Enter a Meffenger. Ram thou thy fruitful tidings 3 in mine ears, Cleo. Antony's dead ?— If thou fay fo, villain, thou kill'ft thy mistress; If fo thou yield him, there is gold, and here Mef. First, madam, he is well. Cleo. Why, there's more gold. But, firrah, mark; we use To fay, the dead are well: bring it to that, Mef. Good madam, hear me. But there's no goodness in thy face: if Antony To trumpet fuch good tidings? If not well, Thou shouldft come like a fury crown'd with fnakes, *Not like a formal man. Mef. Will't please you hear me? Cleo. I have a mind to ftrike thee, ere thou speak'st: be denominated from that illuftrious battle, in the fame manner as modern heroes in romance are made to give their swords pom pous names. THEOBALD. 3 Ram thou thy fruitful tidings-] Shakespeare probably wrote, Rain thou, &c. Rain agrees better with the epithets fruitful and barren. STEEVENS. Not like a formal man.] Formal, for ordinary. WARB. Rather decent, regular. JOHNSON. By a formal man, Shakespeare means, a man in his fenfes. Informal women, in Measure for Measure, is used for women befide themselves. STEEVENS. Yet, Yet, if thou fay Antony lives, 'tis well, s Mef. Madam, he's well. Mef. And friends with Cæfar. Cleo. Thou art an honeft man. Mef. Cæfar, and he are greater friends than ever. Mef. But yet, madam—~ Cleo. I do not like but yet; it does allay The good precedence: fy upon but yet: But yet is as a jaylor to bring forth Some monftrous malefactor. Pr'ythee, friend, The good and bad together. He's friends with Cæfar; 5 I bave a mind to frike thee ere thou speak'ft; We furely fhould read is WELL. -1 The meffenger is to have his reward, if he fays, that Antony is alive, in bealib, and either friends with Cafar, or not captive to him. Obfervations and Conjectures, &c. printed at Oxford, 1766. • I'll fet thee in a shower of gold, and hail Rich pearls upon thee.] That is, I will give thee a kingdom: it being the eastern cere mony, at the coronation of their kings, to powder them with goldduft and feed-pearl; so Milton, the gorgeous eaft with liberal band Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold. In the life of Timur-bec or Tamerlane, written by a Perfian contemporary author, are the following words, as tranflated by Monf. Petit de la Croix, in the account there given of his coronation, book ii. chap. i. Les princes du fang: royal & les emirs repan dirent à pleines mains fur la tête quantité d'or & de pierreries felon la coûtume. WARB. In state of health, thou fay'ft; and, thou fay'st free. Mef. Free, madam! no: I made no fuch report. He's bound unto Octavia. Cleo. For what good turn? Mef. For the beft turn i' the bed. Cleo. I am pale, Charmian. Mef. Madam, he's married to Octavia. Cleo. The most infectious peftilence upon thee! Mef. Good madam, patience., Cleo. What fay you? [Strikes, bim down. [Strikes him. Hence horrible villain, or I'll fpurn thine eyes [She bales him up and down. Thou shalt be whipt with wire, and stew'd in brine, Smarting in lingring pickle. Mef. Gracious madam, I, that do bring the news, made not the match. Mef. He's married, madam. Cleo. Rogue, thou haft liv'd too long. Mef. Nay, then I'll run : [Draws a dagger. What mean you, madam? I have made no fault. [Exit. Char. Good madam, keep yourself within yourself, The man is innocent. Cleo. Some innocents 'fcape not the thunderbolt.— Melt Egypt into Nile! and kindly creatures. Turn all to ferpents! Call the flave again, Though I am mad, I will not bite him:-Call. Char. He is afraid to come. Clea. Cleo. I will not hurt him: Thefe hands do lack nobility, that they strike Though it be honest, it is never good Mef. I have done my duty. Cleo. Is he married? I cannot hate thee worfer than I do, If thou again fay, Yes. Mef. He is married, madam. Cleo. The Gods confound thee! doft thou hold there ftill? Mef. Should I lye, madam? Cleo. Oh, I would, thou didft; So half my Ægypt were fubmerg'd, and made Thou wouldst appear most ugly he is married?— Cleo. He is married? Mef. Take no offence, that I would not offend you: To punish me for what you make me do. Seems much unequal. He is married to Octavia., Cleo. Oh, that his fault fhould make a knave of thee, 7 Thefe hands do lack nobility, that they ftrike A meaner than myself ;—] This thought feems to be borrowed from the laws of chivalry, which forbad a knight to engage with his inferior. STEEVENS. That That art not what thou'rt fure of!-Get thee hence, The merchandise which thou haft brought from Rome, Are all too dear for me: lye they upon thy hand, And be undone by 'em! [Exit Meflenger. Char. Good your highnefs, patience. Cleo. In praifing Antony, I have difprais'd Cæfar. Char. Many times, madam. Cleo. I am paid for it now: lead me from hence, The colour of her hair :-bring me word quickly- 8 Thou art not what thou'rt fure of !—] For this, which is not eafily understood, Sir Thomas Hanmer has given, That fay'st but what thou'rt fure of! I am not fatisfied with the change, which, though it affords fenfe, exhibits little spirit. I fancy the line confifts only of abrupt starts. Ob that bis fault should make a knave of thee, That art-not what ?-Thou'rt fure on't.-Get thee hence, That his fault fuld make a knave of thee that art-but what shall I jay thou art not? Thou art then fure of this marriage.-Get thee hence. Dr. Warburton has received Sir T. Hanmer's emendation. JOHNSON: 9 Let him for ever go. -] She is now talking in broken sentences, not of the meffenger, but Antony. JOHNSON. 'The other way's a Mars:] In this paffage the fenfe is clear, but, I think, may be much improved by a very little alteration. Cleopatra, in her paffion upon the news of Antony's marriage says, Let him for ever go-let him NOT-Charmian, Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon, The other way he's a Mars. This, I think, would be more fpirited thus, Let him for ever go-let him-NO, -Charmian; Obfervations and Conjectures, &c. printed at Oxford, 1766. VOL. VIII. M Bring |