Re-enter PISANIO, with the clothes.

Be those the garments?

PIs. Ay, my noble lord.

CLO. How long is 't since she went to Milford-Haven?

PIs. She can scarce be there yet.

CLO. Bring this apparel to my chamber; that is the second thing that I have commanded thee; the third is, that thou wilt be a voluntary mute to my design. Be but duteous, and true preferment shall tender itself to thee.— My revenge is now at Milford: 'Would I had wings to follow it!-Come, and be true.

[Exit.

PIs. Thou bidd'st me to my loss: for, true to thee
Were to prove false, which I will never be,

To him that is most true. To Milford go,
And find not her whom thou pursu'st. Flow, flow,
You heavenly blessings, on her! This fool's speed
Be cross'd with slowness: labour be his meed!

SCENE VI.-Before the Cave of Belarius.

Enter IMOGEN, in boy's clothes.

IMO. I see a man's life is a tedious one:

I have tir'd myself; and for two nights together
Have made the ground my bed. I should be sick,
But that my resolution helps me.-Milford,
When from the mountain-top Pisanio show'd thee,
Thou wast within a ken: O Jove! I think
Foundations fly the wretched: such, I mean,

Where they should be reliev'd. Two beggars told me
I could not miss my way: Will poor folks lie,
That have afflictions on them; knowing 't is
A punishment, or trial? Yes; no wonder,
When rich ones scarce tell true: To lapse in fulness
Is sorer than to lie for need; and falsehood

Is worse in kings than beggars.-My dear lord!
Thou art one o' the false ones. Now I think on thee
My hunger's gone; but even before I was
At point to sink for food.-But what is this?
Here is a path to it: "T is some savage hold:
I were best not call; I dare not call: yet famine,
Ere clean it o'erthrow nature makes it valiant.
Plenty, and peace, breeds cowards; hardness ever
Of hardiness is mother.-Ho! who 's here?

[Exit.

If any thing that 's civil, speak;-if savage-
Take, or lend a.-Ho!-No answer? then I'll enter.
Best draw my sword; and if mine enemy

But fear the sword like me, he 'll scarcely look on 't.
Such a foe, good heavens!

[She goes into the cave.

Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS.

BEL. You, Polydore, have prov'd best woodman, and
Are master of the feast: Cadwal, and I,
Will play the cook, and servant; 't is our match:
The sweat of industry would dry, and die,
But for the end it works to. Come; our stomachs
Will make what 's homely savoury: Weariness
Can snore upon the flint, when resty sloth
Finds the down pillow hard.-Now, peace be here,
Poor house that keep'st thyself!

GUI.

b

I am throughly weary.
ARV. I am weak with toil, yet strong in appetite.
GUI. There is cold meat i' the cave; we 'll browze on that
Whilst what we have kill'd be cook'd.

a It is scarcely necessary to affix a very precise meaning to words which are meant to be spoken under great trepidation. The poor wanderer entering the cave, which she fears is "some savage hold," exhorts the inhabitant to speak if civil-if belonging to civilised life. This is clear. But we doubt whether she goes on to ask the savage to take a reward for his food or to lend it; for, in that case, she would address ideas to the savage which do not belong to his condition. Yet this is the general interpretation of the passage. The take or lend more belong to the civilised being that may dwell in the cave, than to the savage one. We have, therefore, ventured to point the passage as if the expression, if savage, were merely the parenthetical whisper of her own fears—“If anything that's civil, speak; take, or lend." The if savage is interposed, when no answer is returned to speak. Johnson suggested a transposition of the sentence

"If any thing that 's civil, take or lend,
If savage speak."

b Resty. So the original (restie). Steevens, by one of his dashing corrections, changed the word to restive. Resty, reasty, raisty, is rancid—a provincial expression, generally applied to bacon spoiled by long keeping; which the Londoners have changed into rusty. Reasty and rusty are most probably the same words, meaning, spoiled for want of use.

GUI.

Before I enter'd here I call'd; and thought

To have begg'd, or bought, what I have took: Good troth,
I have stolen nought; nor would not, though I had found
Gold strew'd o' the floor. Here's money for my meat:

I would have left it on the board, so soon

As I had made my meal; and parted

With prayers for the provider.

Money, youth?

IMO.

Prithee, fair youth,
Think us no churls; nor measure our good minds
By this rude place we live in. Well encounter'd!
"T is almost night: you shall have better cheer
Ere you depart; and thanks, to stay and eat it.
Boys, bid him welcome.

Were you a woman, youth,
I should woo hard but be your groom.-In honesty,

I bid for you as I do buy.

I'll make 't my comfort,

He is a man; I'll love him as my brother:

And such a welcome as I 'd give to him

After long absence, such is yours:-Most welcome!
Be sprightly, for you fall 'mongst friends.

'Mongst friends!
If brothers? Would it had been so, that they
Had been my father's sons, then had my prize
Been less; and so more equal ballasting

To thee, Posthumus.

BEL.

He wrings at some distress.

GUI. 'Would I could free 't!

[Aside.

a Such is yours. So the folio. All the modern editions read, such as yours, thereby spoiling the

sense.

That had a court no bigger than this cave,

That did attend themselves, and had the virtue
Which their own conscience seal'd them (laying by
That nothing gift of differing multitudes)",

Could not out-peer these twain. Pardon me, gods!
I'd change my sex to be companion with them,
Since Leonatus false.

BEL.

GUI.

It shall be so.

Boys, we'll go dress our hunt.-Fair youth, come in:
Discourse is heavy, fasting; when we have supp'd,
We'll mannerly demand thee of thy story,

So far as thou wilt speak it.

Pray, draw near.

ARV. The night to the owl, and morn to the lark, less welcome.
IMO. Thanks, sir.

ARV.

I pray, draw near.

SCENE VII.-Rome.

Enter Two Senators and Tribunes.

1 SEN. This is the tenour of the emperor's writ:
That since the common men are now in action
'Gainst the Pannonians and Dalmatians,

And that the legions now in Gallia are
Full weak to undertake our wars against
The fallen-off Britons, that we do incite
The gentry to this business. He creates
Lucius pro-consul: and to you the tribunes,
For this immediate levy, he commands
His absolute commission. Long live Cæsar!
TRI. Is Lucius general of the forces?
2 SEN.

TRI. Remaining now in Gallia ?

1 SEN.

Ay.

With those legions

Which I have spoke of, whereunto your levy

a Differing multitudes. In the Second Part of 'Henry IV.' we have"The still discordant, wavering multitude;"

and the word differing is most probably used here in the same sense.

TRAGEDIES.-VOL. 11.

N

[Exeunt.