overwhelmed with infamy and the reproach of mankind, which they feel more feverely than those who have lefs integrity, and, confequently, a worfe opinion of others than they have, are exposed, for a time, to all the torment of confcious turpitude. The blush of guilty confufion often inflames the complexion of innocence, and diforders her lovely features. To be rescued from undeferved affliction, Imogen flies for relief to the review of her former conduct; and, furprized at the accufation, and indignant of the charge, fhe triumphs in conscious virtue.

Falfe to his bed! what is to be falfe?

To lie in watch there, and to think on him?

To weep 'twixt clock and clock? if fleep charge nature To break it with a fearful dream of him,

And cry myself awake? That's falfe to his bed?

Yet refentment is fo natural in cafes of heinous injury, that it arifes even in minds of the mildest temper. It arifes, however, without any exceffive or unfeemly agitation:

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tion: Its duration is exceedingly tranfient. It is governed in its utterance by the memory of former friendship: And, if the blame can be transferred to any infidious or fly feducer who may have prompted the evil we complain of, we wreck upon them the violence of our displeasure.

I falfe! thy confcience witness, Iachimb Thou didst accufe him of incontinency :

Thou then look'dst like a villain: Now, methinks, Thy favour's good enough. Some jay of Italy §, Whofe mother was her painting, hath betray'd him.

The refentment of Imogen is of short continuance: It is a fudden folitary flash, extinguished instantly in her forrow.

Poor I am ftale, a garment out of fashion.

It is not the malice of a crafty step-dame that moves the heart of Imogen to complain; nor the wrath of her incensed and deluded parent; nor that fhe, bred up in softness,

The word painting in this paffage is a fubftantive noun, fynonimous to portrait,

foftness, and little accustomed to fuffer hardships and forrow, fhould wander amid folitary rocks and defarts, exposed to perils, famine, and death: It is, that she is forfaken, betrayed, and perfecuted by him, on whose conftancy fhe relied for protection, and to whose tenderness fhe entrusted her repofe. Of other evils fhe is not infenfible; but this is the "fupreme crown "of her grief." Cruelty and ingratitude are abhorred by the fpectator, and resented by the sufferer. But, when the temper of the perfon injured is peculiarly gentle, and the author of the injury the object of confirmed affection, the mind, after the first emotion, is more apt to languish in defpondency than continue inflamed with refentment. The fenfe of misfortune, rather than the fenfe of injury, rules the difpofition of Imogen, and, inftead of venting invective, fhe laments the mifery of her condition.

Poor I am ftale, a garment out of fashion;

And, for I am richer than to hang by the walls,
I must be ript.-To pieces with me!

If a crime is committed by a perfon with whom we are unconnected, or who has no pretenfions to pre-eminent virtue, we feel indignation against the individual; but form no conclufions againft the fpecies. The cafe is different, if we are connected with him by any tender affection, and regard him as of fuperior merit. Love and friendship, according to the immutable conduct of every paffion, lead us to magnify, in our imaginations, the diftinguifhed qualities of thofe we love. The reft of mankind are ranked in a lower order, and are valued no otherwise than as they resemble this illuftrious model. But, perceiving depravity where we expected perfection, mortified and difappointed, that appearances of rectitude, believed by us moft fincere and unchangeable, were merely fpecious and exterior, we become fufpicious

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fufpicious of every pretenfion to merit, and regard the rest of mankind, of whofe integrity we have had lefs pofitive evidence, with cautious and unkind reserve.

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True honeft men being heard, like falfe Æneas, Were, in his time, thought falfe: And Sinon'a

weeping

Did scandal many a holy tear; took pity

From moft true wretchednefs. So thou, Pofthumus,

Wilt lay the leaven on all proper men:
Goodly, and gallant, fhall be false and perjur'd,
From thy great fail.

Imogen, confcious of her innocence, convinced of Leonatus's perfidy, and overwhelmed with forrow, becomes careless of life, and offers herself a willing facrifice to her husband's cruelty.

Be thou honest:

Do thou thy mafter's bidding: When thou feeft him,

A little witness my obedience. Look!

I draw the sword myself: take it, and hit

The innocent manfion of my love, my heart:
Pr'ythee, difpatch:

The lamb intreats the butcher. Where's thy knife?

Thou