CYMBELINE,

BY

WILL. SHAKSPERE:

Printed Complete from the TEXT of

SAM. JOHNSON and GEO. STEEVENS,

And revised from the last Editions.

When Learning's triumph o'er her barb'rous foes
First rear'd the Stage, immortal SHAKSPERE rose;
Each change of many-colour'd life he drew,
Exhausted worlds, and then imagin'd new:
Existence saw him spurn her bounded reign,
And panting Time toil'd after him in vain :
His pow'rful strokes presiding Truth confess'd,
And unresisted Passion storm'd the breast.

DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON

LONDON:

Printed for, and under the direction of,

JOHN BELL, British-Library, STRAND,
Bookseller to His Royal Highness the PRINCE OF WALESE

MDCCLXXXVI.

:

222.8

S53

1788

64

R

OBSERVATIONS

ON THE Fable and Composition or

СУМВELINE.

MR. POPE supposed the story of this play to have been bor

row'd from a novel of Boccace; but he was mistaken, as an imitation of it is found in an old story-book entitled, Westward for Smelts. This imitation differs in as many particulars from the Italian novelist, as from Shakspere, though they concur in the more considerable parts of the fable. It was published in a quarto pamphlet 1603. This is the only copy of it which I have hitherto seen.

There is a late entry of it in the books of the Stationers' Company, Jan. 1619, where it is said to have been written by Kitt of Kingston. STEEVENS.

This play has many just sentiments, some natural dialogues, and some pleasing scenes, but they are obtained at the expence of much incongruity. To remark the folly of the fiction, the absurdity of the conduct, the confusion of the names, and manners of different times, and the impossibility of the events in any system of life, were to waste criticism upon unresisting imbecility, upon faults too evident for detection, and too gross for aggravation.

JOHNSON. Dramatis Personae.

MEN.

CYMBELINE, King of Britain.
CLOTEN, Son to the Queen by a former Hushand.

LEONATUS POSTHUMUS, a Gentleman married to the

Princess.

BELARIUS, a banished Lord, disguised under the Name of

Morgan.

GUIDERIUS, disguised under the Names of Polydore and ARVIRAGUS, S Cadwal, supposed Sons to Belarius. PHILARIO, an Italian, Friend to Posthumus..

LACHIMO, Friend to Philario.

CAIUS LUCIUS, Ambassador from Rome.

PISANIO, Servant to Posthumus.

A French Gentleman.

CORNELIUS, a Physician.

Two Gentlemen.

WOMEN.

Queen, Wife to Cymbeline.
IMOGEN, Daughter to Cymbeline by a former Queen.

HELEN, Woman to Imogen.

Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, a Tribune, Apparitions, a Soothsayer, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants.

SCENE, sometimes in Britain; sometimes in Italy.

CYMBELINE.

ACT I. SCENE I.

CYMBELINE's Palace in Britain. Enter two Gentlemen.

1 Gentleman.

You do not meet a man, but frowns: our bloods
No more obey the heavens, than our courtiers',
Still seem, as does the king's.

2 Gent. But what's the matter?

1 Gent. His daughter, and the heir of his kingdom,

whom

He purpos'd to his wife's sole son (a widow,
That late he married), hath refer'd herself
Unto a poor, but worthy gentleman: She's wedded:
Her husband banish'd; she imprison'd: all

Is outward sorrow; though, I think, the king 10

Be touch'd at very heart.

Aiij

2 Gent.