Eno. Upon her landing, Antony sent to her,

Invited her to supper: she replied,
It should be better, he became her guest;
Which she entreated: Our courteous Antony,
Whom ne'er the word of No woman heard speak,
Being barber'd ten times o'er, goes to the feast;

And, for his ordinary, pays his heart,
For what his eyes eat only.

Agr. Royal wench !

She made great Cæsar lay his sword to bed;

He plough'd her, and she cropp'd.

Eno. I saw her once

Hop forty paces through the public street:

And having lost her breath, she spoke, and panted,

That she did make defect, perfection,

And, breathless, power breathe forth.

Mec. Now Antony must leave her utterly.

Eno. Never; he will not;

Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety : 4 Other women cloy
Th' appetites they feed; but she makes hungry,
Where most she satisfies. For vilest things
Become themselves in her; that the holy priests 5
Bless her, when she is riggish. σ

[4] Such is the praise bestowed by Shakspeare on his heroine; a praise that well deserves the consideration of our female readers. Cleopatra, as appears from the tetradrachms of Antony, was no Venus; and indeed the majority of ladies who most successfully enslaved the hearts of princes, are known to have been less remarkable for personal than mental attractions. The reign of insipid beauty is seldom lasting; but permanent must be the rule of a woman who can diversify the sameness of life by an inexhausted variety of accomplishments.

STEEV.

[5] In this, and the foregoing description of Cleopatra's passage down the Cydnus, Dryden seems to have emulated Shakspeare, and not without suc

cess:

"-she's dangerous :

Her eyes have power beyond Thessalian charms,
To draw the moon from heaven. For eloquence,
The sea-green sirens taught her voice their flattery;
And, while she speaks, night steals upon the day,
Unmark'd of those that hear: Then, she's so charming,
Age buds at sight of her, and swells to youth :
The holy priests gaze on her when she smiles;
And with heav'd hands, forgetting gravity,
They bless her wanton eyes. Even I who hate her,

With a malignant joy behold such beauty,

And while I curse desire it."

Be it remembered however, that, in both instances, without a spark from REED.

Shakspeare, the blaze of Dryden might not have been enkindled.

[6] Rigg is an antient word meaning a strumpet.

STEEV.

1

Mec. If beauty, wisdom, modesty, can settle

The heart of Antony, Octavia is
A blessed lottery to him.

Agr. Let us go.

Good Enobarbus, make yourself my guest,
Whilst you abide here.

Eno. Humbly, sir, I thank you.

SCENE III.

[Exeunt,

The same. A Room in CESAR's House. Enter CESAR, ANTONY, OCTAVIA between them; Attendants and a Soothsayer.

Ant. The world, and my great office, will sometimes

Divide me from your bosom.

Oet. All which time

Before the gods my knee shall bow prayers
To them for you.

Ant. Good night, sir.-My Octavia,

Read not my blemishes in the world's report:
I have not kept my square; but that to come

Shall all be done by the rule. Good night, dear lady.

Oct. Good night, sir.

Cas. Good night.

[Exeunt CES. and OCTA.

Ant. Now, sirrah! you do wish yourself in Egypt ? Sooth. 'Would I had never come from thence, nor you

Thither!

Ant. If you can, your reason?

Sooth. I see't in

My motion, have it not in my tongue: But yet
Hie you again to Egypt.

Ant. Say to me,

Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Cæsar's, or mine?
Sooth. Cæsar's.

Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side:
Thy dæmon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,
Where Cæsar's is not; but, near him, thy angel
Becomes a Fear, as being o'erpower'd; therefore

Make space enough between you.

[1] Motion, that is, the divinitory agitation.

WARB

[2] A Fear was a personage in some of the old moralities. In the sacred writings, Fear is also a person: "I will put a Fear in the land of Egypt." Exodus.

STEEV.

Ant. Speak this no more.

Sooth. To none but thee; no more, but when to thee.

If thou dost play with him at any game,

Thou art sure to lose ; and, of that natural luck,

He beats thee 'gainst the odds; thy lustre thickens,

When he shines by: I say again, thy spirit

Is all afraid to govern thee near him;

But, he away, 'tis noble.

Ant. Get thee gone :

Say to Ventidius, I would speak with him:- [Exit Sooth.

