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PERSONS REPRESENTED.

CYMBELINE, King of Britain.

CLOTEN, Son to the Queen by a former busband.
LEONATUS POSTHUMUS, a gentleman married to

the Princess.

BELARIUS, a banished lord disguised under the name

of Morgan.

CAIUS LUCIUS, Ambassador from Roms.
PISANIO, Servant to Poftbumus.

A French Gentleman.

CORNELIUS, a Physician.

Two Gentlemèn.

GUIDERIUS, disguised under the names of Polydore Queen, Wife to Cymbeline.

ARVIRAGUS, Sand Cadwal, supposed sons to Belarius. IMOGEN, Daughter to Cymbeline by a former Queen

PHILARIO, an Italian, friend to Poftbumus.

IACHIMO, friend to Philario.

HELEN, Woman to Imogen.

Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, a Tribune, Apparitions, a Sootbsayer, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and

other Attendants.

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Of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not
Glad at the thing they scowl at.

2 Gent. And why fo?

1 Gent. He that hath mifs'd the princess, is a thing
Too bad for bad report: and he that hath her,,
(I mean, that marry'd her,-alack, good man 1-
And therefore banish'd) is a creature fuch
As, to feek through the regions of the earth
For one his like, there would be something failing
In him that should compare. I do not think,
So fair an outward, and such stuff within,
Endows a man but he.

2 Gent. You speak him far.

I Gent. I do extend him, fir, within himself2;
Crush him together, rather than unfold
His measure duly.

2 Gent. What's his name, and birth?
1 Gent. I cannot delve him to the root: His father
Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour,
Against the Romans, with Caffibelan;
But had his titles by Tenantius, whom

* Dr. Johnfon observes, that this passage is so difficult, that commentators may differ concerning it without animofity or shame;-that the lines stand as they were originally written, and that a paraphrafe, fuch as the licentious and abrupt expreffions of our author too frequently require, will make emendation unnecessary. We do not m et a man but frowns; our bloods-our countenances, which, in popular speech, are faid to be regulated by the temper of the blood, no more obey the laws of heaven, which direct us to appear what we really are, than our courtiers; that is, than the bloods of our courtiers; but our bloods, like theirs, flill feem, as doth the king's. Mr. Steevens is of opinion, that blood appears to be used for inclination; and Mr. Tyrwhitt proposes to make the passage clear by a very flight alteration, only leaving out the last letter; "You do not meet a man but frowns: our bloods no more obey the heavens than our courtiers still seem, as does the king. That is, Still leok'as the king does." 2 The meaning is, My praise, however extenjive, is within his merit.

He

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(Then old and fond of ifsue) took fuch forrow,
That he quit being; and his gentle lady,
Big of this gentleman, our theme, deceas'd
As he was born. The king, he takes the babe
To his protection; calls him Pofthumus;
Breeds him, and makes him of his bed-chamber;
Puts to him all the learning that his time
Could make him the receiver of; which he took,
As we do air, fast as 'twas minifter'd; and

In his spring became a harvest: Liv'd in court,
(Which rare it is to do) most prais'd, most lov'd:
A fample to the youngest; to the more mature,
A glass that feated them; and to the graver,
A child that guided dotards to his mistress,
*For whom he now is banish'd, her own price
Proclaims how the esteem'd him and his virtue;
By her election may be truly read,
What kind of man he is.

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Quten. No, be affur'd, you shall not find me, daughter,

After the slander of most step-mothers,
Evil-ey'd unto you: you are my prifoner, but
Your gaoler shall deliver you the keys
That lock up your restraint, For you, Posthumus,
So foon as I can win the offended king,

I will be known your advocate: marry, yet
The fire of rage is in him; and 'twere good,

You lean'd unto his fentence, with what patience

Your wisdom may inform you.

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Poft. Please your highnefs,

I will from hence to-day.

Queen. You know the peril:

I'll fetch a turn about the garden, pitying
The pangs of barr'd affections; though the king
Hath charg'd you should not speak together. [Exit.

Imo. O diffembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant
Can tickle where she wounds!--My dearest husband,
I fomething fear my father's wrath; but nothing,
(Always reserv'd my holy duty) what
His rage can do on me: You must be gone;
And I shall here abide the hourly shot
Of angry eyes; not comforted to live,
But that there is this jewel in the world,
That I may fee again.

