Nor get a messenger to bring it thee,
So fearful were they of infection.

Lau. Unhappy fortune! by my brotherhood,
The letter was not nice, but full of charge,
Of dear import; and the neglecting it
May do much danger: Friar John, go hence;
Get me an iron crow, and bring it straight
Unto my cell.

John. Brother, I'll go and bring't thee. {Exit.
Lau. Now must I to the monument alone;
Within this three hours will fair Juliet wake;
She will beshrew me much, that Romeo
Hath had no notice of these accidents:
But I will write again to Mautua,

And keep her at my cell till Romeo come;
Poor living corse, clos'd in a dead man's tomb!

[Exit.

SCENE III-A Church-Yard; in it, a Monument belonging to the CAPULETS. Enter PARIS, and his PAGE bearing Flowers and a Torch.

Yet put it out, for I would not be seen.
Under yon yew-trees lay thee all along,
Holding thine ear close to the hollow ground;
So shall no foot upon the church-yard tread,
(Being loose, unfirm, with digging up of graves,)
But thou shalt hear it: whistle then to me,
As signal that thou hear'st something approach.
Give me those flowers. Do as I bid thee, go.
Page. I am almost afraid to stand alone
Here in the church-yard; yet I will adventure.
[Retires.

Par. Sweet flower, with flowers I strew thy bridal bed:

Sweet tomb, that in thy circuit dost contain
The perfect model of eternity;
Fair Juliet, that with angels dost remain,
Accept this latest favour at my hauds;
That living honour'd thee, and, being dead,
With funeral praises do adorn thy tomb!
[The boy whistles.
The boy gives warning, something doth ap-
proach.

What cursed foot wanders this way to-night,
To cross my obsequies, and true-love's rites?
What, with a torch !-muffle me, night, a while.
[Retires.
Enter ROMEO and BALTHAZAR with a Torch,
Mattock, &c.

Rom. Give me that mattock, and the wrenching iron.

Good gentle youth, tempt not a desperate man, Par. Give me thy torch, boy: Hence and Fly hence and leave me ;-think upon these stand aloof;

The time and my intents are savage-wild;
More fierce, and more inexorable far,
Than empty tigers, or the roaring sea.
Bal. I will be gone, Sir, and not trouble
you.

Rom. So shalt thou show me friendship.

Take thou that:

Live and be prosperous, and farewell, good fellow.

Bal. For all this same, I'll hide me hereabout;

His looks I fear, and his intents I doubt.

• I. e. On a trivial or idle subject.
† L. e. Action of importance.

[Retires. Rom. Thou détestable maw, thou womb of death

Stop thy unhallow'd toil, vile Montague;
Can vengeance be pursu'd farther than death ?
Condemned villain, I do apprehend thee:
Obey, and go with me; for thou must die.

Rom. I must, indeed; and therefore came 1
hither.-

Hold, take this letter; early in the morning
See thou deliver it to my lord and father.
Give me the light: Upon thy life I charge thee,
Whate'er thou hear'st or seest, stand all aloof,
And do not interrupt me in my course.
Why I descend into this bed of death,
Is partly, to behold my lady's face:
But, chiefly, to take hence from her dead finger
A precious ring; a ring that I must use
In dear employment: therefore hence, be-
But if thou, jealous, dost return to pry [gone:-
In what I further shall intend to do,
By heaven, I will tear thee joint by joint,
And strew this hungry church-yard with thy Than with that hand that cut thy youth in

A lightning before death: Oh! how may 1
Call this a lightning -O my love! my wife!
Death, that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath,
Hath had no power yet upon thy beanty:
Thou art not conquer'd; beauty's ensign yet
Is crimson in thy lips, and in thy cheeks,
And death's pale flag is not advanced there.-
Tybalt, liest thou there in thy bloody sheet?
Oh! what more favour can I do to thee,

limbs :

gone;

Let them affright thee.-I beseech thee, youth,
Heap not another sin upon my head,
By urging me to fury :-O be gone!
By heaven, I love thee better than myself:
For I come hither arm'd against myself:
Stay not, begoue ;-live, and hereafter say-
A madman inercy bade thee run away.
Par. I do defy thy conjurations,
And do attach thee as a felon here.

