Some trick, not worth an egg, fhall grow dear friends, SCENE IV. Martial Friendship. -(9) Let me twine Mine (9) Let me, &c.] Nothing can be, imagined more noble, than this generofity of Aufidius, and we may well fay, Shakespear hath given him words equal to the greatnefs of his foul: Thomfon owes much to Shakespear, in this character more particularly; one fpeech or two will be fufficient to fhew not only that, but how dangerous it is to attempt the flights of this daring British eagle, In the first act of Thomson's tragedy, before Coriolanus puts himself under the protection of Tullus, the Volfcian tells his friend: My foul, my friend, my foul is all on fire! This happy Roman, this proud Martius haunts me! And in the 4th fcene following, he fays to Coriolanus, now difsover'd to him; O, Caius Martius, in this one fhort moment But this heroic confidence has won me, Go, lead them on; and take thy full revenge: Mine arms about that body, where against As hotly and as nobly with thy love, Contend again thy valour. (10) Know thou, firft, ACT V. SCENE I. The Seafon of Solicitation. He was not taken well, he had not din'd. (11) The veins unfill'd, our blood is cold, and then We pout upon the morning, are unapt To give or to forgive; but when we've stuff'd Thefe (10) Know thou, &c.] In the first Act and 9th Scene of this play Coriolanus fays, -Oh! let me clip ye, In arms as found, as when I woo'd; in heart (11) The veins, &c.] This obfervation of Shakespear is by ge neral practice verified, and by many copied from him: Mr. Theobald tells us, lord Bacon fomewhere in his effays makes this very remark. I 2 Thefe pipes, and thefe conveyances of blood SCENE III. Obftinate Refolution. My wife comes foremost, then the honour'd mould Wherein this trunk was fram'd, and in her hand The grand-child to her blood. But out, affection! All bond and privilege of nature break! (12) Let it be virtuous to be obstinate. What is that curt'fie worth; or those dove's eyes, In fupplication nod; and my young boy Great (12) Let it, &c.] Thomson, well defcribing the obftinate and revengeful temper of Coriolanus, makes him speak thus ; What faidft thou, what against the power of vengeance? To be the awful guardians of the rights O, were it not for them, the faucy world Or, worse than all, th' ungrateful stamp it there;' Enjoy the pleasure of offended gods, A&t 2. Sc. 5. I have been pretty large in my quotations from this fine and moving scene, but would by all means refer the reader to the original, as well as to that part of Mr. Thomson's play, where, in my opinion at least, he most excels. Great nature cries,-Deny not.-Let the Volfcians And knew no other kin. Relenting Tenderness. Like a dull actor now, I have forgot my part, and I am out Chastity. -(13) The noble fifter of Poplicola, The moon of Rome; chafte as the ificle, That's (13) The noble, &c.] Emilia, in the last act of the Two Noble Kinsmen, thus addresses Diana, the patroness of chastity ; Oh, facred, fhadowy, cold, and conftant queen, In Milton's Comus, the brother speaking of his fifter, fays, 'Tis chastity, my brother, chastity: She, that has that, is clad in compleat steel, I 3 Infamous That's curdled by the froft from pureft fnow, Coriolanus's Prayer for his Son. (14)The god of foldiers, With the confent of fupreme Jove, inform Infamous hills, and fandy, perilous wilds, Yea, there, where every defolation dwells, Thy He then speaks of Diana, the patroness of chastity, and of Minerva; and goes on, So dear to Heaven is faintly chastity, And turns it by degrees to the foul's effence, See the whole paffage. (14) The god, &c.] See the first page of the first volume, and the note. There is fomething peculiarly great and exalted in this prayer of Coriolanus: the expreffions are perfectly fuited to the fublimity of the petitions. The word flaw, in the laft line but one, means a fudden and impetuous guft of wind,' tho' it hath a different fenfe in the ad part of Hen. IV. fee Act 4. Sc. 8. |