other cafual; a cunning thief, or a that-way-accomplifh'd courtier, would hazard the winning both of first and last. Poft. Your Italy contains none fo accomplish'd a courtier, to convince the honour of my mistress; if, in the holding or lofs of that, you term her frail. I do nothing doubt, you have ftore of thieves; notwithstanding, I fear not my ring. Phil. Let us leave here, gentlemen. Poft. Sir, with all my heart. This worthy fignior, I thank him, makes no stranger of me; we are familiar at first. Iach. With five times fo much converfation, I fhould get ground of your fair mistress: make her go back, even to the yielding; had I admittance, and opportunity to friend. Poft. No, no. Iach. I dare, thereupon, pawn the moiety of my eftate to your ring; which, in my opinion, o'er-values it fomething: But I make my wager rather against your confidence, than her reputation: and, to bar your offence herein too, I durft attempt it against any lady in the world. 3 Poft. You are a great deal 3 abus'd in too bold a perfuafion; and I doubt not you sustain what you're worthy of, by your attempt. Iach. What's that? Poft. A repulfe: Though your attempt, as you call it, deferves more: a punishment too. Phil. Gentlemen, enough of this: it came in too fuddenly; let it die as it was born, and, I pray you, be better acquainted. 2 to convince the honour of my mistress ;] Convince for overcome. WARBURTON. So, in Macbeth: -their malady convinces "The great effay of art." JOHNSON, 3abus'd] Deceiv'd. JOHNSON. I Iach. 4 Iach. 'Would I had put my estate, and my neighbour's, on the approbation of what I have spoke. Poft. What lady would you chufe to affail? Iach. Yours; who in conftancy, you think, ftands fo fafe. I will lay you ten thoufand ducats to your ring, that, commend me to the court where your lady is, with no more advantage than the opportunity of a fecond conference, and I will bring from thence that honour of hers, which you imagine fo referv'd. Poft. I will wage against your gold, gold to it: my ring I hold as dear as my finger; 'tis part of it. Iach. You are a friend, and therein the wifer. If you buy ladies' flesh at a million a dram, you cannot preferve it from tainting: But, I fee, you have fome religion in you, that you fear. Poft. This is but a cuftom in your tongue: you bear a graver purpose, I hope. Iach. I am the master of my speeches; and would undergo what's fpoken, I fwear. Poft. Will you?-I fhall but lend my diamond 'till your return:-Let there be covenants drawn between us: My mistress exceeds in goodness the hugeness of your unworthy thinking: I dare you to this match: here's my ring. Phil. I will have it no lay. Lach. By the gods it is one :- If I bring you no fufficient 4-approbation] Proof. JOHNSON. 5 You are a friend, and therein the wifer.--] I correct it: You are afraid, and therein the wifer. What Iachimo fays, in the clofe of his speech, determines this to have been our poet's reading: But, I fee you have fome religion in you, that you fear. WARBURTON. You are a friend to the lady, and therein the wifer, as you will not expofe her to hazard; and that you fear, is a proof of your religious fidelity. JOHNSON. Iach. If I bring you no fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thousand ducats arc fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thousand ducats are yours; fo is your diamond too: If I come off, and leave her in fuch honour as you have trust in, fhe your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours;provided, I have your commendation, for my more free entertainment. Peft. I embrace thefe conditions; let us have articles betwixt us :-only, thus far you fhall answer. If you make your voyage upon her, and give me directly to understand you have prevail'd, I am no further your enemy, fhe is not worth our debate: if she remain unfeduc'd, (you not making it appear otherwife) for your ill opinion, and the affault you have made to her chastity, you shall answer me with your fword. Iach. Your hand; a covenant: We will have these things fet down by lawful counfel, and ftraight are yours; fo is your diamond too: if I come off, and leave her in fuch honour as you have trust in, fhe your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours, &c. Poft. I embrace thefe conditions, &c.] This was a wager between the two speakers. Iachimo declares the conditions of it; and Pofthumus embraces them, as well he might; for Iachimo mentions only that of the two conditions which was favourable to Pofthumus, namely, that if his wife preferved her honour he fhould win concerning the other, in cafe fhe preserved it not, Jachimo, the accurate expounder of the wager, is filent. To make him talk more in character, for we find him fharp enough in the profecution of his bet, we should strike out the negative, and read the reft thus: If I bring you fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd, &c. my ten thousand ducats are mine; fo is your diamond too. If I come off, and leave her in such honour, &c. She your jewel, &c. and my gold are yours. WARBURTON. I once thought this emendation right, but am now of opinion, that Shakspeare intended that Iachimo, having gained his purpofe, fhould defignedly drop the invidious and offenfive part of the wager, and to flatter Pofthumus, dwell long upon the more pleafing part of the reprefentation. One condition of a wager implies the other, and there is no need to mention both. JOHNSON. away away for Britain; left the bargain fhould catch cold, and ftarve: I will fetch my gold, and have our two wagers recorded. [Exeunt Pofthumus, and Iachimb. Poft. Agreed. French. Will this hold, think you? Phil. Signior Iachimo will not from it. us follow 'em. SCENE VI. Cymbeline's Palace. Enter Queen, Ladies, and Cornelius. Queen. Whiles yet the dew's on ground, gather thofe flowers; Make hafte: Who has the note of them? 1 Lady. I, madam. Queen. Difpatch. [Exeunt Ladies. Now, mafter doctor; have you brought those drugs; Cor. Pleafeth your highnefs, ay: here they are, madam: But I beseech your grace, (without offence; Queen. I wonder, doctor, Thou afk'ft me fuch a queftion: Have I not been Other Other conclufions? I will try the forces Of these thy compounds on fuch creatures as We count not worth the hanging, (but none human) Allayments to their act; and by them gather Cor. You highness Shall from this practice but make hard your heart: Befides, the fecing thefe effects will be Both noifome and infectious. Queen. O, content thee. Enter Pifanio. Here comes a flattering rafcal; upon him [Afide. And enemy to my fon.-How now, Pifanio? Doctor, your service for this time is ended; [Afide. [To Pifanio. Cor. [Afide.] 'I do not like her. She doth think, fhe has Strange Other conclufions ?] Other experiments. I commend, fays Walton, an angler that tries conclufions, and improves his art. JOHNSON. • Your highness Shall from this practice but make bard your heart :] There is in this paffage nothing that much requires a note, yet I cannot forbear to push it forward into obfervation. The thought would probably have been more amplified, had our author lived to be fhocked with fuch experiments as have been published in later times, by a race of men who have practifed tortures without pity, and related them without fhame, and are yet suffered to erect their heads among human beings. Cape faxa manu, cape robora, paftor. JoHNSON. I do not like her. This foliloquy is very inartificial. The fpeaker is under no ftrong preffure of thought; he is nei |