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George Sewell [1723–5], The works of Shakespear in six [seven] volumes. Collated and Corrected by the former Editions, By Mr. Pope ([Vol. 7] Printed by J. Darby, for A. Bettesworth [and] F. Fayram [etc.], London) [word count] [S11101].
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SCENE VI. Enter Pandarus and Cressida.

Pan.
Be moderate, be moderate.

Cre.
Why tell you me of moderation?
The grief is fine, full, perfect that I taste,
And in its sense is no less strong, than that
Which causeth it. How can I moderate it?
If I could temporize with my affection,
Or brew it to a weak and colder palate,
The like allayment could I give my grief;
My love admits no qualifying y notedross. Enter Troilus.
No more my grief, in such a precious loss.

Pan.

Here, here, here he comes,—a sweet duck.—

Cre.

O Troilus, Troilus!

Pan.

What a pair of spectacles is here! let me embrace too: Oh heart, (as the goodly saying is;)



  O heart, O heavy heart,
  Why sigh'st thou without breaking?

-- 82 --

where he answers again;



  Because thou can'st not ease thy smart,
  By friendship, nor by speaking.

There was never a truer rhyme. Let us cast away nothing, for we may live to have need of such a verse; we see it, we see it. How now, lambs?

Troi.
Cressid, I love thee in so strange a purity;
That the blest gods, as angry with my fancy,
(More bright in zeal than the devotion which
Cold lips blow to their deities) take thee from me.

Cre.
Have the gods envy?

Pan.
Ay, ay, 'tis too plain a case.

Cre.
And is it true, that I must go from Troy?

Troi.
A hateful truth.

Cre.
What, and from Troilus too?

Troi.
From Troy, and Troilus.

Cre.
Is it possible?

Troi.
And suddenly: while injury of chance
Puts back leave-taking, justles roughly by
All time of pause, rudely beguiles our lips
Of all rejoyndure, forcibly prevents
Our lock'd embraces, strangles our dear vows,
Ev'n in the birth of our own labouring breath.
We two, that with so many thousand sighs
Each other bought, must poorly sell our selves
With the rude brevity and discharge of one.
Injurious Time, now with a robber's haste,
Crams his rich thiev'ry up, he knows not how.
As many farewels as be stars in heaven,
With distinct breath and consign'd kisses to them,
He fumbles up all in one loose adieu;
And scants us with a single famish'd kiss,
Distasted with the salt of broken tears.

-- 83 --

Æneas within.]
My lord, is the lady ready?

Troi.
Hark, you are call'd. Some say, the Genius so
Cries, come, to him that instantly must die.
Bid them have patience; she shall come anon.

Pan.

Where are my tears? rain, to lay this wind, or my heart will be blown up by the root.

Cre.
I must then to the Grecians?

Troi.
No remedy. When shall we see again?
Hear me, my love; be thou but true of heart—

Cre.
I true? how now? what wicked deem is this?

Troi.
Nay, we must use expostulation kindly,
For it is parting from us:—
I speak not, be thou true, as fearing thee:
For I will throw my glove to Death himself,
That there's no maculation in thy heart;
But be thou true, say I, to fashion in
My sequent protestation: be thou true,
And I will see thee.

Cre.
O you shall be expos'd, my lord, to dangers
As infinite, as imminent: but I'll be true.

Troi.
And I'll grow friend with danger. Wear this sleeve.

Cre.
And you this glove. When shall I see you?

Troi.
I will corrupt the Grecian centinels
To give thee nightly visitation.
But yet be true.

Cre.
O heav'ns! be true again?

Troi.
Hear while I speak it, love:
The Grecian youths are full of subtle qualities,
They're loving, well compos'd, with gift of nature
Flowing, and swelling o'er with arts and exercise;
How novelties may move, and parts with person—
Alas, a kind of godly jealousie

-- 84 --


(Which, I beseech you, call a virtuous sin)
Makes me afraid.

Cre.
O heav'ns, you love me not!

Troi.
Die I a villain then:
In this I do not call your faith in question
So mainly as my merit: I can't sing,
Nor heel the high lavolt; nor sweeten talk;
Nor play at subtle games; fair virtues all,
To which the Grecians are most prompt and pregnant.
But I can tell, that in each grace of these
There lurks a still and dumb-discoursive devil,
That tempts most cunningly: but be not tempted.

Cre.
Do you think I will?

Troi.
No.
But something may be done that we will not:
And sometimes we are devils to our selves,
When we will tempt the frailty of our powers,
Presuming on their changeful potency.

Æneas within.]
Nay, good my lord.

Troi.
Come kiss, and let us part.

Paris within.]
Brother Troilus.

Troi.
Good brother, come you hither,
And bring Æneas and the Grecian with you.

Cre.
My lord, will you be true?

Troi.
Who I? alas, it is my vice, my fault:
While others fish with craft for great opinion,
I, with great truth, catch meer simplicity.
While some with cunning gild their copper crowns,
With truth and plainness I do wear mine bare.
Fear not my truth; the moral of my wit
Is plain and true, there's all the reach of it.

-- 85 --

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George Sewell [1723–5], The works of Shakespear in six [seven] volumes. Collated and Corrected by the former Editions, By Mr. Pope ([Vol. 7] Printed by J. Darby, for A. Bettesworth [and] F. Fayram [etc.], London) [word count] [S11101].
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