P. 27, 1. 27. - an acre of barren ground; long heath, brown furze, etc.] Sir T. Hanmer reads ling, heath, broom, furze. Perhaps rightly, though he has been charged with tautology. FARMER. P. 28, 1.9. - or e'er-] i. e. before. STEEVENS. P. 28, 1. 20. - more better - This ungrammatical expression is very frequent among our oldest writers. STEEVENS, P. 28, 1. 21. - full poor cell,] i. e. a cell in a great degree of poverty. STEEVENS. P. 28, 1. 24. Did never meddle with my thoughts.] i. e. mix with them. To meddle is often used, with this sense, by Chaucer. Hence the substantive medley. The modern and familiar phrase by which that of Miranda may be explained, is-never entered my thoughts-never came into my head. STEEVENS. It should rather mean to interfere, to trouble, to busy itself, as still used in the North, e. g. Don't meddle with me: i. e. Let me alone; Don't molest me. RITSON. P. 28, 1. 32. - virtue of compassion-] Vir tue, the most efficacious part, the energetic qua lity; in a like sense we say, The virtue of a plant is in the extract. JOHNSON. P. 29, 1. 14. Out three years old.] i. e. Quite three years old, three years old full-out, complete. STEEVENS. P. 29, 1. 26. - abysm of time?] i. e. abyfs. STEEVENS. P. 30, 1. 2. Issued.] i e. descended. STEEVENS. trouble. STEEVENS. P. 50, 1. 28. To trash for over-topping;] To trash, as Dr. Warburton observes, is to cut away the superfluities. This word I have met with in books containing directions for gardeners, published in the time of Queen Elizabeth. STEEVENS. I think this phrase means ,,to correct for too much haughtiness or overbearing.". It is used by sportsmen in the North when they correct a dog for misbehaviour in pursuing the game. Douce. A trash is a term still in use among hunters, to denote a piece of leather, couples, or any other weight fastened round the neck of a dog, when his speed is superior to the rest of the pack; i. e. when he over-tops them, when he hunts too quick. C. P. 30, 1. 30. - both the key - ) This is meant of a key for tuning the harpsicord, spinnet, virginal; we call it now a tuning hammer. or SIR J. HAWKINS, P. 51, 1. 7. Like a good parent, etc.] Allud. ing to the observation, that a father above the common rate of men has commonly a son below it. JOHNSON. P. 31, 1. 27. (So dry he was for sway)] i. e. So thirsty. The expression, I am told, is not uncommon in the midland counties. STEEVENS P. 32, first line. To think but nobly -] But, in this place, signifies otherwise than. STEEVENS. P. 32, 1. 6. in lieu o' the premises, etc.] In lieu of, means here, in consideration of; an unusual acceptation of the word. M. MASON. STEEVENS. P. 52, 1. 18. - a hint,) Hint is suggestion. P. 32, 1. 19. That wrings mine eyes.] i. e. squeezes the water out of them. STEEVENS. P. 33, 1. 11. - deck'd the sea - To deck the sea, if explained, to honour, adorn, or digni fy, is indeed ridiculous, but the original import of the verb deck is, to cover; so in some parts they yet say deck the table. This sense may be borne, but perhaps the poet wrote fleck'd, which I think is still used in rustic language of drops falling upon water. Dr. Warburton reads mock'd; the Oxford edition brack'd. JOHNSON. To deck, I am told, signifies in the North, to sprinkle. A correspondent, who signs. himself Eboracensis, proposes that this contested word should be printed degg'd, which, says he, signifies sprinkled, and is in daily use in the North of England. When cloaths that have been washed are too much dried, it is necessary to moisten them before they can be ironed, which is always done by sprinkling; this operation the maidens universally call degging. REED, P. 35, 1. 13. An undergoing stomach.] Stomach is stubborn resolution. P. 33, 1. 29. Now I arise:) Why does Prospero arise? Or, if he does it to ease himself by change of posture, why need he interrupt his narrative to tell his daughter of it? Perhaps these words belong to Miranda, and we should read: Mar. Would I might But ever see that man! - Now I arise. Pro. Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow: Prospero, in p. 29. had directed his daughter to sit down, and learn the whole of this history; having previously by some magical charm disposed her to fall asleep. He is watching the progress of this charm; and in the mean time tells her a long story, often asking her whether her attention be still awake. The story being ended (as Miranda supposes) with their coming on shore, and partaking of the conveniences provided for them by the loyal humanity of Gonzalo, she therefore first expresses a wish to see the good old man, and then observes, that she may, now arise, as the story is done. Prospero, surprised that his charm does not yet work, bids her sit still; and then enters on fresh matter to amuse the time, telling her (what she knew before) that he had been her tutor, etc. But soon perceiving her drowsiness coming on, he breaks off abruptly, and leaves her still sitting to her slumbers. BLACKSTONE. As the words ,,now I arise" - may signify, ,,now I rise in my narration,",,now my story heightens iu its consequence," I have left the passage in question, undisturbed. We still say, that the interest of a drama rises or declines. STEEVENS. P. 54, 1. 5. Now my dear lady,] i. e. now my auspicious mistress. STEEVENS. P. 34, 1.12. - 'tis a good dulness,] Dr. Warburton rightly observes, that this sleepiness, which Prospero by his art had brought upon Miranda, and of which he knew not how soon the effect would begin, makes him question her so often whether she is attentive to his story. JOHNSON. P. 34, 1. 24. - and all his quality.] i. e. all his confederates, all who are of the same profession. STEEVENS. P. 34, L. 26. Perform'd to point -] i. e. to the minutest article. STEEVENS. P. 34, L. 28. now on the beak,] The beak was a strong pointed body at the head of the ancient gallies; it is used here for the forecastle, or the bolt-sprit. JOHNSON. P. 34, 1. 29. Now in the waist,] The part between the quarter-deck and the fore-castic. JOHNSON. P. 54, 1. 31. And burn in many places:] Burton says, that the Spirits of fire, in form of fire-drakes and blazing stars, oftentimes sit on ship-masts," etc. Melanch. P. I. §. 2. p. 30. edit. 1632. T. WARTON. P. 35, L. 5. Yea, his dread trident shake.] Lest the metre should appear defective, it is necessary to apprize the reader, that in Warwickshire and other midland counties, shake is still pronunced by the common people as if it was written shaake, a dissyllable. FARMER. P. 35, 1. 10. But felt a fever of the mad,] If it be at all necessary to explain the meaning, it is this: Not a soul but felt such a fever as madmen feel, when the frantick fit is upon them. STEEVENS. P. 55, 1. 23. - sustaining -] i. e. their garments that bore them up and supported them. Mr. M. Mason, however, observes that the word sustaining in this place does not mean supporting, but enduring; and by their sustaining garments, Ariel means their garments which bore, without being injured, the drenching of the sea." STEEVENS. P. 35, last line. From the still-vex'd Bermoothes, Smith, in his account of these islands, p. 172, says, „that the Bermudas were so fearful to the world, that many call'd them The Isle of Devils. - P. 174. to all seamen no less terrible than an inchanted den of furies." And no wonder, for the clime was extremely subject to storms and hurricanes; and the islands were surrounded with scattered rocks lying shallowly hid under the surface of the water. WARBURTON. The epithet here applied to the Bermudas, will be best understood by those who have seen the |