Will be as rafh in the Repeal, as hafty

To expel him thence. I think, he'll be to Rome (35) As is the Ofprey to the fith, who takes it

By Sovereignty of Nature.

(35)

First, he was

I think, he'll be to Rome

As is the Afpray to the Fish, who takes it
By Sov'reignty of Nature.]

Though one's Search might have been very vain to find any fuch Word as Afpray, yet I easily imagin'd, fomething must be couch'd, under the Corruption, in its Nature deftructive to Fish, and that made a Prey of Them. And this fufpicion led me to the Discovery. The Osprey is a Species of the Fagle, of a ftrong Make, that haunts the Sea and Lakes for its Food, and altogether preys on Fish. It is called the ἁλιαίΘ, or Aquila Marina, as alfo Avis offifraga: thence contracted first, perhaps, into Osphrey, and then, with Regard to the Eafe of Pronunciation, Ofprey. Pliny gives us this Defcription of its acute Sight, and Eagernefs after its Prey. Haliæetus, clariffimâ oculorum acie, librans ex alto fefe, vifo in Mari pifce, præceps in mare ruens, et difcuffis pectore aquis, rapiens. It may not be difagreeable to go a little farther to explain the Propriety of the Poet's Allution. Why will Coriolanus be to Rome, as the Osprey to the Fish,

66

66

he'll take it

By Sov'reignty of Nature?

Shakespeare, 'tis well known, has a Peculiarity in Thinking; and wherever he is acquainted with Nature, is fure to allude to her most uncommon Effects and Operations. I am very apt to imagine, therefore, that the Poet meant, Coriolanus would take Rome by the very Opinion and Terror of his Name, as Fish are taken by the Ofprey, thro' an inftinctive Fear they have of him." The Fishermen, (fays our "old Naturalift William Turner,) are used to anoint their Baits with Ofprey's Fat, thinking thereby to make them the more efficacious: "because, when That Bird is hovering in the Air, all the Fish, that are beneath him, (the Nature of the Eagle, as it is believ'd, compelling them to it ;) turn up their Bellies, and as it were, give him "his Choice which he will take of them". Gefner goes a little farther in support of this odd Inftinct, telling us," that while this Bird flutters "in the Air, and fometimes, as it were, feems fufpended there, he "drops a certain Quantity of his Fat, by the Influence whereof the "Fish are fo affrighted and confounded, that they immediately turn "themselves Belly upwards; upon which he fowfes down perpendicu"larly like a Stone, and feizes them in his Talons". To This, I dare fay, Shakespeare alludes in this Expreffion of the Sov'reignty of Nature. This very Thought is again touch'd by Beaumont and Fletcher, in their Two Noble Kinfmen; a Play in which there is a Tradition of our Author having been jointly concern'd.

But, oh, Jove! your Actions,

Soon as they move, as Asprays do the Fish,
Subdue before they touch.

For here again we muft read, Ofpreys.

A

A noble fervant to them, but he could not
Carry his Honours even; whether pride,
(Which out of daily fortune ever taints
The happy man) whether defect of judgment,
(To fail in the difpofing of those chances,
Whereof he was the lord) or whether nature,
(Not to be other than one thing; not moving
From th' cask to th' cushion; but commanding peace
Even with the fame aufterity and garb,

As he controll'd the war;) But one of these,
(As he hath spices of them all) not all,
For I dare fo far free him, made him fear'd,
So hated, and fo banish'd; but he has merit
To choak it in the utt'rance: fo our virtues
Lye in th' interpretation of the time;

And Power, unto it felf moft commendable, (36)
Hath not a tomb fo evident, as a chair

T'extol what it hath done.

One fire drives out one fire; one nail, one nail; Right's by right fouler, ftrengths by ftrengths do fail. · .:

Come, let's away; when, Caius, Rome is thine, Thou'rt poor'ft of all, then shortly art thou mine. [xeunt.

(36) And Pow'r, unto it self moft commendable,

Hath not a Tomb fo evident, as a Chair
Textol what it hath done.]

This is a very common Sentiment, but moft obfcurely exprefs'd. This
is the Senfe. That Virtue, which delights to commend it elf, will
find the certaineft Tomb in That Chair, in which it holds forth on its
own Commendations. i. e. Nothing fo readily throws our own Virtue
into Oblivion, as the Practice of commending one's felf. That Power,
which is most jealous of Competitors, [unto it felf most commendable,]
hath no certainer Grave than That Chair in which it extols its own
Worth.
Mr. Warburton.

