I am fire, and air; my other elements I give to baser life.-So,-have you done? Have I the aspic in my lips? Dost fall? Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may say, The gods themselves do weep! Cleo. This proves me base: If she first meet the curled Antony, He'll make demand of her; and spend that kiss, Unpolicied Char. Cleo. !! O eastern star ! Peace, peace! O, break! O, break! Dost thou not see my baby at my breast, Char. Cleo. As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle, O Antony!-Nay, I will take thee too : [Applying another asp to her arm. What should I stay [Falls on a bed, and dies. Char. In this wild world?-So, fare thee well.— Now boast thee, death! in thy possession lies A lass unparallel'd.-Downy windows, close; And golden Phoebus never be beheld (1) Unpolitic, to leave me to myself. Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry; Enter the Guard, rushing in. Speak softly, wake her not. 1 Guard. Cæsar hath sentChar. Too slow a messenger. [Applies the asp. O, come; apace, despatch: I partly feel thee. 1 Guard Approach, ho! All's not well: Casar's beguil'd. 2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar;call him. 1 Guard. What work is here?—Charmian, is this well done? Char. It is well done, and fitting for a princess Descended of so many royal kings. Ah, soldier! [Dies Enter Dolabella. All dead. Cæsar, thy thoughts Touch their effects in this: Thyself art coming Within. A way there, way for Cæsar! Enter Cæsar, and Attendants. Dol. O, sir, you are too sure an augurer; That you did fear, is done. Bravest at the last : Cæs. She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal, Took her own way.-The manner of their deaths? I do not see them bleed. Dol. Who was last with them? 1 Guard. A simple countryman, that brought her figs; This was his basket. Ces. 1 Guard. Poison'd then. O Cæsar, This Charmian liv'd but now; she stood, and spake : On her dead mistress; bemblingly she stood, -Cœs. O noble weakness! If they had swallow'd poison,'twould appear In her strong toil of grace. Dol. Here, her breast, There is a vent of blood, and someth blown: The like is on her arm. 1 Guard. This is an aspic's trail: anayese fig leaves Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leves Upon the caves of Nile. Cæs. Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall, And then to Rome.--Come, Dolabella, see Graceful appearance. Tried experiments. [Exeunt. (3) Enfold. This play keeps curiosity always busy, and the passions always interested. The continual burry of the action, the variety of inadents, and the quick succession of one personag to another, call the mind forward without inermission, from the first act to the last. But thepower of delighting is derived principally from de frequent changes of the scene; for, except t feminine arts, some of which are too low, which stinguish Cleopatra, no charac ter is very strong discriminated. Upton, who did not easily miss hat he desired to find, has discovered that the anguage of Antony is, with great skill and leang, made pompous and superb, according to is real practice. But I think his dic tion not stinguishable from that of others: the most tad speech in the play is that which Cæsar make to Octavia. The events, of which the principal are described acording to history, are produced without any art connection or care of disposition. JOHNSON. |