Johnfon, fhould probably be written picked. ANON. L. 14. This is abominable, &c.] He has here well imitated the language of the most redoubtable pedants of that time. On fuch fort of occafions, Jofeph Scaliger used to break out, "Abominor, execror, Afinitas mera eft, impietas, &c." and calls his adverfary, "Lutum ftercore maceratum, Dæmoniacum retrimentum infcitiæ, Sterquilinium, Stercus Diaboli, Scarabæum, larvam, Pecus poftremum beftiarum, intame propudium, náðagua” WARB. L. 15. In former editions: It infinuateth me of infamy: Ne intelligis, Domine, to make frantick, lunatick? Nath. Laus Deo, bene intelligo. Hol. Bome, boon for boon prefcian; a little scratch, it will ferve.]. This play is certainly none of the best in itself, but the editors have made it worse. Why fhould infamy be explained by making frantick, lunatick? It is plain and obvious that the poet intended, the pedant fhould coin an uncouth affected word here, infanie, from infania of the Latines. Then, what a piece of unintelligible jargon have thefe learned criticks given us for Latin? I think, I may venture to affirm, I have reftored the paffage to its true purity. Nath. Laus Deo,, bone, intelligo. The curate addreffing with complaifance his brother pedant, fays, bone, to him, as we frequently in Terence find hone vir; but the pedant thinking, he had miftaken the adverb, thus defcasts on it. "Bone bone for bene. Prifcian, a little scratched: it will ferve." Alluding to the common phrate, Diminuis Prifciani caput, applied to fuch as speak falfe Latin. THEOв and CAP. Ibid.] It infinuatets me of INFAMY:] There is no need to make the pedant worfe tha Shakespeare made him; who, without doubt, wrote INSANITY. WARE. Ibid.] Why might not Holofernes take the liberty Dr. W. fo often does, of coining a word? CANONS. Ibid.] There feems yet fomething wanting to the integrity of this paffage, which Mr. Theobald has in the most corrupt and difficult places very happily reftored. For ne intelilgis Domine, to make fiantick, lunatick. I read (nonne, intelligis Domine ?) to be mad, frantick, lunatick. JOHNS. P.61. L. 11. In former editions: The last of the five vowels, if you repeat them; or the fifth if I: Hol I will repeat them, a, e, Moth. The beep:-the other two concludes it out.] Is not the laft, and the fiftb, the fame vowels? Though my Correc tion reftores but a poor Conundrum, yet if it reftores the poet's meaning, it is the Duty of an editor to trace him in his loweft conceits. By, O, U, Moth would mean Oh, youi. e. You are the fheep ftill, either way, no matter which of us repeats them. THEOB. L. 24. I will whip about your Infamy unum cita :] Here again all the editions give us Jargon inttead of Latin. But Math would certainly mean circum circa: i. e. about and about though it may be defigned, he fhould mistake the terms. P. 62. L. 13. well cull'd, chofe. THEOB. CAP.* L. 17. befeech thee, refrain, against the old editions. CAP.* L. 23. The author has before called the beard, valour's excrement in the Merchant of Venice. P. 64. Scene III. Here begins Act V. in JOHNS. L. 10. as much love in rhime, I dare not affirm this to be an imitation, but it carries a mighty refemblance of a paffage in the beginning of Juvenal's first fatire. --summi plenâ jam margine libri Scriptus, & in tergo, nec dum finitus Oreftes. THEOB.* P. 65. L. 4. ・for poft care, is ftill paft cure.] The tranfpofition which I have made in the two words, are and cure, is by the direction of the ingenious Dr. Thiriby. THEOB.* L-20. 'Ware pencils.] The former editions read, " were pencil." Sir T. Hanmer here rightly restored 'ware pencils. Rofaline, a black beauty, reproacheth the fair Catharine for painting. Јония. I. 23. Pox of that jeft, and I beshrew all shrews.] In former copies, this line is given to the Princefs; but as fhe has behaved with great decency all along, there is no reason why she should start all at once into this coarse dialect. Rofaline and Catharine are rallying one another without referve; and to Catharine this firft line certainly belonged, and therefore I have ventured once more to put her in poffef fion of it. THEOB. L. 27, Yes Madam, that be did; and fent, &c. infertions by CAP.* P. 66. L. 13. So pertaunt like would I o'erfway bis ftate. That be fhould be my fool, and I bis Fate.] If the editors are acquainted with this word, and can account for the meaning of it, their industry has been more fuccefsful than mine, for I can no where trace it. pedant like, as I have ventured to replace in the text, makes very good fenfe, i. e. in fuch a lordly, controlling manner would I bear myself over him, &c. What Biron fays of a pedant, towards the conclufion of the 2d. Act, countenances this conjecture. A domineering pedant o'er the boy, So Than whom no mortal more magnificent. THEO B.