Rom. Wilt thou provoke me? then have at
thee, boy.
[They fight.
Page. O lord! they fight: I will go call the
watch.
[Exit PAGE.
If thou be

Par. O I am slain! [Falls.

merciful,
Open the tomb, lay me with Juliet. [Dies.
Rom. In faith, I will :-Let me peruse this
face ;-
Mercutio's kinsman, noble county Paris :-
What said my man, when my betossed soul
Did not attend him as we rode ? I think,
He told me Paris should have married Juliet:
Said he not eo? or did I dream it so?
Or am I mad, hearing him talk of Juliet,
To think it was so ?-O give me thy hand,
One writ with me in sour misfortune's book!
I'll bury thee in a triumphant grave,-
A grave? O no; a lantern, + slaughter'd youth,
For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes
This vault a feasting presence; full of light.
Death, lie thou there, by a dead man interr'd.
[Laying PARIS in the Monument.
How oft when men are at the point of death
Have they been merry? which their keepers

call

twain,

To sunder his that was thine enemy?
Forgive me, cousin!-Ah! dear Juliet,
Why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe
That unsubstantial Death is amorous ;
And that the lean abhorred monster keeps
Thee here in dark to be his paramour?
For fear of that, I will still stay with thee;
And never from this palace of dim night
Depart again; here, here will I remain
With worms that are thy chambermaids; O here

⚫ I refuse to do as thou conjurest me to do, i. e. depart. The allusion is to a louvre or turret full of window by means of which ancient halls, &c. are illuminated. 1 Presence chamber.

Will I set up my everlasting rest;
And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars
From this world-wearied flesh.-Eyes, look your
last!

Arms, take your last embrace! and lips, O you
The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss
A dateless bargain to engrossing death!--
Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide!
Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on
The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark!
Here's to my love!-[Drinks.] O true apothe-
cary!

Thy drugs are quick.-Thus with a kiss I die.

[Dies.
Enter at the other end of the Church-Yard,
Friar LAURENCE, with a Lantern, Crow,
and Spade.

Fri. Saint Francis be my speed! how oft to-
night

Have my old feet stumbled at graves ?-Who's
there?

Who is it that consorts, so late, the dead?
Bal. Here's one, a friend, and one that knows
you well.
Fri. Bliss be upon you! Tell me, good my
friend,

What torch is yond', that vainly lends his light
To grubs and eyeless sculls? as I discern,
It burneth in the Capels' monument.

Bal. It doth so, holy Sir; and there's my
master,
One that you love.

Fri. Who is it?

Bal. Romeo.

Fri. How long hath he been there?

Bal. Full half an hour.

Fri. Go with me to the vault.

Bal. I dare not, Sir:

My master knows not, but I am gone hence;
And fearfully did menace me with death,

If I did stay to look on his intents.

Fri. Stay then, I'll go aloue :-Fear comes

upon me:

O much I fear some ill unlucky thing.

Bal. As I did sleep under this yew-tree here,
I dreamt my master and another fought,
And that my master slew him.

To make me die with a restorative.
Thy lips are warm!

[Kisses him.

Watch. [Within.] Lead, boy-Which
way f
Jul. Yea, noise ?—then I'll be brief.~O happy
dagger !

[Snatching RoMEO's Dagger. This is thy sheath; [Stabs herself.] there rust, and let me die.

[Falls on ROMEO's Body, and dies.
Enter WATCH, with the PAGE of PARIS.
Page. This is the place; there, where the
torch doth burn.

1 Watch. The ground is bloody; Search about
the church-yard:

Go, some of you, whoe'er you find, attach.
[Exeunt some.
Pitiful sight; here lies the county slaiu ;-
And Juliet bleeding; warm, and newly dead,
Who here bath lain these two days buried.-
Go, tell the prince,-run to the Capulets,-
Raise up the Montagues,-some others search ;-
[Exeunt other WATCHMEN,
We see the ground whereon these woes do lie;
But the true ground of all these piteous woes,
We cannot without circumstance descry.

