CYMBELINE
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upon warrant of bloody affirmation--his to be more fair, virtuous,
wise, chaste, constant, qualified, and less attemptable than any
the rarest of our ladies in France.

IACHIMO.
That lady is not now living, or this gentleman's opinion by this
worn out.

POSTHUMUS.
She holds her virtue still, and I my mind.

IACHIMO.
You must not so far prefer her 'fore ours of Italy.

POSTHUMUS.
Being so far provok'd as I was in France, I would abate her
nothing, though I profess myself her adorer, not her friend.

IACHIMO.
As fair and as good--a kind of hand-in-hand comparison--had been
something too fair and too good for any lady in Britain. If she
went before others I have seen, as that diamond of yours outlustres
many I have beheld, I could not [but] believe she excelled many.
But I have not seen the most precious diamond that is, nor you the
lady.

POSTHUMUS.
I prais'd her as I rated her; so do I my stone.

IACHIMO.
What do you esteem it at?

POSTHUMUS.
More than the world enjoys.

IACHIMO.
Either your unparagon'd mistress is dead, or she's outpriz'd by a
trifle.

POSTHUMUS.
You are mistaken. The one may be sold, or given, if there were
wealth enough for the purchase, or merit for the gift; the other is
not a thing for sale, and only the gift of the gods.

IACHIMO.
Which the gods have given you?

POSTHUMUS.
Which, by their graces, I will keep.

IACHIMO.
You may wear her in title yours; but, you know, strange fowl
light upon neighbouring ponds. Your ring may be stolen too;
so your brace of unprizable estimations, the one is but frail
and the other casual. A cunning thief, or a that-way-
accomplish'd courtier, would hazard the winning both of first
and last.

POSTHUMUS.
Your Italy contains none so accomplish'd a courtier to convince
the honour of my mistress, if, in the holding or loss of that,
you term her frail. I do nothing doubt you have store of thieves;
notwithstanding, I fear not my ring.

PHILARIO.
Let us leave here, gentlemen.

POSTHUMUS.
Sir, with all my heart. This worthy signior, I thank him, makes
no stranger of me; we are familiar at first.