A C T
C T V.

SCENE, a publick Place in Rome.

Enter Menenius, Cominius, Sicinius, Brutus,

N

with others.

MENENIU S.

O, I'll not go: you hear, what he hath faid,
Which was fometime his General; who lov'd
him

In a moft dear particular. He call'd me father:
But what o'that? go you, that banish'd him,
A mile before his Tent, fall down, and knee
The way into his mercy: nay, if he coy'd
To hear Cominius fpeak, I'll keep at home.
Com. He would not feem to know me.
Men. Do you hear?

Com. Yet one time he did call me by my name:
I urg'd our old acquaintance, and the drops
That we have bled together. Coriolanus
He would not answer to; forbad all names;
He was a kind of Nothing, titlelefs,
'Till he had forg'd himself a name o'th' fire
Of burning Rome.

Men. Why, fo; you've made good work:
A pair of Tribunes, that have rack'd for Rome,
To make coals cheap: a noble memory!

Com. I minded him, how royal 'twas to pardon
When it was leaft expected. He reply'd,

It was a bare petition of a State

To one whom they had punish'd.

Men. Very well, could he fay lefs?
Com. I offer'd to awaken his regard

For's private friends. His answer to me was,

He

He could not stay to pick them in a pile
Of noisom musty chaff. He said, 'twas folly,
For one poor grain or two, to leave unburnt,
And ftill to nofe th' offence.

Men. For one poor grain or two?

I'm one of those: his mother, wife, his child,
And this brave fellow too, we are the grains;
You are the mufty chaff; and you are Imelt
Above the Moon. We must be burnt for you.

Sic. Nay, pray, be patient: if you refuse your aid In this fo-never-needed help, yet do not Upbraid us with our diftrefs. But, fure, if you Would be your Country's pleader, your good tongue, More than the inftant army we can make, Might ftop our Country-mah.

Men. No: I'll not meddle.

Sic. Pray you, go to him.

Men. What fhould I do?

Bru. Only make tryal what your love can do For Rome, tow'rds Marcius.

Men. Well, and fay, that Marcius

Return me, as Cominius is return'd,
Unheard: (what then?)

But as a difcontented friend, grief-fhot
With his unkindness. Say't be fo?
Sic. Yet your good will

Muft have that thanks from Rome, after the measure
As you intended well.

Men. I'll undertake it:

I think, he'll hear me. Yet to bite his lip,

And hum at good Cominius, much unhearts me.
He was not taken well, he had not din'd.

The veins unfill'd, our blood is cold, and then (37)
We powt upon the morning, are unapt
To give or to forgive; but when we've stuff'd
These pipes, and thefe conveyances of blood
With wine and feeding, we have fuppler fouls

(37) The Veins unfill'd, our Blood is cold, &c.] Lord Bacon fomewhere in his Effays makes this very Remark concerning the Seafons of Sollicitation.

H 4

Than

Than in our priest-like fafts; therefore I'll watch him "Till he be dieted to my request,

And then I'll fet upon him.

Bru. You know the very road into his kindness, And cannot lose your way.

Men Good faith, I'll prove him,

Speed how it will. I fhall ere long have knowledge
Of my fuccefs.

Com. He'll never hear him.

Sic. Not?

[Exit,

Com. I tell you, he does fit in gold, his eye
Red as 'twould burn Rome; and his Injury
The Goaler to his Pity. I kneel'd before him,
'Twas very faintly he faid, rife: difmifs'd me
Thus, with his fpeechlefs hand. What he would do,
He fent in writing after; what he would not,
Bound with an oath to yield to his conditions:
So that all hope is vain, unless his mother

And wife, who (as I hear) mean to follicit him
For mercy to his Country: therefore hence,
And with our fair intreaties hafte them on. [Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the Volfcian Camp.

Enter Menenius to the Watch or Guard.

1 Watch. STAY, whence are you?

Watch Stand, and go back.

Men. You guard like men, 'tis well. But, by your leave,

I am an Officer of State, and come

To fpeak with Coriolanus.

I Watch. Whence?

Men. From Rome.

I Watch. You may not pafs, you must return: our General

Will no more hear from thence.

2 Watch. You'll fee your Rome embrac'd with fire,

before

You'll fpeak with Coriolanus.

Men.