To help me after ?-1 will kiss thy lips;
Japly, some poison yet doth hang on them,

• Conductor.

Enter some of the WATCH, with BALTHAZAR.
2 Watch. Here's Romeo's man, we found him
in the church-yard.

1 Watch. Hold him in safety, till the prince
come hither.

Enter another WATCHMAN, with Friar
LAURENCE.

3 Watch. Here is a friar, that trembles,
sighs, and weeps:

We took this mattock and this spade from him,
As he was coming from this church-yard side.
1 Watch. A great suspicion; Stay the friar

too.

Enter the PRINCE and Attendants.
Prince. What misadventure is so early up,
That calls our person from our morning's rest?
Enter CAPULET, Lady CAPULET, and others.
Cap. What should it be, that they so shriek
abroad?

Fri. Romeo?
[Advances.
Alack, alack, what blood is this, which stains
The stony entrance of this sepulchre ?—
What mean these masterless and gory swords
To lie discolour'd by this place of peace?
the Monument.
Romeo! oh! pale!-Who else ? what, Paris

too?

And steep'd in blood 1-Ah! what an unkind
bour

Is guilty of this lamentable chance !-
The lady stirs.
wakes and stirs.

1 Watch. Sovereign, here lies the county
Paris slain;

Warm and new kill'd.

Jul. O comfortable friar ! where is my lord? And Romeo dead; and Juliet, dead before,
I do remember well where I should be,
And there I am:-Where is my Romeo?
[Noise within.

Prince. Search, seek, and know how this foul
murder comes.

Fri. I hear some noise.-Lady, come from

that nest

1 Watch. Here is a friar, and slaughter'd
Romeo's man;
With instruments upon them, fit to open
These dead men's tombs.

Cap. O heavens! O wife! look how our daugh-
ter bleeds!

Of death, contagion, and unnatural sleep;
A greater power than we can contradict
Hath thwarted our intents; come, come away:
Thy husband in thy bosom there lies dead;
And Paris too :-come, I'll dispose of thee
Among a sisterhood of holy nuns:
Stay not to question, for the watch is coming;
Come, go, good Juliet,-[Noise again.] I dare
Jul. Go, get thee hence, for I will not That warns my old age to a sepulchre.

stay no longer.

[Exit.

La. Cap. The people in the street cry-
Romeo,
Some-Juliet, and some-Paris; and all run,

With open outcry toward our monument.
Prince. What fear is this, which startles in
our ears?

This dagger hath mista'en,-for lo! his house ⚫
Is empty on the back of Montague,--
And is mis-sheathed in my daughter's bosom.
La. Cap. O me! this sight of death is as a
bell,

away,

What's here? a cup, clos'd in my true love's

band?

Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end :

up,

) churl! drink all; and leave no friendly drop, To see thy son and heir more carly down.

Mon. Alas, my liege, my wife is dead to
night.

Enter MONTAGUE and others.

Prince. Come, Montague; for thou art early

I. e. The scabbard,

Grief of my son's exile hath stopp'd her breath :| All this I know; and to the marriage
What further woe conspires against mine age?

Prince. Look, and thou shalt see.

Her nurse is privy: And, if aught in this
Miscarried by my fault, let my old life
Be sacrific'd some hour before his time,
Unto the rigour of severest law.

Mon. O thou untaught! what manners is in
this,

Prince. We still have known thee for a boly

To press before thy father to a grave?
Prince. Seal up the mouth of outrage for a
while,

man.

Where's Romeo's man? what can he say in
this?

'Till we can clear these ambiguities,
And know their spring, their head, their true
descent;

Bal. I brought my master news of Juliet's
death;

And then will I be general of your woes,

And then in post he came from Mantua,

And lead you even to death: Meantime for- To this same place, to this same monument.
This letter he early bid me give his father;
And threaten'd me with death, going in the
vault,

bear,

And let mischance be slave to patience.-
Bring forth the parties of suspicion.

