Luc. So, Sir.

Cym. I know your master's pleasure, and he mine: All the Remain is, Welcome.

SCENE II:

Enter Pifanio, reading a Letter.

[Exeunt

Pif. How? of adultery? wherefore write you not What monsters her accufe? Leonatus!

Oh master, what a strange infection

Is fall'n into thy ear?

what falfe Italian,

As pois'nous-tongu'd, as handed, hath prevail'd
On thy too ready Hearing!-Disloyal? no,
She's punish'd for her truth; and undergoes
More Goddefs-like, than wife-like, fuch affaults
As would take in fome virtue. Oh, my master!
Thy mind to her is now as low, as were

Thy fortunes. How? that I should murder her?
Upon the love and truth and vows, which I
Have made to thy Command!-I, her!-her blood!
If it be fo to do good fervice, never

Let me be counted ferviceable.How look I,
That I should seem to lack humanity,

So much as this fact comes to? Do't the letter,

That I bave fent ber, by her own command

Shall give thee opportunity.

[Reading.

Damn'd paper!

Black as the ink that's on thee: fenfelefs bauble!
Art thou a fœdarie for this act, and look'st
So virgin-like without? Lo, here she comes.

8what falfe Italian,

As pois nous-tongu'd, as handed,] About Shakespeare's time, the practice of poifoning was very common in Italy, and the fufpi

cion of Italian poisons yet more common,

9 -take in fome virtue.-] To take in a town, is to conquer it.

Enter

Enter Imogen.

I'm ignorant in what I am commanded.

Imo. How now, Pifanio?

Pif. Madam, here is a letter from my Lord. Imo. Who! thy Lord? that is my Lord Leonatus. Oh, learn'd, indeed, were that aftrologer, That knew the ftars, as I his characters: He'd lay the Future open. You good Gods, Let what is here contain'd relish of love,

Of my Lord's health, of his content:yet not, That we two are afunder;-let that grieve him! Some griefs are medicinable; that is one of them, *For it doth phyfick love of his content,

All but in that. Good wax, thy leave.

Bleft be You bees, that make thefe locks of counfel! Lovers, And men in dang'rous bonds, pray not alike. Though forfeitures you caft in prifon, yet

You clafp young Cupid's tables. Good news, Gods!

You clafp young Cupid's tables.} Here seems to be fome corruption. Opening the letter the gives a benediction to the bees, with whofe wax it was fealed, then makes a reflection, the bees have no fuch grateful remembrance from men who have sealed bonds which put their liberty in danger, and are fent to prifon if they forfeit; but wax is not made terrible to lovers, by its effect on debtors. I read therefore,

Though forfeitures them caft in prifon, yet We clap young Cupid's tables. You and ym. are, in the old angular hand, much alike.

[Read

[Reading.

USTICE, and your father's wrath, should be take me in his Dominion, could not be fo cruel to me; as you, ch the dearest of creatures, would even renew me with your eyes. Take notice, that I am in Cambria, at Milford-Haven: what your own love will out of this advise you, follow. So, he wishes you all happiness, that remains loyal to his vow, and your increafing in love; Leonatus Pofthumus.

Oh, for a horfe with wings! Hear'ft thou, Pifanio?
He is at Milford-Haven. Read, and tell me
How far 'tis thither. If one of mean affairs
May plod it in a week, why may not I
Glide thither in a day? Then, true Pifanio,
Who long'ft like me to fee thy Lord; who long'st,-
O let me 'bate-but not like me-yet long'ft-
But in a fainter kind-oh, not like me ;

For mine's beyond, beyond-Say, and speak thick;
Love's counsellor fhould fill the bores of Hearing
To th' fmoth'ring of the Senfe- -how far it is
To this fame bleffed Milford: and, by th' way,
Tell me how Wales was made fo happy, as
T'inherit fuch a haven. But, first of all,
How may we steal from hence? and for the
gap
That we fhall make in time, from our hence going
'Till our return, t'excuse-but first, how get hence?
Why fhould excuse be born, or ere begot?
We'll talk of that hereafter. Pr'ythee, fpeak,
How many score of miles may we well ride
'Twixt hour and hour?

