who was he,
That, otherwise than noble nature did,
Hath alter'd that good figure?]
Here are many words upon a very slight debate. The sense is not much
cleared by either critic [Theobald and Warburton]. The question is
asked, not about a _body_, but a _picture_, which is not very apt to
grow shorter or longer. To _do_ a picture, and a picture is well _done_,
are standing phrases; the question therefore is, Who has altered this
picture, so as to make it otherwise than nature _did_ it.
IV.ii.389 (266,5) these poor pickaxes] Meaning her fingers.
IV.iii (266,1) _Cymbeline's palace_] This scene is omitted against all
authority by Sir T. HANMER. It is indeed of no great use in the progress
of the fable, yet it makes a regular preparation for the next act.
IV.iii.22 (267,3) our jealousy/Does yet depend] My suspicion is yet
undetermined; if I do not condemn you, I likewise have not acquitted
you. We now say, the _cause_ is _depending_.
IV.iii.29 (267,4) Your preparation can affront no less/Than what you
hear of] Your forces are able to _face_ such an army as we hear the
enemy will bring against us.
IV.iii.44 (268,6) to the note o' the king] I will so distinguish myself,
the king shall remark my valour.
IV.iv.11 (269,1) a render/Where we have liv'd] An account of our place
of abode. This dialogue is a just representation of the superfluous
caution of an old man.
IV.iv.13 (269,2) That which we have done, whose answer would be death]
The _retaliation_ of the death of Cloten would be _death_, &c.
IV.iv.18 (269,3) their quarter'd fires] Their fires regularly disposed.
V.i (271,1) _Enter Posthumus, with a bloody handkerchief_] The bloody
token of Imogen's death, which Pisanio in the foregoing act determined
to send.
V.i.1-33 (271,2) Yea, bloody cloth, I'll keep thee] This is a soliloquy
of nature, uttered when the effervescence of a mind agitated and
perturbed spontaneously and inadvertently discharges itself in words.
The speech, throughout all its tenor, if the last conceit be excepted,
seems to issue warm from the heart. He first condemns his own violence;
then tries to disburden himself, by imputing part of the crime to
Pisanio; he next sooths his mind to an artificial and momentary
tranquility, by trying to think that he has been only an instrument of
the gods for the happiness of Imogen. He is now grown reasonable enough
to determine, that having done so much evil he will do no more; that he
will not fight against the country which he has already injured; but as
life is not longer supportable, he will die in a just cause, and die
with the obscurity of a man who does not think himself worthy to be
remembered.
V.i.9 (271,3) to put on] Is to _incite_, to _instigate_.
V.i.14 (272,4) To second ills with ills, each elder worse] For this
reading all the later editors have contentedly taken,
--each worse than other,
without enquiries whence they have received it. Yet they know, or might
know, that it has no authority. The original copy reads,
--each elder worse,
The last deed is certainly not the oldest, but Shakespeare calls the
_deed_ of an _elder_ man an _elder deed_.
V.i.15 (272,5) And make them dread it, to the doers' thrift] [T:
dreaded, to] This emendation ia followed by HANMER. Dr. WARBURTON reads,
I know not whether by the printer's negligence,
And make them _dread_, to the doers' thrift.
There seems to be no very satisfactory sense yet offered. I read, but
with hesitation,
And make them _deeded_, to the doers' thrift.
The word _deeded_ I know not indeed where to find; but Shakespeare has,
in another sense _undeeded_, in _Macbeth_:
"--my sword
"I sheath again _undeeded_."--