I Watch. Come, my captain knows you not..
Men. I mean, thy General.

1 Watch. My General cares not for you. Back, I fay, go; left I let forth your half pint of blood. Back, That's the utmost of your having, back. Men. Nay, but fellow, fellow,

Enter Coriolanus, with Aufidius.

Cor. What's the matter?

Men. Now, you companion, I'll fay an errand for you; you shall know now, that I am in eftimation; you fhall perceive, that a Jack-gardant cannot office me from my fon Coriclanus; guefs but my entertainment with him; if thou ftand'st not i'th' state of hanging, or of fome death more long in fpectatorship, and crueller in fuffering, behold now prefently, and fwoon for what's to come upon thee.The glorious Gods fit in hourly fynod about thy particular profperity, and love thee no worse than thy old father Menenius does! Oh my fon, my fon! thou art preparing fire for us; look thee, here's water to quench it. I was hardly mov'd to come to thee, but being affured, none but myfelf could move thee, I have been blown out of our gates with fighs; and conjure thee to pardon Rome, and thy petitionary Countrymen. The good Gods affwage thy wrath, and turn the dregs of it upon this varlet here, this, who, like a block, hath denied my access to thee

Cor. Away!

Men. How, away?

Cor. Wife, mother, child, I know not. My affairs Are fervanted to others: though I owe

My revenge properly, remiffion lies

In Volfcian breafts. That we have been familiar, (26)

(26)

That we have been familiar,

Ingrate

Ingrate Forgetfulness frall poyfon rather

Than pity: Note how much----]

We cannot defire a more fignal Inftance of the indolent Stupidity

Ingrate forgetfulness shall prifon, rather

Than pity note how much.- -Therefore, be gone;
Mine ears against your fuits are ftronger than

Your gates againft my force. Yet, for I lov'd thee,
Take this along; I writ it for thy fake,

[Gives him a letter. And would have fent it. Another word, Menenius,

I will not hear thee fpeak.

This man, Aufidius,

[Exeunt.

Was my belov'd in Rome; yet thou behold'ft.
Auf. You keep a conftant temper.

Manent the Guard and Menenius.

I Watch. Now, Sir, is your name Menenius? 2 Watch. 'Tis a fpell, you fee, of much power: you know the way home again.

1 Watch. Do you hear, how we are fhent for keeping your Greatnefs back?

2 Watch. What cause do you think, I have to swoon? Men. I neither care for the world, nor your General : for fuch things as you, I can scarce think there's any, y'are fo flight. He, that hath a will to die by himfelf, fears it not from another: let your General do his worft. For you, be what you are, long; and your mifery encrease with your age! I fay to you, as I was faid to, Away[Exit.

1 Watch. A noble fellow, I warrant him. 2 Watch. The worthy fellow is our General. He's the rock, the oak not to be wind-fhaken. [Exe. Watch,

of our Editors. Forgetfulness might poyfon, in not remembring a Converfation of Friendship, but how could it, in fuch an A&tion, be faid to pity too? The pointing is abfurd; and the Sentiment confequently funk into Nonfenfe. As I have regulated the Stops, both Dr. Thirlby and Mr. Warburton faw with me, they ought to be regulated. I have ftill ventured beyond my ingenious Friends, in changing Poyfon into Prifon: which adds an Antithefis, by which the Senfe feems clearer and more natural: viz. That Forgetfulness fha'l rather keep it a fecret, that we have been familiar; than Pity thall difclofe how much we have been fo.

Re-enter

Re-enter Coriolanus and Aufidius.

Cor. We will before the walls of Rome to-morrow
Set down our hoft. My partner in this action,
You must report to th' Volfcian Lords, how plainly
I've borne this bufinefs.

Auf. Only their ends you have refpected; stopt
Your ears against the general fuit of Rome :
Never admitted private whisper, no,

Not with fuch friends that thought them sure of you
Cor. This laft old man,

Whom with a crack'd heart I have fent to Rome,
Lov'd me above the measure of a father;

Nay, godded me, indeed. Their latest refuge
Was to fend him: for whose old love, I have
(Tho' It fhew'd fow'rly to him) once more offer'd
The firft conditions; (which they did refuse,
And cannot now accept,) to grace him only,
That thought he could do more: a very little
I've yielded to. Fresh embaffy, and fuits,
Nor from the State, nor private friends, hereafter
Will I lend ear to.- -Ha! what fhout is this?
[Shouts within.