Poft. My queen! my mistress! O, lady, weep no more; left I give cause To be fufpected of more tenderness Than doth become a man! I will remain The loyal'st husband that did e'er plight troth. My refidence in Rome, at one Philario's; Who to my father was a friend, to me Known but by letter: thither write, my queen, And with mine eyes I'll drink the words you fend, Though ink be made of gall.

Re-enter Queen.

Queen. Be brief, I pray you :

If the king come, I shall incur I know not
How much of his difpleasure:-Yet, I'll move him

To walk this way: I never do him wrong,
But he does buy my injuries, to be friends;
Pays dear for my offences.

-Poft. Should we be taking leave

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[Exit.

As long a term as yet we have to live,
The lothness to depart would grow: Adieu!
Imo. Nay, stay a little:

Were you but riding forth to air yourself,
Such parting were too petty. Look here, love;
This diamond was my mother's: take it, heart,
But keep it 'till you woo another wife,

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Upon this fairest prifoner.
Imo. O, the gods !-
When shall we see again?

Enter Cymbeline, and Lords.

Poft. Alack, the king!

Cym. Thou basest thing, avoid! hence, from my

fight!

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1 i. e. a glass that formed them: meaning, a model, by the contemplation and inspection of which they formed their manners.

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Cym. What?-art thou mad?
I Lord. Hurt him his body's a paffable carcafs,
Imo. Almoft, fir: -Heaven restore me!--'Would if he be not hurt it is a thorough-fare for steel, if

A neat-herd's daughter! and my Leonatus Our neighbour shepherd's fon!

Re-enter Queen.

Cym. Thou foolish thing!

They were again together: you have done

it be not hurt.

2 Lord. His steel was in debt; it went ở the back-fide of the town

Glot. The villain would not stand me.

2 Lord. No; but he fled forward ftill, toward [Ajide.

[To the queen. your face.

Not after our command. Away with her,
And pen her up.

Queen. Befeech your patience:-Peace,
Dear lady daughter, peace!--Sweet fovereign,
Leave us to ourselves; and make yourself fome

comfort

Out of your best advice.

Cym. Nay, let her languish

A drop of blood a day; and, being aged, Die of this folly!

Enter Pifanio.

Queen. Fie!-you must give way:

I Lord. Stand you! You have land enough of your own: but he added to your having; gave you fome ground.

2 Lord. As many inches as you have oceans: Puppies! [Afide Clot. I would, they had not come between us. 2 Lord. So would I, 'till you had measur'd how long a fool you were upon the ground. [Afide.

Clot. And that the should love this fellow, and

[Exit. refute me!

Here is your fervant.-How now, fir? What news? Pif. My lord your fon drew on my mafter." Queen. На!

No harm, I truft, is done?

Pif. There might have been,

But that my mafter rather play'd than fought,
And had no help of anger: they were parted
By gentlemen at hand.

Queen. I am very glad on't.

Lino. Your fon's my father's friend; he takes his
part.--

To draw upon an exile - brave fir
I would they were in Africk both together;

**

2 Lord. If it be a fin to make a true election, she is damu'd. [Afide. 1 Lord Sir, as I told you always, her beauty and her brain go not together: She's a good figa 3, but I have seen small reflection of her wit.

2 Lord. She thines not upon fools, left the reflection should hurt her. [Afide.

Clot. Come, I'll to my chamber: 'Would there had been fome hurt done!

2 Lod. 1 with not fo; unless it had been the

fall of an afs, which is no great hurt.

Clot. You'll go with us?

I Lord. I'll attend your lordship. Cht. Nay, come, let's go together. 2 Lord. Well, my lord.

[Ajide.

[Exeunt.

I'A touch more rare, may mean a nobler paffion, or a more exquisite feeling, a fuperior fenfution. 2 A kite. 3 Sign here means fair outward thew. Mr. Steevens adds, that to understand the whole force of Shakipeare's idea, it should be remember'd, that anciently almost every Agn had a motto, or fome attempt at a witticism, underneath it.

SCENE

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Enter Imogen, and Pifanio.