Fri. I am the greatest, able to do least,
Yet most suspected, as the time and place
Doth make against me, of this direful mur-
der;
And here I stand, both to impeach and purge
Myself condemned and myself accus'd.
Prince. Then say at once what thou dost
know in this.

Fri. I will be brief, for my short date of breath

Is not so long as is a tedious tale.
Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Ju-
liet;

And she, there dead, that Romeo's faithful
wife :
I married them; and their stolen-marriage-
day

Was Tybalt's doomsday, whose untimely death
Banish'd the new-made bridegroom from this
city;

For whom, and not for Tybalt, Juliet pin'd.
You-to remove that siege of grief from her,
Betroth'd, and would have married her per-
force,

To ounty Paris :-Then comes she to me;
And, with wild looks, bid me devise some

means

To rid her from this second marriage,
Or, in my cell there would she kill herself.
Then gave I her, so tutor'd by my art,
A sleeping potion; which so took effect
As I intended, for it wrought on her
The form of death meantime I writ to Romeo,
That he should hither come as this dire night,
To help to take her from her borrow'd grave,
Being the time the potion's force should

cease.

But he which bore my letter, friar John,
Was staid by accident; and yesternight
Return'd my letter back: Then all alone,
At the prefixed hour of her waking,
Came to take her from her kindred's vault;
Meaning to keep her closely at my cell,
Till I conveniently could send to Romeo:
But when I came, (some minute ere the time
Of her awakening,) here untimely lay
The noble Paris, and true Romeo, dead.
She wakes; and I entreated her come forth,
And bear this work of heaven with patience :
But then a noise did scare me from the tomb;
And she too desperate, would not go with me,
But (as it seems,) did violence on herself.

• Seat.

If I departed not, and left him there.
Prince. Give me the letter, I will look on
it.-

Where is the county's page, that rais'd the
watch-

Sirrah, what made your master in this place!
Page. He came with flowers to strew his
lady's grave;

And bid me stand aloof, and so I did:
Anon, comes one with light to ope the tomb;
And, by and by, my master drew on him;
And then I ran away to call the watch.
Prince. This letter doth make good the
friar's words,

Their course of love, the tidings of her death:
And here he writes-that he did buy a poison
Of a poor 'pothecary, and therewithal
Came to this vault to die, and lie with Ju-
liet.-

Where be these enemies? Capulet! Monta-
gue!-

See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
That heaven finds means to kill your joys
with love!

AS a piece for dramatic exhibition, this tragedy has been essentially improved by the celebrated Mr. Garrick; not only in the style and language, by which the jingle and quibble of many of its passages are expunged, but also by the transposition of several scenes, and by the following essential deviation from the original plot: As amended by him, and represented at present, no mention is made of Rosaline, and the sudden and unnatural change of Romeo's affection from her to Juliet is thereby avoided: Juliet also revives from her death-like slumber before the potion has fully operated upon the frame of Romeo, and he dies in her arms, after attempting to carry her from the tomb. By this most judicious alteration, the pathos of the scene is heightened to its highest pitch; for nothing can be more melting than the incidents and expressions which so highly-wrought a catastrophe affords. In the Italianstory upon which the play is founded, such was actually the development of the plot; but Shakspeare had certainly recourse to the English or French translation; in which this addition to the tale was upon some account omitted.

CYMBELINE.

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE.