* Ibid.] In old farces, to fhew the inevitable approaches of death and destiny, the fool of the farce is made to employ all his ftratagems to avoid death or fate: which very ftratagems as they are ordered, bring the fool at every turn, into the very jaws of fate. To this, Shakespear alludes again in "Measure for Measure." -merely thou art death's fool; For him thou laboureft by thy flight to fhun, It is plain from all this that the nonfenfe of pertaunt-like, fhould be read portent-like, i. e. It would be his fate or destiny, and like a portent hang over, and influence his fortunes. For portents were not only thought to forebode, but to influence. So the Latins called a person destined to bring mifchief, "fatale portentum." WARB. Ibid.] So pageant-like, against the old copies. CAP.* L. 15. Thefe are obfervations worthy of a man who has furveyed human nature with the clofeft attention. JOHNS. P. 67. L. 3. Saint Dennis, to St. Cupid.] The princess of France invokes, with too much levity, the patron of her country, to oppofe his power to that of Cupid. L. 32. With fuch a zealous laughter so profound, To check their folly, paffions, Jolemn tears.] JOHNS. As Mr. Lowe and Mr. Pope have writ and stopped this paffage, 'tis plain, they gave themselves no pains to underftand the author's meaning, Though for the rhime fake, we have a verb fingular following a fubftantive plural, yet this is what Shakespeare would fay; They cry'd as heartily with laughing, as if the deepest grief had been the motive.' So before in Midfummer Night's dream. Made mine eyes water, but more merry tears The paffion of loud laughter never shed. THEOB.* Ibid.] Notwithstanding Mr. Theobald's amendment, a fubftantive plural is ftill followed by a verb fingular. P. 68. L. 1. Spleen ridiculous, is a ridiculous fit. ANON.* JOHNS. L. 5. Like Mufcovites, or Ruffians, as I guess.] The settling commerce in Ruffia was, at that time a matter that much ingroffed the concern and converfation of the publick. There had been feveral embaffies employed thither on that occafion; and feveral tracts of the manners and state of that nation written: fo that a mask of Mufcovites was as good an entertainment to the audience of that time, as a coronation has been fince. WARB : P. 69, L. 11. Beauties, no richer than rich taffata.] i. e. The taffata masks they wore to conceal themfelves. All the editors concur to give this line to Biron; but, furely, very abfurdly for he's one of the zealous admirers, and hardly would make fuch an inference. Boyet is fneering at the parade of their addrefs, is in the fecret of the ladies stratagem, and makes himself sport at the abfurdity of their proem, in complimenting their beauty, when they were masked. It therefore comes from him with the utmost propriety. THEOB. P. 71, 2. When Queen Elizabeth asked an ambassador how he liked her ladies," It is hard, faid be, to judge of ftars in the prefence of the fun." JOHNS. L. 12. King. Yet ftill fhe is the moon, and I the man. Rofa. The mufick plays, vouchfafe fome motion to it; This verse, about the man in the moon, I verily believe to be fpurious, and an interpolation; because, in the first place, the conceit of it is not purfued; and then it entirely breaks in upon the chain of the couplets, and has no rhime to it, However, I have not ventured to cafhier it. The fecond verfe is given to Rofalind, but very abfurdly. The King is intended to folicit the Princefs to dance; but the Ladies had beforehand declared their refolutions of not complying. It is evident, therefore, that it is the King, who should importune Rofalind, whom he mistakes for the Princess, to dance with him. Ibid.] This line difcarded by THEOB CAPELL.* P. 72, 1.5. To cogg fignifies to falfify the dice, and to felffy a narrative, or to lie. JOHNS. CAPELL P. 73, 1. 3. Read invifible. -1.7. Bullets.] difcarded; against the old copies, by An infertion, by CAPELL. CAPELL.* -1. 9. Pure, pure, scoff. L. 29. Better wits bave worn plain ftatute-caps.] This line is not univerfally understood, because every reader does not know that a ftatute-cap is part of the academical habit. Lady Rofaline declares that her expectation was disappointed by these courtly ftudents, and that better wits may be found in the common places of education. JOHNS. Ib.] Woollen caps were enjoined by act of parliament, in the year 1571, 13th Queen Elizabeth. "Befides the bills paffed into acts this parliament, there was one which I judge not amifs to be taken notice of-it concerned the Queen's care for employment for her poor fort of fubjects. It was for continuance of making and wearing woollen caps, in behalf of the trade of cappers; providing, that all above the age of fix years (except the nobility and fome others) should on Sabbath days, and boly days, wear caps of wool, knit, thicked, and dreffed in England, upon penalty of ten groats." Dr. GRAY. P. 74. 1. 15. Fair ladies mafkt are rofes in the bud: Difmafkt, their damask fweet commixture fhew", |