I have look'd on thousands, who have sped the better
By my regard, but kill'd none so. Camillo,-
As you are certainly a gentleman; thereto
Clerk-like, experienc'd, which no less adorns
Our gentry than our parents' noble names,
In whose success we are gentle,-I beseech you,
If you know aught which does behove my knowledge
Thereof to be inform'd, imprison it not

In ignorant concealment.

Cam.

I may not answer.

Pol. A sickness caught of me, and yet I well? I must be answer'd.-Dost thou hear, Camillo,

I conjure thee, by all the parts of man

Which honour does acknowledge,-whereof the least
Is not this suit of mine,-that thou declare
What incidency thou dost guess of harm

Is creeping toward me; how far off, how near;
Which way to be prevented, if to be;

If not, how best to bear it.

Cam.

Sir, I will tell you;

Since I am charg'd in honour, and by him

That I think honourable. Therefore, mark my counsel, Which must be even as swiftly follow'd, as

I mean to utter it, or both yourself and me

Cry, "lost," and so good-night.

Pol.

On, good Camillo.
Cam. I am appointed him to murder you®.
Pol. By whom, Camillo ?

Cam.

Pol.

By the king.

For what?

Cam. He thinks, nay, with all confidence he swears, As he had seen't, or been an instrument

To vice you to't'-that you have touch'd his queen

6 I am appointed HIM to murder you.] i. e. says Boswell, "I am appointed by him to murder you." Surely not: the meaning is, " I am appointed the man who is to murder you."

TO VICE you to't,] "To vice," had a very general signification in the time

Forbiddenly.
Pol.

O! then my best blood turn

To an infected jelly, and my name

Be yok'd with his that did betray the Best!
Turn then my freshest reputation to

A savour, that may strike the dullest nostril
Where I arrive; and my approach be shunn'd,
Nay, hated too, worse than the great'st infection
That e'er was heard, or read!

Swear his thought over

Cam.
By each particular star in heaven', and
By all their influences, you may as well
Forbid the sea for to obey the moon,
As, or by oath, remove, or counsel, shake,
The fabric of his folly, whose foundation
Is pil'd upon his faith, and will continue
The standing of his body.

Pol.

How should this grow?

Cam. I know not; but, I am sure, 'tis safer to
Avoid what's grown, than question how 'tis born.
If therefore you dare trust my honesty,
That lies enclosed in this trunk, which you
Shall bear along impawn'd, away to-night.
Your followers I will whisper to the business;
And will, by twos and threes, at several posterns,
Clear them o' the city. For myself, I'll put
My fortunes to your service, which are here
By this discovery lost. Be not uncertain;

of Shakespeare: here it means, to draw as by a mechanical power. Warburton's mistaken notion was, that there was some allusion in the text to the character called the Vice in old Moralities.

Be yok'd with his that did betray the Best!] i. e. Be coupled with that of Judas Iscariot. "Best," as Henderson remarked, is printed with a capital; but so are "jelly," "name," " reputation," "nostril," and "infection," in the same speech. However, there can be no doubt that such is the allusion. Swear his thought over] So the old copies; with, perhaps, sufficient intelligibility, taking "Swear his thought over" in the sense " Overswear his thought:" Theobald would read "Swear this though over.”

VOL. III.

G g

For, by the honour of my parents, I

Have utter'd truth, which if you seek to prove,
I dare not stand by; nor shall you be safer
Than one condemned by the king's own mouth,
Thereon his execution sworn.

I do believe thee:

Pol.
I saw his heart in 's face. Give me thy hand:
Be pilot to me, and thy places shall

Still neighbour mine. My ships are ready10, and
My people did expect my hence departure

Two days ago. This jealousy

Is for a precious creature: as she's rare,
Must it be great; and, as his person's mighty,
Must it be violent; and, as he does conceive
He is dishonour'd by a man which ever
Profess'd to him, why, his revenges must

In that be made more bitter. Fear o'ershades me:
Good expedition be my friend, and comfort
The gracious queen, part of his theme, but nothing
Of his ill-ta'en suspicion"! Come, Camillo :
I will respect thee as a father, if

Thou bear'st my life off hence. Let us avoid.
Cam. It is in mine authority to command
The keys of all the posterns. Please your highness
To take the urgent hour. Come, sir: away! [Exeunt.

10

My ships are ready,] In Green's novel of "Pandosto," the fleet which conveyed Egistus (i. e. Polixenes) has to be prepared for sea on the instant. Shakespeare, most judiciously, has taken care that they shall be ready to sail. and comfort

The gracious queen, part of his theme, but nothing

Of his ill-ta'en suspicion!] The absence of Polixenes, the object of the jealousy of Leontes, was to comfort the queen, who was part of the theme on which the king dwelt, (Polixenes being the other part) but who, being innocent, may be said to be "nothing" of the "ill-ta'en suspicion" against her.

ACT II. SCENE I.

The Same.

Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and Ladies.

Her. Take the boy to you: he so troubles me, "Tis past enduring.

1 Lady.

Come, my gracious lord:

No, I'll none of you.

Shall I be your play-fellow?

Mam.

1 Lady. Why, my sweet lord?

Mam. You'll kiss me hard, and speak to me as if

I were a baby still.-I love you better.

2 Lady. And why so, my lord?

Mam.

Not for because

Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they say,
Become some women best, so that there be not

Too much hair there, but in a semi-circle,

Or a half-moon made with a pen.

2 Lady.

Who taught this'?

Blue, my lord.

Mam. I learn'd it out of women's faces.-Pray now, What colour are your eyebrows?

1 Lady.

Mam. Nay, that's a mock: I have seen a lady's nose That has been blue, but not her eyebrows.

2 Lady.

Hark ye.

The queen, your mother, rounds apace: we shall
Present our services to a fine new prince,

One of these days, and then you'd wanton with us,
If we would have you.

1

1 Lady.

She is spread of late

Who taught this?] All the modern editors read, "Who taught you this?" but "you" is not in the old copies, is not necessary for the sense, and is not wanted for the metre.

Into a goodly bulk: good time encounter her!
Her. What wisdom stirs amongst you? Come, sir;

now

I am for you again: pray you, sit by us,

And tell's a tale.

Mam.

Her. As merry as you will.
Mam.

Merry, or sad, shall't be?

A sad tale's best for winter.

Let's have that, good sir.

I have one of sprites and goblins.

Her.

Come on; sit down:-come on, and do your best
To fright me with your sprites: you're powerful at it.
Mam. There was a man,-

Her.

Nay, come, sit down; then on.

Mam. Dwelt by a church-yard.-I will tell it softly; Yond' crickets shall not hear it.

Her.

And give't me in mine ear.

Come on then,

Enter LEONTES, ANTIGONUS, Lords, and Others'.

Leon. Was he met there? his train? Camillo with

him?

1 Lord. Behind the tuft of pines I met them: never Saw I men scour so on their way. I ey'd them

Even to their ships.

Leon.
How bless'd am I
In my just censure! in my true opinion!—
Alack, for lesser knowledge!-How accurs'd,
In being so blest!-There may be in the cup
A spider steep'd, and one may drink, depart,
And yet partake no venom, for his knowledge
Is not infected; but if one present
The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known
How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his sides,

2 Enter Leontes, Antigonus, Lords, and Others.] Their entrance is marked in the old copies at the beginning of the scene, but it takes place here.