Queen. All the better.-May This night fore-ftall him of the coming day! [Exit Queen. Clot. I love. and hate her for fhe's fair and. royal, 2 And that the hath all courtly parts more exquisite To be reveng'd upon her. For when fools Enter Pifanio. Who is here? what! are you packing, firrah? Thou art straightway with the fiends. Pif. Oh, my good lord! [Drawing his fword. Clot. Where is thy lady? or, by Jupiter, I will not ask again. Clofe villain, 2 And that he hath all courtly parts more exquifite The best he hath, -] The fecond line is intolerable nonfenfe. It should be read and pointed thus, Than lady ladies; winning from each one. The fenfe of the whole is this, I love her because fhe has, in a more exquifite degree, all thofe courtly parts that ennoble [lady] women of quality [ladies] winning from each of them the belt of their good qualities, &c. Lady is a plural verb, and ladies a noun governed of it; a quaint expreffion in Shakespeare's way, and fuiting the folly of the character. WARBURTON. I cannot perceive the fecond line to be intolerable, or to be She has all nonfenfe. The speaker only rifes in his ideas. courtly parts, fays he, more exquifite than any lady, than all ladies, than all womankind. Is this nonfenfe? JOHNSON. I'll have this fecret from thy heart, or rip Pif. Alas, my lord, How can fhe be with him? When was fhe miss'd? He is in Rome. Clot. Where is fhe, Sir? Come nearer; No further halting. Satisfy me home, Pif. Oh, my all-worthy lord! Clot. All-worthy villain! Discover where thy mistress is at once, At the next word-No more of worthy lord Speak, or thy filence on the inftant is Thy condemnation and thy death. Pif. Then, Sir, This paper is the history of my knowledge Clot. Let's fee't: I will purfue her Even to Auguftus' throne. Pif. 3 Or this, or perish. She's far enough; and what he learns by this, [Afide. May prove his travel, not her danger. Clot. Humh! 3 Or this, or perish.] These words, I think, belong to Cloten, who, requiring the paper, fays, Let's fee't: I will purfue her Even to Auguftus' throne. Or this, or perish. Then Pifanio giving the paper, fays to himfelf, She's far enough, &c. JOHNSON. I own I am of a different opinion. Or this, or perish, properly belongs to Pifanio, who fays, as he gives the paper into the hands of Cloten, I muft either give it him freely, or perish in my attempt to keep it or elfe may be confidered as a reply to his boat of following her to the throne of Auguftus, and is added flily. You will either do what you fay, or perish, which is the more likely of the two. STEEVENS. Pif. I'll write to my lord, fhe's dead. Oh, Imogen, Safe may'ft thou wander, safe return again! Pif. Sir, as I think. [Afide. Clot. It is Pofthumus's hand; I know't. Sirrah, if thou wouldst not be a villain, but do me true fervice, undergo thofe employments, wherein I fhould have caufe to use thee, with a ferious induftry; that is, what villany foe'er I bid thee do, to perform it directly and truly, I would think thee an honeft man: thou fhouldst neither want my means for thy relief, nor my voice for thy preferment. Pif. Well, my good lord. Clot. Wilt thou ferve me? for fince patiently and conftantly thou hast stuck to the bare fortune of that beggar Pofthumus, thou can't not in the course of gratitude but be a diligent follower of mine. Wilt thou ferve me? any Pif. Sir, I will. Clot. Give me thy hand; here's my purse. Haft of thy late mafter's garments in thy poffeffion? Pif. I have, my lord, at my lodging, the fame fuit he wore when he took leave of my lady and miftrefs. Clot. The firft fervice thou doft me, fetch that fuit hither. Let it be thy firft fervice.-Go. Pif. I fhall, my lord. [Exit. Clot. Meet thee at Milford-Haven?I forgot to afk him one thing; I'll remember't anon.-- Even there, thou villain Pofthumus, will I kill thee. I would thefe garments were come. She faid upon a time (the bitternefs of it I now belch from my heart) that he held the very garment of Pofthumus in more refpect than my noble and natural perfon, together with the adornment of my qualities. With that fuit upon my back, will I ravifh her: firft kill him, and in There fhall the fee in her eyes. There shall she fee my valour, which will then be a torment to her contempt. He on the ground, my fpeech of infultment ended on his dead body, and when my luft hath dined which (as I fay, to vex her, I will execute in the clothes that the fo prais'd) to the court I'll knock her back, foot her home again. She hath defpis'd me rejoicingly, and I'll be merry in my revenge. Enter Pifanio, with a fuit of clothes. Be thofe the garments? Pif. Ay, my noble lord. Clot. How long is't fince he went to MilfordHaven? Pif. She can scarce be there yet. Clot. Bring this apparel to my chamber; that is the fecond thing that I have commanded thee. The third is, that thou wilt be a voluntary mute to my defign. Be but duteous, and true preferment fhall tender itself to thee. My reyenge is now at Milford; would I had wings to follow it! Come and be true. [Exit. Pif. Thou bidd'ft me to my lofs: for, true to thee, Were to prove falfe, which I will never be To him that is moft true. To Milford go, And find not her whom thou purfu'ft. Flow, flow, You heavenly bleffings on her! This fool's speed Be croft with flownefs.Labour be his meed! [Exit. SCENE Enter Imogen in boy's clothes. Imo. I fee, a man's life is a tedious one: I have tir'd myself; and for two nights together Have made the ground my bed. I should be sick, But that my refolution helps me. Milford, When from the mountain top Pifanio fhew'd thee, Thou wait within a ken. O Jove, I think, Foundations fly the wretched; fuch, I mean, Where they should be reliev'd. Two beggars told me I could not mifs my way. Will poor folk lye That have afflictions on them; knowing 'tis A punishment, or trial? yes: no wonder, When rich ones fcarce tell true. To lapfe in fullness Is worfe in kings than beggars. My dear lord! [Seeing the cave. Is forer, 2 If any thing that's civil, Beft -] Is a greater, or heavier crime. JOHNSON. -] Civil, for human creature. WARBURTON. If any thing that's civil, fpeak; if favage, Take OR LEND. -] She is in doubt, whether this cave If it be the former, fhe bids · be the habitation of a man or beaft. |