Than lady, ladies, woman; from each one
The beft fhe hath, and fhe of all compounded
Outfells them all: I love her therefore;-but,
Difdaining me, and throwing favours on
The low Pofthumus, flanders fo her judgment,
That what's elfe rare, is chok'd; and in that point
I will conclude to hate her, nay, indeed,

To be reveng'd upon her. For when fools
Shall-

Who is here? what! are you packing, firrah?
Come hither. Ah! you precious pander, villain,
Where is thy lady? in a word or else

Thou'rt ftraightway with the fiends.

Pif. Oh, my good Lord!

[Drawing his fword.

Clot. Where is thy lady? or, by Jupiter,

I will not ask again. Clofe villain,

I'll have this fecret from thy heart, or rip
Thy heart to find it. Is fhe with Pofthumus?
From whose fo many weights of baseness cannot
A dram of worth be drawn.

Pif. Alas, my Lord,

How can the be with him? when was fhe mifs'd?

The beft fhe bath,] The fecond line is intolerable nonsense. It should be read and pointed thus,

Than lady Ladies; WINNING

from each one

The fenfe of the whole is this, I love her becaufe fhe has, in a more exquifite degree, all thofe courtly parts that ennoble [lady] women of quality [ladies,] winning from each of them the best of their good qualities, &c. Lady

is a plural verb, and Ladies a noun governed of it; a quaint expreffion in Shakespeare's way, and fuiting the folly of the character. WARBURTON.

I cannot perceive the fecond line to be intolerable, or to be nonfenfe. The fpeaker only rifes in his ideas. She has all courtly parts, fays he, more exquifite than any lady, than all ladies, than all

emankind. Is this nonfenfe ?

He

He is in Rome.

Clot. Where is fhe, Sir? Come nearer ; No further halting. Satisfy me home, What is become of her?

Pif. Oh, my all-worthy Lord!

Clot. All-worthy villain!

Discover where thy mistress is,-at once,
-At the next word. No more of worthy Lord.
Speak, or thy filence on the inftant is
Thy condemnation and thy death.

Pif. Then, Sir,

This paper is the hiftory of my knowledge
Touching her flight.

Clot. Let's fee 't; I will pursue her

Even to Auguftus' throne.

5

Pif. Or this, or perish.

She's far enough; and what he learns by this, [Afide. May prove his travel, not her danger.

Clot. Humph.

Pif. I'll write to my Lord, fhe's dead. Oh

Imogen,

Safe may'st thou wander, fafe return again!
Clot. Sirrah, is this letter true?

Pif. Sir, as I think.

[Afide.

Clot. It is Pofthumus's hand, I know't. Sirrah, if thou wouldst not be a villain, but do me true fervice; undergo those employments, wherein I fhould have cause to use thee, with a serious industry; that is, what villany foe'er I bid thee do, to perform it directly and truly, I would think thee an honest man; thou shouldst neither want my means for thy relief, nor my voice for thy preferment.

Pif. Well, my good Lord.

5 Or this, or perift-] Thefe words, I think, belong to Cleten, who requiring the paper, fays,

Let's fie't; I will pursue her

Even to Auguftus' throne. Or this, or perish. Then Pifanio giving the paper, fays to himfelf,

She's far enough, &c.

Clot,

Clot. Wilt thou ferve me? for fince patiently and conftantly thou haft ftuck to the bare fortune of that beggar Pofthumus, thou can't not in the course of gratitude but be a diligent follower of mine. Wilt thou ferve me?

Pif. Sir, I will.

Clot. Give me thy hand, here's my purse. Haft any of thy late mafter's garments in thy poffeffion? Pif. I have, my Lord, at my lodging, the fame fuit he wore when he took leave of my lady and miftrefs.

Clot. The firft service thou doft me, fetch that fuit hither. Let it be thy first fervice, Go. Pif. I fhall, my Lord.

