66 cedes; and thus the reasoning is clear, exact, and consequential. If, says Iachimo, she surpassed other women that I have seen in the same proportion that your diamond out-lustres many diamonds that I have beheld, I could not but acknowledge that she excelled many women; but I have not seen the most valuable diamond in the world, nor you the most beautiful woman : and therefore I cannot admit she excells all." 66 It is urged, that it was the business of Iachimo on this occasion to appear an infidel to beauty, in order to spirit Posthumus to lay the wager." He is so far an infidel as not to allow Imogen transcendent beauty, surpassing the beauty of all womankind. It was by no means necessary, in order to excite the adoring Posthumus to a wager, to deny that she possessed any beauty what soever. For the length of this note I shall make no apology. Whenever much has been already said by ingenious men on a controverted passage, in which emendation is absolutely necessary, every objection that can be made to the reading adopted should, if possible, be obviated. No one can be more an enemy to long notes, or unnecessary emendations, than the present editor. MALONE. See page 169, note 8. A SONG, SUNG BY GUIDERIUS AND ARVIRAGUS OVER FIDELE, BY MR. WILLIAM COLLINS. To fair Fidele's grassy tomb, "Soft maids and village hinds shall bring "Each opening sweet, of earliest bloom, "And rifle all the breathing spring. "The red-breast oft at evening hours 66 Shall kindly lend his little aid, "With hoary moss, and gather'd flowers, "To deck the ground where thou art laid. "When howling winds, and beating rain, 66 In tempests shake the sylvan cell; " Or midst the chace on every plain ; "The tender thought on thee shall dwell. "Each lonely scene shall thee restore; 66 Belov'd, till life could charm no more; VOL. XIII. R PRELIMINARY REMARKS. THE story of the Misanthrope is told in almost every collection of the time, and particularly in two books, with which Shakspeare was intimately acquainted; the Palace of Pleasure, and the English Plutarch. Indeed from a passage in an old play, called Jack Drum's Entertainment, I conjecture that he had before made his appearance on the stage. FARMER. The passage in Jack Drum's Entertainment, or Pasquil and Katherine, 1601, is this: 66 Come, I'll be as sociable as Timon of Athens." But the allusion is so slight, that it might as well have been borrowed from Plutarch or the novel. Mr. Strutt the engraver, to whom our antiquaries are under no inconsiderable obligations, has in his possession a MS. play on this subject. It appears to have been written, or transcribed, about the year 1600. There is a scene in it resembling Shakspeare's banquet given by Timon to his flatterers. Instead of warm water he sets before them stones painted like artichokes, and afterwards beats them out of the room. He then retires to the woods, attended by his faithful steward, who, (like Kent in King Lear) has disguised himself to continue his services to his master. Timon, in the last Act, is followed by his fickle mistress, &c. after he was reported to have discovered a hidden treasure by digging. The piece itself (though it appears to be the work of an academick) is a wretched one. The persona dramatis are as follows: Abyssus, a usurer. "Lollio, a cuntrey clowne, Philargurus sonne. "Stilpo, "Speusippus, Grunnío, a lean servant of Philargurus. "Obba, Tymon's butler. "Podio, Gelasimus page. "Two serjeants. |