Bru. I heard him swear, Were he to ftand for Conful, never would he Nor fhewing, as the manner is, his wounds Bru. It was his word: oh, he would mifs it, rather Than carry it, but by the fuit o'th' Gentry, And the defire o'th' Nobles. Sic. I wish no better, Than have him hold that purpose, and to put it Bru. 'Tis moft like, he will. Sic. It fhall be to him then, as our good wills, A fure deftruction. Bru. So it muft fall out To him, or our authorities. For an end, We must fuggeft the people, in what hatred Of no more foul nor fitness for the world, Sic. (15) This, as you fay, suggested At fome time, when his foaring infolence Shall reach the people, (which time fhall not want, To kindle their dry ftubble; and their blaze (15) This, as you fay, fuggefted At Some time, when his foaring Infolence Shall teach the People, which, (time shall not want, If he be put upon't, and That's as eafie, To kindle their dry Stubble; and their blaze As to fet Dogs on Sheep) will be the fire Shall darken him for ever] As Nominatives are sometimes want Enter a Messenger, Bru. What's the matter? Mef. You're fent for to the Capitol: 'tis thought, That Marcius fhall be Conful: I have seen The dumb men throng to fee him, and the blind Bru. Let's to the Capitol, And carry with us ears and eyes for th' time, But hearts for the event. Sic. Have with you. [Exeunt. ing to the Verb, fo, on the other hand, as This Paffage has been all a long pointed, we have a Redundance for two relative Pronouns, this and which, fland as Nominatives to will be. There is, befides, one Word still in this Sentence, which, notwithstanding the Concurrence of the printed Copies, I fufpect to have admitted a fmall Corruption. Why fhould it be imputed as a Crime to Coriolanus, that he was prompt to teach the People? Or how was it any foaring Infolence in a Patrician to attempt this? The Poet muft certainly have wrote. When his foaring Infolence Shall reach the People; i. e. When it fhall extend to impeach the Conduct, or touch the Character of the People. A like Miftake, upon this Word, has poffefs'd the Maid's Tragedy in all the Copies. If thy hot Soul had Subftance with thy Blood, I would kill That too; which, being past my Steel, For here too we must correct, reach. I regulated and amended this Paffage in the Appendix to my SHAKESPEARE Reftor'd; and Mr. Pope has reform'd it, with Me, in his last Edition. SCENE I Off. SCENE changes to the Capitol. C OME, come, they are almoft here; how many ftand for Confulfhips? 2 Off. Three, they fay; but 'tis thought of every one, Coriolanus will carry it. 1 Off. That's a brave Fellow, but he's vengeance proud, and loves not the common People. 2 Off. 'Faith, there have been many great Men that have flatter'd the People, who ne'er lov'd them; and there be many that they have loved, they know not wherefore; fo that if they love they know not why, they hate upon no better a ground. Therefore, for Coriolanus neither to care whether they love, or hate him, manifefts the true knowledge he has in their dif pofition, and out of his noble carelessness lets them plainly fee't. and 1 Off. If he did not care whether he had their love or no, he wav'd indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good, nor harm: but he feeks their hate with greater devotion than they can render it him; leaves nothing undone, that may fully difcover him their oppofite. Now to feem to affect the malice and displeasure of the People, is as bad as That, which he dislikes, to flatter them for their love. 2 Off. He hath deferved worthily of his Country : and his afcent is not by fuch eafie degrees as thofe, who have been fupple and courteous to the People; bonnetted, without any further deed to heave them at all into their eftimation and report but he hath fo planted his honours in their eyes, and his actions in their hearts, that for their tongues to be filent, and not confess so much, were a kind of ingrateful injury; to report otherwise, were a malice, that, giving it felf the lie, would pluck reproof and rebuke from ev'ry ear that heard it. 1 Off. No more of him, he is a worthy Man: make way, they are coming. Enter Enter the Patricians, and the Tribunes of the People, Litors before them; Coriolanus, Menenius, Cominius the Conful: Sicinius and Brutus take their places by themselves. Men. Having determin'd of the Volfcians, and To fend for Titus Lartius, it remains, As the main point of this our after-meeting, To gratifie his noble fervice, that Hath thus ftood for his Country. Therefore, please you, Moft reverend and grave Elders, to defire The present Conful, and laft General, We met here, both to thank, and to remember 1 Sen. Speak, good Cominius: Leave nothing out for length, and make us think, Mafters o'th' People, We do request your kindest ear; and, after, Your loving motion toward the common Body, Sic. We are convented Upon a pleafing Treaty; (16) and have hearts The Theam of our Affembly.] Without Doubt it would have been more proper for the Tribune, who is here addreffing himfelf to the Senate, to have faid; The Theme of your Aembly. But Shakespeare, contrary to the Truth of Hiftory, makes the Tribunes fit in the Senate, as Part of that Body. For 'till the Lex Attinia (which Attinius is fuppos'd by Sigonius, De Vetere Italia Jure, to have been contemporary with Quintus Metellus Macedonicus;) the Tribunes had not the Priviledge of entring the Senate, but had Seats placed for them, near the Door, on the Outfide of the House. Mr. Warburton. Bru. Bru. Which the rather We fhall be bleft to do, if he remember I would, you rather had been filent: please you Bru. Moft willingly : But yet my caution was more pertinent, Men. He loves your People, But tye him not to be their bed-fellow : [Coriolanus rifes and offers to go away. Nay, keep your place. I Sen. Sit, Coriolanus; never fhame to hear What you have nobly done. Cor. Your Honours' pardon: I had rather have my wounds to heal again, Bru. Sir, I hope, My words dif-bench'd you not? Cor. No, Sir; yet oft, When blows have made me ftay, I fled from words. You footh not, therefore hurt not: but your people, I love them as they weigh, Men. Pray now, fit down. Cor. I had rather have one scratch my head i'th' Sun, When the Alarum were ftruck, than idly fit To hear my Nothings monster'd. Men. Masters of the People, [Exit Coriolanus. Your multiplying spawn how can he flatter, The Man, I speak of, cannot in the world. |