Alb. He knows not what he says; and 'vain is it To Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, And thou no breath at all? Thou 'lt come no more, Pray you, undo this button :-thank you, sir. Do you see this? Look on her,—look,—her lips,— Edg. He faints!-My lord, my lord!— [Dies. Kent. ... Vex not his ghost: O, 'let him pass! he 'hates him, That would, upon the rack of this rough world He is gone, Edg. END OF KING LEAR. [Exeunt. a O. R. tough. CYMBELINE. "Cymbeline " belongs to the latest group of Shakespeare's plays— "Timon of Athens" and "The Tempest," following; thus closing the long series of his dramatic compositions. It is supposed to have been written about 1610, but was not printed till 1623. The story is partly founded on one of the Tales in Boccaccio's "Decameron," (translated by William Paynter, in his "Palace of Pleasure," 1566-7)—partly on the "Chronicles" of Holinshed, (died about 1580)—and partly on "Westward for Smelts," (1603). Many eminent commentators-among them Tieck and Coleridge-believe that the first sketch of this Tragedy belongs to Shakespeare's early career, but that it was not performed till his fame was fully established. The first mention of it as an acted play is in Dr. Forman's "Diary "a (1610, 1611), in which an outline of the plot is given;-a distinction which tends to establish its novelty at that date. The Characters retained in this Condensation are: CYMBELINE, King of Britain. BELARIUS, a banished Lord, dis- GUIDERIUS, [ Sons to Cymbeline, PHILARIO, Friend to Italian IACHIMO, Friend to gentlemen. Posthumus. Philario, A French Gentleman, Friend to CAIUS LUCIUS, General of the PISANIO, Servant to Posthumus. QUEEN, Wife to Cymbeline. Lords, Ladies, Soldiers, Messen- The Scene is sometimes in Britain, sometimes in Italy. a This record, valuable to the Shakespearian inquirer, is preserved in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford; the manuscript is called "A Booke of Plaies and Notes thereof, for Common Pollicie." After stating that he (Dr. Forman) had, on the 17th of May, 1611, seen the "Winter's Tale," he proceeds (but without specific date) to give an account of" Cymbeline."-A few lines will give a specimen of his chatty memoranda: "Remember also the story of Cymbeline, King of England in Lucius' time; how Lucius came from Octavius Cæsar for tribute, and, being denied, after sent Lucius 319 Cymbeline, King of Britain, is described by the old English Chroniclers as contemporary with Augustus Cæsar at Rome,about the 16th year of the Christian era. In early life, the King had been left a widower, with one daughter-the Princess Imogenand two sons, both of whom had been stolen from him in their childhood. Cymbeline afterwards married a widow who had a son named Cloten, and it was the King's intention to marry his own daughter to his wife's son: But Imogen had been privately wedded to Leonatus Posthumus, an accomplished gentleman then resident at her father's court; and on the discovery of the marriage, Posthumus was sentenced to banishment. We overhear Two Gentlemen conversing on the subject, in the Garden of King Cymbeline's Palace: 1 Gent. You do not meet a man but 'frowns: 'our looksa No more obey the heavens than our 'courtiers'; Still 'seem as do the 'King's. 2 Gent. 2 Gent. with a great army of soldiers, who landed at Milford Haven, and after were vanquished by Cymbeline, and Lucius taken prisoner; and all by means of three outlaws, of the which two of them were the sons of Cymbeline, stolen from him when they were but two years old, by an old man whom Cymbeline banished; and he kept them as his own sons twenty years with him in a cave And how one of them slew Cloten, that was the queen's son, going to Milford Haven to seek the love of Imogen, the king's daughter, whom he had banished also for loving his daughter. "And how the Italian that came from her love conveyed himself into a chest, and said it was a chest of plate, sent from her love and others to be presented to the king. And in the deepest of the night, she being asleep, he opened the chest and came forth of it," &c., &c. a O. R. bloods. Proclaims how 'she esteemed him and his virtue; 'What kind of man he is. 2 Gent. I honour him, Even out of your report. But, pray you, tell me, 1 Gent. His 'only child :— 2 Gent. That a 'King's children should be so conveyed! 1 Gent. We must forbear. Here come the gentleman, The Queen, and Princess. The Queen, Posthumus, and Imogen enter: [Exeunt. Queen. No, be assured; you shall not find 'me, daughter,— Evil-eyed unto you: you are my 'prisoner; but That lock-up your restraint. For you, Posthúmus, I will be 'known your advocate: marry, 'yet Post. Please your highness, I will from hence 'to-day. I'll fetch a turn about the garden, pitying [Exit. The pangs of barred affections; though the King Hath 'charged, you 'should not speak together. Imo. O, dissembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant Can 'tickle where she 'wounds!-My dearest husband, I fear my father's wrath: You 'must be gone; And 'I shall here abide the hourly shot Of angry eyes; not comforted to live, But that there is 'this jewel in the world, That I 'may see again. Post. My queen! my mistress! The loyal'st husband that did e'er plight troth: My residence in Rome, at one Philario's; [Weeps. Who to my 'father was a friend, to 'me Known but by 'letter: Thither 'write, my Queen! And, with mine eyes, I 'll 'drink the words you send, 'Though ink 'be made of 'gall. Adieu! Imo. Nay, stay a little! Post. Were you but riding forth to 'air yourself, Such parting were too petty. Look here, love : This diamond was my mother's: take it, 'heart; [Giving When Imogen is dead! How! how! 'another? You gentle gods, give me but this I 'have, b the ring. With bonds of 'death!—[Pu While sense can keep thee on! And sweetest, fairest, As I my poor self did exchange for 'you, Giving a Lbracelet. While Posthumus is clasping the bracelet on his wife's arm, Cymbeline, her father, enters. Alack, the King! Cym. Thou basest thing, avoid! hence, from my sight! Post. . The gods protect 'you, And bless the 'good remainders of the Court! I am gone. As Posthumus withdraws, the unhappy Imogen exclaims: More sharp than this is! Imo. Сут. O disloyal thing, my Queen! That 'might'st have had the sole son of And did avoid a puttock.a [Exit. Cym. Thou took'st a 'beggar; wouldst have made my Imo. throne A seat for 'baseness! No; I rather added a 'lustre to it. • frequent. "sweetheart. bO. R. sear (cere, to close up as if with cere-cloth). da worthless hawk, a kite. |