A fhop of all the qualities that man Loves woman for; befides, that hook of wiving, Cym. I ftand on fire. Come to the matter. Iach. All too foon I fhall, Unless thou wouldst grieve quickly.-This Posthumus, (Most like a noble lord in love, and one That had a royal lover) took his hint; And, not difpraifing whom we prais'd (therein His mistress' picture; which by his tongue being made, And then a mind put in't, either our brags Cym. Nay, nay, to the purpose. Iach. Your daughter's chastity-there it begins.He fpake of her, as Dian had hot dreams, And the alone were cold: whereat, I, wretch ! Made fcruple of his praise; and wag'd with him Pieces of gold, 'gainst this which then he wore laft quotation from Scaliger well explains what Shakespeare meant by-brief nature;-i. e. inelaborate, hafty, and carelefs as to the elegance of form, in refpect of art, which uses the peculiar addrefs, above explained, to arrive at perfection. WARBURTON. I cannot help adding, that passages of this kind are but weak proofs that the poet was converfant with what we call at present the fine arts. The pantheons of his own age (feveral of which I have feen) give a moft minute and particular account of the different degrees of beauty imputed to the different deities; and as Shakespeare had at least an opportunity of reading Chapman's traflation of Homer, the first part of which was published in 1596, and with additions in 1598, he might have taken thefe ideas from thence, without being at all indebted to his own particular obfervation or knowledge of the fine arts. It is furely more for the honour of our poet to remark how well he has employed the little knowledge he appears to have had of ftatuary or mythology, than from his frequent allufions to them. to fuppofe he was intimately acquainted with either. STEEV. T 4 Upon Upon his honour'd finger, to attain In fuit the place of his bed, and win this ring Than I did truly find her, ftakes this ring; Moft vilely; for my 'vantage, excellent: Poft. Ay, fo thou do'st, [Coming forward, Italian fiend!-Ah me, moft credulous fool, Egregious murderer, thief, any thing That's due to all the villains paft, in being, To come!-Oh, give me cord, or knife, or poison, So in Antony and Cleopatra: "He has deferv'd it, were it carbuncled "Like Phoebus car.". STEEVENS. averring notes] Such marks of the chamber and pictures, as averred or confirmed my report. JOHNSON., That That all the abhorred things o' the earth amend, Be villainy less than 'twas !-Oh Imogen! Imo. Peace, my lord; hear, hear Pif. Oh, gentlemen, help, [Striking her, fhe falls. Mine, and your miftrefs-Oh, my lord Pofthumus! You ne'er kill'd Imogen till now. -Help, help! Mine honour'd lady Cym. Does the world go round? Poft. How come 'these staggers on me? Pif. Wake, my mistress! Cym. If this be fo, the gods do mean to strike me To death with mortal joy. Pif. How fares my mistress? Imo. O, get thee from my fight; Thou gav'ft me poifon : dangerous fellow, hence! Cym. The tune of Imogen! Pif. Lady, the gods throw ftones of fulphur on That box I gave you was not thought by me 9 and fhe herfelf.] That is, She was not only the temple of virtue, but virtue herself. JOHNSON. thefe staggers-] This wild and delirious perturbation. Staggers is the horfe's apoplexy. JOHNSON. Imo. Imo. It poifon'd me. I left out one thing which the queen confefs'd, Cym. What's this, Cornelius? Cor. The queen, Sir, very oft importun'd me Do their due functions. Have you ta'en of it? Bel. My boys, there was our error. Guid. This is fure Fidele. Imo. Why did you throw your wedded lady from you? 2 Think, that you are upon a rock; and now Throw me again. 2 Think, that you are upon a rock ;- -1 In this fpeech, or in the answer, there is little meaning. I fuppofe, she would fay, Confider fuch another act as equally fatal to me with precipitation from a rock, and now let me fee whether you will repeat it. JOHNSON. Perhaps only a ftage direction is wanting to clear this paffage from obfcurity. Imogen firft upbraids her husband for the violent treatment fhe had juft experienced; then confident of the return of paffion which the knew muft fucceed to the dif covery of her innocence, the poet might have meant her to rush into his arms, and while fhe clung about him faft, to dare him to throw her off a fecond time, left that precipitation should prove as fatal to them both as if the fituation where they stood had been a rock. To which he replies, bang there, i. e. round my neck, till the frame that now fupports you fhall perish. STEEV. Poft. Hang there like fruit, my foul, 'Till the tree die! Cym. How now, my flesh? Imo. Your bleffing, Sir. [Kneeling. Bel. Tho' you did love this youth, I blame you not; You had a motive for't. [To Guiderius and Arviragus. Prove holy water on thee! Imogen, Imo. I am forry for❜t, my lord. Cym. Oh, fhe was naught; and 'long of her it was, That we meet here fo ftrangely; but her fon Is gone, we know not how, nor where. Pif. My lord, Now fear is from me, I'll speak truth. Lord Cloten, Upon my lady's miffing, came to me With his fword drawn; foam'd at the mouth, and swore, If I discover'd not which way she was gone, It was my inftant death. By accident I had a feigned letter of my master's To feek him on the mountains near to Milford;' Guid. Let me end the story: I flew him there. Cym. Marry, the gods forefend! I would not, thy good deeds fhould from my lips Guid. I have spoke it, and I did it. Cym. He was a prince. Guid. A moft incivil one. The wrongs he did me Were nothing prince-like; for he did provoke me With |