MALONE supposes that Shakspeare wrote Cymbeline in the year 1605. The main incidents upon which the plot
turns, occur in a novel of Boccaccio's; but our poet obtained them in a different shape, from an old story-
book entitled Westward for Smelts. Cymbeline, who gives name to the play, but is a cipher of royalty, began
to reign over Britain in the 19th year of Augustus Cæsar. He filled the throne during thirty-five years, leaving
two sons, Guiderius and Arviragus. The play commences in the 16th year of the Christian era, which was
the 4th year of Cymbeline's reign, and the 42nd of Augustus's. The subject of the piece is disjointed and much
too diffuse: it exhibits some monstrous breaches of dramatic unity, and several very languid and make-shift
scenes. But the part of Imogen is most delicately and delightfully drawn ; her ideas are remarkably luxuri-
ant, yet restrained; and the natural warmth of her affections is, in many instances, most beautifully expressed.
Cloten is an incongruous animal, with some strong points about him; and a fine contrast to Posthumus, who
is sketched with great judgment, feeling, and consistency. The Queen is an unfinished character, desirous of
producing mischief, but possessing neither energy nor ability to accomplish her schemes; and though
Jachimo's cunning is portrayed with uncommon skill in his first attempt upon Imogen's virtue, yet his subse-
quent penitence and candour (however conducive to the moral) are not consistent with the usual hardihood of
so thorough-paced a villain. Notwithstanding its fine passages and affecting incidents, this play was lost to the
stage until Garrick undertook to revise it, by the abridgment of some scenes, and the transposition of others,
it was reduced within the compass of a night's performance; and has since continued a periodical favourite
with the public. Dr. Johnson decides the merits of this historical drama in the following summary manner:
"To remark the folly of the fiction, the absurdity of the conduct, the confusion of the names and manners of
different times, and the impossibility of the events in any system of life, were to waste criticism upon unresisting
imbecility, upon faults too evident for detection, and too gross for aggravation." No one can deny the elegance
or point of the Doctor's critical sentences, nor their murderous efficiency when meant to despatch an adver-
sary at a single blow; but the greatest fault of our poet consists in his having christened some characters of the
first century with names which belonged to the fifteenth; and in his having seasoned their antique Roman
honesty with a smattering of modern Italian villany.

CYMBELINE, King of Britain.
CLOTEN, Son to the Queen by a former hus-PISANIO, Servant to Posthumus.
CORNELIUS, a Physician.
Two GENTLEMEN.

band.

Two JAILERS.

DRAMATIS PERSONEÆ.

GUIDERIUS, ARVIRAGUS,

LEONATUS POSTHUMUS, a Gentleman, Hus-
band to Imogen.
BELARIUS, a banished Lord, disguised under
the name of Morgan.
Sons to Cymbeline, disguised
under the names of Poly:
dore and Cadwal, supposed
Sons to Belarius.
PHILARIO, Friend to Posthumus,

JACHIMO, Friend to Philario, } Italians.

A FRENCH GENTLEMAN, Friend to Philario.
CAIUS LUCIUS, General of the Roman Forces.1

A ROMAN CAPTAIN. TWO BRITISH CAPTAINS.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Britain.-The Garden behind
CYMBELINE's Palace.

QUEEN, Wife to Cymbeline.
IMOGEN, Daughter to Cymbeline by a former
HELEN, Woman to Imogen.
Queen.

SCENE, Sometimes in Britain; sometimes in Italy.

Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes,
Apparitions, a Soothsayer, a Dutch Gentle-
man, a Spanish Gentleman, Musicians, Of-
ficers, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and
other Attendants.

1 Gent. His daughter, and the heir of his
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 she all

Enter two GENTLEMEN.

1 Gent. You do not meet a main, but frowns: Is outward sorrow, though, I think, the king

our bloods

No more obey the heavens, than our courtiers;
Still seem, as does the king's. +

2 Gent. But what's the matter?

is passage, which is very obscure, and must ever re

B sc.

Be touch'd at very heart.

2 Gent. None but the king?

1 Gent. He, that hath lost her, too: so is the
[tier,

queen,

• Inclinations.

Many pages of coutroversy have been wasted upon of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not

That most desir'd the match: But not a cour-
Although they wear their faces to the bent

Glad at the thing they scowl at.

(Then old and fond of issue,) took such sorrow,
That he quit being; and his gentle lady,
Big of this gentleman, our theme, deceas'd
As he was born. The king, he takes the babe
To his protection; calls him Posthumus;
Breeds him, and makes him of his bed-chamber:
Puts him to all the learnings that his time
Could make him the receiver of; which he
took,

As we do air, fast as 'twas minister'd; and
In his spring became a harvest: Liv'd in court,
(Which rare it is to do,) most prais'd, most
[ture,

lov'd:

A sample to the youngest; to the more ma-
A glass that feated them; and to the graver,
A child that guided dotards: to his mistress,
For whom he now is banish'd,-her own price
Proclaims how she esteem'd him and his virtue ;
By her election may be truly read,
What kind of man he is.

