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.

Re-enter Pifanio, with the clothes.

Be thofe the garments?

Pif. Ay, noble lord.

Clot. How long is't fince fhe went to MilfordHaven?

Pif. She can scarce be there yet.

Clot. Bring this apparel to my chamber; that is the second 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 revenge 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 false, which I will never be, To him that is most true.-To Milford go, And find not her whom thou purfu'ft. Flow, flow, You heavenly bleffings, on her! This fool's fpeed Be croft with flownefs; labour be his meed! [Exit.

SCENE VI.

The foreft and cave.

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 fhould be fick, But that my refolution helps me.-Milford,

When

When from the mountain top Pifanio fhew'd thee,
Thou waft 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 fullnefs
Is forer, than to lye for need; and falfhood
Is worse in kings, than beggars. My dear lord!
Thou art one o' the falfe ones: Now I think on thee,
My hunger's gone; but even before, I was
At point to fink for food.-But what is this?
Here is a path to it: 'Tis fome favage hold:
I were beft not call; I dare not call: yet famine,
Ere clean it o'erthrow nature, makes it valiant.
Plenty, and peace, breeds cowards; hardness ever
Of hardinefs is mother.-Ho! who's here?
If any thing that's civil, fpeak; if savage,

Take,

7 Is forer,] Is a greater, or heavier crime. JOHNSON. If any thing that's civil,

-] Civil, for human creature.
WARBURTON.

If any thing that's civil, speak; if favage,
Take, or lend.-]

She is in doubt, whether this cave be the habitation of a man or beaft. If it be the former, she bids him peak; if the latter, that is, the den of a favage beast, what then? Take or lend― We should read:

Take 'or 't end.

i. e. Take my life ere famine end it. Or was commonly used for are: this agrees to all that went before. But the Oxford editor cuts the knot:

Take, or yield food,

fays he; as if it was poffible fo plain a sentence fhould ever have been blundered into Take or lend. WARBURTON.

I fuppofe the emendation propofed will not eafily be received; it is trained and obfcure, and the objection against Hanmer's reading is likewife very strong. I question whether, after the words, if favage, a line be not loft. I can offer nothing better than to read:

Ho!

Take, or lend. Ho!-No anfwer? then I'll enter. Beft draw my fword; and if mine enemy

But fear the fword like me, he'll fcarcely look on't. Such a foe, good heavens! [She goes into the cave.

Enter Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus.

Bel. You, Polydore, have prov'd best woodman, and

Are mafter of the feaft: Cadwal, and I,

Will play the cook, and servant; 'tis our match:
The fweat of industry would dry, and die,
But for the end it works to. Come; our ftomachs
Will make what's homely, favoury: Weariness
Can fnore upon the flint, when resty sloth

Find's the down pillow hard.-Now, peace be here,
Poor house, that keep'ft thyfelf!

Guid. I am throughly weary.

Arv. I am weak with toil, yet ftrong in appetite. Guid. There is cold meat i' the cave; we'll brouze on that,

-Ho! who's here?

If any thing that's civil, take or lend,

If favage, Speak.

If you are civilifed and peaceable, take a price for what I want, or lend it for a future recompence; if you are rough inhospitable inhabitants of the mountain, Speak, that I may know my state.

JOHNSON. Dr. Johnson's interpretation of these words is confirmed by what Imogen fays afterwards

"I call'd, and thought to have begg'd or bought."
MALONE.

If any thing that's civil, Speak; if favage,
Take, or lend.-Ho!. -]

It is by no means neceffary to fuppofe that favage hold fignifies the habitation of a beast. It may as well be used for the cave of a favage, or wild man, who, in the romances of the time, were reprefented as refiding in the woods, like the famous OrJon, Bremo in the play of Mucedorus, or the favage in the seventh canto of the fourth book of Spenfer's Faery Queen, and the 6th B. C. 4. STEEVENS.

woodman,] See Vol. II. p. 137. EDITOR.
U

VOL. IX.

L'37.

Whilft

Whilft what we have kill'd be cook'd.

Bel. Stay; come not in :

-

[Looking in.

But that it eats our victuals, I fhould think
Here were a fairy.

Guid. What's the matter, fir?

Bel. By Jupiter, an angel! or, if not, An earthly paragon!-Behold divineness No elder than a boy !

Enter Imogen.

Imo. Good mafters, harm me not:
Before I enter'd here, I call'd; and thought

To have begg'd, or bought, what I have took: Good

troth,

I have ftolen nought; nor would not, though I had found

Gold ftrew'd o' the floor. Here's money for my meat: I would have left it on the board, fo foon

As I had made my meal; and parted

With prayers for the provider.

Guid. Money, youth?

Arv. All gold and filver rather turn to dirt! As 'tis no better reckon'd, but of thofe

Who worship dirty gods.

Imo. I fee, you are angry:

Know, if you kill me for

my fault, I fhould

Have dy'd, had I not made it.

Bel. Whither bound?
Imo. To Milford-Haven,
Bel. What's your name?

Imo. Fidele, fir: I have a kinfman, who
Is bound for Italy; he embark'd at Milford;
To whom being going, almost spent with hunger,
I am fallen in this offence.

Bel. Pr'ythee, fair youth,

Think us no churls; nor measure our good minds By this rude place we live in. Well encounter'd!

'Tis

'Tis almost night: you fhall have better cheer Ere you depart; and thanks, to stay and eat it.Boys, bid him welcome.

Guid. Were you a woman, youth,

I should woo hard, but be your groom.-In honesty 'I bid for you, as I'd buy.

Arv. I'll make't my comfort,

He is a man; I'll love him as my brother:-
And fuch a welcome as I'd give to him,

After long abfence, fuch is yours:-Moft welcome!
Be fprightly, for you fall 'mongst friends.
Imo. 'Mongft friends!

If brothers?--Would it had been fo, that they'
Had been my father's fons! then had my

prize

Been lefs; and fo more equal ballafting

To thee, Pofthumus.

Bel. He wrings at fome diftrefs.

Guid. 'Would, I could free't!
Arv. Or I; whate'er it be,

[Afide.

What pain it coft, what danger!

Gods!

Bel. Hark, boys.

[Whispering.

Imo. Great men,

I'd bid for you, as I'd buy.] This is Hanmer's reading. The

other copies,

I bid for you, as I do buy, JOHNSON.

I think this paffage might be better read thus :

I should woo hard, but be your groom.-In honefty

I bid for you, as I'd buy.

That is, I fhould woo hard, but I would be your bridegroom. [And when I fay that I would woo hard, be affured that] in honesty I bid for you, only at the rate at which I would purchase you, TYRWHITT.

I have adopted this punctuation, which is undoubtedly the true one. STEEVENS.

-then had my prize

Been lefs; and fo more equal ballafting] Hanmer reads plaufibly, but without neceffity, price for prize, and balancing for ballafting. He is followed by Dr. Warburton. The meaning is, Had I been lefs a prize, I fhould not have been too heavy for Pofthumus. JOHNSON.

U 2

That