Shall I be tempted to infringe my vow,
In the fame time 'tis made? I will not-

Enter Virgilia, Volumina, Valeria, young Marcius, with Attendants all in mourning.

My wife comes foremoft, then the honour'd mould Wherein this trunk was fram'd, and in her hand The grand-child to her blood. But, out, affection! All bond and privilege of nature break!

Let it be virtuous, to be obftinate.

What is that curt'fy worth? or those dove's eyes,
Which can make Gods forfworn? I melt, and am not
Of stronger earth than others: my mother bows,
As if Olympus to a mole-hill should

In fupplication nod; and my young boy
Hath an aspect of interceffion, which

T5

Great

Great Nature cries," Deny not." Let the Volfcians
Plough Rome, and harrow Italy; I'll never
Be fuch a gofling to obey inftinet; but ftand
As if a man were author of himself,

And knew no other kin.

Vir. My Lord and husband!

Cor. These eyes are not the fame I wore in Rome. Vir. The forrow, that delivers us thus chang'd, Makes you think fo.

Cor. Like a dull Actor now,

I have forgot my part, and I am out,
Ev'n to a full difgrace. Beft of my flesh,
Forgive my tyranny; but do not fay,
For that, " Forgive our Romans.”.

O, a kifs

Long as my exile, fweet as my revenge!
Now by the jealous Queen of heav'n; that kiss
I carried from thee, dear; and my true lip

Hath virgin'd it ere fince.-You Gods! I prate; (27)
And the most noble mother of the world

Leave unfaluted, fink, my knee, i'th' earth; [Kneels. Of thy deep duty more impreffion fhew

Than that of common fons.

Vol. O ftand up bleft!

Whilft with no softer cushion than the flint

I kneel before thee, and unproperly

Shew duty as mistaken all the while,

And the most noble Mother of the World
Leave unfaluted:

[Kneels.

An old Corruption must have poffeffed this Paffage, for two Reafons. In the first Place, whoever confults this Speech, will find, that he is talking fondly to his Wife, and not praying to the Gods at all. Secondly, if he were employed in his Devotions, no Apology would be wanting for leaving his Mother unfaluted. The Poet's Intention was certainly this. Coriolanus having been lavish in his Tenderneffes and Raptures to his Wife, bethinks himself on the sudden, that his Fondness to her had made him guilty of ill Manners in the Neglect of his Mother; and, therefore correcting himself upon Reflection, eries ;

--You Gods! I prate ;

i. e. talk fondly, and without due Bounds.

Betwee

Between the child and parent.

Cor. What is this?

Your knees to me? to your corrected fon ?
Then let the pebbles on the hungry beach
Fillop the ftars: then, let the mutinous winds
Strike the proud cedars 'gainft the fiery fun:
Murd'ring impoffibility, to make
What cannot be, flight work.

Vol. Thou art my warrior,

I help to frame thee. Do you know this lady?
Cor. The noble fifter of Poplicola,

The moon of Rome; chafte as the ificle,
That's curdled by the froft from pureft fnow,
And hangs on Dian's temple: dear Valeria !--
Vol. This is a poor epitome of yours,

[Sherving young Marcius. Which by th' interpretation of full time May fhew like all yourself.

Cor. The God of foldiers,

With the confent of fupream Jove, inform

Thy thoughts with noblenefs, that thou may'st prove To fhame unvulnerable, and ftick i'th' wars

Like a great fea-mark, ftanding every flaw,

And faving those that eye thee!

Vol. Your knee, firrah.

Cor. That's my brave boy.

Vol. Even he, your wife, this lady, and myself,

Are fuitors to you.

Cor. 1 befeech you, peace:

Or, if you'd afk, remember this before;

The thing, I have forfworn to grant, may never
Be held by you denial. Do not bid me
Difmifs my foldiers, or capitulate

Tell me not,

Again with Rome's mechanicks.
Wherein I feem unnatural: defire not

T'allay my rages and revenges, with

Your colder reafons.

Vol. Oh, no more; no more:

You've faid, you will not grant us any thing:
For we have nothing else to afk, but that