Hel. I will tell truth; by Grace itself, I fwear. For general fov'reignty; and that he will'd me, Count. This was your motive for Paris, was it, fpeak? Hel. My lord your fon made me to think of this; Elfe Paris, and the medicine, and the King, Had from the converfation of my thoughts, Haply, been absent then. Count. But think you, Helen, If you should tender your fuppofed aid, I Hel. There's fomething hints More than my father's fkill (which was the great'ft Of his Profeffion) that his good receipt Shall for my legacy be fanctified 9 Notes, whofe faculties in clufive.] Receipts in which greater virtues were inclofed than appeared to obfervation. There's fomething IN'T More than my father's skill that kis good receipt, &c,] Here is an inference [that] with out any thing preceding, to which it refers, which makes the fentence vicious, and fhews that we should read, - There's fomething HINTS More than my father's skill, that his good receipt· i. e. I have a fecret premonition or prefage. WARBURTON. By th' luckiest stars in heav'n; and, would your ho nour But give me leave to try fuccefs, I'd venture Count. Doft thou believ't? Hel. Ay, Madam, knowingly. Count. Why, Helen, thou fhalt have my leave and love: Means and attendants; and my loving greetings [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. The Court of France. Enter the King, with divers young Lords taking leave for the Florentine war. Bertram and Parolles. F Flourish Cornets. KING. Arewel, young Lords. Thefe warlike principles Do not throw from you. You, my Lords, farewel; 2 In all the latter copies thefe Lines flood thus: Farewel, young Lords; thefe Share The gift doth firetch itself as 'tis receiv'd.] The third line in that state was unintelligible. Sir Thomas Hanmer reads thus: Farewel young Lord, these warlike principles D. Share the advice betwixt you; if both gain all, I Lord. 'Tis our hope, Sir, After well-enter'd foldiers, to return King. No, no, it cannot be; and yet my heart That doth my life befiege; farewel, young Lords: Of the loft Monarchy ;) fee, &c.] This is obfcure. Italy, at the time of this fcene, was under three very different tenures. The emperor, as fucceffot of the Roman emperors, had one part; the pope, by a pretended donation from Conftantine, another; and the third was compofed of free ftates. Now by the last monarchy is meant the Roman, the laft of the four general monarchies. Upon the fall of this monarchy, in the fcramble, feveral cities fet up for themselves, and became free ftates: now these VOL. III. Thofe might be faid properly to inherit the fall of the monarchy. This being premifed, let us now confider fenfe. The king fays, higher Italy; giving it the rank of preference to France; but he corrects himself and says, I except thofe from that precedency, who only inherit the fall of the laft monarchy; as all the little petty ftates; for inftance, Florence to whom thefe voluntiers were going. As if he had faid, I give the place of honour to the emperor and the pope, but not to the free ftates. Thofe 'bated, that inherit but the Fall 2 Lord. Health at your bidding ferve your Majefty! Both. Our hearts receive your warnings. King. Farewel. Come hither to me. [To Bertram. [Exit. 1 Lord. Oh, my sweet Lord, that you will stay behind us! Par. 'Tis not his fault; the fpark Italy, their chief town being Sir T. Hanmer reads, Reflecting upon the abject and degenerate condition of the Ci ties and States which arose out of the ruins of the Roman Empire, the last of the four great Monarchies of the World. HANMER. Dr. Warburton's obfervation is learned, but rather too fubile; Sir Tho. Hanmer's alteration is merely arbitrary. The paffage is confeffedly obfcure, and therefore I may offer another explanation. I am of opinion that the epithet higher is to be underftood of fituation rather than of dignity. The fenfe may then be this, Let upper Italy, where you are to exercife your valour, fee that you come to gain honour, to the abatement, that is, to the 4 difgrace and depreffion of thfe that have now loft their ancient military fame, and inherit but the fall of the lafi monarchy. To abate is ufed by Shakespeare in the original fenfe of abatre, to deprefs, to fink, to deject, to fubdue. So in Coriolanus, 'till ignorance deliver you, As moft abated captives to fome nation That axon you without blows. And bated is ufed in a kindred fenfe in the Jew of Venice, in a bondman's ky With bated breath and whifp'ring humbleness. The word has fill the fame meaning in the language of the law. 4 Beware of being cap tives, Before you ferve. ] The word ferve is equivocal; the fenfe is, Be not captives before you ferve in the war. Be not captives before you are foldiers. 2 Lord. 2 Lord. Oh, 'tis brave wars. Par. Moft admirable; I have feen thofe wars. Ber. I am commanded here, and kept a coil with, Too young, and the next year, and 'tis too early. Par. An thy mind ftand to it, boy, bravely. fteal away Ber. Shall I ftay here a fore horse to a fmock, Creeking my fhoes on the plain masonry, 'Till Honour be bought up, and no fword worn But one to dance with? by heav'n, I'll steal away. 1 Lord. There's honour in the theft. Par. Commit it, Count. 2 Lord. I am your acceffary, and fo farewel. Ber. I grow to you, and our parting is a tortur'd body. 1 Lord. Farewel, Captain. 2 Lord. Sweet Monfieur Parolles! 6 Par. Noble heroes, my fword and yours are kin; good fparks and luftrous. A word, good metals. You fhall find in the regiment of the Spinii, one captain Spurio with his cicatrice, an emblem of war, here on his finifter cheek; it was this very fword entrench'd it; fay to him, I live, and obferve his reports of me. 2 Lord. We fhall, noble captain.. Par. Mars doat on you for his novices! what will ye do? |