Note return to page 1 A Sketch of Shakespeare's general Character.

Note return to page 2 Some Particulars of his private Life.

Note return to page 3 His Character as a Writer.

Note return to page 4 A lover of Musick.

Note return to page 5 Milton an Imitator of him.

Note return to page 6 Shakespeare's Knowledge of Nature.

Note return to page 7 Mr. Addison and He compared, on a similar Topick.

Note return to page 8 The Question on Shakespeare's Learning handled.

Note return to page 9 B. Jonson and Shakespeare compar'd.

Note return to page 10 His Reputation under Disadvantages.

Note return to page 11 Praise sometimes an Injury.

Note return to page 12 The old Editions faulty, whence.

Note return to page 13 The Editor's Drift and Method.

Note return to page 14 Difference betwixt this Edition and Dr. Bentley's Milton.

Note return to page 15 Causes of Obscurities in Shakespeare.

Note return to page 16 Shakespeare's Anachronisms defended.

Note return to page 17 Mr. Pope's Anachronisms examin'd.

Note return to page 18 Literal Criticism defended.

Note return to page 19 Platonius corrected.

Note return to page 20 *&grX;&gro;&grr;&grh;&grg;&grwc;&grn;.

Note return to page 21 †&grX;&gro;&grr;&gre;&gru;&grt;&grwc;&grn;.

Note return to page 22 Camerarius and Keuster, mistaken.

Note return to page 23 *In Ranis, v. 73.

Note return to page 24 Meursius, and Camerarius mistaken.

Note return to page 25 Father Brumoy mistaken.

Note return to page 26 Sir George Wheler corrected.

Note return to page 27 †In his Nummi Antiqui illustrati.

Note return to page 28 An Epitaph corrected and explain'd.

Note return to page 29 1&grb;&gria;&gro;&grt;&gro;&gru; &grp;&gra;&grr;&grea;&grd;&grw;&grk;&gre;&grn;.

Note return to page 30 2&grt;&gri;&grm;&grha;&grs;&gra;&grst; &grs;&gre;&grm;&grn;&gro;&grt;&graa;&grt;&grh;&grn;.

Note return to page 31 3&grb;&gri;&gro;&gruc;&grs;&grap;.

Note return to page 32 4&grt;&gro;&gruc;&grt;&gro; &grl;&gri;&grp;&gro;&gruc;&grs;&gra; &grf;&graa;&gro;&grst;.

Note return to page 33 A Votive Table corrected.

Note return to page 34 1&GROsa;&gru;&grr;&gro;&grn;.

Note return to page 35 2&grp;&grr;&grua;&grm;&grn;&grh;&grst;.

Note return to page 36 3&grp;&grr;&grwa;&grt;&grw;&grn;,

Note return to page 37 4&grK;&gru;&gra;&grn;&gre;&gra;&gric;&grst; &grd;&gria;&grn;&grh;&grs;&gri;&grn; &gres;&grp;&gria;&grd;&grr;&gro;&grm;&gro;&grn;.

Note return to page 38 5&grN;&groa;&grs;&grt;&gro;&grn;.

Note return to page 39 6&grb;&gra;&grl;&grwa;&grn;.

Note return to page 40 7&grc;&gro;&gra;&gria;&grn;&grwi;.

Note return to page 41 8&GREs;&grs;&grd;&greg;.

Note return to page 42 9&gre;&grus;&gra;&grn;&grq;&grhc;.

Note return to page 43 10&grf;&gria;&grl;&grw;&grn;.

Note return to page 44 The Delay of this Edition excused.

Note return to page 45 Acknowledgment of Assistance.

Note return to page 46 The Editor's particular Pains taken.

Note return to page 47 †This Epitaph was written in 1630, when Milton was in his Two and Twentieth Year; for he was born in 1608.

Note return to page 48 [1] (1) i. e. on the present, at this Instant.

Note return to page 49 [2] (2) I am more better.] This is the genuine Reading, which the last Editor has sophisticated; not observing, I suppose, how frequent it is with Shakespeare, and the other Writers of that Age, to add the Termination to Adjectives of the comparative and superlative Degrees, and at the same time prefix the Signs showing the Degrees.

Note return to page 50 [3] (3) full poor Cell,] These two Adjectives without a Hyphen, and taking the first adverbially, make stark Nonsense; but full-poor is what the Latines used to express by perpauper, perexiguus. The French likewise have a similar Form of Expression; fort-pauvre, fort-debile, fort-malade, &c.

Note return to page 51 [4] (4) Provision in mine Art.] This is the Reading of the 1st fol. Edition, which I have therefore restored. The word Compassion took place afterwards, I presume, from the mistake of the Printers, who threw their Eyes twice inadvertently on the preceding Line, where this Word is, and so happen'd to substitute it.

Note return to page 52 [5] (5) is no Foyle,] i. e. no Damage, Loss, Detriment. The two old Folio's read;—is no Soul: which will not agree in Grammar with the following Part of the Sentence. Mr. Rowe first substituted—no Soul lost, which does not much mend the Matter, taking the Context together. Foyle is a Word familiar with our Poet, and in some Degree synonomous to Perdition in the next Line. So in the Beginning of the third Act of this Play, &lblank; but some Defect in her Did quarrel with the noblest Grace she ow'd. And put it to the foil. i. e. abated, undid it.

Note return to page 53 [6] (6) out three years old.] This is the old Reading: 'tis true, the Expression is obsolete, but it supply'd the Sense of, full out, out-right, or right-out, as in the fourth Act of this Play; Swears, he will shoot no more, but play with Sparrows, And be a boy right-out.

Note return to page 54 [7] (7) &lblank; I should sin, To think not nobly of my Grandmother;] This is Mr. Pope's reading; from no Authority, I presume: All the Copies that I have seen, have it; To think but nobly—i. e. otherwise than nobly; according to our Author's Usage. So, in Much Ado about Nothing; I know not; if they speak but Truth of her, These hands shall tear her. And so in Timon; I to bear this, That never knew but better, is some Burthen. &c. &c.

Note return to page 55 [8] (8) Good Wombs have bore bad Sons. Pro. Now, the Condition:] Thus have all the Editions divided these Speeches; But, tho' I have not attempted to regulate them otherwise, I have great Suspicion, that our Author plac'd them thus; Pro. Good Wombs have bore bad Sons.—Now, the Condition: How could Miranda, that came into this Desart Island an Infant, that had never seen any other Creatures of the World, but her Father and Caliban, with any Propriety be furnish'd to make such an Observation from Life, that the Issue has often degenerated from the Parent? But it comes very properly from Prospero, as a short Document, by the By, to his Daughter; implying, “that she did very well to think with Honour of her Ancestor; for that it was common in Life, for good People to have bad Children.”

Note return to page 56 [9] (9) From the still-vext Bermoothes] So this Word has hitherto been mistakenly written in all the Books. There are about 400 Islands in North America, the principal of which was call'd Bermuda from a Spaniard of that Name who first discover'd them. They are likewise call'd Summer Islands, from Sir George Summers, who in 1609 made that Voyage; and viewing them, probably, first brought the English acquainted with them, and invited them afterwards to settle a Plantation there.—But why, still-vext Bermudas? The Soil is celebrated for its Beauty and Fruitfulness; and the Air is so very temperate and serene, that People live there to a great Age, and are seldom troubled with Sickness. But then, on the other hand, these Islands are so sorrounded with Rocks on all sides, that without a perfect Knowledge of the Passage, a small Vessel cannot be brought to Haven. Again, we are told, that they are subject to violent Storms, sometimes with terrible clattering of Thunder, and dismal flashing of Lightning. And besides, Sir George Summers, when he made the Discovery, was actually shipwreck'd on the Coast. This, I take it, might be a sufficient Foundation for our Author's using the Epithet still-vext.

Note return to page 57 [10] (10) Mira. Abhorred Slave;] In all the printed Editions this Speech is given to Miranda: but I am persuaded, the Author never design'd it for her. In the first Place, 'tis probable, Prospera taught, Caliban to speak, rather than left that Office to his Daughter: in the next Place, as Prospero was here rating Caliban, it would be a great Impropriety for her to take the Discipline out of his hands; and, indeed, in some sort, an Indecency in her to reply to what Caliban last was speaking of, Mr. Dryden, I observe, in his Alteration of this Play, has judiciously placed this Speech to Prospero. I can easily guess, that the Change was first deriv'd from the Players, who not loving that any Character should stand too long silent on the Stage, to obviate that Inconvenience with Regard to Miranda, clap'd this Speech to her Part.

Note return to page 58 [11] (11) &lblank; the Duke of Milan, And his brave Son, being twain.] Here seems a slight Forgetfulness in our Poet: No Body was lost in this Wreck, as is manifest from several Passages: and yet we have no such Character introduc'd in the Fable, as the Duke of Milan's Son.

Note return to page 59 [12] (12) Alon. Pr'ythee peace.] All that follows from hence to this Speech of the King's. You cram these Words into my Ears against The Stomach of my Sense. seems to Mr. Pope to have been an Interpolation by the Players. For my part, tho' I allow the Matter of the Dialogue to be very poor and trivial, (of which, I am sorry to say, we don't want other Instances in our Poet;) I cannot be of this Gentleman's Opinion, that it is interpolated. For should we take out this intermediate Part, what would become of these Words of the King? &lblank; Would I had never. Married my Daughter there! What Daughter? and, where married? For it is from this intermediate part of the Scene only, that we are told, the King had a Daughter nam'd Claribel, whom he had married into Tunis. 'Tis true, in a subsequent Scene, betwixt Antonio and Sebastian, we again hear her and Tunis mention'd: but in such a manner, that it would be quite obscure and unintelligible without this previous Information. Mr. Pope's Criticism therefore is injudicious and unweigh'd. Besides, poor and jejune as the Matter of the Dialogue is, it was certainly design'd to be of a ridiculous Stamp; to divert and unsettle the King's Thoughts from reflecting too deeply on his Son's suppos'd Drowning.

Note return to page 60 [13] (13) Enter Ariel, playing] This Marginal Direction I have restor'd from the Old Folio's; and, surely, 'tis very necessary, it should be inserted; as it contains a Strain of Inchantment, which accounts for Gonzalo, Alonzo, &c. so suddenly dropping asleep.

Note return to page 61 [14] (14) Trebles thee o'er.] i. e. makes thee thrice what thou now art. Thus the two first Folio's, and all the other Impressions of any Authority, that I have seen, exhibit the Text: and the Phrase is familiar both to our Poet, & other Stage-Writers of his Time. Merchant of Venice. Act. 3. Sc. 2. &lblank; yet for You. I would be trebled twenty times my self, K. Richard III. Act 5. Sc. 3. Why, our Battalion trebles that account. So, Pericles, Prince of Tyre; The Boat-swain whistles, and the Master calls, And trebles their Confusion. And so, Marston in his Sophonisba; Think, ev'ry Honour, that doth grace thy Sword, Trebles my Love: Troubles thee o'er—is a foolish Reading, which, I believe, first got Birth in Mr. Pope's 2 Editions of our Poet; and, I dare say, will lie buried there in a proper Obscurity.

Note return to page 62 [15] (15) &lblank; She, for whom We were sea-swallow'd,] Thus Mr. Pope, with as little Reason, as Authority. All the Copies, that I have seen, read,—from whom, &c. And why not from? Were they not shipwreck'd, as is evident above, in their Return from her?   &lblank; Would I had never Married my Daughter there! for coming thence, &c.

Note return to page 63 [16] (16) Looks like a foul Bumbard] This Term again occurs in the 1st Part of Henr. IV.—that swoln Parcell of Dropsies, that huge Bumbard of Sack—and again in Henr. VIII. And here you lie baiting of Bumbards, when Ye should do Service. By these several Passages, 'tis plain, the Word meant in those days a large Vessel for holding Drink, as well as the piece of Ordnance so call'd. And, I think, at Oxford they now make Use of a Vehicle, which is term'd a Gun of Ale. Ben. Jonson, our Author's Contemporary, likewise employs this Word Bumbard in this Sense. The poor Cattle yonder are passing away the time with a cheat Loaf, and a Bumbard of broken Beer, &c. See his Masque of Augures. And, in his Translation of Horace's Art of Poetry, he renders Projicit Ampullas, & sesquipedalia verba, in this manner; &lblank; must throw by Their bumbard Phrase, and foot-and-half-foot Words.

