To a moft hideous object: thence it came,

That fhe, whom all men prais'd, and whom myself,
Since I have loft, have lov'd, was in mine eye
The duft that did offend it.

King. Well excus'd.

That thou do'ft love her, ftrikes fome fcores away
From the great 'compt; but love, that comes too late,
Like a remorseful pardon flowly carried,
To the great fender turns a four offence,
Crying, that's good that is gone: our rash faults
Make trivial price of serious things we have,
Not knowing them, until we know their grave.
Oft our difpleafures, to ourselves unjust,
Deftroy our friends, and, after, weep their duft :
Our own love, waking, cries to fee what's done +
While fhameful hate fleeps out the afternoon.
Be this fweet Helen's knell; and now forget her.
Send forth your amorous token for fair Maudlin,
The main confents are had, and here we'll ftay
To fee our widower's fecond marriage-day.

Count.

Which better than the first, O dear heav'n blefs.

lour to appear artificial, Thus he fpeaks in character, and confiftently with the rest of his freech. The emendation re flores integrity to the figure, and, by a beautiful thought, makes the fcornful perpective of contempt do the office of a turningglofs. WARBURTON.

It was but just to infert this note, long as it is, because the commentator feems to think it of importance. Let the reader judge.

Our own love, waking, &c.] These two lines I should be glad to call an interpolation of a player, They are ill connected with the former, and not very clear or proper in themselves. I believe

Or,

the author made two couplets to
the fame purpofe, wrote them
both down that he might take
his choice, and fo they happened
to be both preferved.

For Jeep I think we should read flept. Love cries to fee what was done while hatred Sept, and fuffered milchief to be done. Or the meaning may be, that hatred fill continues to fcep at eafe, while lone is weeping; and fo the prefent reading may ftand.

7 Which better than the first,
O dear Heav'n, bleft,
Or, ere they meet, in me, O Na-

ture, ceafe !] I have ventured, against the authority of the printed Copies, to prefix the Count's

H

Or, ere they meet, in me, O nature, cease!
Laf. Come on, my fon, in whom my houfe's name
Must be digefted: give a favour from you
To fparkle in the fpirits of my daughter,
That the may quickly come. By my old beard,
And ev'ry hair that's on't, Helen, that's dead,
Was a sweet creature: fuch a ring as this,
The laft that e'er fhe took her leave at court,
I saw upon her finger.

Ber. Her's it was not.

King. Now, pray you, let me fee it: For mine eye, While I was fpeaking, oft was faften'd to't..

This ring was mine; and, when I gave it Helen,
I bade her, if her fortunes ever stood

Neceffitied to help, that by this token.

I would relieve her.

Had you that craft to reave her

Of what fhould ftead her most?

Ber. My gracious fovereign,

Howe'er it pleases you to take it so,

The ring was never her's.

Count. Son, on my life,

I've seen her wear it, and fhe reckon'd it

At her life's rate.

Laf. I'm fure, I faw her wear it.

Ber. You are deceiv'd, my Lord, fhe never faw it; In Florence was it from a cafement thrown me, Wrap'd in a paper, which contain'd the name

Countess's Name to these two Lines. The King appears, indeed, to be a Favourer of Bertram: but if Bertram fhould make a bad Hufband the fecond Time, why fhould it give the King fuch mortal Pangs? A fond and difappointed Mother might reasonably not defire to live to fee fuch a Day: and from her

the Wish of dying, rather than to behold it, comes with Propriety. THEOBALD.

8 In Florence was it from a cafement] Bertram fill continues to have too little virtue to de erve Helen. He did not know indeed that it was Helen's ring, but he knew that he had it not from a window.

Cc3

Of

Of her that threw it: Noble fhe was, and thought
I ftood engag'd; but when I had fubfcrib'd
To mine own fortune, and inform'd her fully,
I could not answer in that courfe of honour
As fhe had made the overture, fhe ceaft
In heavy fatisfaction, and would never
Receive the ring again.

King. Plutus himself,

That knows the tinct and multiplying medicine',
Hath not in nature's myftery more fcience,

Than I have in this ring. 'Twas mine, 'twas Helen's,
Whoever gave it you: then if you know 2,
That you are well acquainted with yourfelf,
Confefs 'twas hers, and by what rough enforcement
You got it from her. She call'd the Saints to furety,
That he would never put it from her finger,
Unless he gave it to yourself in bed,

(Where you have never come) or fent it us

metals, and the matter by which gold is multiplied, by which a fmall quantity of gold is made to communicate its qualities to a large mafs of metal.

In the reign of Henry the fourth a law was made to forbid all men thenceforth to multiply gold, or ufe any craft of multiplication. of which law Mr. Boyle, when he was warm with the hope of tranfmutation, procured a repeal.

then if you know, That you are well acquainted

with yourself,] i. e. then if You be wife. A ftrange way of expreffing fo trivial a thought! WARBURTON.

The true meaning of this Arange expreffion is, If you know that your faculties are fo found, as that you have the proper con fciousness of your own actions, and are able to recollect and relate what you have done, tell me, &c.

Upon

Upon her great difafter.

Ber. She never faw it.

King. Thou fpeak'ft it falfely, as I love mine honour; And mak'ft conject'ral fears to come into me, Which I would fain fhut out; if it should prove That thou art fo inhuman-'twill not prove foAnd yet I know not-thou didst hate her deadly, And he is dead; which nothing, but to clofe Her eyes myself, could win me to believe, More than to fee this ring. Take him away. [Guards feize Bertram.

Away with him,

My fore-paft proofs, howe'er the matter fall3,
Shall tax my fears of little vanity,
Having vainly fear'd too little.
We'll fift this matter further.
Ber. If you fhall prove,

This ring was ever hers, you fhall as easy
Prove that I husbanded her bed in Florence,

Where yet he never was.

[Exit Bertram guarded.

King. I'm wrap'd in difmal thinkings.

Gent. Gracious Sovereign,

Whether I've been to blame or no, I know not:

Here's a petition from a Florentine,

Who hath fome four or five removes come fhort +

3 My fore-peft proofs, bowe'er the matter fail, Shall tax my fears of little vanity,

Having vainly feared too little.] The proofs which I have already bad, are fufficient to fhow that my fears were not vain and irrational, have rather been

Το

To tender it herself. I undertook it,
Vanquish'd thereto by the fair grace and speech
Of the poor fuppliant, who by this, I know,
Is here attending: her bufinefs looks in her
With an importing wifage; and she told me,
In a fweet verbal brief, it did concern
Your Highness with herself.

The King reads a letter.

Upon his many proteftations to marry me, when his wife was dead, I blush to say it, he won me. Now is the Count Roufillon a widower, his vows are forfeited to me, and my honour's paid to bim. He flole from Florence, taking no leave, and I follow him to this country for juice: grant it me, O King, in you it beft lies; otherwife a feducer flourishes, and a poor maid is unDiana Capulet. Laf. I will buy me a fon-in-law in a fair, and toll for him. For this, I'll none of him.

done.

King. The heavens have thought well on thee, Lafeu, To bring forth this difcov'ry. Seek these fuitors: Go fpeedily, and bring again the Count.

Enter Bertram.

I am afraid, the life of Helen (lady)
Was fouly fnatch'd.

Count. Now juftice on the doers!

King. I wonder, Sir, wives are so monftrous to you, And that you fly them as you swear to them; Yet you defire to wed. What woman's that?

Enter Widow and Diana.

Dic. I am, my Lord, a wretched Florentine.