ftill a dream; or elfe fuch fuff, as madmen The The obfcurity of this paffage |