Note return to page 64 [17] (17) His forward Voice now is to speak well of his Friend. The facetious Author of Hudibras seems to have had this Passage in Eye, in one Part of his Description of Fame. Two Trumpets She doth sound at once, But Both of clean contrary Tones, But whether both with the same Wind, Or one before, and one behind, We know not; only This can tell; The one sounds vilely, th' other well.

Note return to page 65 [18] (18) I afraid of him? a very shallow monster. &lblank;] It is to be observ'd, Trinculo is not charg'd with any Fear of Caliban; and therefore This seems to come in abruptly; but in This consists the true Humour. His own Consciousness, that he had been terribly afraid of him, after the Fright was over, drew out this Bragg. This seems to be one of Shakespeare's fine Touches of Nature: for that Trinculo had been horribly frighten'd at the Monster, and shook with Fear of him, while he lay under his Gaberdine, is plain, from What Caliban says, while he is lying there? Thou dost me yet but little Harm; thou wilt anon, I know by thy trembling.

Note return to page 66 [19] (19) Young Scamels from the Rock.] I can no where else meet with such a Word as Scamel, which has possess'd all the Editions. Shakespeare must certainly either have wrote Shamois (as Mr. Warburton and I have both conjectur'd) i. e. young Kids: or Sea-malls. The Sea-mall, or Sea-mell, or Sea-mew (according to Willoughby,) is that Bird, which is call'd Larus cinereus minor; it feeds upon Fish, and frequents the Banks of Lakes. It is not impossible, but our Poet might here intend this Bird. Or, again, (and which comes near to Scamel, in the Traces of the Letters.) Ray tells us of another Bird, call'd the Stannel, (the same with the Tinnunculus among the Latins, and &grk;&gre;&grg;&grx;&grr;&grig;&grst; amongst the Greeks;) of the Hawk Species. It is no Matter which of the three Readings we embrace, so we take a Word signifying the Name of something in Nature.

Note return to page 67 [20] (20) Least busie when I do it.] This Reading, I presume, to be Mr. Pope's; for I do not find it authoriz'd by the Copies: The two first Folio's read; Most busy least, when I do it. 'Tis true, this Reading is corrupt; but the Corruption is so very little remov'd from the Truth of the Text, that I can't afford to think well of my own Sagacity for having discover'd it.

Note return to page 68 [21] (21) Servant-Monster.] The Part of Caliban has been esteem'd a signal Instance of the Copiousness of Shakespeare's Invention; and that he had shewn an Extent of Genius, in creating a Person which was not in Nature. And for this, as well as his other magical and ideal Characters, a just Admiration has been paid him. I can't help taking notice, on this Occasion, of the Virulence of Ben. Jonson, who, in the Induction to his Bartlemew Fair, has endeavour'd to throw Dirt, not only at this single Character, but at this whole Play. “If there be never a Servant Monster in the “Fair, who can help it, (he says,) nor a Nest of Anticks? He is loth to make Nature afraid in his Plays, like Those that beget Tales, Tempests, and such like Drolleries, to mix his Head with other Mens Heels.” Shakespeare, as the Tradition runs, was the Person who first brought Jonson upon the Stage; and this is the Stab we find given in Requital for such a Service, when his Benefactor was retreated from the Scene. A Circumstance, that strangely aggravates the Ingratitude. But this surly Sauciness was familiar with Ben; when the Publick were ever out of Humour at his Performances, he would revenge it on them, by being out of Humour with those Pieces which had best pleas'd them.—I'll only add, that his Conduct in This was very contradictory to his cooler Professions, “that if Men would impartially look towards the Offices and Functions of a Poet, they would easily conclude to themselves the Impossibility of any Man's being the good Poet, without first being a good Man.

Note return to page 69 [22] (22) Each Putter out of Five for One &lblank;] By the Variation of a single Letter, I think, I have set the Text right; and will therefore now proceed to explain it. I freely confess, that I once understood this Passage thus; that every five Travellers (or Putters out) did bring authentick Confirmation of these Stories, for one that pretended to dispute the Truth of them: But communicating my Sense of the Place to Two ingenious Friends, I found, I was not at the Bottom of the Meaning. Mr. Warburton observ'd to me, that this was a fine Piece of conceal'd Satire on the Voyagers of that Time, who had just discover'd a new World; and, as was very natural, grew most extravagant in displaying the Wonders of it. That, particularly, by Each Putter out of Five for One, was meant the Adventurers in the Discovery of the West Indies, who had for the Money they advanc'd and contributed, 20 per Cent.—Dr. Thirby did not a little assist this Explanation by his Concurrence, and by instructing me, that it was usual in those Times for Travellers to put out Money, to receive a greater Sum if they liv'd to return; and, for Proof, he referr'd me to Morison's Itinerary, Part I. p. 198, &c. I cannot return my Friends better Thanks for the Light they have given me upon this Passage, than by subjoining a Testimony from a contemporary Poet, that will put both their Explanation, and my Correction of the Text, past dispute. B. Jonson's Every Man out of his Humour, in the Character of Puntarvolo. I do intend, this Year of Jubilee coming on, to travel: And (because I will not altogether go upon Expence,) I am determin'd to put forth some five thousand pound, to be paid me five for one, upon the Return of my self, my Wife, and my Dog, from the Turk's Court in Constantinople. If All, or Either of Us miscarry in the Journey, 'tis gone; if We be successful, why, there will be five and twenty thousand Pounds to entertain Time withal. If this was to be the Return of the Knight's Venture; 'tis obvious, he put out his Money on five for one. Ben. to heighten the Ridicule of these projecting Voyagers, makes Puntarvolo's Wife averse to accompany him; and so he is forc'd to put out his Venture on the Return of himself, his Dog, and his Cat.—Let me conclude with observing on the different Conduct of the Two Poets. Shakespeare (perhaps, out of a particular Deference for Sir W. Raleigh) only sneers these adventurous Voyagers obliquely, and, as it were, en passant: The surly Ben, who would be tyed up by no such scrupulous Regards, dresses up the Fashion in the most glaring Colours of Comic Humour; or, rather, brings down his Satire to the Level of Farcical Ridicule.

Note return to page 70 [23] (23) Hath caus'd to belch you up;] Thus, the whole Set of Editions; but 'tis obvious to every Reader, that the Grammar's faulty; and therefore I have cur'd it by throwing out you.

Note return to page 71 [24] (24) &lblank; for I Have giv'n you here a third of my own life,] Thus all the Impressions in general; but why is She only a Third of his own Life? He had no Wife living, nor any other Child, to rob her of a Share in his Affection: So that We may reckon her at least half of himself. Nor could he intend, that he lov'd himself twice as much as he did her; for he immediately subjoins, that it was She for whom he liv'd. In Othello, when Iago alarms the Senator with the loss of his Daughter, he tells him, Your Heart is burst, you have lost half your Soul. And Dimidium animæ meæ is the current Language on such Occasions. There is no Room for doubt, but I have restor'd to the Poet his true Reading; and the Thread of Life is a Phrase most frequent with him. So in K. Henry V. And let not Bardolfe's vital Thread be cut With Edge of Penny Cord. 1. Henr. VI. &lblank; had not Churchmen pray'd, His Thread of Life had not so soon decay'd. 2. Henr. VI. Argo, their Thread of Life is spun. Othello. &lblank; I'm glad, thy Father's dead; Thy Match was mortal to him, and pure Grief Shore his old Thread in twain.

Note return to page 72 [25] (25) Earth's Increase.] All the Editions, that I have ever seen, concur in placing this whole Sonnet to Juno: but very absurdly, in my Opinion. I believe, every accurate Reader, who is acquainted with poetical History, and the distinct Offices of these two Goddesses, and who then seriously reads over our Author's Lines, will agree with Me, that Ceres's Name ought to have been placed where I have now prefix'd it.

Note return to page 73 [26] (26) I have from All their Confines.] This All is obtruded upon Us by the nice Ears of our modern Editors, who were for helping the Verse, upon a Supposition that the Accent in Confines must needs be upon the first Syllable. But the Practice of our Poet is against them; and therefore I have restor'd him to his own Reading. See As you like it. Act. 2. Sc. 1. And yet it irks me, the poor dappled Fools; Being native Burghers of this desart City, Should, in their own Confínes, K. John. Act. 4. This Kingdom, this Confíne of Blood and Breath, And Hamlet. Act. 1. Sc. 1. Th' extravagant and erring Spirit hyes To his Confíne. And in his Poem intitled, In Praise of his Love. In whose Confíne immured is the Store, Which should examplè where your Equal grew. And, again, in his Poem call'd, A Lover's Complaint. O most potential Love! Vow, Bond, nor Space, In thee hath neither Sting, Knot, nor Confíne: And in his Amorous Epistle of Paris to Helen. Shipping myself from the Sigæan Shore, Whence unto these Confínes my Course I bore. And, I believe, in every other Passage throughout his Works, where he has used this Word, the Accent is constantly on the last Syllable.

Note return to page 74 [27] (27) &lblank; Sir, I am vext; Bear with my Weakness, my old Brain is troubled:] There is the Appearance of something very extraordinary, in this great Emotion of Anger so discoverable in the Behaviour of Prospero, on the suddain Recollection of Caliban's Plot: And the admirable Reflection, which he makes, upon the Insignificancy of human Things, fully shews it: For thinking Men are never under greater Oppression of Mind, than when they make such kind of Reflections. And yet, if we turn to the Cause of this Disturbance, there is Nothing that one could imagine, at first View, could occasion it: The Plot of a contemptible Savage, and two drunken Sailors, whom he had absolutely in his Power! It could be no Apprehension of Danger then, that could cause it. But, reflecting more attentively, we shall find, (agreeably to our Poet's wonderful knowledge of Nature,) there was something in the Case, with which great Minds are most deeply affected; and that is, the Resentment of Ingratitude. He recall'd to his Mind the Obligations this Caliban lay under for the Instructions he had receiv'd from him, and the Conveniences of Life he had taught him to use. But these Reflections of Caliban's Ingratitude would naturally recall to mind his Brother's: and then these two, working together, were very capable of producing all the Disorder of Passion here represented. That these Two, who had receiv'd at his hands the two best Gifts that Mortals are capable of, when rightly apply'd, Regal Power and the Use of Reason; that These, in return, should conspire against the Life of the Donor, would certainly afflict a generous Mind to its utmost Bearing. As these Reflections do so much Honour to that surprizing Knowledge of human Nature, which is so apparently our Author's Masterpiece, it cannot, sure, be thought unnecessary to set them in a proper Light. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 75 [28] (28) Passion'd as they,] Thus Mr. Pope in both his Editions. But all the authentick Copies read; Passion as they &lblank; i. e. feel the Force of Passion; am mov'd with it. So again Julia, in the Two Gentlemen of Verona; Madam, 'twas Ariadne passioning For Theseus' Perjury, and unjust Flight. So, in Titus Andronicus, he makes a Verb of passionate, signifying, to express the Passion, the Distress of, &c. Thy Neice and I, poor Creatures, want our hands, And cannot passionate our tenfold Grief With folded Arms. And in his Poem, call'd, Venus and Adonis, our Author uses Passion as a Verb, meaning, to grieve: Dumbly she passions, frantickly she doateth.

Note return to page 76 [29] (29) &lblank; Graves at my Command Have wak'd their Sleepers;] As odd, as this Expression is, of Graves waking their Dead, instead of, the Dead waking in their Graves, I believe, it may be justified by the Usage of Poets. Beaumont and Fletcher, in their Bonduca, speaking of the Power of Fame, make it wake Graves, Wakens the ruin'd Monuments, and there, Where Nothing but eternal Death and Sleep is, Informs again the dead Bones. And Virgil, speaking of Rome as a City, says, it surrounded its seven Hills with a Wall. Scilicet & rerum facta est pulcherrima Roma, Septemque una sibi muro circumdedit arces.

Note return to page 77 [30] (30) Thou'rt pinch'd for't now, Sebastian. Flesh and Blood,] I by no means think, this was our Author's Pointing; or that it gives us his Meaning. He would say, that Sebastian now was pinch'd thro' and thro' for his Trespass; felt the Punishment of it all over his Body; a like manner of Expression we meet with in King Lear; &lblank; wipe thine eye; The good-jers shall devour them, flesh and fell, E'er they shall make us weep. And so our Chaucer, in the first Book of his Troilus and Cressida. &lblank; that he and all his kinne at ones Were worthy to be brent, both fell and bones.

