approved, and seal'd in testimony of that approbation, and, like other things so sealed, is no more to be called in question. Line 301. JOHNSON. to hear this matter forth,] To hear it to the end; to search it to the bottom. JOHNSON. Line 350. to retort your manifest appeal,] To refer back to Angelo the cause in which you appealed from Angelo to the JOHNSON. Duke. Line 367. Nor here provincial :) Nor here accountable. The meaning seems to be, I am not one of his natural subjects, nor of any dependent province. JOHNSON. Line 372. Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop.] Barbers' shops were, at all times, the resort of idle people. Tonstrina erat quædam: hic solebamus ferè Which Donatus calls apta sedes otiosis. Formerly with us, the better sort of people went to the barber's shop to be trimmed; who then practised the under parts of surgery: so that he had occasion for numerous instruments, which lay there ready for use; and the idle people, with whom his shop was generally crowded, would be perpetually handling and misusing them. To remedy which, I suppose, there was placed up against the wall a table of forfeitures, adapted to every offence of this kind; which, it is not likely, would long preserve its authority. WARBURTON. Line 388. and a coward.) So again afterwards, But Lucio had not, in the former conversation, mentioned cowardice among the faults of the Duke. Such failures of memory are incident to writers more diligent than this poet. JOHNSON. Line 409. -Show your sheep-biting face, and be hang'd an hour! wilt not off?] This is intended to be the common language of vulgar indignation. Our phrase on such occasions is simply; show your sheep-biting face, and be hanged. The words an hour have no particular use here, nor are authorised by custom. I suppose it was written thus, show your sheep-biting face, and be hanged-an' how? wilt not of? In the midland counties, upon any unexpected obstruction or resistance, it is common to exclaim an' how? JOHNSON. Line 439. which consummate,] i. e. Which being ac.complished. Line 446. Advertising and holy-] Attentive and faithful. 453. JOHNSON. be you as free to us.] Be as generous to us, -pardon us as we have pardoned you. JOHNSON. Line 461. That brain'd my purpose:] We now use in conversation a like phrase, This it was that knocked my design on the head. Line 476. JOHNSON. -even from his proper tongue,] Even from An gelo's own tongue. So above, Line 481. denies thee vantage:] Take from thee all oppor tunity, all expedient of denial. WARBURTON. Line 509. Against all sense you do impórtune her.] The meaning required is, against all reason and natural affection; Shakspeare, therefore, judiciously uses a single word that implies both; sensc signifying both reason and affection. JOHNSON. Line 525. Till he did look on me;] The Duke has justly observed, that Isabel is importuned against all sense to solicit for Angelo, yet here against all sense she solicits for him. Her argument is extraordinary. A due sincerity govern'd his deeds, 'Till he did look on me; since it is so, That Angelo had committed all the crimes charged against him, as far as he could commit them, is evident. The only intent which his act did not overtake, was the defilement of Isabel. Of this Angelo was only intentionally guilty. JOHNSON. Line 547. after more advice,] i. e. After more reflection. - 570. for those earthly faults,] Thy faults, so far as they are punishable on earth, so far as they are cognisable by tem poral power, I forgive. JOHNSON. Line 583. -perceives he's safe;) It is somewhat strange, K2 that Label is not made to express either gratitude, wonder, or joy, at the sight of her brother. JOHNSON, Line 585. your evil quits you well:] Quits you, recompenses, requites you. JOHNSON. Line 586. her worth, worth yours.] These words are, as they are too frequently, an affected gingle, but the sense is plain. Her worth, worth yours; that is, her value is equal to your value, the match is not unworthy of you. JOHNSON. Line 589. here's one in place I cannot pardon;] After the pardon of two murderers, Lucio might be treated by the good Duke with less harshness; but perhaps the poet intended to show, what is too often seen, that men easily forgive wrongs which are not committed against themselves. JOHNSON, Line 592. One all of luxury,] Luxury here means, lewdness. - 595. - according to the trick:] To my custom, my habitual practice. JOHNSON. Line 612. - thy other forfeits:] Thy other punishments. JOHNSON. END OF THE ANNOTATIONS ON MEASURE FOR MEASURE. : ANNOTATIONS ON MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. ACT I. SCENE I. LINE 22. joy could not sherw itself modest enough, without a badge of bitterness.) This is judiciously express'd. Of all the transports of joy, that which is attended with tears is least of fensive; because carrying with it this mark of pain, it allays the envy that usually attends another's happiness. This he finely calls a modest joy, such a one as did not insult the observer by an indication of happiness unmixed with pain. WARBURTON. This is an idea which Shakespeare seems to have been delighted to express. STEEVENS. Line 27. no faces truer That is, none honester, none more sincere. JOHNSON Line 30. -is Signior Montanto returned ] Montante, in Spanish, is a huge two-handed sword, given, with much humour, to one, the speaker would represent as a boaster or bravado. Line 32. WARBURTON. there was none such in the army of any sort.] Not meaning there was none such of any order or degree whatever, but that there was none such of any quality above the common. WARBURTON. Line 38. He set up his bills, &c.] In Ben Jonson's Every Man out of his Humour, Shift says, "This is rare, I have set up my bills without dicovery." Beatrice means, that Benedick published a general challenge, like a prize-fighter. STEEVENS. Line 39. challenged Cupid at the flight;] The disuse of the bow makes this passage obscure. Benedick is represented as challenging Cupid at archery. To challenge at the flight is, I believe, to wager who shall shoot the arrow furthest without any particular mark. JOHNSON. To challenge at the flight was a challenge to shoot with an arSTEEVENS. row. Flight means only an arrow. Line 41. at the bird-bolt.] The bird-bolt is a short thick arrow without point, and spreading at the extremity so much, as to leave a flat surface, about the breadth of a shilling. Such are to this day in use to kill rooks with, and are shot from a crossbow. STEEVENS. Line 46. he'll be meet with you.] This is a very common expression in the midland counties, and signifies he'll be your match, he'll be even with you. Line 64. STEEVENS. four of his five wits) In our author's time wit was the general term for intellectual powers. Line 66. JOHNSON if he have wit enough to keep himself warm,] Such a one has wit enough to keep himself warm, is a proverbial expression; to bear any thing for a difference is a term in heraldry. Line 73. STEEVENS. he wears his faith) Not religious profession, but profession of friendship; for the speaker gives it as the reason of her asking, who was now his companion? that he had every month a new sworn brother. WARBURTON. Line 74. with the next block.] A block is a mould on which a hat is formed. The old writers sometimes use the word for the hat itself. STEEVENS. Line 76. the gentleman is not in your books.] This is a phrase used, I believe, by more than understand it. To be in one's books is to be in one's codicils or will, to be among friends set down for legacies. Thus Hamlet says, JOHNSON. |