Imo. I would thou grew'st unto the shores o' the
haven,

And question'dst every fail: if he should write,
And I not have it, 'twere a paper loft
As offer'd mercy is1. What was the laft
That he spake to thee?

Pif. 'Twas, His queen, his queen!"
Imo. Then wav'd his handkerchief?

Pif. And kifs'd it, madam.

SCENÉ V.
Rome.

An Apartment in Philavid's House.

Enter Philario, lachimo, and a Frenchmatt. laeb. Believe it, fir: I have feen him in Britain: he was then of a crefcent note; expected to prove so worthy, as fince he has been allowed the name of: but I could then have look'd on him without the help of admiration; though the catalogue of his endowments had been tabled by his fide, and I to peruse him by items.

Phil. You fpeak of him when he was lefs fur

Ina. Senselefs linen! happier therein than I nifh'd, than now he is, with that which makes

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The she's of Italy should not betray
[him,
Mine interest, and his honour; or have charg'd
At the fixth hour of morn, at noon, at midnight,
To encounter me with orifons, for then
I am in heaven for him; or ere I could

Give him that parting kiss, which I had fet
Betwixt two charming words, comes in my father,
And, like the tyrannous breathing of the north,
Shakes all our buds from growing.

Enter a Lady.

Lady. The queen, madam,

Defires your highnefs' company.

him both without and within.

French. I have seen him in France: we had very many there, could behold the fun with as firm eyes as he.

lach. This matter of marrying his king's daughter (wherein he must be weigh'd rather by her value, than his own) words him, I doubt not, a great deal from the matter.5.

French. And then his banishment.

lach. Ay, and the approbations of those, that weep this lamentable divorce, under her colours, are wonderfully to extend him; be it but to fortify her judgment, which elfe an easy battery might lay flat, for taking a beggar without more quality. But how comes it, he is to sojourn with you How creeps acquaintance?

Phil. His father and I were foldiers together; to whom I have been often bound for no lefs than my life:

Enter Poftbumus.

Here comes the Briton: Let him be so entertained amongit you, as fuits, with gentlemen of your knowing, to a stranger of his quality. I befeech you all, be better known to this gentleman; whom I commend to you, as a noble friend of mine How worthy he is, I will leave to appear here. after, rather than ftory him in his own hearing.

French. Sir, we have known together in Or

leans.

Poft. Since when I have been debtor to you for courtefies, which I will be ever to pay, and yet pay still.

French. Sir, you o'er-rate my poor kindness; I was glad I did atone7 my countryman and you; it had been pity, you should have been put together with fo mortal a purpose, as then each bore, upon importance of fo flight and trivial a nature.

Poft. By your pardon, fir, I was then a young traveller; rather thunn'd to go even with what I

[patch'd heard, than in my every action to be guided by

Imo. Those things I bid you do, get them dif

I will attend the queen.

Pis. Madam, I shall.

[Exeunt.

others' experiences: but, upon my mended judgment, (if I offend not to say it is mended) my quarrel was not altogether flight.

I The meaning is, that the lofs of that paper would prove as fatal to her, as the lofs of a pardon to a condemn'd criminal. 2 Dr. Johnfon remarks, that the diminution of space, is the diminution of which space is the caufe. Trees are killed by a blast of lightning, that is, by blaffing, not bisfied lightning. 3 i. e. next opportunity. 4 Make is here used in the fenfe in which we fay, Thia will make or mar you. Si. e. makes the defcription of him very diftant from the truth. by her influence.

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7 To atone fignifies in this place to reconcile. 8 Tha is, I was then willing to take for my direction the experience of others, more than fuch intelligence as I had gathered myfeif.

French,

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French. 'Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitre- her go back, even to the yielding; had I admitment of fwords; and by fuch two, that would, tance, and opportunity to friend. by all likelyhood, have confounded one the other, or have fallen both..

Lach. Can we, with manners, ask what was the difference?

Poft. No, no.

Iach, I dare, thereupon, pawn the moiety of my eftate to your ring; which, in my opinion, o'er-values it fomething: But I make my wager rather against your confidence, than her reputa→ attempt it against any lady in the world.