Note return to page 78 [31] (31) Where the Bee sucks, there suck I;] I have ventur'd to vary from the printed Copies here. Could Ariel, a Spirit of a refin'd ætherial Essence, be intended to want Food? Besides the sequent Lines rather countenance lurk.

Note return to page 79 [32] (32) After Summer merrily] Why, after Summer? Unless We must suppose, our Author alluded to that mistaken Notion of Bats, Swallows, &c. crossing the Seas in pursuit of hot Weather. I conjectured, in my Shakespeare restor'd, that Sunset was our Author's Word: And this Conjecture Mr. Pope, in his last Edition, thinks probably should be espoused. My Reasons for the Change were from the known Nature of the Bat. The Houp sleeps during the Winter, say the Naturalists; and so does the Bat too. (Upupa dormit hyeme, sicut & Vespertilio. Albert. Mag.) Again, Flies and Gnats are the favourite Food of the Bat, which he procures by flying about in the Night. (Cibus ejus sunt Muscæ & Culices: quem nocte volans inquirit. Idem, è Plinio.) But this is a Diet, which, I presume, he can only come at in the Summer Season. Another Observation has been made, that when Bats fly either earlier, or in greater Number than usual, it is a Sign the next day will be hot and serene. (Vespertiliones, si vesperi citiùs & plures solito volârint, Signum est Calorem & Serenitatem postridiè fore. Gratarolus apud Gesner de Avibus.) This Prognostick likewise only suits with Summer. Again, the Bat was call'd Vespertilio by the Latins, as it was &grN;&gru;&grk;&grt;&gre;&grr;&grig;&grst; by the Greeks, because this Bird is not visible by Day; but appears first about the Twilight of the Evening, and so continues to fly during the dark Hours. And the Poets, whenever they mention this Bird, do it without any Allusion to the Season of the Year; but constantly have an Eye to the accustom'd Hour of its Flight. In the Second Act of this Play, where Gonzalo tells Antonio and Sebastian, that they would lift the Moon out of her Sphere, Sebastian replies; We would so, and then go a Bat-fowling. So, in Macbeth, when the Approach of the Night is describ'd, in which Banquo was to be murther'd, &lblank; Ere the Bat hath flown His cloister'd Flight; ere to black Hecat's Summons The shard-born Beetle with his drowsy Hums Hath rung Night's yawning Peal. And Beaumont and Fletcher in their Passionate Madman; Fountain-heads, and pathless Groves, Places, which pale Passion loves; Moonlight Walks, when all the Fowls Are warmly hous'd, save Bats and Owls.

Note return to page 80 [33] (33) Where we, in all our Trim, freshly beheld Our royal, good and gallant Ship; &lblank;] What was their Trim, would the Editors have us conceive? The Fright that they had been put into, by the Diversity of Noises? But, as Dr. Thirlby rightly observ'd to Me, the Trim is to be understood of the Ship, and not of the Crew. And this very Expression occurs again in the Comedy of Errors; The Ship is in her Trim; the merry Wind Blows fair from Land, &c. And Milton has likewise copied the Expression; &lblank; Behold a stately Ship, Proud of her gawdy Trim, comes this way sailing, With all her Brav'ry on.

Note return to page 81 [34] (34) Find this grand Liquor.] I certainly think, Shakespeare wrote 'Lixir here; alluding to the grand Elixir of which the Chymists of that Age told such Wonders, that it would renew Youth, purchase Immortality, &c. and it being, as they pretended, a Preparation of Gold, they call'd it also, Aurum potabile: hence, 'tis probable, Shakespeare says, gilded; and to This, without doubt, he again alludes in his Anthony and Cleopatra; How much art thou unlike Mark Antony? Yet coming from him, that great Med'cine hath With his Tinct gilded thee. But, in the Passage before us, it seems his Design to joke upon the Rodomontado Boasts of their Elixir; and to insinuate, that Sack was the only Restorer of Youth, and Bestower of Immortality. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 82 [35] (35) And my ending is Despair,] The Allusion is very well kept up in this Epilogue. And the Actor here is not only applying to the Audience for Favour, in behalf of the Author; but Prospero speaks in the Character of a Magician; and so (as Mr. Warburton hinted to me) alludes to the old Stories told of the Necromancers' Despair in their last Moments, and the Prayers of their Friends for them.

Note return to page 83 [1] (1) Too high, to be enthrall'd to Love.] This Reading possesses all the Editions, but carries no just meaning in it. Nor was Hermia displeas'd at being in Love; but regretts the Inconveniences, that generally attend the Passion: Either, the Parties are disproportion'd, in degree of Blood and Quality; or unequal, in respect of Years; or brought together by the Appointment of Friends, and not by their own Choice. These are the Complaints represented by Lysander; and Hermia, to answer to the first, as she has done to the other two, must necessarily say; O Cross!—too high, to be enthrall'd to low! So the Antithesis is kept up in the Terms; and so she is made to condole the Disproportion of Blood and Quality in Lovers. And This is one of the Curses, that Venus, on seeing Adonis dead, prophesies shall always attend Love, in our Author's Poem, call'd, VENUS and ADONIS—Stanz. 190. Since thou art dead, lo! here I prophesie, Sorrow on Love hereafter shall attend; It shall be waited on with Jealousie; Find sweet Beginning, but unsav'ry End: Ne'er settled equally, to high, or low; That all Love's Pleasures shall not match his Woe. And so the Young Prince complains, in the Winter's Tale: Leon. &lblank; You are married? Flo. We are not, Sir, nor are We like to be: The Stars, I see, will kiss the Vallies first: The Odds for high and low's alike.

Note return to page 84 [2] (2) Emptying our Bosoms of their Counsels swell'd; There my Lysander and myself shall meet, And thence from Athens turn away our Eyes, To seek new Friends, and strange Companions.] This whole Scene is strictly in Rhyme; and that it deviates in these two Couplets, I am persuaded, is owing to the Ignorance of the first, and the Inaccuracy of the later, Editors: I have therefore ventur'd to restore the Rhymes, as I make no Doubt but the Poet first gave them. Sweet was easily corrupted into swell'd, because That made an Antithesis to Emptying: and strange Companions our Editors thought was plain English; bur stranger Companies, a little quaint and unintelligible. It may be necessary, in Proof of my Emendation, to shew, that our Author elsewhere uses the Substantive Stranger adjectively; and Companies, to signify Companions. King John. Act. 5. Wherein we step after a stranger March Upon her gentle Bosom. Rich. 2. Act. 1. But tread the stranger Paths of Banishment. Beaumont and Fletcher have used it in the like manner; Spanish Curate, Act. 3. To bring into my Family, to succeed me, The stranger Issue of another's Bed. 2 Hen. V. Act. 1. Since his Addiction was to Courses vain, His Companies unletter'd, rude, and shallow. And so, in a parallel Word, Merry Wives of Windsor, Act.3. My Riots past, my wild Societies.

Note return to page 85 [3] (3) The raging Rocks And shivering Shocks, &c.] I presume This to be either a Quotation from some fustian old Play, which I have not been able to trace; or if not a direct Quotation, a Ridicule on some bombast Rants, very near resembling it.

Note return to page 86 [4] (4) &lblank; you must play Thisby's Mother.] There seems a double Forgetfulness of our Poet, in relation to the Characters of this Interlude. The Father and Mother of Thisbe, and the Father of Pyramus, are here mention'd, who do not appear at all in the Interlude: but Wall and Moonshine are Both employ'd in it, of whom there is not the least Notice taken here.

Note return to page 87 [5] (5) From Perigenia, whom he ravish'd:] Thus all the Editors, either not knowing, or not attending to, the History of this Lady, have falsely call'd her: but our Author, who diligently perus'd Plutarch, and glean'd from him, where his Subject would admit, knew, from the Life of Theseus, that her Name was Perigyné; (or Periguné) by whom Theseus had his Son Melanippus. She was the Daughter of Sinnis a cruel Robber, and Tormenter of Passengers in the Isthmus. Plutarch and Athenæus are both express in the Circumstance of Theseus ravishing her: and the Former of them adds (as Diod. Siculus, Apollodorus and Pausanias, likewise tell us;) that he killed her Father into the Bargain. I corrected this Mistake of the Name in my SHAKESPEARE restor'd; and Mr. Pope has vouchsafed to correct from Me in his last Edition.

Note return to page 88 [6] (6) &lblank; want their Winter here.] The concluding Word is, certainly, a very dragging Expletive: and tho' I have not ventur'd to displace it, I scarce believe it genuine. I once suspected it should be &lblank; want their winter Chear; i. e. their Jollity, usual Merry-makings at that Season. Mr. Warburton has ingeniously advanced a more refin'd Emendation; which I'll subjoin with his own Reasoning, in Confirmation. “Is it an aggravating Circumstance of the Miseries here recapitulated, that the wretched Sufferers want their Winter? On the contrary, in the Descriptions of the Happiness of the Golden Age, it was always counted an Addition to it, that they wanted Winter. It seems as plain to Me as day, that we ought to read: &lblank; want their Winters heried; i. e. prais'd, celebrated; an Old Word: and the Line, that follows, shews the propriety of it here. The Thing is this; The Winter is the Season for rural Rejoycings on several Accounts; because they have got their Fruits in, and have wherewithal to make merry. (And therefore, well might she say, The human Mortals want their Winters hereid, when she had described the Dearths of the Seasons, and the fruitless Toil of the Husbandman.) Then, the Gloominess of the Season, and the Vacancy of it, encourage them to it; and lastly, which is principally intimated here, (notwithstanding the Impropriety of the Sentiment, as it is circumstanc'd) since Christianity, this Season, on Account of the Birth of the Author of our Faith, is particularly devoted to Festivity: and to this Custom, be assur'd, Hymn or Carol blest alludes. I should undoubtedly have advanc'd this Conjecture into the Text, could I have ever trac'd the Word in any of Shakespeare's Writings; but I think, he rather seems fond of hallow'd. CHAUCER and SPENCER, I know, Both use herie, very frequently: from the Latter I'll produce a Passage, where in one Couplet it is join'd with Hymn and Carol, as here in our Author; Tho' wouldest thou learn to carol of Love, And hery with hymns thy Lasses Glove. Vid. Shepherd's Kalendar, for the Month of February.

Note return to page 89 [7] (7) Which she with pretty and with swimming gate, Following (her Womb then rich with my young Squire) Would imitate;] Following What? She did not follow the Ship whose Motion she imitated; for That sail'd on the Water, She on the Land. And if by following, we are to understand, copying; it is a mere Pleonasm, that Meaning being included in the Word imitate. From Circumstances in the Context, there is great Reason to think our Author wrote, follying. i. e. wantoning, in Sport and Gaiety; so the old Writers used Follity for Foolishness; and Both Words are from, and in the Sense of folâtrer, to play the Wanton. And this admirably agrees with the Action, for which she is here commended, and with the Context; —full often has she gossip'd by my side, and, When we have laugh'd to see, &c. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 90 [8] (8) Cupid all arm'd;] Surely, this presents us with a very unclassical Image. Where do we read or see, in ancient Books, or Monuments, Cupid arm'd more than with his Bows and Arrows? and with these we for ever see him arm'd. And these are all the Arms he had Occasion for in this present Action; a more illustrious One, than any, his Friends, the Classicks, ever brought him upon.—The Change I make is so small, but the Beauty of the Thought so great, which this Alteration carries with it, that, I think, we are not to hesitate upon it. For what an Addition is this to the Compliment made upon this Virgin Queen's Celibacy, that it alarm'd the Power of Love? as if his Empire was in Danger, when this Imperial Votress had declar'd herself for a single Life: so powerful would her great Example be in the World.—Queen Elizabeth could not but be pleased with our Author's Address upon this Head. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 91 [9] (9) &lblank; I am invisible,] I thought proper here to observe, that, as Oberon, and Puck his Attendant, may be frequently observ'd to speak, when there is no mention of their Entering; they are design'd by the Poet to be suppos'd on the Stage during the greatest Part of the Remainder of the Play; and to mix, as they please, as Spirits, with the other Actors; and embroil the Plot, by their Interposition, without being seen, or heard, but when to their own Purpose.

