Yet these were but additions to complete Means to engage me to this lady's debt, Yet mine own shame would be my executioner! Erota. Thou beliest, Antinous, Ant. Why, madam, Are ye all marble? Poss. Leave your shifts, Antinous. What plead you to your father's accusation? Ant. Most fully guilty. Poss. You have doom'd yourself; We cannot quit you now. Cass. A burthen'd conscience Will never need a hangman. Hadst thou dar'd To have denied it, then this sword of mine Should on thy head have prov'd thy tongue a liar. Erota. Thy sword? Wretched old man, hast liv'd too long, To carry peace or comfort to thy grave; Thou art a man condemn'd. My lords, this tyrant all means Had perish'd but for me; I still supplied To dive into the people's hearts, had pawn'd mean Is blotted out of your commission,26 By combination, to defeat the process woman, [nest, As the protests of love you vow'd were hoBe gentler to my father! Erota. Cassilane, Thou hast a heart of flint: Let my entreaties Cass. Pish! you cozen Your hopes; your plots are idle: I am resolute. Of a beguiling softness! I will stand, Must finish these divisions: I confess, And thankless wrongs to me, urge me to cry Dec. Whither run you? Ant. For, honour'd fathers, that you all may know Is blotted out of your commission.] The verb being in the singular number makes it probable, though not certain, that the nominative was so too; and the sense, if not grammar, requires the change. Since your commission allows no mean or midway between the death or absolute acquittance of the party accused. This seems to be the sense intended. Mr. Sympson reads 'mends, i. e. Amends: Death being the only amends or atonement that the law allow'd. 4 A VOL. I. Seward. That I alone am not unmatchable Phil. Her? Oh, spare, Antinous! Ant. Brave prince, with what unwillingness I force Her follies, and in those her sin, be witness, Erota. Let him speak, my lords. [woman! 27 She could not, would not live, unless I grand What she long sued for: I, in tender pity, Gave her her life, and promis'd to be hers: Long repetitions? She, to quit my pity, Not that I covet blood, but that she may not Practise this art of falshood on some other, Perhaps more worthy of her love hereafter. Porph. If this be true- Erota. My lords, be as the law is, Indifferent, upright; I do plead guilty. Now, Sir, what glory have you got by this? 'Las, man, I meant not to outlive thy doom! Shall we be friends in death? Cass. Hear me! The villain Scandals her, honour'd lords. Erota. Leave off to dote, And die a wise man. Ant. I am over-reach'd, And master'd in my own resolution. Phil. Will you be wilful, madam? Here's Of love's disdain. [the curse Cass. Why sit you like dumb statues? Demur no longer. Poss. Cassilane, Erota, Antinous, death ye ask, and 'tis your dooms: You in your follies liv'd, die in your follies. Cass. I am reveng`d, and thank you for it. Erota. Yes, And I: Antinous hath been gracious! Ant. Sir, May I presume to crave a blessing from you Before we part? Cass. Yes, such a one as parents Bestow on cursed sons! Now, now I laugh To see how those poor younglings are both cheated Of life and comfort. Look ye, look ye, lords, My vengeance is made full!-Welcome, my Anno. I have heard all; Nor shall you die alone. Lords, on my knees I beg for justice too. Porph. 'Gainst whom? for what? Anno. First, let me be resolv'd, does the [sters Safe at their mothers' breasts, your very cloyWere not secure, your starting-holes of refuge [own: Not free from danger, nor your lives your In this most desp'rate ecstasy, my father, This aged man, not only undertook To guard your lives, but did so, and beat off The daring foe; for you he pawn'd his lands, To pay your soldiers, who without their pay Refus'd to strike a blow. But, lords, when peace [home, Was purchas'd for you, and victory brought Where was your gratitude, who in your coffers Hoarded the rusty treasure which was due To my unminded father? He was glad 27 Truthless woman.] I have ventured to change the epithet here by striking off a letter; not but I allow the former to be good sense; but as Erota's want of compassion to Cassilane was the sole cause of Antinous's anger, ruthless seems to me the most natural epithet. Seward To live retir'd in want, in penury, Thou art a worthy wench; let me embrace Poss. Tho' our ignorance Of Cassilane's engagements might assuage [law, How no excuse should smooth a breach of [left Must 1. Great prince of Cyprus, you are Phil. What a scene of misery Thy grave with, that at once hast robb'd this kingdom Of honour and of safety? Erota. Children yet [nam'd! Unborn will stop their ears when thou art That if the party who complains, remit Cass. Antinous, by my shame observe Ant. Dear Sir, [don! You new-beget me now.-Madam, your parI heartily remit you. Erota. 1 as freely Discharge thee, Cassilane. Anno. My gracious lords, Repute me not a blemish to my sex, Phil. Then with consent Be reconcil'd on all sides: Please you, fathers, To take your places. Poss. Let's again ascend, [now, With joy and thankfulness to Heav'n! And To other business, lords. Enter Gaspero and Melitus, with Gonzalo. Mel. Two hours and more, Sir, The senate hath been set. Gon. And I not know it? Mel. My lord the prince of Cyprus. Why, how comes that to pass? Gasp. Some weighty cause, I warrant you. Gon. Now, lords, the business? Ha! Who's here? Erota! Porph. Secretary, do your charge Upon that traitor. Gon. Traitor? 28 A brave, cold, weak-] As none of the epithets beside the first are ironical, I doubt not but brave was a mistake instead of the natural word, which I have, I believe, only restored. Mr. Sympson has sent me also the same emendation. 29 Dec. 'Tis Candy's wreck shall feel—— Seward. Cass. The mischief of your folly. Porph. & Poss. Annophel!] The impropriety of Cassilane's speaking the second of these lines struck Mr. Seward, and he gave it to Arcanes; but we see no reason for Decius being interrupted by any person, nor can we believe the Poets intended he should. The last line comes very well froin Cassilane, but cannot, in our opinion, belong to the Senators. Corrupt the captains, at a bauquet poison The prince and greatest peers, and, in conYield Candy slave to Venice. [clusion, Gasp. Next, he contracted With the illustrious princess, the lady Erota, Erota. This is true, Gonzalo. What's your demand? Mich. As likes the state of Candy, Either to sentence him as he deserves, Here, or to send him like a slave to Venice. Porph. We shall advise upon it. Gon. Oh, the devils, That had not thrust this trick into my pate! Porph. Poss. Away with him. [Exeunt Gonz. & Mel. presence, Erota. Lords, ere you part, Be witness to another change of wonder: Antinous, now be bold, before this Freely to speak, whether or no I us'd The humblest means affection could contrive, To gain thy love. Ant. Madam, I must confess it, And ever am your servant. Erota. Yes, Antinous, My servant, for my lord thou shalt be never: If yet a relick of thy wonted flames Record my truth for ever. Phil. With more joy Than I have words to utter, I accept it. Erota. The man that in requital Of noble and unsought affection Ant. Much comfort dwell with you, as I could wish THE FALSE ONE.' A TRAGEDY. Gardiner, the fast friend of Fletcher, in his Commendatory Verses, ascribes this excellent Tragedy to him alone; the Prologue and Epilogue, which seem to have been written for the first representation, and are much more to be depended on, speak of Those who penn'd this.' The False One was first printed in the folio collection of 1647.-We do not know that this Tragedy ever received any alterations, or that it has been performed in the course of many years past. The False One.] Mr. Seward, conceiving that a slur is cast on this play (for so he expresses it) by Dr. Warburton's first note on the Tempest, is very copious in his defences of the False One, as the rival of Antony and Cleopatra.' He also gives very large quotations from Lucan; |