French. Safely, I think: was a contention in publick, which may, without contradictions suffer tion and, to bar your offence herein too, I durit

the report 1. It was much like an argument

that fell out last night, where each of us fell Poft. You are a great deal abus'd 3 in too bold

in praife of our country miftrelles: This gentle man at that time vouching, (and upon warrant of bloody affirmation) his to be more fair, virtuous, wife, chafte, conftant-qualified, and less attemptible, than any the rareft of our ladies in France.

lach. That lady is not now living; or this gentleman's opinion, by this, worn out

Poft. She holds her virtue still, and I my mind. Tach. You must not fo far prefer her 'føre ours of Italy.

Poft. Being fo far provok'd as I was in France, I would abate her nothing; though I profess myfelf her adorer, not her friend.

a perfuafion; and I doubt not you sustain what you're worthy of, by your attempt.

Iach. What's that?

Poft. A repulfe: Though your attempt, as you call it, deferves more; a punishment too.

Phil. Gentlemen, enough of this: it came in too fuddenly; let it die as it was born, and, I pray you, be better acquainted.

Iach. 'Would I had put my estate, and my neighbour's, on the approbation 4 of what I have spoke.

Poft. What lady would you chuse to affail? lach. Yours, who in conftancy, you think,

Lach. As fair, and as good, (a kind of hand-in-stancis so safe. I will lay you ten thoufand ducats

hand comparifon) had been fomething too fair,
and too good, for any lady in Britany. If the
went before others I have feen, as that diamond
of yours out-luftres many I have beheid, I could
not believe the excelled many: but I have not
feen the most precious diamond that is, nor you
the indy.
[stone.

Poft. I prais'd her, as I rated her; fo do 1 my
lach. What do you esteem it at ?

Poft. More than the world enjoys.

: Lach. Either your unparagon'd mistress is dead, or the's out-priz'd by a trifle.

Poft. You are mistaken: the one may be fold, or given; if there were wealth enough for the purchafe, or merit for the gift: the other is not a thing for fale, and only the gift of the gods. Jach. Which the gods have given you? Poff. Which, by their graces, I will keep.

Luch. You may wear her in title yours: but, you know, strange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds. Your ring may be stolen too: so, of your brace of unprizeable estimations, the one is but frail, and the other cafual: a cunning thief, or a that-way-accomplish'd courtier, would hazard the winning both of first and laft.

Poft. Your Italy contains none so accomplish'd a courtier, to convince 2 the honour of my miftrefs; if, in the holding or loss of that, you term her frail. I do nothing doubt, you have store of thieves; notwithstanding, I fear not my ring.

Phil. Let us leave here, gentlemen. Poft. Sir, with all my heart. This worthy fignior, I thank him, makes no stranger of me; we are familiar at first.

to your ring, that, commend me to the court where your lady is, with no more advantage than the opportunity of a fecond conference, and I will bring from thence that honour of hers, which you imagine so referv'd,

Poft. I will wage against your gold, gold to it a my ring I hold dear as my finger; 'tis part of it.

Iach. You are a friend, and therein the wifer 5. If you buy ladies' flesh at a million a dram, you cannot preferve it from tainting: But, I fee, you have fome religion in you, that you fear.

Poft. This is but a custom in your tongue: you bear a graver purpose, I hope.

Iuch. I am the master of my speeches; and would undergo what's spoken, I swear.

Poft. Will you?-I shall but lend my diamond 'till your return :-Let there be covenants drawn between us: My mistress exceeds in goodness the hugeness of your unworthy thinking: I dare you to this match here's my ring.

Phil. I will have it no lay.

lach. By the gods, it is one:- If I bring you no fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thoufand ducats are yours, so is your diamond too If I come off, and leave her in suth honour as you have trust in, the your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours;-provided, I have your commendation, for my more free entertainment.

Poft. I embrace these conditions; let us have articles betwixt us-only, thus far you shall anfwer. If you make your voyage upon her, and give me directly to understand you have prevail'd, I am no further your enemy, she is not worth our

Lach. With five times fo much conversation, I debate: if the remain unfeduc'd, (you not making should get ground of your fair mistress: make it appear otherwife) for your ill opinion, and the

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That is, Which, undoubtedly, may be publickly told 2 Contince for overtome.. 4 i. e, proof. 5 The meaning is, "You are a friend to the lady, and therein the tofer, as you will not expofe her to hazard; and that you feur, is a proof of your religious flaedcy."

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