He shall to Parthia.- Be it art, or hap,

He hath spoken true: The very dice obey him;
And, in our sports, my better cunning faints
Under his chance: if we draw lots, he speeds :
His cocks do win the battle still of mine,
When it is all to nought; and his quails3 ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And though I make this marriage for my peace,

Enter VENTIDIUS.

I'the east my pleasure lies :-), come, Ventidius,
You must to Parthia; your commission's ready :
Follow me, and receive it.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

The same. A Street. Enter LEPIDUS, MECENAS, and

AGRIPPA.

Lep. Trouble yourselves no further: pray you, hasten

Your generals after.

Agr. Sir, Mark Antony

Will e'en but kiss Octavia, and we'll follow.

Lep. Till I shall see you in your soldier's dress,

Which will become you both, farewell.

Mec. We shall,

As I conceive the journey, be at the mount 5

Before you, Lepidus.

Lep. Your way is shorter,

My purposes do draw me much about;
You'll win two days upon me.

Mec. Agr. Sir, good success!

Lep. Farewell.

[3] The ancients used to match quails as we match cocks. [4] Inhoop'd-is inclosed that they may fight. JOHNS. [5] i. e. Mount Misenum.

STEEV.

[Exeunt.

JOHNS.

SCENE V.

Alexandria. A Room in the Palace. Enter CLEOPATRA,

CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS.

Cleo. Give me some music; music, moody food 6 Of us that trade in love.

Attend. The music, ho!

Enter MARDIAN.

Cleo. Let it alone; let us to billiards:

Come, Charmian.

Char. My arm is sore, best play with Mardian. Cleo. As well a woman with an eunuch play'd, As with a woman;-Come, you'll play with me, sir? Mar. As well as I can, madam.

Cleo. And when good-will is show'd, though it come

too short,

The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now :

Give me mine angle, -We'll to the river: there,

My music playing far off, I will betray
Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce
Their slimy jaws; and, as I draw them up,

I'll think them every one an Antony,

And say, Ah, ha! you're caught.
Char. 'Twas merry, when

You wager'd on your angling; when your diver
Did hang a salt-fish on his hook, which he
With fervency drew up.

Cleo. That time!-O times!-
I laugh'd him out of patience; and that night
I laugh'd him into patience: and next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed;
Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilst
I wore his sword Philippan. O! from Italy ;-

Enter a Messenger.

Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,
That long time have been barren.

Mes. Madam, madam,

[6] The mood is the mind, or mental disposition. Van Haaren's panegyric on the English begins, Groot moedig Volk, (great-minded nation.) Per. haps here is a poor jest intended between mood the mind, and moods of music. JOHNS. [7] Ram is a vulgar word, never used in our author's plays, but once By Faistaff, where he describes his situation in the buck-basket. In the passage before us, it is evidently a misprint for rain. RITSON.

Cleo. Antony's dead ?

If thou say so, villain, thou kill'st thy mistress :
But well and free,

If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here

My bluest veins to kiss; a hand, that kings
Have lipp'd, and trembled kissing.

Mes. First, madam, he's well.

Cleo.Why, there's more gold. But, sirrah, mark; We use

To say, the dead are well: bring it to that,
The gold I give thee, will I melt, and pour
Down thy ill-uttering throat.

Mes. Good madam, hear me.

Cleo. Well, go to, I will;

But there's no goodness in goodness thy face: If Antony
Be free, and healthful,-why so tart a favour
To trumpet such good tidings? If not well,
Thou should'st come like a fury crown'd with snakes,
Not like a formal man.

Mes. Will't please you hear me?

Cleo. I have a mind to strike thee, ere thou speakst:

Yet, if thou say, Antony lives, is well,

Or friends with Cæsar, or not captive to him,
I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail

Rich pearls upon thee.7

Mes. Madam, he's well.

Cleo. Well said.

Mes. And friends with Cæsar.

Cleo. Thou'rt an honest man.

Mes. Cæsar and he are greater friends than ever.

Cleo. Make thee a fortune from me.

Mes. But yet, madam,

Cleo. I do not like but yet, it does allay

The good precedence; & fye upon but yet :

But yet is as a gaoler to bring forth
Some monstrous malefactor. Pr'ythee, friend,
Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,

The good and bad together: He's friend with Cæsar;