I have look'd on thousands, who have sped the better 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 creeping toward me; how far off, how near; 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. 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. O! then my best blood turn To an infected jelly, and my name Be yok'd with his that did betray the Best! A savour, that may strike the dullest nostril Swear his thought over Cam. Pol. How should this grow? Cam. I know not; but, I am sure, 'tis safer to 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 do believe thee: Pol. Still neighbour mine. My ships are ready10, and Two days ago. This jealousy Is for a precious creature: as she's rare, In that be made more bitter. Fear o'ershades me: Thou bear'st my life off hence. Let us avoid. 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, 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 One of these days, and then you'd wanton with us, 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! now I am for you again: pray you, sit by us, And tell's a tale. Mam. Her. As merry as you will. 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 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. 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. |