And gloriously he's now got up to girdle [heed Take not your virtue from him; oh, take We ebb not now to nothing; take heed, Calis! Calis. The will of Heav'n (not mine) which must not alter, And my eternal doom, for aught I know, Mem. Those tears are some reward yet: Calis. Take 'em, soldier; ['em, Eum. [within.] Room before there! 79 Enter a funeral, Captains following, and King. How now? what's this? more Whose body's this? Eum. The noble Polydor; Mem. My brother dead? Oh, cruel, cruel Venus! here's my fortune Mem. Read aloud. Farewell, my follies! Be wise as you are beauteous; love with judg- Value desert and virtue, they are jewels The gods reward ingratitude most grievous. I durst not live, because I durst not wrong him. I can no more; make me eternal happy Mem. And didst thou die for me- What will you now do? Calis. Dwell for ever here, Sir. Mem. For me, dear Polydor? oh, worthy Good lady, leave; you must have no share I thought therefore that waters girdling a kingdom was a similar metaphor; and then recollected, that in the Two Noble Kinsmen (which was wrote by Shakespeare and Fletcher in conjection) act v. scene i. walls are called The stony girths of cities. I therefore was fully satisfy'd that I had hit upon the true reading; and long afterwards I met in the Captain with the very expression, act ii. scene i. speaking of soldiers, That whilst the wars were, scrv'd like walls and ribs Seward. We have adopted Mr. Seward's variation; though it would be nearer the old text to read, And gloriously now is got up to girdle. 79 Room before there.] These words (which complete the verse) are only in the first folio. They are there made a continuation of Calis's speech. 80 It starts me extremely.] Former editions. Seward. I shall enjoy the dead.] The context, we think, authorises the alteration we have made [ther! Oh, how I love thy goodness, my best broYou've given me here a treasure to enrich me, Would make the worthiest king alive a begWhat may I give you back again? [gar: Polyd. Your love, Sir. Mem. And you shall have it, ev'n my dearest love, [Sir; My first, my noblest love: Take her again, She's yours, your honesty has over-run me. She loves you; lov'st her not?-Excellent princess, Enjoy thy wish; and now, get generals. Polyd. As you love Heav'n, love him. She's only yours, Sir. Mem. As you love Heav'n, love him. She's only yours, Sir.] My lord the king Polyd. He will undo himself, Sir, And must without her perish: Who shall fight then? how gentle! [beauty. I should have slubber'd thee, and stain'd thy Your hand, your hand, Sir! King. Take her, and Heav'n bless her! Mem. So. [merit; Polyd. 'Tis your will, Sir, nothing of my And, as your royal gift, I take this blessing. Calis. And I from Heav'n this gentleman Thanks, goddess! Mem. So, you are pleas'd now, lady? Calis. Now or never. [frozen you Mem. My cold stiff carcase would have Wars, wars! King. You shall have wars. Mem. My next brave battle I dedicate to your bright honour, sister : Give me a favour, that the world may know I am your soldier. Calis. This, and all fair fortunes! Mem. And he that bears this from me, must strike boldly. [Cleanthe kneeling. Calis. I do forgive thee. Be honest; no more, wench. King. Come, now to revels. The happy crown of noble faith [shall prove This blest day and love. [Exeunt. 1 447 EPILOGUE. HERE lies the doubt now; let our plays be good, Our own care sailing equal in this flood, Yet here we are becalm'd still, still i' th' mire, Here we stick fast: Is there no way to clear This passage of your judgment, and our fear? If not perverse and crooked, utters still The best of that it ventures in.] i. e. It is the inclination of all fair dealers to sell their customers the best of their wares.' A TRAGI-COMEDY. The Commendatory Verses by Hills and Gardiner give to Fletcher the sole honour of this Play. The Prologue also (written soon after his demise, and consequently long after Beaumont's) speaks of him singly. It was first printed in the folio of 1647. In the year 1706, a Tragedy, entitled 'The Faithful General, written by a young lady,' was acted at the Queen's Theatre in the Hay-Market; but the writer in her preface declares, though her first intention had been to revive this play, yet that, in the progress of it, she made so many alterations, that a very small part of it belonged to our Author. We have also heard of an alteration by Mr. Sheridan, sen. but this we imagine was never printed; and it was probably acted, if at all, only in Ireland. Ruins the buildings which they strive to raise To his best memory.] Mr. Seward thinks we should read, BLEST memory; but, from the context, the Author seems undoubtedly to have written BEST. 2 Ensign to Archas.] As this character is called Ancient all through the play, we know not any reason for calling him Ensign in the drama. 3 M VOL. I. Ancient |