The political reasoning, and still more, the political painting, with which CorIOLANUS abounds, appears to me to offer some good grounds for conjecture as to its date, which have not attracted the notice of former com mentators. With the exception of two or three transient risings of the people against the insufferable oppression of the nobles, there had never been in England any thing like a political struggle for popular rights until the last year of the parliament dissolved by King James in 1610, nor any thing like an election into which political principles were openly carried, as between the people and the prerogative of government, until that of the parliament of 1614. The former divisions of the English nation had turned either upon personal parties, like the wars of York and Lan caster, or upon the religious questions and collisions following or just preceding the Reformation. But from 1610, and especially about the time of the election of the second short-lived parliament of James I., and during its single session for it presented the remarkable contrast to our modern legislation of not having passed a single law, having been dissolved in its first year-the rights of the commons were boldly and eloquently asserted, and the great writers and events of ancient liberty quoted and appealed to. The elections, too, had been held with unusual excitement; and great efforts had been made by the court, without success, to carry its candidates and defeat the champions of English liberty. Now, without at all supposing that Shakespeare meant to influence the public mind through the drama, it yet appears natural that his own mind should now for the first time have been directed to those topics that agitated the nation; while he was equally sure that his audience, whatever their political bias might be, would now find interest in political subjects and scenes to which, but a few years before, they would have been quite indifferent. His own observation, too, of electioneering movements might well have furnished him with much of that living truth in the exhibition of popular feeling, which could hardly have been drawn from books alone or general speculation without personal knowledge, and which gives a reality to his scenes of this kind, such as we look for in vain in the splendid dramas of Corneille or Voltaire, on the same or similar subjects. At least it is certain that, wide as had previously been the Poet's range of observation and exhibition of man individually and socially, it is only in the plays that may have been written after 1608 we perceive that the great topics of human rights and political policy had been much in his thoughts. In these, and especially in CORIOLANUS, (as Hazlitt remarks,) "the arguments for and against aristocracy or democracy, or the privileges of the few and the claims of the many, on liberty and slavery, power and the abuse of it, are ably handled, with the spirit of a poet and the acuteness of a philosopher." Whether Hazlitt's inference be also true, that the Poet "had a leaning to the arbitrary side of the question," can be considered better by placing Coriolanus side by side with Brutus. (See JULIUS CESAR, Introductory Remarks.) The text of the original edition is in the main accurately printed, but here and there it appears as if printed from a manuscript with accidental omissions or obliterations. The text is, therefore, generally clear enough; but in four or five passages we must rely upon conjectural insertions or corrections, and in at least two of them, these are not at all satisfactory. Many of the editors, from Pope to Malone, have varied boldly from the old edition in altering the assignment of the dialogue to the several persons. Stevens, and those of his school, have laboured to regulate the dramatic freedom of the verse into the regular heroic measure of the epic. The present edition, like those of the last two English editors, has returned to the older readings, in both respects, with a few slight exceptions, where the correction seemed incontrovertibly right. 1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the patricians good. What authority surfeits on, would relieve us: if they would yield us but the superflu-usury, to support usurers; repeal daily any whole AC cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and ther store-houses crammed with grain; make edicts fir See Ye some act established against the rich, and provid more piercing statutes daily to chain up and restrain the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and there's all the love they bear us. ity, while it were wholesome, we might guess they relieved us humanely; but they think, we are too dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an inventory to particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them.-Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes: for the gods know, I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge. 2 Cit. Would you proceed especially against Caius Marcius? All. Against him first: he's a very dog to the commonalty. 2 Cit. Consider you what services he has done for his country? 1 Cit. Very well; and could be content to give him good report for't, but that he pays himself with being proud. 2 Cit. Nay, but speak not maliciously. 1 Cit. I say unto you, what he hath done famously, he did it to that end: though soft-conscienced men can be content to say it was for his country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly proud; which he is, even to the altitude of his virtue. 2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature, you account a vice in him. You must in no way say he is covetous. 1 Cit. If I must not, I need not be barren of accusations: he hath faults, with surplus, to tire in repetition. [Shouts within.] What shouts are these? The other side o' the city is risen: why stay we prating here? to the Capitol! All. Come, come. 1 Cit. Soft! who comes here? Enter MENENIUS AGRIPPA. 2 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa; one that hath always loved the people. 1 Cit. He's one honest enough: would, all the rest were so! Men. What work's, my countrymen, in hand? Where go you With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray you. 2 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate: they have had inkling this fortnight what we intend to do, which now we'll show 'em in deeds. They say, poor suitors have strong breaths: they shall know, we have strong arms too. Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest neighbours, Will you undo yourselves? 2 Cit. We cannot, sir; we are undone already. Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care Have the patricians of you. For your wants, Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well Strike at the heaven with your staves, as lift them Against the Roman state; whose course will on The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs Of more strong link asunder, than can ever Appear in your impediment. For the dearth, The gods, not the patricians, make it; and Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack! You are transported by calamity Thither where more attends you; and you slander The helms o' the state, who care for you like fathers, When you curse them as enemies. 2 Cit. Care for us? -True, indeed! - They ne'er Men. Either you must 2 Cit. Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must no think to fob off our disgrace with a tale; but, ant please you, deliver. Men. There was a time, when all the body's members Rebell'd against the belly; thus accus'd it :- I' the midst o' the body, idle and unactive, ments Did see, and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel, 2 Cit. Well, sir, what answer made the belly! Men. Sir, I shall tell you. With a kind of smile, Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus, (For, look you, I may make the belly smile, As well as speak,) it tauntingly replied To the discontented members, the mutinous parts They are not such as you. 2 Cit. Your belly's answer? What! The kingly crowned head, the vigilant eye, What then?'Fore me, this fellow speaks!-what then? what then? 2 Cit. Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd. Who is the sink o' the body, Men. Well, what then? 2 Cit. The former agents, if they did complain, What could the belly answer? Men. I will tell you, If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little) Patience a while, you'll hear the belly's answer. 2 Cit. Y'are long about it. Men. Note me this, good friend; Your most grave belly was deliberate, me, No rightly, Touching the weal o' the common, you shall find, 2 Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe? Men. For that being one o' the lowest, basest, poorest, Of this most wise rebellion, thou go'st foremost: Mar. Thanks. - What's the matter, you dissentious rogues, That rubbing the poor itch of your opinion, Make yourselves scabs? 2 Cit. We have ever your good word. Mar. He that will give good words to thee, will Men. Nay, these are almost thoroughly persuaded; For though abundantly they lack discretion, Mar. They are dissolved. Hang'em! They said, they were an-hungry; sigh'd forth Shouting their emulation. What is granted them? Mar. Five tribunes, to defend their vulgar wisdoms, Of their own choice: one's Junius Brutus, This is strange. Mar. Go; get you home, you fragments! Mess. Where's Caius Marcius? to vent Our musty superfluity. -See, our best elders. Enter COMINIUS, TITUS LARTIUS, and other Senators; JUNIUS BRUTUS, and SICINIUS VELUTUS. 1 Sen. Marcius, 'tis true, that you have lately told us; The Volsces are in arms. They have a leader, Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to't. What's the I sin in envying his nobility; Under the gods, keep you in awe, which else And were I any thing but what I am, I would wish me only he. Com. You have fought together. Mar. Were half to half the world by th' ears, and he Men. For corn at their own rates; whereof, Only my wars with him: he is a lion Him vile, that was your garland. matter, That in these several places of the city You cry against the noble senate, who, Would feed on one another?- What's their Who thrives, and who declines; side factions, and And I am constant. - Titus Lartius, thou Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus' face. No, Caius Marcius; |