out laft night, where each of us fell in praife of our Country miftreffes: This Gentleman at that time vouching, and upon warrant of bloody affirmation, his to be more fair, virtuous, wife, chafte, conftant, qualified, and lefs attemptable than any the rareft of our ladies in France. Iach. That Lady is not now living; or this Gentleman's opinion by this worn out.. Poft. She holds her virtue still, and I my mind. Iach. You must not so far prefer her, 'fore ours of Italy. Poft. Being fo far provok'd, as I was in France, I would abate her nothing; (5) tho' I profess myself her adorer, not her friend. Iach. As fair, and as good, a kind of hand-in-hand comparison, had been fomething too fair and too good for any lady in Britain. (6) If fhe went before others I have seen, as that diamond of yours out-luftres many I have beheld, I could believe, the excelled many; but I have not feen the most precious diamond that is, nor you the lady. Poft. I prais'd her, as I rated her; fo do I my ftone Poft. More than the world enjoys. Iach. Either your unparagon'd Miftrefs is dead, or fhe's out priz'd by a trifle. Poft. You are mistaken; the one may be fold or given, if there were wealth enough for the purchase, or merit for the gift. The other is not a thing for fale, and only the gift of the Gods.. (5) the Iprofefs, &c.] Though I have not the common obligations of a lover to his miftrefs, and regard her not with the fondnefs of a friend, but the reverence of an adorer. (6) If he went before others Thave feen, as that diamond of yours out-luftres many I have bebeld, I could NOT believe fbe ex celled many;] What? if the did really excel others, could he not believe that the did excel them? Nonfenfe. We must strike out the negative, and the lenfe will be this, I can easily believe your mistress excels many, tho' be be not the most excellent juft as I fee that diamond of yours is of more value than many I have beheld, tho' I know there are other diamonds of much greater value. WARE. lach Iach. Which the Gods have given you.. Iach. You may wear her in title yours; but, you know, ftrange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds. Your ring may be ftol'n too; fo, of your brace of unprizeable eftimations, the one is but frail and the other cafual. A cunning thief, or a that-way accomplish'd courtier, would hazard the winning both of first and last. Poft. Your Italy contains none fo accomplish'd a Courtier (7) to convince the honour of my miftrefs; if in the holding or lofs of that, you term her frail. I do nothing doubt, you have store of thieves, notwithftanding I fear not my ring. Phil. Let us leave here, Gentlemen. Poft. Sir, with all my heart. This worthy Signior, I thank him, makes no ftranger of me; we are familiar at firft. Iach. With five times fo much converfation, I fhould get ground of your fair Miftrefs; make her go back, even to the yielding, had I admittance, and opportu nity to friend. Poft. No, no. Iach. I dare thereupon pawn the moiety of my ef tate to your ring, which, in my opinion, o'er-values it fomething. But I make my wager rather against your confidence than her reputation, and to bar your offence herein too, I durft attempt it against any Lady in the world. Poft. You are a great deal (8) abus'd in too bold a perfuafion; and, I doubt not, you'd fuftain what you're worthy of, by your attempt. Iach. What's that? Poft. A repulfe; though your attempt, as you call it, deferves more; a punishment too. (7) to convince the honour of my miftrefs;] Convince for over come. So in Macbeth, their malady convinces The great effay of art. (8) abus'd] Deceived. WARB. Phil. Phil. Gentlemen, enough of this; it came in too fuddenly, let it die as it was born; and I pray you, be better acquainted. Iach. 