Note return to page 92 [10] (10) The one I'll stay, the other stayeth me.] Thus it has been in all the Editions hitherto: but Dr. Thirlby ingeniously saw, it must be, as I have corrected in the Text.

Note return to page 93 [11] (11) Then for the third part of a Minute hence.] But the Queen sets them Work, that is to keep them employ'd for the Remainder of the Night: The Poet, undoubtedly, intended her to say, Dance your Round, and sing your Song, and then instantly (before the third part of a Minute) begone to your respective Duties.

Note return to page 94 [12] (12) O take the Sense, Sweet, of my Innocence; Love takes the Meaning in Love's conference.] 'Tis plain here, that the Players, for the sake of the jingle between Sense and Innocence, transpos'd the two last Words in the two Lines, and so made unintelligible Nonsense of them. Let us adjust them, and This will be the Meaning. When she interpreted his Words to an evil Meaning, he says, O, take the Sense of my Conference; i. e. judge of my Meaning by the Drift of the other part of my Discourse; and let That interpret This. A very proper Rule to be always observ'd, when we would judge of any one's Meaning: The Want of which is the most common Cause of Misinterpretation. He goes on and says, Love takes the Meaning, in Love's Innocence. i. e. The Innocence of your Love may teach you to discover mine. Another very fine Sentiment. So that these two most beautiful Lines were perfectly disfigur'd in the aukward Transposition. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 95 [13] (13) Near to this lack-love, this kill-curtesie.] Thus, in all the printed Editions. But this Verse, as Ben. Jonson says, is broke loose from his Fellows, and wants to be tyed up. I believe, the Poet wrote; Near to this kill-courtesie. And so the Line is reduced to the Measure of the other. But this Term being somewhat quaint and uncommon, the Players, in my Opinion, officiously clap'd in the other, as a Comment; and so it has ever since held Possession.

Note return to page 96 [14] (14) &lblank; stay thou but here a while;] The Verses here, 'tis plain, should be alternately in Rhyme: but sweet in the Close of the first Line, and while in the third, will not do for this purpose. The Author, doubtless, gave it; &lblank; stay thou but here a whit; i. e. a little while: for so it signifies, as also any thing of no Price, or Consideration; a trifle: in which Sense it is very frequent with our Author. Bottom before in this Scene says; Not a whit; I have a Device to make all well; And, in Hamlet; No, not a whit; we defy Augury. And in K. Richard III. Woe, woe, for England! not a whit, for Me.

Note return to page 97 [15] (15) Mine Ear is much enamour'd of thy note, On the first View to say, to swear, I love thee; So is mine eye enthralled to thy Shape, And thy fair Virtue's force (perforce) doth move me.] Thus the Generality of the Impressions have shuffled, and confused these Verses, to the utmost degree of Obscurity and Nonsense: but I have from one of the old Quarto's reduced 'em to Clearness and Order: and as, without knowing such an Authority for it, Dr. Thirlby ingeniously hinted to Me, they should be placed.

Note return to page 98 [16] (16) Enter Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, Mustardseed, and four Fairies.] Here the common Editions have been so extravagant as to split four Fairies into eight: but the old Quarto Impressions both came into my Assistance to reduce 'em to their right Number. The Queen calls them by their respective Names, and immediately the four Fairies enter upon Call.

Note return to page 99 [17] (17) A trim Exploit, a manly Enterprize,] This Reproach, in the Form of it, seems extreamly to have the Cast of That, in the 1st Æneid; Egregiam verò Laudem, & spolia ampla refertis, Una dolo Divûm, &c.

Note return to page 100 [18] (18) Two of the first Life, coats in Heraldry, Due but to One, and crowned with one Crest.] The true Correction of this Passage I owe to the Friendship and Communication of the ingenious Martin Folks, Esq;—Two of the first, second, &c. are Terms peculiar in Heraldry to distinguish the different Quarterings of Coats.

Note return to page 101 [19] (19) Thy Threats have no more Strength than her weak Praise.] This Line is certainly but an Enlargement upon, or rather a Variation in Terms of the Sense of the preceding Line. But, in That, there is a design'd Antithesis betwixt compel and entreat: this Contrast of Terms is wanting, in Threats and Praise: wherefore We need make no Difficulty of substituting Prayers. Indeed, my Suspicion is, the Poet might have coin'd a Substantive plural, (from the verb, to pray) Prays; i. e. Prayings, Entreaties, Beseechings; and the Identity of Sound might give Birth to the Corruption of it into praise. But I have chosen the known and familiar Word.

Note return to page 102 [20] (20) You Minimus, &lblank;] This is no Term of Art, that I can find; and I can scarce be willing to think, that Shakespeare would use the Masculine of an Adjective to a Woman. He was not so deficient in Grammar. I have not ventur'd to disturb the Text; but the Author, perhaps, might have wrote; You, Minim, you, &lblank; i. e. You Diminutive of the Creation, you Reptile. In this Sense, to use a more recent Authority, Milton uses the Word in the 7th Book of Paradise Lost. These as a Line their long Dimension drew, Streaking the Ground with sinuous Trace; not all Minims of Nature:

Note return to page 103 [21] (21) &lblank; and be always away.] What! was She giving her Attendants an everlasting Dismission? No such Thing; they were to be still upon Duty. I am convinc'd, the Poet meant; &lblank; and be all ways away. i. e. disperse your selves, and scout out severally, in your Watch, that Danger approach us from no Quarter.

Note return to page 104 [22] (22) So doth the Woodbine the sweet Honey-suckle Gently entwist; the female ivy so Enrings the barky Fingers of the Elm.] What does the Woodbine entwist? Why, the Honeysuckle. But ever till now the Honeysuckle and the Woodbine were but two Names for the same Plant. But We have now found a Support for the Woodbine, as well as for the Ivy. The Corruption might happen thus; the first Blunderer in writing might leave the p out of Maple, and make it Male; upon which the acute Editors turn'd it into Female, and tack'd it as an Epithet to Ivy. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 105 [23] (23) Dian's Bud, or Cupid's flow'r.] Thus all the Editions had stupidly exhibited this Passage. The ingenious Dr. Thirlby gave me the Correction, which I have inserted in the Text, and which, doubtless, restores us the Author. Oberon in Act the 2d, where he first proposes to enchant his Queen's Eyes and Sense, tells us, he has an Antidote to take off the Charm. And e'er I take this Charm from off her Sight, As I can take it with another Herb, &c. And again, towards the End of the 3d Act, where he is giving Puck directions for disenchanting Lysander, he says; Then crush this Herb into Lysander's Eye, Whose Liquor hath this virtuous Property, To take from thence all Error with its Might, And make his Eye-balls rowl with wonted Sight.

Note return to page 106 [24] (24) Titania, Musick call, and strike more dead Than common Sleep. Of all these fine the Sense.] This, most certainly, is both corrupt in the Text, and Pointing. Would Musick, that was to strike them into a deeper Sleep than ordinary, contribute to fine (or, refine) their Senses? My Emendation, I am persuaded, needs no Justification. The five, that lay asleep on the Stage, were, Demetrius, Lysander, Hermia, Helena, and Bottom.—I ought to acknowledge, that Dr. Thirlby likewise started and communicated this very Correction.

Note return to page 107 [25] (25) Then, my Queen, in silence sad,] Why, sad? Fairies, according to the receiv'd Notion, are pleas'd to follow Night. For that Reason, and for bettering the Rhyme, I think it very probable that our Author wrote;—in silence fade; i. e. vanish, retreat. In which Sense our Author has elsewhere employ'd this Word. As in Hamlet, speaking of the Ghost's disappearing. It faded at the Crowing of the Cock.

Note return to page 108 [26] (26) The Skies, the Fountains, ev'ry Region near, Seem'd all one mutual Cry.] It has been propos'd to Me, that the Author probably wrote Mountains, from whence an Echo rather proceeds than from Fountains: but as we have the Authority of the Antients for Lakes, Rivers, and Fountains returning a Sound, I have been diffident to disturb the Text. To give a few Instances, that occur at present. Ovid Metam. l. 3. ver. 500. Ultima Vox solitam fuit hæc Spectantis in undam, “Heu frustrà dilecte puer!” totidemq; remisit Verba lacus. For so Burmann has corrected it: the common Editions have locus. Virgil Æneid: 12. vers. 886. Tum vero excritur Clamor, ripæque lacusque Responsant circà, & cœlum tonat omne tumultu. Auson, in Mosellâ. vers. 167. &lblank; adstrepit ollis Et rupes, & sylva tremens, & concavus Amnis. And again, vers. 296. &lblank; Resonantia utrimque Verba refert, mediis concurrit fluctibus Echo. Propert. lib. 1. Eleg. 20. vers. 49. Cui procul Alcides iterat responsa; sed illi Nomen ab extremis fontibus aura refert.

Note return to page 109 [27] (27) And I have found Demetrius like a jewel, Mine own, and not mine own.] Hermia had said, Things appear'd double to her. Helena says, So, methinks; and then subjoins, Demetrius was like a Jewel, her own and not her own. According to common Sense and Construction, Demetrius is here compar'd to something that has the Property of appearing the same, and yet not being the same: and this was a Thought natural enough, upon her declaring her Approbation of what Hermia had said, that every thing seems double. But now, how has a Jewel, or any precious Thing, the Property, rather than a more worthless one, of appearing to be the same and yet not the same? This, I believe, won't be easily found out. I make no doubt therefore, but the true Reading is; And I have found Demetrius like a Gemell, Mine own, and not mine own. from Gemellus, a Twin. For Demetrius acted that Night two such different Parts, that she could hardly think him one and the same Demetrius: but that there were two Twin-Demetrius's to the acting this Farce, like the two Socia's. This makes good and pertinent Sense of the Whole; and the Corruption from Gemell to Jewel was so easy from the similar Trace of the Letters, and the Difficulty of the Transcribers understanding the true Word, that, I think, it is not to be question'd. Mr. Warburton. If some over-nice Spirits should object to Gemell wanting its Authorities as an English Word, I think fit to observe, in Aid of my Friend's fine Conjecture, that it is no new Thing with Shakespeare to coin and enfranchize Words fairly deriv'd; and some such as have by the Grammarians been call'd &grara;&grp;&gra;&grc; &grl;&gre;&grg;&groa;&grm;&gre;&grn;&gra;, or Words used but once. Again, tho' Gemell be not adopted either by Chaucer, or Spenser; nor acknowledg'd by the Dictionaries; yet both Blount in his Glossography, and Philips in his World of Words have Geminels, which they interpret Twins. And lastly, in two or three other Passages, Shakespeare uses the same Manner of Thought. In the Comedy of Errors, where Adriana sees her Husband and his Twin-brother, she says; I see two Husbands, or my Eyes deceive me. One of them, therefore, seem'd to be her own, but was not. And in his Twelfth-night, when Viola and Sebastian, who were Twins, appear together, they bear so strict a Resemblance, that the Duke cries; One Face, one Voice, one Habit, and two Persons; A nat'ral Perspective, that is, and is not.

Note return to page 110 [28] (28) Peradventure, to make it the more gracious, I shall sing it at her Death.] At her Death? At whose? In all Bottom's Speech there is not the least mention of any She-Creature, to whom this Relative can be coupled. I make not the least Scruple, but Bottom, for the sake of a Jest, and to render his Voluntary, as we may call it, the more gracious and extraordinary, said;—I shall sing it after Death. He, as Pyramus, is kill'd upon the Scene; and so might promise to rise again at the Conclusion of the Interlude, and give the Duke his Dream by way of Song.—The Source of the Corruption of the Text is very obvious. The f in after being sunk by the vulgar Pronunciation, the Copyist might write it from the Sound,—a'ter: which the wise Editors not understanding, concluded, two Words were erroneously got together; so splitting them, and clapping in an h, produced the present Reading—at her.

Note return to page 111 [29] (29) A Paramour is (god bless us) a thing of nought.] This is a Reading, I am sure, of Nought. My Change of a single Letter gives a very important Change to the Humour of the Passage.—A Thing of naught, means, a naughty Thing, little better than downright Bawdry. So, in Hamlet, Ophelia, when He talks a little grossly to her, replies; You're naught, you're naught, my Lord; &c.

