And am fo near the lack of charity,

(To accuse myself) I hate you: which I had rather
You felt, than make't boast.
my

Clot. You fin against

Obedience, which you owe your father. For
The contract you pretend with that base wretch,
(One, bred of alms, and foster'd with cold dishes,
With fcraps o' the court) it is no contract, none:
And though it be allow'd in meaner parties,
(Yet who, than he, more mean?) to knit their fouls
(On whom there is no more dependency
But brats and beggary) ' in felf-figur'd knot;
Yet you are curb'd from that enlargement by
The confequence o the crown; and must not foil
The precious note of it with a base slave,
A hilding for a livery, a squire's cloth,
A pantler, not fo eminent.

Imo. Prophane fellow!

Wert thou the fon of Jupiter, and no more,
But what thou art, besides, thou wert too bafe
To be his groom: thou wert dignify'd enough,
Even to the point of envy, if 'twere made
Comparative for your virtues, to be stil'd
The under-hangman of his kingdom; and hated

The contract, &c.] Here Shakspeare has not preferved, with his common nicety, the uniformity of character. The fpeech of Cloten is rough and harfh, but certainly not the talk

of one,

Who can't take two from twenty, for his heart,

And leave eighteen.

His argument is juft and well enforced, and its prevalence is allowed throughout all civil nations: as for rudeness, he seems not to be much undermatched. JOHNSON.

7

read:

in felf-figur'd knot;] This is nonfenfe. We fhould

-felf-finger'd knot;

i. e. A knot folely of their own tying, without any regard to parents, or other more public confiderations. WARBURTON.

But why nonfenfe? A f-figured-knot is a knot formed by yourself. JOHNSON.

For

For being preferr'd fo well.

Clot. The fouth-fog rot him!

Imo. He never can meet more mischance, than come To be but nam'd of thee. His meaneft garment, That ever hath but clip'd his body, is dearer, In my refpect, than all the hairs above thee, Were they all made fuch men.- How now, Pifanio?

Enter Pifanio.

Clot. His garment? Now, the devil

Imo. To Dorothy my woman hie thee presently:-
Clot. His garment?

Imo. I am sprighted with a fool';

Frighted, and anger'd worfe:-Go, bid my woman Search for a jewel, that too cafually

I

Hath left mine arm; it was thy mafter's: fhrew me, If I would lofe it for a revenue

Of any king's in Europe. I do think,

I faw't this morning: confident I am,

Last night 'twas on mine arm; I kiffed it:

I hope, it be not gone, to tell my lord
That I kifs aught but him.

Pif. 'Twill not be loft.

Imo. I hope fo: go, and fearch.

Clot. You have abus'd me :

His meanest garment?

[Exit Pifanio

Were they all made such men.- How now, Pifanio?] Sir T. Hanmer regulates this line thus:

-all made fuch men.

Clot. How now?

Imo. Pifanio! JOHNSON.

I am fprighted with a fool;] i. e. I am haunted by a fool, as by a fpright. Over-fprighted is a word that occurs in Lawtricks, &c. 1608. Again, in our author's Antony and Cleopatra: -Julius Cæfar,

Who at Philippi the good Brutus ghofted. STEEVENS. a jewel, that too cafually

Hath left mine arm;-] i. e. Too many chances of lofing

i have arisen from my careleffnefs.

R 2

WARBURTON.

Imo.

Imo. Ay; I faid fo, fir:

If you will make't an action, call witnefs to't.
Clot. I will inform your father.

Imo. Your mother too :

She's my good lady; and will conceive I hope,

An apartment in Philario's boufe.

Enter Pofthumus, and Philario.

Poft. Fear it not, fir: I would, I were fo fure To win the king, as I am bold, her honour Will remain hers.

Phil. What means do you make to him? Poft. No any; but abide the change of time; Quake in the present winter's state, and wifh That warmer days would come: In these fear'd hopes, I barely gratify your love; they failing,

I muft die much your debtor.

Phil. Your very goodnefs, and your company, O'erpays all I can do. By this, your king Hath heard of great Auguftus: Caius Lucius Will do his commiflion throughly: And, I think, He'll grant the tribute, fend the arrearages, *Or look upon our Romans, whofe remembrance

Is

2 Or look] This the modern editors had changed into E'er look. Or is ufed for 'er. So Douglas, in his tranflationof Virgil:

-fufferst

Is yet fresh in their grief.

Poft. I do believe,

(Statift though I am none, nor like to be)
That this will prove a war; and you fhall hear
The legions, now in Gallia, fooner landed
In our not-fearing Britain, than have tidings
Of any penny tribute paid. Our countrymen
Are men more order'd, than when Julius Cæfar
Smil'd at their lack of skill, but found their courage
Worthy his frowning at: Their discipline

(Now mingled with their courages) will make

known

To their approvers, they are people, fuch That mend upon the world.

Enter Jachimo,

Phil. See! Iachimo!

Post. The swifteft harts have pofted you by land; And winds of all the corners kifs'd your fails, To make your veffel nimble.

Phil. Welcome, fir.

Poft. I hope the briefnefs of your answer made The fpeediness of your return,

-fufferit he alfo,

"Or he his goddes brocht in Latio."

See alfo Vol. I. p. 9. Vol. V. p. 107. STEEVENS.

3 Statift] i. e. Statefman. See note on Hamlet, A& V. sc. ii. STEEVENS. ♦-mingled with their courages] The old folio has this odd reading:

Their difcipline,

(Now wing-led with their courages) will make known. JOHNSON.

-Their difcipline,

Now wing-led with their courages] May mean their difcipline borrowing wings from their courage; i. e. their military know, ledge being animated by their natural bravery. STEEVENS. -] i. e. To thofe who try them.

To their approvers,———

WARBURTON.

Iach. Your lady

Is one of the fairest that I have look'd upon.

Poft. And, therewithal, the best; or let her beauty Look through a cafement to allure falfe hearts, And be falfe with them.

Iach. Here are letters for you.

Poft. Their tenour good, I trust.

Iach. 'Tis very like.

Poft. Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court, When you were there?

Iach. He was expected then,

But not approach'd.

Poft. All is well yet.

Sparkles this stone as it was wont? or is't not
Too dull for your good wearing.

Jach. If I have lost it,

I should have loft the worth of it in gold.
I'll make a journey twice as far, to enjoy
A fecond night of fuch fweet shortnefs, which
Was mine in Britain; for the ring is won.
Poft. The ftone's too hard to come by.
Iach. Not a whit,

Your lady being eafy.

Poft. Make not, fir,

Your lofs your fport: I hope, you know that we • Must not continue friends.

Iach. Good fir, we muft,

If you keep covenant: Had I not brought
The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant
We were to queftion further: but I now
Profefs myself the winner of her honour,
Together with your ring; and not the wronger
Of her, or you, having proceeded but
By both your wills,

6 Poft.] I think this fpeech fhould be given to Philario. Poft humus was employed in reading his letters. STEEVENS,

Poft.