P. 208. (12)

“[Here Proculeius," &c. This stage-direction (founded on North's Plutarch) is by Malone.

P. 209. (143) “If idle talk will once be necessary,” &c. Hanmer alters "necessary” to “accessary;" and so Mr. Collier's Ms. Corrector (between whom and Hanmer there is frequently an unaccountable agreement).

P. 209. (144) “ Lay me stark nak'd, and let the water-flies,” &c. Here “nak'" is generally altered to “naked,” though the author evidently used the word as a monosyllable : and so it was often used by his contemporaries; e.g.

“Good Menelaus slew Accomplisht Thoas, in whose breast (being nak'd) his lance he threw, Aboue his shield, and freed his soule."

Chapman's Homer,-Iliad, B. xvi. p. 224, ed. fol. “Stript nak't her bosome, shew'd her breasts,” &c. Id. B. xxii. p. 300.

P. 209. (145) “ And he hath sent for thee : for the queen,” &c. The editor of the second folio printed “ And he hath sent for thee: as for the Queene," &c.—Qy. “And he hath sent me for thee : for the queen,” &c. ?

P. 210. (146)

an autumn 'twas," &c. Theobald's correction.—The folio has “ An Antony it was,” &c.

P. 210. (147)

" that smites,” &c. So Tyrwhitt in his copy of the second folio in the Brit. Museum, Capell, and Mr. Collier's Ms. Corrector.—The folio has “ that suites," &c.

P. 212. (148)

“seal my lips,” &c. The folio has "seele my lippes," &c.: and several editors have retained "seel,” understanding it to mean- -close up my lips as effectually as the eyes of a hawk are closed,—to seel hawks being a technical term :-so in p. 181 of this play, we have “the wise gods seel our eyes,” &c. But here the spelling of the folio goes for little: in King Lear, act iv. sc. 6, the folio has “the power to seale th' accusers lips ;” and in The Sec. Part of Henry VI. act i. sc. 2, “ Seale vp yours Lips,” &c.

P. 213. (149) “The gods ! it smites me,” &c. Mr. Collier's Ms. Corrector substitutes “Ye gods! it smites me,” &c.,—which Mr. Singer adopts in his Shakespeare, 1856.—But compare “O me, the gods!"

VOL. VI.

R

Coriolanus, act ii. sc. 3; “O the gods !” Troilus and Cressida, act iv. sc. 2, Coriolanus, act iv. sc. 1, Cymbeline, act i. sc. 1; “O the blest gods!” King Lear, act ii. sc. 4; and “O the good gods !” in the present play, p. 214.

P. 213. (150) “Are therefore to be pitied." Mr. Collier's Ms. Corrector reads “ And therefore to be pitied,”—very unnecessarily. In the last clause of a sentence Shakespeare (like other old writers) sometimes omits “and."

P. 213. (151) “Make not your thoughts your prisons,” &c. Qy. - your prison,” &c. ?—(Johnson says, “I once wished to read your poison,'” &c.,—which Hanmer had printed.)

P. 214. (152)

“ Their most absurd intents." Theobald gives “ Their most assur'd intents;" so too Mr. Collier's Ms. Corrector; and perhaps rightly.—“I have preserved the old reading. The design certainly appeared absurd enough to Cleopatra, both as she thought it unreasonable in itself, and as she knew it would fail.” Johnson.

P. 216. (153)

“[Iras falls and dies.” A modern stage-direction.—“Iras must be supposed to have applied an asp to her arm while her mistress was settling her dress, or I know not why she should fall so soon." STEEVENS.

P. 217. (154)

“ In this vile world ?" The folio has “ In this wilde World ?”—The correction was made by Capell, who saw (what is plain enough) that “vilde" had been by mistake transformed into “wilde.” (The folio, with its usual inconsistency of spelling, has in some places“ vild” and “ vilde,”- in others“ vile.”)

P. 217. (155)

“ Your crown's awry;

I'll mend it, and then play." The folio has “your Crownes away,” &c.—After “play” the folio has a break, —“ and then play) i.e. play her part in this tragic scene by destroying herself: or she may mean, that, having performed her last office for her mistress, she will accept the permission given her in p. 215, to .play till doomsday.'” STEEVENS.

CYMBELINE.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

CYMBELINE, king of Britain.
Cloten, son to the Queen by a former husband.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS, a gentleman, husband to Imogen.
BELARIUS, a banished lord, disguised under the name of Morgan.
GUIDERIUS, sons to Cymbeline, disguised under the names of
ARVIRAGUS, S Polydore and Cadwal, supposed sons of Belarius.
PHILARIO, friend to Posthumus,

}Italians

.
LACHIMO, friend to Philario,
A French Gentleman, friend to Philario.
Caius Lucius, general of the Roman forces.
A Roman Captain.
Two British Captains.
PISANIO, servant to Posthumus.
CORNELIUS, a physician.
Two Lords of Cymbeline's court.
Two Gentlemen of the same.
Two Gaolers.

Queen, wife to Cymbeline.
IMOGEN, daughter to Cymbeline by a former queen.
HELEN, woman to Imogen.

Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, a Soothsayer, a Dutch Gentleman,

a Spanish Gentleman, Musicians, Officers, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants.

Apparitions.

SCENE—sometimes in Britain, sometimes in Italy.

1

CYMBELINE.

ACT I.

Scene I. Britain. The garden of Cymbeline's palace.

Enter two Gentlemen.

First Gent. You do not meet a man but frowns: our

bloods
No more obey the heavens than our courtiers
Still seem as does the king. (')
Sec. Gent.

But what's the matter?
First Gent. His daughter, and the heir of 's kingdom,

whom
He purpos’d to his wife's sole son (a widow
That late he married), hath referr'd herself
Unto a poor but worthy gentleman : she's wedded;
Her husband banish’d; she imprison'd: all
Is outward sorrow; though, I think, the king
Be touch'd at very heart.
Sec. Gent.

None but the king ?
First Gent. He that hath lost her too: so is the queen,
That most desir'd the match : but not a courtier,
Although they wear their faces to the bent
Of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not
Glad at the thing they scowl at.