So slackly guarded! And the search so slow,
That could not trace them!

1 Gent. Howsoe'er 'tis strange,

Or that the negligence may well be laugh'd at,
Yet is it true, Sir.

him

To walk this way: I never do him wrong,
But he does buy my injuries, to be friends;
Pays dear for my offences.

Post. Should we be taking leave

As long a term as yet we have to live,
The loathness to depart would grow: Adien !
Imo. Nay, stay a little :

2 Gent. I honour him Even out of your report. But, 'pray you, tell me, Were you but riding forth to air yourself, Such parting were too petty. Look here, love; Is she sole child to the king ? This diamond was my mother's: take it, heart; 1 Gent. His only child. He had two sons, (if this be worth your hearing, But keep it till you woo another wife, When Imogen is dead. Mark it,) the eldest of them at three years old, I'the swathing clothes the other, from their! nursery [knowledge Were stolen and, to this hour, no guess in Which way they went.

2 Gent. How long is this ago?

1 Gent. Some twenty years.

2 Gent. That a king's children should be so convey'd !

2 Gent. I do well believe you.

I Gent. We must forbear: Here come the queen and princess. Exeunt.

So soon as I can win the offended king,
I will be known your advocate: marry, yet
The fire of rage is in him; and 'twere good
You lean'd unto his sentence, with what pa-
tience

Your wisdom may inform you.
Post. Please your highness,

I will from hence to-day.

Queen. You know the peril :-
I'll fetch a turn about the garden, pitying
The pangs of barr'd affections; though the

king

Hath charg'd you should not speak together.
[Exit QUEEN.

Imo. O

Dissembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant
Can tickle where she wounds !-My dearest
husband,
[thing

I something fear my father's wrath; but no-
(Always reserv'd my holy duty,) what
His rage can do on me: You must be gone;
And I shall here abide the hourly shot
Of angry eyes; nor comforted to live,
But that there is this jewel in this world,
That I may see again.

Post. My queen! my mistress!

O lady, weep no more; lest I give cause
To be suspected of more tenderness
Than doth become a man! I will remain
The loyal'st husband that did e'er plight troth.
My residence in Rome at one Philario's;
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.

Re-enter QUEEN.

Queen. Be brief, I pray you :

If the king come, I shall incur I know not
How much of his displeasure:-Yet I'll move
[Aside.

Exit.

Post. How! how! another?

•

You gentle gods give me but this I have,
Aud sear up my embracements from a next
With bonds of death!-Remain thou here
[Putting on the Ring.
While sense can keep it on! And sweetest,
fairest,

As I my poor self did exchange for you,
To your so infinite loss; so, in our trifles
I still win of you: For my sake, wear this;
It is a manacle of love: I'll place it
Upon this fairest prisoner.

[Putting a Bracelet on her arm. Imo. O the gods! When shall we see again?

SCENE II.-The same.

Enter the QUEEN, POSTHUMUS, and IMOGEN.
Queen. No, be assur'd, you shall not find me,
daughter,

After the slander of most step-mothers,
Evil-ey'd unto you: you are my prisoner, but
Your jailer shall deliver you the keys [mus,
That lock up your restraint. For you, Posthú.I

Enter CYMBELINE and LORDS.

Post. Alack, the king!

Cym. Thou basest thing, avoid! hence, from
my sight!

If, after this command, thou fraught the court
With thy unworthiness, thou diest: Away!
Thou art poison to my blood.

Post. The gods protect you!

And bless the good remainders of the court!
am gone.

[Exit.

Imo. There cannot be a pinch in death
More sharp than this is.
Cym. O disloyal thing,

• Close up.

+ Scusation.

Fil.