L.21. It was enjoyned him in Rome for want of linen, &c.] This may poffibly allude to a ftory, well known in our author's time, to this effect. A Spaniard at Rome falling in a duel, as he lay expiring, an intimate friend, by chance, came by, and offered him his best services. The dying man told him he had but one request to make to him, but conjured him by the memory of their past friendship pun&tually to comply with it, which was not to fuffer him to be stript, but to bury him as he lay, in the habit he then had on. When this was promised, the Spaniard closed his eyes, and expired with great compofure and refignation. But his friends curiofity prevailing over his good faith, he had him ftript, and found, to his great surprise, that he was without a shirt. WARB. Ibid.] This is a plain reference to the following story in Stow's Annals, p. 98. (in the time of Edward the Confeffor.) "Next after this (king Edward's first cure of the king's evil) mine authors affirm, that a certain man, "named Vifunius Spileorne, the fon of Ulmore of Nutgar fhall, who when he hewed timber in the wood of Bru"theullena, laying him down to fleep after his fore labour, "the blood and humours of his head fo congealed about his (6 eyes, that he was thereof blind, for the space of nineteen 66 years; but then (as he had been moved in his fleep) he "went woolward and bare-footed to many churches, in every of them to pray to God for help in his blindness." Dr. GRAY. P. 89. L. 4. I have feen the days of WRONG through the little hole of discretion,] This has no meaning, we should read, the day of RIGHT, i. e. I have foreseen that a day will come when I fhall have justice done me, and therefore I prudently reserve myself for that time. WARB. Ibid.] I fuppofe the common reading meant, "I have "been duly confidering the wrong I have received to day, as a difcreet man ought, who doth nothing but upon ma"ture deliberation; and my determination now is, to right myfelf like a foldier. Mr. W. conjecture, as he inter"prets it, flatly contradicts this last resolution. REVI.* L. 15. In the converfe of breath,-] Perhaps converse may, in this line, mean interchange, JOHNS. 66 47 L. 17. An heavy heart bears not an humble tongue :] Thus all the editions; but furely, without either fense or truth. None are more humble in fpeech, than they who labour under any oppreffion. The Princefs is defiring, her grief may apologize for her not expreffing her obligations at large; and my correction is conformable to that fentiment. Befides, there is an Antithefis between beavy and nimble; but between heavy and bumble, there is none. Ibid.] humble tongue. THEOB. CAP.* L. 26. which fain it would convince;] We must read, which fain would it convince; that is, the entreaties of love, which would fain cover-power grief. So lady Macbeth declares, "That fhe will convince the chamberlain with wine." -My griefs are deaf. JOHNS. L. 32. CAP.* P. 90. L. 1. Honeft plain words, &c.] As it feems not very proper for Biron to court the princefs for the king in the king's prefence, at this critical moment, I believe the Speech given to a wrong perfon. I read thus, Prin I understand you not, my griefs are double: L. 9. Skipping and vain. JOHNS. CAP. L. 11. Full of frange fhapes. against old copies. CAP.* L. 18. Suggested us -] That is, tempted us. JOHNS. L. 29. As bombaft, than as lining to the time: This line is obfcure. Bumbaft was a kind of loose texture not unlike what is now called wadding, used to give the dresses of that time bulk and protuberance, without much encrease of weight; whence the same name is yet given a tumour of words unfupported by folid fentiment. The princess, therefore, fays, that they confidered this courtship as but bumbast, as fomething to fill out life, which not being closely_united with it, might be thrown away at pleasure. JOHNS. L. 30. But more devout than THESE ARE our refpects, Have we not been ;- -] This nonfenfe should be read thus; But more devout than THIS, (SAVE our respects) i, e. fave the refpect we owe to your majesty's quality, your courtship we have laughed at, and made a jest of. But more devout than this, in our refpects. WARB. JOHNS. "But more devout than these are your respects, P. 91. L. 4. We did not co them fo.] We fhould read, QUOTE, esteem, reckon. WARE. P. 92. L. 2. TO FLATTER uptbefe powers of mine with reft;] We fhould read, FETTER up i. e. the turbulence of his pas fion, which hindered him from fleeping, while he was uncertain whether the would have him or not. So that he fpeaks to this purpose, "If I would not do more than this to gain my wonted repofe, may that repofe end in my death. WARB. Ibid.] Flatter or footb is, in my opinion more apposite to the king's purpose than fetter. Perhaps we may read, To flatter on thefe hours of time with reft; That is, I would not deny to live in the hermitage, to make year of delay pafs in quiet. JOHNS. Biron. And what to me my love? and what to me? Rof. You must be purged too, your fins are rank : You are attaint with fault and perjury; the L. 5. Therefore if you my favour mean to get, A twelvemonth ball you spend and never reft, But feek the weary beds of people fick.] These fix verses both Dr. Thirlby and Mr. Warburton concur to think should be expung'd; and therefore have put them between crotchets Not that they were an interpolation, but as the author's first draught, which he afterwards rejected; and executed the fame thought a little lower with much more Spirit and elegance. Shakespear is not to answer for the prefent abfurd repetition, but his actor-editors; who, thinking Rofaiind's speech too long in the second plan, had abridg'd it to the lines above-quoted: but, in publishing the play, ftupidly printed both the original fpeech of Shakespear, and their own abridgment of it. THEOB. CAPELL. Ibid.] Thefe lines difcarded by Thus our fagacious modern editors. But if they had but the reckoning of a tapfter, as our author fays, they might have been able to diftinguish four from three. I have, by the directions of the old impreffions, reformed the pointing; and made Catharine fay what the intended. THEOB.* P. 93, 1. 19. Lives in the ear. CAPELL. Ibid.] L. 21.- dear should here, as in many other places, be dere, fad, odious. JOHNS. P. 94, 1. 6. That's too long for a play.] Befides the exact regularity to the rules of art, which the author has happened to preserve in fome few of his pieces; this is demonftration, I think, that though he has more frequently tranfgreffed the unity of time, by cramming years into the compafs of a play, yet he knew the abfurdity of fo doing, and was not unacquainted with the rule to the contrary. THEOB.* Ibid.] L. 23. When daizies py'd and violets blue, And cuckow-buds of yellow bue And lady-finocks all filver white, Do paint the meadows with delight ;] Though all the printed copies range thefe verfes in this order, I have not fcrupled to tranfpose the second and third verse, that the metre may be conformable with that of the three following stanzas: in all which the rhimes of the first four lines are alternate. Тнгов.* P. 95, 1. 2. Do paint the meadows with delight.] This is a pretty rural fong, in which the images are drawn with great force from nature. But this fenfeless expletive of painting with delight, I would read thus, Do paint the meadows MUCH-BEDIGHT, i.e. much bedecked or adorned, as they are in fpring-time The epithet is proper, and the compound not inelegant. WARB.* Ibid.] Much lefs elegant than the prefent reading, JOHNS. fbid.] Keel the pot.] This word is yet in ufe in Ireland, and fignifies to fcum the pot. GOLDSMITH.* |