Note return to page 112 [30] (30) Our play is preferr'd:] This Word is not to be taken in its most common Acceptation here, as if their Play was chosen in Preference to the others; (for that appears afterwards not to be the Fact;) but means, that it was given in, among others, for the Duke's Option: And, in this Sense, we say,—proferr a Petition; i. e. give it in, lodge it, for the Judge's Answer. So, in Julius Cæsar, Decius says; Where is Metellus Cimber? let him go, And presently prefer his Suit to Cæsar.

Note return to page 113 [31] (31) &lblank; how many Sports are rise:] I have chosen to restore from one of the old Quarto's printed in 1600, ripe, as the most proper Word here: ripe, signifying any thing ready for Use; rife, only the great Increase of any thing.

Note return to page 114 [32] (32) Lys. battel with the Centaurs &lblank;] Here the sixteen Lines, that follow, from the Time of the first Folio Edition put out by the Players, have impertinently been divided, by two Verses alternately, betwixt Theseus and Lysander. But what has Lysander to do in the Affair? He is no Courtier of Theseus's, but only an occasional Guest; and just come out of the Woods, so not likely to know what Sports were in Preparation I have taken the old Quarto's for my Guides, in regulating this Passage Theseus asks after Entertainment. Philostrate, who is his Master of the Revels, gives him in a List of what Sports are ready: upon which Theseus reads the Titles of them out of the List, and then alternately makes his Remarks upon them. And this, I dare say, was the Poet own Design and Distribution.

Note return to page 115 [33] (33) And what poor duty cannot do, noble Respect Takes it in Might, not Merit.] What Ears have these poetical Editors, to palm this first Line upon us as a Verse of Shakespeare? 'Tis certain, an Epithet had slipt out, and I have ventur'd to restore such a one as the Sense may dispense with; and which makes the two Verses flowing and perfect.

Note return to page 116 [34] (34) We do not come as minding to content you, Our true intent is all for your Delight, We are not here that you should here repent you, The Actors are at hand; &c.] Thus the late accurate Editor, deviating from all the Old Copies, has, by a certain peculiar Fatality, pointed this Passage. The whole Glee and Humour of the Prologue is in the Actor's making false Rests, and so turning every Member of the Sentences into flagrant Nonsense. And Mr. Pope seems very cruel to our Author, (considering, how many Passages, which should have been pointed right, he has pointed wrong;) that here, when he should point wrong, with a strange Perverseness, and unusual Appetite for Sense, he will point right.

Note return to page 117 [35] (35) &lblank; which Lion hight by name,] As all the other Parts of this Speech are in alternate Rhyme, excepting that it closes with a Couplet; and as no Rhyme is left to, name; we must conclude, either a Verse is slipt out, which cannot now be retriev'd: or, by a Transposition of the Words, as I have placed them, the Poet intended a Triplet.

Note return to page 118 [36] (36) That I, one Flute by name,] Thus Mr. Pope gives it us, either from the old Quarto's, or by Accident. But Accident, or Authority, happens to be wrong in it: and we must restore, Snout, with the old Folio's; for it appears in the first Act, that Flute was to perform Thisbe.

Note return to page 119 [37] (37) Here come two noble Beasts in a Man and a Lion.] I don't think the Jest here is either compleat, or right. It is differently pointed in several of the Old Copies, which, I suspect, may lead us to the true Reading, viz. Here come two noble Beasts,—in a Man and a Lion. immediately upon Theseus saying this, enter Lion and Moonshine. It seems very probable therefore, that our Author wrote &lblank; in a Moon and a Lion. the one having a Crescent and a Lanthorn before him, and representing the Man in the Moon; the other in a Lion's hide.

Note return to page 120 [38] (38) And thus she means &lblank;] Thus all the Editions have it, I think, without any Meaning. It should be, thus she moans; i. e. laments over her dead Pyramus. It is said a little above, And her Passion ends the Play.

Note return to page 121 [39] (39) These lilly Lips, this cherry Nose,] All Thisbe's Lamentation, till now, runs in regular Rhyme and Metre. But Both, by some Accident, are in this single Instance interrupted. I suspect, the Poet wrote; These lilly Brows, This cherry Nose, Now black Brows being a Beauty, lilly Brows are as ridiculous as a cherry Nose, green Eyes, or cowslip Cheeks.

Note return to page 122 [40] (40) And the Wolf beholds the moon:] As 'tis the Design of these Lines to characterize the Animals, as they present themselves at the Hour of Midnight; and as the Wolf is not justly characteriz'd by saying he beholds the Moon; which all other Beasts of Prey, then awake, do: and as the Sounds these Animals make at that Season, seem also intended to be represented; I make no Question but the Poet wrote; And the Wolfe behowls the moon. For so the Wolf is exactly characteriz'd, it being his peculiar Property to howl at the Moon. (Behowl, as bemoan, beseem, betrim, and an hundred others.) Mr. Warburton. So, again, in As you like it. Pray you, no more of this; 'tis like the howling of Irish Wolves against the Moon. So in Beaumont and Fletcher's Faithful Shepherdess. &lblank; or the Owl, Or our great Enemy, that still doth howl Against the Moon's pale Beams. For this is spoken of the Wolfe, and by a Shepherd, to whom that Beast was an Enemy, with regard to his Flock. And so in Marston's Antonio and Mellida, where the whole Passage seems to be copied from this of our Author. Now barks the Wolf against the full-cheek'd Moon; Now Lyons half-clam'd Entrails roar for Food; Now croaks the Toad, and night-crows shriek aloud, Fluttring 'bout Casements of departing Souls: Now gape the Graves, and thro' their Yawns let loose Imprison'd Spirits to revisit Earth.

Note return to page 123 [1] (1)Mr. Pope has observ'd, that the Stile of this Comedy is less figurative, and more natural and unaffected, than the greater Part of our Author's Plays, tho' suppos'd to be one of the First he wrote. I must observe, too, that as I take it to be One of his very worst, it happens to be freest from accidental Corruptions of the Editors: which is the Reason, that my Notes are fewer on This; than on any One of his other Pieces.

Note return to page 124 [2] (2) nay, give me not the Boots.] A proverbial Expression, tho' now disus'd, signifying, don't make a laughing Stock of me; don't play upon me. The French have a Phrase, Bailler foin en Corne; which Cotgrave thus interprets, To give one the Boots; to sell him a Bargain.

Note return to page 125 [3] (3) I, a lost Mutton, gave your Letter to her, a lac'd Mutton;] Launce calls himself a lost Mutton, because he had lost his Master, and because Proteus had been proving him a Sheep. But why does he call the Lady a lac'd Mutton? Your notable Wenchers are to this day call'd Mutton-mongers: and consequently the Object of their Passion must, by the Metaphor, be the Mutton. And Cotgrave, in his English-French Dictionary, explains Lac'd Mutton, Une Garse, putain, fille de Joye. And Mr. Motteux has render'd this Passage of Rabelais, in the Prologue of his fourth Book, Cailles coiphées mignonnement chantans, in this manner; Coated Quails and laced Mutton waggishly singing. So that lac'd Mutton has been a sort of standard Phrase for Girls of Pleasure. (I shall explain Cailles coiphées in its proper Place, upon a Passage of Troilus and Cressida.) That lac'd Mutton was a Term in Vogue before our Author appear'd in Writing, I find from an old Play, printed in Black Letter in the Year 1578, call'd Promos and Cassandra: in which a Courtezan's Servant thus speaks to her; Prying abroad for Playefellowes, and such, For you, Mistresse, I hearde of one Phallax, A Man esteemde of Promos verie much: Of whose Nature I was so bolde to axe, And I smealte, he lov'd lase mutton well.

Note return to page 126 [4] (4) Nay, in that you are astray.] For the Reason Proteus gives, Dr. Thirlby advises that We should read, a Stray; i. e. a stray Sheep; which continues Proteus's Banter upon Speed.

Note return to page 127 [5] (5) I bid the Base for Protheus] Lucetta here alters the Allegory from the Base in Musick to a Country Exercise, call'd in the North, Bid-the-Base; in which Some pursue, to take the Others Prisoners. So that Lucetta would intend to say, “Indeed, I take Pains to make you a Captive for Proteus. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 128 [6] (6) Put forth their sons.] In Shakespeare's Time, Voyages for the Discovery of the West-Indies were all in Vogue. And we find, in the Journals of Travellers of that Time, that the Sons of Noblemen, and of others of the best Quality in England, went commonly on those Adventures. To which prevailing Fashion, 'tis evident, the Poet frequently alludes in this Play; not without high Commendations of it. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 129 [7] (7) Attends the Emperor in his royal Court.] The Emperor's Royal Court is properly at Vienna, but Valentine, 'tis plain, is at Milan; where, in most other Passages, 'tis said he is attending the Duke, who makes one of the Characters in the Drama. This seems to convict the Author of a Forgetfulness and Contradiction; but, perhaps, it may be solv'd thus, and Milan be call'd the Emperor's Court, as, since the Reign of Charlemaigne, this Dukedom and its Territories have belong'd to the Emperors. I wish, I could as easily solve another Absurdity, which encounters us; of Valentine's going from Verona to Milan, both Inland places, by Sea.

Note return to page 130 [8] (8) Oh, how this Spring of Love resembleth well] This Monosyllable was foisted in by Mr. Pope, to support, as he thought, the Versification in the Close. But it was done for Want of observing Shakespeare's Licences in his Measures: which 'tis proper, once for all, to take notice of. Resembleth, he design'd here should in pronunciation make four Syllables; as witnesse, afterwards in this Play, and as Fidler, (in the Taming a Shrew) and angry (twice in Timon of Athens) are made Trisyllables; and as fire and hour are almost for ever protracted by him to two Syllables.

Note return to page 131 [9] (9) Like an ould Woman!] These mere poetical Editors can do Nothing towards an Emendation, even when 'tis chalk'd out to their hands. The first Folio's agree in would-woman; for which, because it was a Mystery to Mr. Pope, he has unmeaningly substituted ould Woman. But it must be writ, or at least understood, wood Woman, i. e. crazy, frantick with Grief; or, distracted, from any other Cause. The Word is very frequently used in Chaucer; and sometimes writ, wood; sometimes, wode. What should he study, or make himself wood? In his Character of the Monk, They told ev'ry Man that he was wode, He was aghasté so of Noë's flode. In his Miller's Tale. And he likewise uses Wodeness, for Madness. Vid. Spelman's Saxon Glossary in the Word Wod. As to the Reading in the old Editions, Would woman, perhaps, this may be a design'd Corruption, to make Launce purposely blunder in the Word; as he a little before very humourously calls the Prodigal Son, the Prodigious Son.—I ought to take notice, that my ingenious Friend Mr. Warburton sent me up this same Emendation, unknowing that I had already corrected the Place. I had like to have forgot, that Wood is a Term likewise used by our own Poet. Midsummer-Night's Dream, Act 2. And here am I, and wood within this Wood. Which Mr. Pope has there rightly expounded, by mad, wild, raving. And, again, Shakespeare, in one of his Poems, has this Line: Then to the Woods stark wood in Rage she hyes her.

Note return to page 132 [10] (10) Thur. Madam, my Lord your Father] This Speech in all the Editions is assign'd improperly to Thurio; but he has been all along upon the Stage, and could not know that the Duke wanted his Daughter. Besides, the first Line and half of Silvia's Answer is evidently address'd to two Persons. A Servant, therefore, must come in and deliver the Message; and then Silvia goes out with Thurio.

Note return to page 133 [11] (11) Is it mine then, or Valentino's Praise.] This supplemental Word, then, was first clapt in by Mr. Rowe to help the lab'ring Verse, and since embrac'd by Mr. Pope. But let us see, what Sense results from it. What! is Proteus questioning with himself, whether it is his own Praise, or Valentine's, that makes him fall in Love? But Proteus had not prais'd Silvia any farther than giving his Opinion of her in three Words, when his Friend demanded it. In all the old Editions, we find it thus; Is it mine, or Valentino's Praise. The Verse halts so, that some one Syllable must be wanting; and that Mr. Warburton has very ingeniously, and, as I think, with Certainty supply'd, as I have restor'd in the Text. Proteus had just seen Valentine's Mistress; Valentine had prais'd her so lavishly, that the Description heighten'd Proteus's Sentiments of her from the Interview; so that it was the less Wonder that he should not know certainly, at first, which made the strongest Impression, Valentine's Praises, or his own View of the Original.

