He purpos'd to his wife's fole fon, a widow
That late he married, hath referr'd herself
Unto a poor, but worthy, gentleman.
She's wedded;

Her husband banish'd; fhe imprifon'd: All
Is outward forrow, though, I think, the King
Be touch'd at very heart.

2 Gent. None but the King?

1 Gent. He, that hath loft her, too; fo is the Queen, That moft defir'd the match. But not a courtier, Although they wear their faces to the bent

Of the King's look, hath a heart that is not
Glad at the thing they fcoul at.

2 Gent. And why fo?

1 Gent. He that hath mifs'd the Princefs, is a thing Too bad for bad report: and he that hath her, I mean that marry'd her, alack good man! And therefore banifh'd, is a creature fuch As, to feek through the region of the earth For one his like, there would be fomething failing In him that should compare. I do not think,

The Oxford Editor improves upon this emendation, and reads, -our looks

No more obey the heart ew'n than our courtiers; But by venturing too far, at a fecond emendation, he has stript WARBUR. it of all thought and fentiment.

This paffage is fo difficult, that commentators may differ concerning it without animofity or shame. Of the two emendations propofed, Hanmer's is the more licentious; but he makes the fenfe clear, and leaves the reader an eafy paffage. Dr. Warburton has corrected with more caution, but lefs improvement: His reafoning upon his own reading is fo obfcure and perplexed, that I fufpect fome injury of the prefs.

I am now to tell my opinion, which is, that the lines ftand as they were originally written, and that a paraphrase, such as the licentious and abrupt expreffion of our author too frequently requires, will make emendation unneceffary. We do not meet a man but frowns; our bloods our countenances, which, in popular fpeech, are faid to be regulated by the temper of the blood, no more obey the laws of heav'n, 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,-ftill feem, as doth the King's.

So

So fair an outward, and fuch ftuff within
Endows a man but him.

2 Gent. You fpeak him far.

I Gent. (2) I do extend him, Sir, within himself, 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 He ferv'd with glory and admir'd fuccefs; So gain'd the fur-addition, Leonatus.

And had, befides this gentleman in question,

Two other fons; who, in the wars o' th' time,
Dy'd with their fwords in hand: For which, their
father,

Then old and fond of iffue, took fuch forrow,
That he quit Being; and his gentle lady,
Big of this gentleman, our theam 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;

(2) I DO EXTEND him, Sir: within himself

Crufh bim together,

Thus the late editor, Mr. Theobald, has given the paffage, and explained it in this manner, I extend him within the lifts and com pafs of his merit: Which is juft as proper as to fay, I go out within doors. To extend a thing within itfelf is the molt infufferable nonfenfe: because the very etymology of the word fhews, that it fignifies the drawing out any thing BEYOND its lifts and compass. Befides, a common attention was fufficient to perceive that Shakespeare in his fentence, used extend and crub together, as the direct oppofites to one another; which, in this editor's fenfe, they are not; but only different degrees of the fame thing. We should read and point the paffage thus,

I DON'T EXTEND him, Sir: within himself
Crush him together-

i. e. I do not extend him; on the contrary I crush him together. WARBURTON.

I am not able to perceive that the old reading is infufferable. I extend him within himfelf: My praife, however extenfive, is quithin his merit. What is there in this which common language and common fenfe will not admit ?

VOL. IX.

Puts to him all the Learnings that his time
Could make him the receiver of, which he took
As we do air, faft as 'twas miniftred,

And in 's fpring became a harvest: (3) liv'd in Court,
Which rare it is to do, moft prais'd, moft lov'd,
A fample to the young'ft; to th' more mature,
(4) A glafs that feared 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 efteem'd him and his virtue.
By her election may be truly read,
What kind of man he is.

2 Gent. I honour him,

Ev'n out of your report. But pray you tell me,
Is fhe fole child to the King?

1 Gent. His only child.

He had two fons, if this be worth your hearing,
Mark it; the eldest of them are three years old,
I' th' fwathing clothes the other, from their nurfery
Were ftol'n; and to this hour, no guefs in knowledge
Which way they went.

2 Gent. How long is this ago?

1 Gent. Some twenty years.

(4) liv'd in Court,

Which rare it is to do, moft prais'd, most lov'd,

This encomium is high and artful. To be at once in any great degree loved and praifed is truly rare.

(4) A glafs that featur'd them;] Such is the reading in all the modern editions, I know not by whom firft fubftituted, for A glafs that feared them ;

I have difplaced featur'd, though it can plead long prescription, becaufe I am inclined to think that feared has the better title. Mirrour was a favourite word in that age, for an example, or a pattern, by noting which the manners were to be formed, as dress is regulated by looking in a glass. When Don Bellianis is ftiled the mirrour of knighthood, the idea given is not that of a glafs in which every knight may behold his own resemblance, but an example to be viewed by knights as often as a glafs is hoked upon by girls, to be viewed, that they may know, not what they are, but what they ought to be. Such a glafs may fear the more mature, as difplaying excellencies which they have arrived at maturity without attaining.

To fear is here as in other places, to fright.

2 Gent.

2 Gent. That a King's children should be fo con

vey'd,

So flackly guarded, and the fearch so slow
That could not trace them-

1 Gent. Howfoe'er 'tis ftrange,

Or that the negligence may well be laugh'd at,
Yet is it true, Sir.

2 Gent. I do well believe you.

1 Gent. We must forbear. Here comes the Gentle

man,

The Queen, and Princefs.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Enter the Queen, Pofthumus, Imogen, and Attendants.

Queen. No, be affur'd, you fhall not find me, daughter,

After the flander of moft ftep-mothers,

Evil-ey'd unto you. You're my pris'ner, but
Your gaoler fhall deliver you the keys

That lock'd up your reftraint. For you, Pofthumus,
So foon as I can win th' 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 Sentence, with what patience
Your wifdom may inform you.

Poft. Please your Highness,

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. Diffembling courtefy! how fine this tyrant
Can tickle, where the wounds! My dearest husband,
I fomething fear my father's wrath, but nothing,
(5) Always referv'd my holy duty, what
His rage can doc on
on me. You must be gone,
And I fhall here abide the hourly fhot

(5) Always referv'd my boly duty,- -] I fay I do not fear my father, fo far as I may fay it without breach of duty.. L 2

of

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 caufe
To be fufpected of more tenderness

Than doth become a man. I will remain
The loyall'ft 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,
(6) Though ink be made of gall.

Re-enter Queen.

Queen. Be brief, I pray you;

How much of his displeasure. Yet I'll move him

If the King come, I fhall incur I know not

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,

As long a term as yet we have to live,

The lothness to depart would grow.-Adieu!

Imo. Nay, ftay a little

Were you but riding forth to air yourself,

[Afide.

[Exit.

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,

When Imogen is dead.

Poft. How, how, another!

You gentle Gods, give me but this I have,
And fear up my embracements from a next

With bonds of death. Remain, remain thou here

[Putting on the ring. While fenfe can keep thee on! and Sweeteft, Faireft

(6) Though ink be made of gall.] Shakespeare, even in this poor conceit, has confounded the vegetable galls used in ink, with the animal gall, fuppofed to be bitter.

As