Dark as your fortune is, and but disguise
That, which, to appear itself, must not yet be,
But by felf-danger; you fhall tread a courfe
Pretty, and 5 full of view; yea, haply, near
The refidence of Pofthumus; fo nigh, at least,
That though his actions were not visible,
Report should render him hourly to your ear,
As truly as he moves.

Imo. Oh, for fuch means!

6 Though peril to my modesty, not death on't, I would adventure.

Pif. Well then, here's the point:

You must forget to be a woman; change
Command into obedience; fear and niceness
(The handmaids of all women, or, more truly,
Woman its pretty felf) to waggifh courage;
Ready in gybes, quick-anfwer'd, faucy, and
As quarrellous as the weazel: 7 nay, you must
Forget

mind to do with the concealment of perfon, which is here advised? On the contrary, her mind was to continue unchanged, in order to fupport her change of fortune. Shakespeare wrote, Now, if you could wear a mein.

--

Or according to the French orthography, from whence I prefume arofe the corruption :

Now, if you could wear a mine. WARBURTON.

To wear a dark mind, is to carry a mind impenetrable to the fearch of others. Darkness applied to the mind is fecrecy, applied to the fortune is obfcurity. The next lines are obfcure, You must, fays Pifanio, difgnife that greatness, which, to appear hereafter in its proper form, cannot yet appear without great danger to itself. JOHNSON,

-full of view;-] With opportunities of examining your affairs with your own eyes. JOHNSON.

6 Though peril to my modefty,

Through peril

] I read,

I would for juch means adventure through peril of my modefty; I would rifque every thing but real difhonour. JOHNSON,

7

nay, you must

Forget that rareft treasure of your check;

Expofing it (but, ob, the barder heart!

Alack, no remedy) I think it very natural to reflect in this

diftrefs

Forget that rarest treasure of your cheek;
Expofing it (but, oh, the harder heart!
Alack, no remedy) to the greedy touch
Of common-kifling Titan; and forget
Your labourfome and dainty trims, wherein
You made great Juno angry.

Imo. Nay, be brief:

I fee into thy end, and am almost
A man already.

Pif. First, make yourself but like one.
Fore-thinking this, I have already fit

('Tis in my cloak-bag) doublet, hat, hose, all That answer to them. Would you in their ferving,

And with what imitation you can borrow

From youth of such a season, 'fore noble Lucius
Prefent yourself, defire his service, tell him

Wherein you are happy (8 which you'll make him know,

If that his head have ear in mufic) doubtlefs,
With joy he will embrace you; for he's honourable,
And, doubling that, moft holy. Your means abroad,
You have me, rich; and I will never fail
Beginning, nor fupplyment.

Imo. Thou art all the comfort

The gods will diet me with. Pr'ythee, away.
There's more to be confider'd; but 9 we'll even.

diftrefs on the cruelty of Pofthumus. Dr. WARBURTON proposes to read,

the harder hap!

JOHNSON.

which you'll make him know,] This is HANMER'S reading. The common books have it,

which will make him know.

Mr. THEOBALD, in one of his long notes, endeavours to prove, that it should be,

which will make him fo.

He is followed by Dr. WARBURTON. JOHNSON.

9

we'll even

time will give us.- -] We'll make our time; we'll do what time will allow.

All that good time will give us.

• This attempt

I am foldier to, and will abide it with
A prince's courage. Away, I pr'ythee.

Pif. Well, madam, we must take a fhort farewell; Left, being mifs'd, I be fufpected of

Your carriage from the court. My noble mistress,
Here is a box; I had it from the queen;
What's in't is precious: if you are fick at sea,
Or ftomach-qualm'd at land, a dram of this
Will drive away diftemper.-To some shade,
And fit you to your manhood.-May the gods
Direct you to the best!

Ino. Amen: I thank thee.

[Exeunt, feverally.

SCENE V.

The palace of Cymbeline.

Enter Cymbeline, Queen, Cloten, Lucius, and Lords.

Cym. Thus far; and fo farewell.

Luc. Thanks, royal Sir.

My emperor hath wrote; I must from hence;

And am right forry, that I must report you

My mafter's enemy.

Cym. Our fubjects, Sir,

Will not endure his yoke; and for ourself
To fhew lefs fovereignty than they, muft needs
Appear un-kinglike.

Luc. So, Sir: I defire of you

A conduct over land to Milford-Haven.-
Madam, all joy befal your grace, and you!

Cym. My lords, you are appointed for that office;

This attempt

I am foldier to,] i. e. I have inlifted and bound myfelf to it. WARBURTON.

The

The due of honour in no point omit :

So farewell, noble Lucius.

Luc. Your hand, my lord.

Clot. Receive it friendly: but from this time forth I wear it as your enemy.

Luc. The event

Is yet to name the winner. Fare you well.

Cym. Leave not the worthy Lucius, good my lords, Till he have croft the Severn.

Happiness!
[Exit Lucius, &c.

Queen. He goes hence frowning: but it honours us, That we have given him caufe.

Clot. Tis all the better;

Your valiant Britons have their wishes in it.

Cym. Lucius hath wrote already to the emperor How it goes here. It fits us therefore, ripely, Our chariots and our horfemen be in readiness; The powers, that he already hath in Gallia, Will foon be drawn to head, from whence he moves His war for Britain.

Queen. 'Tis not sleepy business;

But must be look'd to fpeedily, and strongly,

Cym. Our expectation that it fhould be thus,
Hath made us forward. But, my gentle queen,
Where is our daughter? She hath not appear'd
Before the Roman, nor to us hath tender'd
The duty of the day. She looks us like
A thing more made of malice, than of duty;
We have noted it.-Call her before us; for

We have been too light in fufferance. [Exit a fervant.
Queen. Royal Sir,

Since the exile of Pofthumus, moft retir'd
Hath her life been; the cure whereof, my lord,
'Tis time must do. 'Befeech your majefty,
Forbear fharp fpeeches to her. She's a lady
So tender of rebukes, that words are ftrokes,
And ftrokes death to her.

Re-enter

Re-enter the Servant.

Cym. Where is fhe, Sir? How
Can her contempt be anfwer'd?
Serv. Please you, Sir,

Her chambers are all lock'd; and there's no answer
That will be given to the loud noise we make.
Queen. My lord, when laft I went to vifit her,
She pray'd me to excufe her keeping close;
Whereto conftrain'd by her infirmity,
She should that duty leave unpaid to you,
Which daily fhe was bound to proffer: this

She wifh'd me to make known; but our great court
Made me to blame in memory.

Cym. Her doors lock'd?

Not feen of late? grant heavens, that, which I fear, Prove falfe!

Queen. Son, I fay, follow the king.

[Exit.

Clot. That man of hers, Pifanio, her old fervant, I have not feen these two days.

Queen. Go, look after

Pifanio, that ftands fo for Pofthumus!

He hath a drug of mine: I pray, his abfence
Proceed by swallowing that; for he believes

It is a thing most precious. But for her,

[Exit.

Where is the gone? Haply, defpair hath feiz'd her;
Or, wing'd with fervor of her love, fhe's flown
To her defir'd Pofthumus: gone fhe is

To death, or to difhonour; and my end

Can make good ufe of either. She being down,
I have the placing of the British crown.

Re-enter Cloten.

How now, my fon?

Clot. 'Tis certain, fhe is fled.

Go in, and cheer the king: he rages; none
Dare come about him.

Queen.