Pif. One fcore 'twixt fun and fun,

Madam, 's enough for you: and too much too:

Imo. Why, one that rode to 's execution, man, Could never go fo flow. I've heard of riding wagers,

4 loyal to his vow, and your to his vow and you; increasing in increafing in lowe ;] I read, Loyal love.

Where

Where horses have been nimbler than the fands

That run i' th' clock's behalf. But this is fool'ry. Go, bid my woman feign a fickness; say,

She'll home t' her father: and provide me, prefently A riding fuit; no coftlier than would fit ? A Franklin's housewife.

Pif. Madam, you'd beft confider.

Imo. I fee before me, man, nor here, nor here, Nor what enfues, but have a fog in them, That I cannot look thro'. Away, I pr'ythee, Do as I bid thee; there's no more to say; Acceffible is none but Milford way.

s That run i' th' clock's behalf.] This fantastical expreffion means no more than fand in an hour-glafs, used to measure time. WARBURTON.

A Franklin's housewife.] A Franklin is literally a freeholder, with a small eftate, neither villain nor vassal.

7 I fee before me, man, nor
bere, nor here,
Nor what enfues; but have a
fog in them,

That I cannot look thro'.-] Where is the fubftantive, to which this relative plural, them, can poffibly have any reference? There is none; and the fenfe, well as grammar, is defective. I have ventur'd to restore, against the authority of the printed copies,

-but have a fog in ken, That I cannot look thro'.Imogen would fay, "Don't talk "of confidering, man; I nei"ther fee prefent events, nor "confequences; but am in a "mist of fortune, and refolv'd

[Exeunt.

SCENE

" to proceed on the project de"termin'd," In ken, means, in profpect, within fight, before my eyes. THEOBALD. I fee before me, man: nor here nor there,

Nor what enfues, BUT have a fog in them,

That I cannot look thro'.-] Shakespear fays the can fee before her, yet on which fide fo. ever the looks, there is a fog which the cannot fee thro'. This nonfenfe is occafioned by the corrupt reading of, BUT have a fog, for, THAT have a fog; and then all is plain. I fee before me, (fays fhe) for there is no fog on any fide of me which I cannot fee thro'. Mr. Theobald objects to a fog in them, and asks for the fubftantive to which the relative plural [THEM] relates. The fubftantive is places, implied in the words here, there, and what ensues: for not to know that Shakespear perpetually takes thefe liberties of grammar, is knowing nothing of his author.

So

Bel.

SCENE III.

Changes to a Foreft with a Cave, in Wales.
Enter Bellarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus?

A

Goodly day! not to keep houfe, with such Whofe roof's as low as ours. See, boys! this gate

8

Inftructs you how t'adore the heav'ns; and bows you
To morning's holy office. Gates of monarchs
Are arch'd fo high, that Giants may jet through
And keep their impious Turbants on, without
Good-morrow to the Sun. Hail, thou fair heav'n!
We houfe i' th' rock, yet ufe thee not fo hardly
As prouder livers do.

Guid. Hail, heaven!

Arv. Hail, heaven!

Bel. Now for our mountain fport, up to yond hill.
Your legs are young: I'll tread thefe flats. Confider,
When you, above, perceive me like a crow,
That it is place which leffens and sets off.

And you may then revolve what tales I told you,
Of Courts, of Princes, of the tricks in war,
9 This fervice is not fervice, fo being done,

So that there is no need for his ftrange stuff of a Fog in Ken.

WARBURTON. This paffage may, in my opinion, be very early understood, with out any emendation. The lady fays, I can fee neither one way nor other, before me nor behind me, but all the ways are covered with an impenetrable fog. There are objections infuperable to all that I can propofe, and fince reafon can give me no counfel, I will re

folve at once to follow my inclination.

8-their impious Turbants on,] The idea of a giant was, among the readers of romances, who were almost all the readers of thofe times, always confounded with that of a Saracen.

9 This Jervice is not fervice, &c.] In war it is not fufficient to do duty well; the advantage rises not from the act, but the acceptance of the act.

But