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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Untitled Article
' You , Titus LaTtius , Must to Corioli back : send us to Rome The best , with whom we may articulate , Jl For their own good , and ours . '
This is truly a noble spirit , which scorns to take advantage of the helpless , but Coriolanus goes beyond it , and completely disproves by his words the charge brought against him of being an insolent unfeeling aristocrat . Covered with wounds and gore , he thinks not of himself , but of some undefined purpose for the benefit of another , for which he has tasked his memory in vain during the time that his praises were sounded by Cominius ; suddenly it lightens on him .
The gods begin to mock me . I that now Refused most princely gifts , am bound to beg Of my lord general . ' Cominius with the most undoubting faith , knowing that Coriolanus can ask nothing unbefitting , replies ,
• Take it ; ' tis yours . —What is ' t V 4 I sometime lay , here in Corioli , At a poor man ' s house ; he used me kindly : He cried to me ; I saw him prisoner ; But then Aufidius was within my view , And wrath o ' er whelmed my pity : I request you To give my poor host freedom . '
An aristocrat , such as Wellington or Londonderry , would have said , 4 A poor plebeian devil , Here in Coiioli , whose house I honoured By making it my quarters , has been captured Amongst the other prisoners . He was civil , And waited on me most respectfully , According to my rank , as was befitting ; I galloped o ' er him i' the battle charge , Not liking much to baulk my gallant horse , And luckily he was not hurt ; L pray you To give the fellow freedom . '
This , however , will only apply to Lord Londonderry . Hi * Grace of Wellington does not ride charges , notwithstanding the tales of his being ' nineteen hours on his charger ' s back !' But Coriolanus speaks of his host with the strong feelings of humane sympathy . f He used me kindly ; ' that word marks the link of humanity , and not oi' sycophancy or patronage . * Civility and kindness are as opposite as Toryism and humanity . Civility may exist independently of sympathy ; kindness cannot . ' ( Jive my poor host freedom . ' In that expression there is respect mingled with kindness . We cannot help feeling that he ought to
Untitled Article
136 Coriolanus no Aristocrat .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1834, page 136, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2630/page/52/
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