Note return to page 134 †—It is Padua in the former editions. See the note on Act 3. Mr. Pope.

Note return to page 135 †Sir, in Milan here. It ought to be thus, instead of—in Verona here—for the Scene apparently is in Milan, as is clear from several passages in the first Act, and in the beginning of the first Scene of the fourth Act. A like mistake has crept into the eighth Scene of Act II. where Speed bids his fellow-servant Launce, welcome to Padua. Mr. Pope.

Note return to page 136 [12] (12) With my Mastership? why, it is at Sea.] These poetical Editors are pleasant Gentlemen to let this pass without any Suspicion. For how does Launce mistake the Word? Speed asks him about his Mastership, and he replies to it litteratìm. But then how was his Mastership at Sea, and on Shore too? The Addition of a Letter and a Note of Apostrophe make Launce both mistake the Word, and sets the Pun right: It restores, indeed, but a mean Joke; but, without it, there is no Sense in the Passage. Besides, it is in Character with the rest of the Scene; and I dare be confident, the Poet's own Conceit.

Note return to page 137 [13] (13) But say, this weed her Love &lblank;] This Cast of Reasoning very near resembles That of Davus in the Andria of Terence, Act 2. Sc. 2. &lblank; Ridiculum Caput! Quasì necesse sit, si huic non dat, te illam uxorem ducere.

Note return to page 138 [14] (14) An Heir and neice ally'd unto the Duke.] Thus all the Impressions, from the first downwards. But our Poet would never have express'd himself so stupidly, as to tell us, this Lady was the Duke's Neice, and ally'd to him: For her Alliance was, certainly, sufficiently included in the first Term. Our Author meant to say, she was an Heiress, and near ally'd to the Duke: an Expression the most natural that can be for the Purpose, and very frequently used by the Stage-Poets. So in Romeo and Juliet. This Gentleman, the Prince's near Ally. So in Beaumont and Fletcher's Sea-Voyage. &lblank; yet that We may learn Whether they are the same, or near ally'd To Those, that forc'd me to this cruel Course. So in B. Jonson's Every Man out of his Humour. &lblank; some such cross-wooing, with a Clown to their Servingman, better than to be thus near and familiarly ally'd to the Time. So in Law-Tricks, by John Day. That notwithstanding my Wife's near Allyance Unto the Duke, I purchas'd a Divorce. And so in Soliman and Perseda; Fly, ere the Governour have any News, Whose near Ally he was, and chief Delight. And in a Number of Passages more, that might be quoted.

Note return to page 139 [15] (15) I was sent to deliver him as a present. &lblank;] Honest Launce is here all along characterizing his Dog Crab; but That he was not sent to deliver as a Present to Silvia. The Poet therefore could not be so forgetful to make this Blunder. Launce had lost his Master's Dog, and was gone in Quest of him, as we have heard from the Host: and we find Launce himself presently confesssing, that it was stollen by the Hangman's boy. So having lost the intended Present, he went to tender his own Dog instead of the other.

Note return to page 140 [16] (16) Her Eyes are grey as Grass.] Mr. Rowe and Mr. Pope's Editions, for what Reason I know not, vary from the old Copies, which have it rightly, Glass. So Chaucer, in the Character of his Prioress; Full semely her Wimple penchid was, Her Nose was tretes, her Eyen grey as Glass.

Note return to page 141 [17] (17) Verona shall not hold thee.] Thus all the Editions, but, whether thro' the Mistake of the first Editors, or the Poet's own Carelessness, this Reading is absurdly faulty. For the Threat here is to Thurio, who is a Milanese; and has no Concerns, as it appears, with Verona. Besides, the Scene is betwixt the Confines of Milan, and Mantua, to which Silvia follows Valentine, having heard that he had retreated thither. And, upon these Circumstances, I ventur'd to adjust the Text, as, I imagine, the Poet must have intended: i. e. Milan, thy Country, shall never see thee again: thou shalt never live to go back thither.

Note return to page 142 [1] (1) The Merry Wives of Windsor.] Queen Elizabeth was so well pleas'd with the admirable Character of Falstaff in the Two Parts of Henry IV, that, as Mr. Rowe informs us. She commanded Shakespeare to continue it for one Play more, and to shew him in Love. To this Command We owe this Comedy of the Merry Wives of Windsor: which, Mr. Gildon says, he was very well assur'd, our Author finish'd in a Fortnight. But this must be meant only, as Mr. Pope has observ'd, of the first imperfect Sketch of this Comedy, printed in 1619. The Notice of a Play, publish'd seventeen years after Queen Elizabeth's Death, does no ways come in Support of the Tradition, that it was perform'd for that Princess's Entertainment. But I have another old Quarto Edition of this Comedy, (which, I presume, Mr. Pope never saw;) printed in 1602; which says in the Title-page—As it hath been diverse times acted both before her Majesty and elsewhere. The Reader will find the Title of this old Play at length, in my Catalogue of Editions prefix'd to this Work.

Note return to page 143 [2] (2) &lblank; which is Daughter to Master Thomas Page,] The whole Set of Editions have negligently blunder'd one after another in Page's Christian Name in this place; tho' Mrs. Page calls him George afterwards in at least six several Passages.

Note return to page 144 [3] (3) I combat challenge of this Latin bilboe] Our modern Editors have distinguish'd this Word, Latin, in Italic Characters, as if it was address'd to Sir Hugh, and meant to call him pedantic Blade, on account of his being a Schoolmaster, and teaching Latin. But I'll be bold to say, in This they do not take the Poet's Conceit. Pistol barely calls Sir Hugh Mountain-foreigner, because he had interpos'd in the Dispute: but then immediately demands the Combat of Slender, for having charg'd him with picking his Pocket. The old Quarto's write it Latten, as it should be, in the common Characters: And, as a Proof that the Author design'd This should be address'd to Slender, Sir Hugh does not there interpose one Word in the Quarrel. But what then signifies— latten Bilbo? Why, Pistol seeing Slender such a slim, puny, Wight; would intimate, that he is as thin as a Plate of that compound Metal, which is call'd latten: and which was, as we are told, the Old Orichalc. Monsieur Dacier, upon this Verse in Horace's Epistle de Arte Poeticâ, Tibia non ut nunc Orichalco vincta, &c. says, Est une espece de Cuivre de montagne, come son nom mesme le temoigne; c'est ce que nous appellans aujourd' huy du leton. “It is a sort of Mountain-Copper, as its very Name imports, and which we at this time of Day call Latten.” Scaliger upon Festus had said the same Thing. The Metallists tell us, it is Copper mingled with Lapis Calaminaris. The learned Part of my Readers will forgive me, if I attempt the Correction of a Passage in Hesychius, upon the Subject of Orichalc, which has been tamper'd with, but not cur'd, I think, to Satisfaction. &GROs;&grr;&gre;&gria;&grx;&gra;&grl;&grk;&gro;&grst;, &grx;&gra;&grl;&grk;&grog;&grst;, &grx;&grr;&gru;&grs;&grwci; &gres;&gro;&gri;&grk;&grwc;&grst;, &grhc; &grk;&grr;&grha;&grn;&grh; &gras;&grr;&grx;&gria;&grx;&gra;&grl;&grk;&gro;&grst;. (In the first place, the Series and Order of Hesychius shew he meant to write his Theme, &GROs;&grr;&gria;&grx;&gra;&grl;&grk;&gro;&grst;, without the Diphthong.) Sopingius has conjectur'd, the last Word should be &gra;&grus;&grr;&gria;&grx;&gra;&grl;&grk;&gro;&grst;. But what then has &grk;&grr;&grha;&grn;&grh; to do here? Orichalcum does not signify a Fountain; nor does Vibius Sequester, or any body else to my Knowledge, tell us of any Fountain, Lake, or Spring, that bore such a Name. Perhaps, the whole should be thus pointed and reform'd: &GROs;&grr;&gria;&grx;&gra;&grl;&grk;&gro;&grst;, &grx;&gra;&grl;&grk;&grog;&grst; &grx;&grr;&gru;&grs;&grwcg; &gres;&gro;&gri;&grk;&grwa;&grst;&grcolon; &grhsg; &grk;&grr;&graa;&grm;&gra; &grt;&gri;&grcolon; &gras;&grr;&grx;&grhg;, &grx;&gra;&grl;&grk;&groa;&grst;. Orichalcum, æs auri æmulum: vel, Compositum quoddam; principium cujus, Æs. Orichalc, a sort of Brass like Gold; or a Compound Metal, the Foundation of which was Brass. Stephanus, de Urbibus, tells us of a Stone produc'd at Andeira, which, mingled with Brass, became Orichalc. &grK;&grR;&grA;&grQ;&GREg;&grI;&grST; &grx;&gra;&grl;&grk;&grwci;, &GROs;&grr;&gre;&gria;&grx;&gra;&grl;&grk;&gro;&grst; &grg;&gria;&grg;&grn;&gre;&grt;&gra;&gri;. Strabo is the Foundation for what Stephanus says; who, speaking of this Stone, adds, If it be burnt with a certain Earth, it melts to a counterfeit Silver: which Earth, having Brass mingled with it, comes to that compounded Metal which some call Orichalc. &grhr; &grp;&grr;&gro;&grs;&grl;&gra;&grb;&gro;&gruc;&grs;&gra; &grx;&gra;&grl;&grk;&grog;&grn; &grt;&grog; &grk;&gra;&grl;&gro;&grua;&grm;&gre;&grn;&gro;&grn; &grg;&gria;&grn;&gre;&grt;&gra;&gri; &grK;&grR;&GRAa;&grM;&grA;, &grora;&grt;&gri;&grn;&gre;&grst; &gros;&grr;&gre;&gria;&grx;&gra;&grl;&grk;&gro;&grn; &grk;&gra;&grl;&gro;&gruc;&grs;&gri;. The old Glossaries likewise have, Aurichalca, &grk;&grr;&gra;&grm;&gra;&grt;&gri;&grn;&gra;: which Junius in his Book, De Picturâ Veterum, corrects to &grK;&grR;&GRAa;&grM;&grA; &grT;&grI;: But Martinius, I find, disapproves of the Correction. These Quotations, I think, are somewhat in Support of the Conjecture I have offer'd. A Word to the Passage quoted from Strabo, and I shall dismiss this Criticism. Casaubon very justly objects to the Tautology of &grt;&grog; &grk;&gra;&grl;&gro;&grua;&grm;&gre;&grn;&gro;&grn;, & &grora;&grt;&gri;&grn;&gre;&grst; &grk;&gra;&grl;&gro;&gruc;&grs;&gri;. He thinks, either something is wanting after &grk;&gra;&grl;&gro;&grua;&grm;&gre;&grn;&gro;&grn;: or that it should be expung'd. If I am not mistaken, Strabo might have wrote, with the Change only of one Letter, &grt;&grog; &grk;&gra;&grl;&grog;&grn; &grm;&greg;&grn; &grog;&grn; &grg;&gria;&grn;&gre;&grt;&gra;&gri; &grk;&grr;&graa;&grm;&gra;, perpulchra quidem fit Mixtura: i. e. a most beautiful Compound is produced. The Orichalc, we know, was so bright a Metal, that, as Isidore says, it had the Splendor of Gold, and the Hardness of Brass: and Pliny tells us, It was put under some Chrysolites, as a Foil, to assist their Lustre.

Note return to page 145 [4] (4) Upon Allhallowmas last, a fortnight afore Michaelmas.] Sure, Simple's a little out in his Reckoning. Allhallowmas is almost five Weeks after Michaelmas. But may it not be urg'd, it is design'd, Simple should appear thus ignorant, to keep up Character? I think, not. The simplest Creatures (nay, even Naturals) generally are very precise in the Knowledge of Festivals, and marking how the Seasons run: And therefore I have ventur'd to suspect, our Poet wrote Martlemas, as the Vulgar call it; which is near a fortnight after All-Saints Day, i. e. eleven Days, both inclusive.

