Queen. Weeps she still, say'st thou ?

thou think in time

She will not quench and let instructions enter
Where folly now possesses?

Do thou work :

Dost

When thou shalt bring me word she loves my

son,

I'll tell thee on the instant thou art then
As great as is thy master, greater, for
His fortunes all lie speechless and his name
Is at last gasp return he cannot, nor
Continue where he is to shift his being
Is to exchange one misery with another,
And every day that comes comes to decay
A day's work in him. What shalt thou expect,
To be depender on a thing that leans,

50

Who cannot be new built, nor has no friends,
So much as but to prop him? [The Queen drops the
box: Pisanio takes it up.] Thou takest up 60
Thou know'st not what; but take it for thy labour:
It is a thing I made, which hath the king
Five times redeem'd from death: I do not know
What is more cordial. Nay, I prithee, take it;
It is an earnest of a further good

That I mean to thee. Tell thy mistress how
The case stands with her; do 't as from thyself.
Think what a chance thou changest on, but think
Thou hast thy mistress still, to boot, my son,

Who shall take notice of thee: I'll move the king 70
To any shape of thy preferment such

As thou 'lt desire; and then myself, I chiefly,

That set thee on to this desert, am bound

To load thy merit richly.

Think on my words.

Call my women:

Exit Pisanio.

56. decay, destroy.

68. what a chance thou

changest on, with what good fortune in prospect you change

service.

A sly and constant knave,

Not to be shaked; the agent for his master

And the remembrancer of her to hold

The hand-fast to her lord. I have given him that
Which, if he take, shall quite unpeople her
Of liegers for her sweet, and which she after,
Except she bend her humour, shall be assured
To taste of too.

Re-enter PISANIO and Ladies.

So, so well done, well done:

The violets, cowslips, and the primroses,

Bear to my closet.

Think on my words.

Pis.

Fare thee well, Pisanio;

[Exeunt Queen and Ladies.
And shall do:

But when to my good lord I prove untrue,

I'll choke myself: there's all I'll do for you. [Exit.

80

SCENE VI.

The same.

Another room in the

palace.

Enter IMOGEN.

Imo. A father cruel, and a step-dame false;

A foolish suitor to a wedded lady,

That hath her husband banish'd;-O, that hus-
band!

My supreme crown of grief! and those repeated
Vexations of it! Had I been thief-stol'n,

As my two brothers, happy! but most miserable
Is the desire that's glorious: blest be those,

78. hand-fast, marriage engagement.

80.

liegers, 'resident am

bassadors,' agents, advocates.

7. glorious, bent on glory.

How mean soe'er, that have their honest wills, Which seasons comfort. Who may this be? Fie!

Enter PISANIO and IACHIMO.

Pis. Madam, a noble gentleman of Rome, Comes from my lord with letters.

Iach. [Aside] All of her that is out of door most rich!

If she be furnish'd with a mind so rare,

She is alone the Arabian bird, and I

Have lost the wager. Boldness be my friend!
Arm me, audacity, from head to foot!

Or, like the Parthian, I shall flying fight;
Rather, directly fly.

Imo. [Reads] 'He is one of the noblest note,
to whose kindnesses I am most infinitely tied.
Reflect upon him accordingly, as you value your
LEONATUS.'

trust

So far I read aloud:

But even the very middle of my heart

Is warm'd by the rest, and takes it thankfully.
You are as welcome, worthy sir, as I

Have words to bid you, and shall find it so
In all that I can do.

Iach.

Thanks, fairest lady.

9. Which, i.e. to have their wills.

9. seasons comfort, give zest to happiness.

II. Change, change colour. 17. the Arabian bird, the VOL. IV

145

Phoenix.

20

30

25. trust; she breaks off abruptly without reading 'the rest' aloud. The dash indicating this was substituted for the period of the Ff by Boswell. L

What, are men mad? Hath nature given them

eyes

To see this vaulted arch, and the rich crop
Of sea and land, which can distinguish 'twixt
The fiery orbs above and the twinn'd stones
Upon the number'd beach? and can we not
Partition make with spectacles so precious
'Twixt fair and foul?

Imo.

What makes your admiration? Iach. It cannot be i' the eye, for apes and

monkeys

'Twixt two such shes would chatter this way and Contemn with mows the other; nor i' the judge

ment,

For idiots in this case of favour would
Be wisely definite; nor i' the appetite;
Sluttery to such neat excellence opposed
Should make desire vomit emptiness,
Not so allured to feed.

Imo. What is the matter, trow?
Iach.

The cloyed will,

That satiate yet unsatisfied desire, that tub

Both filled and running, ravening first the lamb

Longs after for the garbage.

Imo.

Thus raps you? Are

40

33. crop, teeming expanse. 35. twinn'd, indistinguishably similar.

36. number'd, made up of a host of small parts (pebbles). Cf. the pebbled shore,' Sonn. Theobald conjectured un

1x. number'd.

37. Partition make, distinguish.

37. spectacles, organs of vision. 38. admiration, wonder.

40. shes, women.

ib. chatter this way, show their preference for one by chattering in her direction.

42. case of favour, question of relative beauty.

44, 45. Sluttishness, when confronted with such absolute excellence, would excite qualms of loathing in Lust itself.

47. trow, I wonder.

51. raps you, transports you.

Iach. Thanks, madam; well. [To Pisanio]

Beseech you, sir, desire

My man's abode where I did leave him he

Is strange and peevish.

Pis.

To give him welcome.

:

I was going, sir,

[Exit.

Imo. Continues well my lord? His health,

beseech you?

Iach. Well, madam.

Imo. Is he disposed to mirth? I hope he is.

Iach. Exceeding pleasant; none a stranger there So merry and so gamesome: he is call'd

The Briton reveller.

Imo.

When he was here,

He did incline to sadness, and oft-times
Not knowing why.

Iach.

I never saw him sad.

There is a Frenchman his companion, one

An eminent monsieur, that, it seems, much loves
A Gallian girl at home; he furnaces

The thick sighs from him, whiles the jolly Briton-
Your lord, I mean-laughs from 's free lungs, cries 'O,
Can my sides hold, to think that man, who knows
By history, report, or his own proof,

What woman is, yea, what she cannot choose
But must be, will his free hours languish for
Assured bondage?'

Imo.

Will my lord

say so?

Iach. Ay, madam, with his eyes in flood with

laughter:

It is a recreation to be by

And hear him mock the Frenchman.

60

70

But, heavens

know,

52. desire my man's abode,

bid my servant stay.

(like fire).

66. furnaces, belches forth

70. proof, experience.