[Exit. Clot. Meet thee at Milford-Haven?I forgot to afk him one thing, I'll remember 't anon-Even there, thou villain Pofthumus, will I kill thee. I would, these garments were come. She faid upon a time, the bitterness of it I now belch from my heart, that the held the very garment of Pofthumus in more refpect than my noble and natural perfon, together with the adornment of my qualities. With that fuit upon my back will I ravifh her; first kill him, and in her eyes. There shall fhe fee my valour, which will then be a torment to her contempt. He on the ground, my fpeech of infultment ended on his dead body; and when my luft hath dined, which, as I fay, to vex her, I will execute in the clothes that fhe fo prais'd, to the court I'll knock her back, foot her home again. She hath defpifed me rejoicingly, and I'll be merry in my revenge,

Enter Pifanio, with a fuit of clothes.

Be those the garments?

Pif. Ay, my noble Lord.

Clot. How long is't fince fhe went to MilfordHaven?

VOL. VII.

Ꮓ

Pif.

Pif. She can fcarce be there yet.

Clot. Bring this apparel to my chamber, that is the fecond thing that I have commanded thee. The third is, that thou wilt be a voluntary Mute to my defign. Be but duteous, and true preferment fhall tender itfelf to thee. My revenge is now at Milford, 'would I had wings to follow it! Come and be true. [Exit. Pif. Thou bidd'ft me to my lofs: for true to thee, Were to prove falfe, which I will never be, To him that is most true. To Milford go, And find not her, whom thou purfu'ft. Flow, flow, You heav'nly Bleffings on her! This fool's speed Be croft with flowness. Labour be his meed! [Exit.

Imo.

Changes to the Foreft and Cave.

Enter Imogen, in boy's clothes.

See, a man's life is a tedious one :

I've tir'd myself; and for two nights together

Have made the ground my bed. I fhould be fick,
But that my refolution helps me. Milford,
When from the mountain top Pifanio fhew'd thee,
Thou waft within a ken. O Jove, I think,
Foundations fly the wretched; fuch, I mean,

Where they should be reliev'd. Two beggars told me,
I could not mifs my way.
Will poor folks lye,

That have afflictions on them, knowing 'tis

A punishment, or trial? yes; no wonder,

When rich ones fcarce tell true. To lapfe in fullness 6 Is forer, than to lye for need; and falfhood

Is worse in Kings, than Beggars. My dear Lord! Thou 'rt one o' th' falfe ones; now I think on thee,

Is forer,- -] Is a greater, or heavier crime.

My

My hunger's gone; but ev'n before, I was
At point to fink for food. But what is this?

[Seeing the Cave. Here is a path to it 'tis fome favage hold; It were beft, not call; I dare not call; yet famine, Ere clean it o'er-throw nature, makes it valiant, Plenty, and peace, breeds cowards; hardness ever Of hardiness is mother. Ho! who's here? 7 If any thing that's civil, fpeak; if favage, Take, or lend Ho!No anfwer? Then I'll enter. Best draw my fword; and if mine enemy

But fear the word like me, he'll fcarcely look on't. Grant fuch a foe, good heav'ns!

[She goes into the Cave.

Enter Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus.

Bel. You, Paladour, have prov'd beft woodman, and Are mafter of the feaft. Cadwal and I

7 If any thing that's civil,-] Civil, for human creature.

WARBURTON.

If any thing that's civil, fpeak; if favage,

Take OR LEND.] She is in doubt, whether this cave be the habitation of a man or beaft. If it be the former, fhe bids him Speak; if the latter, that is, the den of a favage beast, what then? Take or lend-We should read,

Take 'OR 'T END.

i, e. take my life ere famine end it. Or was commonly used for ere; this agrees to all that went before. But the Oxford Editor cuts the knot;

Take, or yield food. fays he. As if it was poffible fo plain a sentence should ever have

Z

2

been blundered into Take or lend.

WARBURTON.

I fuppofe the emendation propofed will not eafily be received: it is ftrained and obfcure, and the objection against Hanmer's reading is likewife very ftrong. I question whether, after the words, if favage, a line be not loft, I can offer nothing better than to read,

-Ho! who's here? If any thing that's civil, take or lend,

If favage, fpeak. If you are civilifed and peaceable, take a price for what I want, or lend it for a future recompence; if you are rough inhospitable inhabitants of the mountain, Speak, that I may know my state. Will