Note return to page 146 [5] (5) I hope, upon Familiarity will grow more Content.] Certainly, the Editors in their Sagacity have murther'd a Jest here. It is designed no Doubt, that Slender should say decrease, instead of increase; and dissolved and dissolutely, instead of resolved and resolutely: but to make him say, on the present Occasion, that upon Familiarity will grow more Content, instead of Contempt, is disarming the Sentiment of all its Salt and Humour, and disappointing the Audience of a reasonable Cause for Laughter.

Note return to page 147 [6] (6) She is a Region in Guiana, all Gold and Bounty.] If the Tradition be true, (as, I doubt not, but it is;) of this Play being wrote at Queen Elizabeth's Command; this Passage, perhaps, may furnish a probable Conjecture that it could not appear till after the Year 1598. The mention of Guïana, then so lately discover'd to the English, was a very happy Compliment to Sir W. Raleigh, who did not begin his Expedition for South America till 1595, and return'd from it in 1596, with an advantageous Account of the great Wealth of Guiana. Such an Address of the Poet was likely, I imagine, to have a proper Impression on the People, when the Intelligence of such a golden Country was fresh in their Minds, and gave them Expectations of immense Gain.

Note return to page 148 [7] (7) Falstaff will learn the Honour of the Age,] What was this Honour, which he was to learn? Frugality; the retrenching his Expences, and keeping only a Boy to wait on him. Had the Editors been cut out for Collators, they might have observ'd the old Quarto's read, the Humour of the Age, i. e. the frugal Fashion of the Times. So in Much Ado about Nothing. The Fashion of the World is to avoid Cost, and you encounter it. And Honour and Humour, I have observ'd, are very often reciprocally mistaken for one another in old English Plays.

Note return to page 149 [8] (8) I will possess him with jealousies, for this revolt of mine is dangerous:] This is the Reading of the modern Editions; the old Copies have it, Yellowness; i. e. the Symptom of Jealousy. So Beatrice, in Much Ado about Nothing, speaking of Claudio's having jealous Suspicions, says; The Count is neither sad, nor sick, nor merry, nor well; but civil, Count; civil, as an Orange; and something of that jealous Complexion. Again, This revolt of mine, &c. If Nym speaks this of himself, he speaks very improperly, to call it a Revolt, when he is discarded by his Master. The old Copies read, as I have restor'd in the Text; and the Revolt of mine, I take to signify the Change of Complexion. And then Nym must mean, I will make him so jealous, till he changes Colour with its Working; and then it will break out into some violent Effects, that will be dangerous to Falstaff. For Mine (or Mien, as it is more generally written,) does not only signify, the Air, Gesture, and Bearing of any Person; but likewise the Look and Turn of Countenance; Oris Species; nativa vultûs Compositio:—Visage bon, ou mauvais, qu'on fait paroître aux gens selon qu'ils nous plaisent, &c. as Rithelet explains it: that Look, or Turn of Countenance, which we shew to People, according as they please us, or not. Our Author, in other places, takes notice of the Change of Colour to be a Symptom of Anger, Envy, &c. as it certainly is in Nature, according to the Spring of that Passion which excites it.

Note return to page 150 [9] (9) A cane colour'd beard.] Thus the latter Editions. I have restor'd with the old Copies. Cain and Judas, in the Tapestries and Pictures of old, were represented with yellow Beards.

Note return to page 151 [10] (10) Ballow me some Paper;] Thus all the Editions hitherto: and, I suppose, the Editors thought this a design'd Corruption of the Word borrow. But are we to imagine the Poet's Doctor had not a Scrap of Paper in his House, but must send out to borrow some? As Caius is represented a Frenchman, and generally speaks half French, half English, it is much more probable to believe, our Author wrote, Baillez me some Paper, i. e. fetch, bring, give me some. So the French say, Baillez la main, Give me your hand; Bailler une oeillade, to give One the Wink, &c.

Note return to page 152 [11] (11) &lblank; a bill in the Parliament for the putting down of Men:] What, Mrs. Page, put down the whole Species Unius ob noxam, for a single Offender's Trespass? Don't be so unreasonable in your Anger. But 'tis a false Charge against You. I am persuaded, a short Monosyllable is dropt out, which, once restor'd, would qualify the Matter. We must necessarily read, &lblank; for the putting down of fat Men.—Mrs. Ford says in the very ensuing Scene, I shall think the worse of Fat Men, as long as I have an Eye, &c. And in the old Quarto's, Mrs. Page, so soon as she has read the Letter, says, Well, I shall trust fat Men the worse, while I live, for his sake: And he is call'd, the fat Knight, the greasy Knight, by the Women, throughout the Play.

Note return to page 153 [12] (12) I will not believe such a Cataian, tho', &c.] This is a Piece of Satire, that did not want its Force at the time of this Play's appearing; tho' the History, on which it is grounded, is become obsolete, and lost to general Knowledge. In the Year 1575, Captain Martin Frobisher (who was afterwards knighted, for Services against the Spanish Armada;) being furnish'd with Adventurers to the Project, set out upon his Discovery of a Passage to Cataia, near China, by the North-west Seas. Having sail'd sixty Degrees North-west beyond Friestland, he came to Land, upon a Place inhabited by Savages, from whence he brought a piece of black Stone, like Sea-Coal, which, upon his Return, being assay'd by the Goldsmiths, was judg'd to be very rich in Gold-Ore. This encourag'd him to a second Voyage thither the next Season; when he freighted two Vessels home with this black Stone: and in 1578, his Project was so risen in Credit, that he set sail a third time with fifteen good Ships; and freighted them all, homewards, out of the same Mines. But, to see the odd Fate that too often attends such Discoveries! Tho' the Prospect of immense Treasures was at first so plausible, that it was given out with Certainty, Cataia was Solomon's Ophir; yet, on a severe Trial, this boasted Gold-Ore prov'd to be meer Dross: and that falling short of the expected Value, and the Adventurers of their expected Gains, the Project fell so low in Repute, that Cataians and Frobishers became By-words for such vain Boasters, as promis'd more than they could make out, and therefore deserv'd not to be credited.

Note return to page 154 [13] (13) And tell him, my Name is Brook;] Thus both the old Quarto's; and thus most certainly the Poet wrote. We need no better Evidence, than the Pun that Falstaff anon makes on the Name, when Brook sends him some burnt Sack. Such Brooks are welcome to me, that overflow with such Liquor. The Players, in their Editions, alter'd the Name to Broom: But how far that Name will sort with that Jest, is submitted to common Sense. Their Successors, however, of the Stage (like the old Priest, who had read Mumpsimus in his Breviary, instead of Sumpsimus, too long to think of altering it;) continue to this day to call him, Master Broom.

Note return to page 155 [14] (14) Will you go an-heirs? I can make Nothing of this Reading, which hath possess'd all the Editions. The Word is not to be traced; and, consequently, I am apt to suspect, must be corrupted. I should think, the Host meant to say, either, Will you go on, here? Pointing out the Way, which was to lead them to the Combatants; as he afterwards says, Here, boys, here, here: shall we wag? Or, Will you go, myn-heers? i. e. my Masters; Both these make plain Sense; and are not remote from the Traces of the Text: but, without some such Alteration, the Passage seems utterly unintelligible to me.

Note return to page 156 [15] (15) And stand so firmly on his Wife's Frailty,] No, surely; Page stood tightly to the Opinion of her Honesty, and would not entertain a Thought of her being frail. I have therefore ventur'd to substitute a Word correspondent to the Sense requir'd; and one, which our Poet frequently uses, to signify conjugal Faith.

Note return to page 157 [16] (16) Go, a short knife, and a thong,] All the old Copies have it, throng: as I believe, the Author design'd; i. e. a short knife and a Croud, the two Requisites for a Pick-pocket. Pickt-hatch, as we may find by many places in B. Jonson, was a noted Harbour for Thieves and Strumpets.

Note return to page 158 [17] (17) And thou shalt woo her. Cride-Game,] Thus the old Folio's. The Quarto's with a little Difference. And thou shalt wear her cry'd Game. Said I well? Neither of the Readings furnish any Idea; nor can be genuine. Try'd Game, as I have restor'd it, may well signify, Thou old Cock of the Game; thou experienced Sinner: and might be reasonably apply'd to Caius, who was an old Batchellor, and had Dame Quickly for his Housekeeper.

Note return to page 159 [18] (18) By shallow Rivers,] The Stanza, which Sir Hugh repeats here, is part of a sweet little Sonnet of our Author's, and printed among his Poems, call'd, The Passionate Shepherd to his Love. Milton was so enamour'd with this Poem, and the Nymph's Reply to it, that he has borrow'd the Close of his L'Allegro, and Il Penseroso from them— I don't know, whether it has been generally observ'd, but it is with wonderful Humour, in his singing, that Sir Hugh intermixes with his Madrigal the first Line of the 137th singing Psalm.

Note return to page 160 [19] (19) If opportunity and humblest Suit] Dr. Thirlby imagines, that our Author with more Propriety wrote; If Importunity and humblest Suit I have not ventur'd to disturb the Text, because, tho' an equal Exactness be not maintain'd in the Expression, it may mean, “If the frequent Opportunities you find of solliciting my Father, and your Obsequiousness to him, cannot get him over to your Party, &c.

Note return to page 161 [20] (20) As they would have drown'd a blind bitch's puppies,] I have ventur'd to transpose the Adjective here, against the Authority of the printed Copies. I know, in Horses, a Colt from a blind Stallion loses much of the Value it might otherwise have; but are puppies ever drown'd the sooner, for coming from a blind Bitch? Two other Passages in our Author countenance the Transposition I have made. Launce, in 2 Gent. of Verona. &lblank; One, that I sav'd from drowning, when three or four of his blind brothers and sisters went to it. And Jago, in Othello: Come, be a Man; drown thy self? drown Cats and blind Puppies.

Note return to page 162 [21] (21) If I cry out thus upon no tryal, never trust me when I open again.] This is a Corruption of the modern Editions: the Consequence either of Indolence, or Ignorance. The two first Folio's have it rightly, trayle; which is a hunting-terme, and corresponds with cry out, and open. Our Author uses the Word again twice in his Hamlet. Or else this Brain of mine hunts not the Trayle of Policy; &c. How chearfully on the false trayle they cry!

Note return to page 163 [22] (22) &lblank; they must come off.] This can never be our Poet's, or his Host's, Meaning: to come off, is, in other Terms, to go scot-free; But these Germans had taken up the Host's house, and he was resolv'd to make them pay for it. We must certainly, therefore, read, they must compt off: i. e. they must pay off the Accompt, or, as we now say, down with their Pence. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 164 [23] (23) Mrs. Ford. Marry, this is our Device, That Falstaff at that Oak shall meet with us. Page. Well; let it not be doubted, but he'll come. And in this Shape when you have brought him thither,] Thus this Passage has been transmitted down to us, from the Time of the first Edition by the Players: But what was this Shape, in which Falstaff was to be appointed to meet? For the women have not said one Word to ascertain it. This makes it more than suspicious, the Defect in this Point must be owing to some wise Retrenchment. The two intermediate Lines, which I have restor'd from the old Quarto, are absolutely necessary, and clear up the matter.

Note return to page 165 [24] (24) That Silk will I go buy, and in that time Shall Mr. Slender steal, &c.] What! must Slender steal Mrs. Anne, while her Father goes to buy the Silk she was to be dress'd in? This was no part of the Scheme. Her Garb was to be the Signal for Slender to know her by. The Alteration of a single Letter gives us the Poet's Reading. Tire is as common with our Poet, and other Writers of his Age, as Attire; to signify, Dress. And my Emendation is clearly justified, by what Fenton afterwards tells the Host. Her Father means She shall be all in white, And in that Dress, when Slender sees his time To take her by the Hand, &c,

Note return to page 166 [25] (25) Send quickly to Sir John, to know his mind] The whole Set of printed Copies downwards have sunk our Messenger here into an Adverb. Dame Quickly is the Person intended to be sent to Sir John; and accordingly when we next find her with him, She tells him, She comes from the two parties; viz. Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page.

