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The Plays of William Shakspeare (8); Cymbeline. Titus Andronicus. Pericles. King Lear
The Plays of William Shakspeare Cymbeline Titus Andronicus Pericles King Lear - 8 Author:William Shakespeare Volume: 8 General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1811 Original Publisher: J. Nichols Subjects: Drama / Shakespeare Literary Criticism / Shakespeare Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition ... more »of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: CYMBELINE. ACT I. SCENE I. Britain. The Garden behind Cymbe- line's Palace- Enter Two Gentlemen. 1 Gent. You do not meet a man, but frowns: our bloods No more obey the heavens, than our courtiers; Still seem, as does the king's.1 2 Gent. Brit what's the matter? 1 Gent. His daughter, and the heir of his kingdom, whom He purpos'd to his wife's sole son, (a widow, That late he married,) hath referr'd herself Unto a poor but worthy gentleman: She's wedded j You do not meet a man, but frowns: our blood No more obey the heavens, than our courtiers ; Still seem, as does the king's.] This passage is so difficult, that commentators may differ concerning it without animosity or shame. I am now to tell my opinion, which is, that the lines stand as they were originally written, and that a paraphrase, such as the licentious and abrupt expressions of our author too frequently require, will make emendation unnecessary. We do not meet a man but frowns ; our bloods -- our countenances, which, in popular speech, are said to be regulated by the temper of the blood, -- no more obey the laws of heaven, -- which direct us to appear what we really are, -- than our courtiers : -- that is, than the bloods of our courtiers ; but our bloods, like theirs, -- still seem as doth the king's. Johnson. Her husband banish'd; she imprison'd: all Is outward sorrow; though, I think, the king Be touch'd at very heart. 2 Gent. . None but the king ? 1 Gent. He, that hath lost her, too: so is the queen, That most d...« less