No more obey the heavens, than our courtiers'-
Still seemers-do the king's.]

The old text of "Cymbeline," in the number and inveteracy of its corruptions, is hardly surpassed by any other play in the collection. The very opening speech presents a typographical enigma which has been the subject of critical conjecture and experiment for above a century, and remains a puzzle still :

"You do not meet a man but Frownes.

Our bloods no more obey the Heavens
Then our Courtiers;

Still seeme, as do's the Kings."

2 GENT.

But what's the matter? 1 GENT. His daughter, and the heir of 's 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;

-our bloods

No more obey the heavens, than our courtiers
Still seem, as does the king"-

is now generally followed, though no one perhaps ever believed or believes that this was what the poet wrote. It has been accepted only because the editors had nothing better to offer. The real blot lies, we apprehend, in the words "still seem as," which were probably misheard or misread by the compositor for "stillseemers," i.e. ever dissemblers: and the meaning appears to be,Everyone you meet wears a frown; our complexions do not more sympathise with the changes of the sky, than the looks of our courtiers (those perpetual simulators) do with the aspect of the king. The expression "seemers" occurs again in the sense here attributed to it, in "Measure for Measure," Act I. Sc. 4:

"-hence shall we see

If power change purpose, what our seemers be."

2 GENT.

What's his name, and birth?

1 GENT. I cannot delve him to the root: his father

Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour,
Against the Romans, with Cassibelan;
But had his titles by Tenantius, whom
He serv'd with glory and admir'd success,-
So gain'd the sur-addition, Leonatus :
And had, besides this gentleman in question,
Two other sons, who, in the wars o' the time,
Died with their swords in hand; for which their
father

(Then old and fond of issue) took such sorrow
That he quit being; and his gentle lady,
Big of this gentleman, our theme, deceas'd
As he was born. The king he takes the babe
To his protection; calls him Posthumus Leonatus;
Breeds him, and makes him of his bed-chamber:
Puts to him all the learnings that his time
Could make him the receiver of; which he took,
As we do air, fast as 't was minister'd,

a

And in 's spring became a harvest: liv'd in

court

(Which rare it is to do) most prais'd, most lov'd:
A sample to the youngést; to the more mature
A glass that feated them; and to the graver
A child that guided dotards: to his mistress-
For whom he now is banish'd-her own price
Proclaims how she esteem'd him and his virtue;

a Posthumus Leonatus;] So the old copies. In many modern editions, "Leonatus" is omitted as redundant, but the old poets not unfrequently introduce proper names without regard to the measure; occasionally indeed, as if at the discretion of the player, the name was to be spoken or not.

a Pays dear for my offences.] A clause intended possibly to replace or be replaced by the words "buy my injuries to be friends" the first thought through the carelessness of the compositor being inserted as well as the reconsidered one.

b And sear up-] Mr. Singer reads seal up, which is a plausible alteration; but we believe with Steevens and Mr. Dyce that the meaning is merely close up, and if any change were desirable, should prefer cere up. The spelling of cere being often sear formerly.

A touch more rare-] This has been defined a nobler passion, a higher feeling; it meant rather a smart or throe more exquisite. A touch in old language was often used to express a pang, a wound, or any acute pain, moral or physical, as in the passage before us; as also in the often quoted, but perhaps not always understood sentiment from "Troilus and Cressida," Act III. Sc. 3:

"One touch of Nature makes the whole world kin."

and in "Macbeth," Act III. Sc. 2,

"Durst thou have look'd upon him, being awake? And hast thou kill'd him sleeping? O brave touch!" A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act III. Se. 2. "You touch'd my vein at first."

As You Like It, Act II. Sc. 7.

d A puttock.] A buzzard, or kite: a degenerate species of hawk.