'Would, I had put my eftate and my neighbour's, on th' (9) approbation of what I have spoke. Poft. What Lady would you chufe to affail? Iach. Yours; who in conftancy, you think, ftands fo fafe. I will lay you ten thousand ducats to your ring, that, commend me to the Court where your Lady is, with no more advantage than the opportunity of a fecond conference, I will bring from thence that honour of hers, which you imagine fo referv'd. Poft. I will wage against your gold, gold to it: my ring I hold dear as my finger, 'tis part of it. (1) Iach. You are a friend, and therein the wifer ; if you buy ladies' flesh at a million a dram, you cannot preferve it from tainting. But, I fee, you have fome Religion in you, that you fear. Poft. This is but a cuftom in your tongue; you bear a graver purpose, I hope. Iach. I am the master of my Speeches, and would undergo what's fpoken, I fwear. Poft. Will you? I fhall but lend my diamond 'till let there be covenants drawn between your Return; us. My Mistress exceeds in goodness the hugeness of your unworthy thinking. I dare you to this match; here's my ring. Phil. I will have it no Lay. Iach. By the Gods it is one. fufficient teftimony that I have (9) approbation] Proof. (2) If I bring you no enjoy'd the dearest bo dily (1) Iach. You are a friend, and therein the wifer;] 1 correct it, You are afraid, and therein the wifer. What Iachimo fays, in the clofe of his fpeech, determines this to have been our Poet's reading. But, I fee, you have fome Religion in you, that you fear. WARB. Friend will bear a proper fenfe. You are a friend to the Lady, and therein the wifer, as you will not expofe her to hazard; and that you fear, is a proof of your religious fidelity. If I bring you no fufficient teftimony that I (2) Iach, bave dily part of your miftrefs, my ten thoufand ducats are yours, fo is your diamond too; if I come off, and leave her in fuch honour as you have trust in, fhe your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours; provided I have your commendation, for my more free entertainment. Poft. I embrace these conditions; let us have articles betwixt us; only, thus far you fhall anfwer. If you make your voyage upon her, and give me directly to understand you have prevail'd, I am no further your enemy, she is not worth our debate; if the remain unfeduc'd, you not making it appear otherwise, for your ill opinion, and th' affault you have made to her chastity, you fhall answer me with your fword. Iach. Your hand, a covenant. We will have these things fent down by lawful counfel, and ftraight away for Britain; left the bargain fhould catch cold, and ftarve. I will fetch my gold, and have our two wagers recorded. Poft. Agreed. [Exeunt Pofthumus and Iachimo. French. Will this hold, think you? have enjoy'd the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thoufand ducats are YOURS; fo is your diamond too, if I come off, and leave her in fuch honour as you have truft in, fhe your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours, &c. Poft. I embrace thefe conditions, &c.] This was a wager between the two fpeakers. Iachimo declares the conditions of it ; and Poftbumus embraces them: as well he might; for Iachimo mentions only that of the two conditions, which was favourable to Pofthumus, namely, that if his wife preserved her honour he fhould win concerning the other, in cafe the preserved it not, Iachimo, the accurate expounder of the wager, is filent. To make him talk more in character, for we find him sharp enough in the profecution of his bet, we fhould ftrike out the negative, and read the reft thus, If I bring you fufficient teftimony that I have enjoy'd, &c. my ten thousand ducats are MINE; Jo is your diamond too. If I come off, and leave her in fuch honour, &c. She your jewel, &c, and my gold are yours. WARE. I once thought this emendation right, but am now of opinion, that Shakespeare intended that Iachimo, having gained his purpofe, fhould defignedly drop the invidious and offenfive part of the wager, and to flatter Pofthumus, dwell long upon the more pleafing part of the reprefentation. One condition of a wager implies the other, and there is no need to mention both. > Phil. Signior Iachimo will not from it. Pray let us follow 'em. SCENE VII. [Exeurt. Changes to Cymbeline's Palace in Britain. Enter Queen, Ladies, and Cornelius with a Phial. THILE yet the dew's on ground, gather Queen. WHI Make hafte thofe flowers: -Who has the note of them? 1 Lady. I, Madam. Queen. Difpatch. [Exeunt Ladies. Now, mafter Doctor, have you brought thofe drugs? But I beseech your Grace, without offence, Queen. I wonder, Doctor, Thou afk'ft me fuch a question; have I not been (3) Other conclufions? I will try the forces Allayments to their act; and by them gather (3) Other conclufions - -] Other experiments. I commend, fays Walton, an angler that tries conclufions, and improves his art. Cor. |