Note return to page 167 [26] (26) Action of an old Woman,] This Reading is no great Compliment to the Sagacity of our former Editors, who could content themselves with Words, without any regard to the Reasoning. What! was it any Dexterity of Wit in Sir John Falstaff, to counterfeit the Action of an Old Woman in order to escape being apprehended for a Witch? Surely, one would imagine, This was the readiest means to bring him into such a Scrape: for none but old Women have ever been supected of being Witches. The Text must certainly be restor'd, as I have corrected it, a wood Woman; i. e. a crazy, frantick Woman; one too wild, and silly, and unmeaning, to have either the Malice, or mischievous Subtlety of a Witch in her. I have already explain'd, and prov'd the use of this Term, in one of my Notes on the Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Note return to page 168 [27] (27) And the Welch Devil Herne?] Thus all the Impressions have blunder'd after each other; but Falstaff was to represent Herne, and he was no Welchman. Where was the Attention, or Sagacity, of our Editors, not to observe that Mrs. Ford is inquiring for Evans by the Name of the Welch Devil? The Mistake, of the Word Herne getting into the Text, might easily happen by the Inadvertence of Transcribers, who threw their Eyes too hastily on the succeeding Line, where the Word again occurs. Dr. Thirlby likewise discover'd the Blunder of this Passage.

Note return to page 169 [28] (28) Divide me like a brib'd-Buck,] Thus all the old Copies, mistakingly: It must be, bribe-buck; i. e. a Buck sent for a Bribe. I made the Correction in my SHAKESPEARE Restor'd; and Mr. Pope has reform'd the Passage by it, in his last Edition.

Note return to page 170 [29] (29) You orphan-heirs of] Why, Orphan-heirs? Destiny, to which they ow'd their Original, and to whom they were heirs, was yet in Being sure: therefore they could not be call'd Orphans. Doubtless, the Poet wrote; You Ouphen-heirs of fixed Destiny. i.e. You Elves, that succeed to, and minister in, some of the Works of Destiny. They are call'd both before and after, in this Play, Ouphs; here, Ouphen: for en is either the Saxon Termination of plural Nouns; (the Word it self being from the Saxon Alpenne, lamiæ, dæmones;) or the Termination of an Adjective, form'd from a Noun; as wooden, woollen, golden, brazen, &c. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 171 [30] (30) &lblank; and the Owner it.] And cannot be the true Reading, both because the Grammar of the Sentence will not allow it, and his Court to Queen Elizabeth directs to another Reading; &lblank;as the Owner it. for, sure, he would not with a Thing, which his Complaisance and Address must suppose actually was; viz. the Worth of the Owner. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 172 [31] (31) Eva. It is right, indeed:] This short Speech, which is very much in Character for Sir Hugh, I have inserted from the old Quarto.

Note return to page 173 [32] (32) During this Song,] This Direction I thought proper to insert from the old Quarto's, as it is necessary to explain what is in Action on the Scene; and on which a Part of the Catastrophe of the Fable depends.

Note return to page 174 [33] (33) See you these husbands? Do not these fair Oaks Become the Forest better than the Town?] What Oaks, in the Name of Nonsense, do our sagacious Editors make Mrs. Page talk of? The Oaks in the Park? But there was no Intention of transplanting them into the Town.—Me quidèm pudet, pigetque. The first Folio reads, as the Poet intended, Yoaks: and Mrs. Page's Meaning is this. She speaks to her own, and Mrs. Ford's husband, and asks them, if they see the Horns in Falstaff's hand; and then alluding to them as the Types of Cuckoldom, puts the Question, whether those Yoaks are not more proper in the Forest than in the Town: i. e. than in their Families, as a Reproach to them.

Note return to page 175 [34] (34) What, a hog's pudding?] Mr. Pope has help'd us to this hog's-pudding; all the other Editions, which I have seen, have it rightly hodge-pudding, as it is vulgarly written and pronounc'd; the French call, to shake, or jumble together, hocher: and they have a Dish call'd, un hoche-pot, which is a Mixture of several Sorts of Meats cook'd up together. They likewise call it, un pot pourri: (says Richelet) a Dish, made up of several Meats macerated: and such a Gallima fry, does Ford mean, is Falstaff.

Note return to page 176 [35] (35) Mrs. Ford. Nay, husband,] This and the following little Speech I have inserted from the old Quarto's. The Retrenchment, I presume, was by the Players; and an injudicious One, in my Opinion. Sir John Falstaff is design'd the Favourite Character in the Play. His Vices are the Subject of all the Pleasantry: and he is sufficiently punish'd, in being disappointed and expos'd. The Expectation of his being persecuted for the twenty Pounds, gives the Conclusion too tragical a Turn. Besides, it is poetick Justice that Ford should sustain this Loss, as a Fine for his unreasonable Jealousy.

Note return to page 177 [1] (1) &lblank; then no more remaines: Put that to your Sufficiency, as your Worth is able, And let them work] I doubt not, but this Passage, either from the Impertinence of the Actors, or the Negligence of the Copyists, has come maim'd to us. In the first Place, what an unmeasurable, inharmonious, Verse have we here; and, then, how lame is the Sense! What was Escalus to put to his Sufficiency? Why, his Science. But his Science and his Sufficiency were but One and the same Thing. On what then does the Relative, them, depend? The old Editions read thus. &lblank; Then no more remaines, But that to your Sufficiency, as your Worth is able, And let them work. Here, again, the Sense is manifestly lame and defective, and as the Versification is so too, they concur to make me think, a Line has accidentally been left out. Perhaps, something like This might supply our Author's Meaning. &lblank; Then no more remains, But That to your Sufficiency you add Due Diligency, as your Worth is able: And let them work. By some such Supplement both the Sense and Measure would be cur'd. But as the Conjecture is unsupported by any Authorities, I have not pretended to thrust it into the Text; but submit it to Judgment. They, who are acquainted with Books, know, that, where two Words of a similar Length and Termination happen to lie under one another, nothing is more common than for Transcribers to glance their Eye at once from the first to the undermost Word, and so leave out the intermediate part of the Sentence.

Note return to page 178 [2] (2) &lblank; for if our Virtues Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike As if we had them not.] This Sentiment seems to have sprung from the following Passage of Horace, Lib. 4 Ode 9. Paullùm sepultæ distat Inertiæ Celata Virtus.

Note return to page 179 [3] (3) A French Crown more.] Lucio means here not the piece of mony so call'd, but that Venerial Scab which among the Surgeons is stil'd Corona Veneris. To this, I think, our Author likewise makes Quince allude in Midsummer Night's Dream. Some of your French Crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play bare-faced. As B. Jonson, does likewise in Cynthia's Revels. Asot. I, Sir, I'll assure you, tis a Beaver. It cost me eight Crowns but this morning. Amo. After your French Account? Asot. Yes, Sir. Cri. And so near his Head?—Beshrew me, dangerous. For where these Eruptions are, the Skull is carious, and the Party becomes bald.

Note return to page 180 [4] (4) So long, that nineteen Zodiacks have gone round,] The Duke, in the Scene immediately following, says, Which for these fourteen Years we have let slip, The Author could not so disagree with himself, in so narrow a Compass. The Numbers must have been wrote in Figures, and so mistaken: for which reason, 'tis necessary to make the two Accounts do respond.

Note return to page 181 [5] (5) A Man of Stricture.] Mr. Warburton observes, that Strictura, from which this Word should seem to be form'd, signified, among the Latines, the Spark which flies from red-hot Iron when struck; whence, in English, it has been metaphorically taken for a bright Stroke in an Author: nor has it, says he, any other Signification. And he very reasonably questions, whether it had That in Shakespeare's time. As so remote a Signification could have no place in the Text here, he suspects that two Words must have ignorantly been jumbled into one, and that our Author wrote: A Man of strict ure and firm Abstinence. i. e. a Man of a severe habit of Life. Ure, 'tis certain, was a Word used in Chaucer's Time for Chance, Destiny, Fortune; (when deriv'd from heur;) and also for Habit, Custom; (when contracted from the usura of the Latines;) whence we have form'd our compound Adjective, enured, habituated to. Tho' I have not disturb'd the Text, the Conjecture was too ingenious to be pass'd over in Silence. But as it is most frequent with our Author as well to coin Words, as to form their Terminations ad libitunt; he may have adopted Stricture here to signify Strictness; as afterwards, in this very Play, he has introduced prompture, the Usage of which Word I no where else remember in our Tongue; neither have we promptura or prompture, from the Latin or French, that I know of.

Note return to page 182 [6] (6) The needful Bits and Curbs for headstrong Weeds:] There is no manner of Analogy, or Consonance, in the Metaphors here: and, tho' the Copies agree, I do not think, the Author would have talk'd of Bits and Curbs for Weeds. On the other hand, nothing can be more proper, than to compare Persons of unbridled Licentiousness to headstrong Steeds: and, in this View, bridling the Passions has been a Phrase adopted by our best Poets. So, Horace, Lib. iv. Od. 15.   &lblank; & Ordinem Rectum evaganti frena Licentiæ   Injecit, emovitque culpas,     Et veteres revocavit Artes. So, in his Epistles, Lib. 1. Ep. 2. &lblank; animum rege, qui, nisi paret, Imperat, hunc frenis, hunc tu compesce catenâ. And so the elegant Phædrus, Lib. 1. Fab. 2. Procax libertas civitatem miscuit, Frenumque solvit pristinum licentiâ. But Instances were endless both from the Poets, and Prose-writers.

Note return to page 183 [7] (7) Which for these fourteen Years we have let slip,] For fourteen I have made no Scruple to replace nineteen. The Reason will be obvious to the Reader; who shall look back to the 4th Note upon this Play. I have, I hope, upon as good Authority, alter'd the odd Phrase of letting the Laws slip: for, supposing the Expression might be justified, yet how does it sort with the Comparison, that follows, of a Lion in his Cave that went not out to prey? But letting the Laws sleep, as I have restor'd to the Text, adds a particular Propriety to the Thing represented, and accords exactly too with the Simile. It is the Metaphor too, that our Author seems fond of using upon this Occasion, in several other Passages of this Play. The Law hath not been dead, tho' it hath slept: &lblank; 'Tis now awake. And so, again, &lblank; but this new Governour Awakes me all th'enrolled Penalties; &lblank; and for a Name Now puts the drowsie and neglected Act Freshly on me.

Note return to page 184 [8] (8) I'll rent the fairest house in it, after three pence a Day.] This Reading first got place in Mr. Pope's Impression, who, I presume, did not know how to account for, Bay, the Reading of the old Copies; and which I have restor'd to the Text. For my part, I believe, our Poet had no Notion of reducing House-rent to a Proportion by the Day. The Meaning is this. The Fashion of Buildings, in our Author's time, was to have two or three semi-circular juttings out in Front, (which we still see in the Remains of old Houses,) where the Windows were plac'd: And these Projections were call'd Bays; as the Windows were, from them, call'd Bay-windows, or Compass-windows: the last of which Terms we meet with in our Author's Troilus and Cressida. She came to him t'other day into the Compass-window. Minshew tells us, the Reason of the Name being given was, because this Form of Building resembled a Bay, or Road for Ships, which is always round, and bow-ing, to break off the Force of the Water.— So that, Houses, as I said, having not above two or three of these Juttings out, the Clown says, “the Houses won't be worth above three pence a Bay”, i. e. Nine pence per Year at the largest Computation. I had almost forgot to observe, that Chaucer mentions a Bay-window in his Court of Love. And there beside, within a bay-windowe. Stod one in grene, full large of bred and length, &c.

Note return to page 185 [9] (9) Well, believe this,] This manner of Pointing, which runs thro' all the Copies, gives an Air of Address too familiar for an Inferior to use to a Person of Distinction. But taking away the Comma after, Well, not only removes the Objection, but restores a Mode of Expression, which out Author delights to use. Well believe this; i. e. Be convinc'd, be throughly assur'd of this. So, afterwards, in this Play, Angelo says; I think it well. So, Gonzalo, in the Tempest. I do well believe your Highness, &lblank; And so, in King John; And well shall you perceive &lblank; So one of the Gentlemen in the opening Scene of Cymbeline; I do well believe. And so Pisanio, in the same Play; &lblank; You shall be miss'd at Court; And that will well confirm it. &c. &c.

Note return to page 186 [10] (10) As makes the Angels weep; who, with our spleens, Would all themselves laugh mortal] Men play such fantastick Tricks, and appear so ridiculous, as to make the Angels weep in Compassion of our Extravagance: who, if they were endued with our Spleens and perishable Organs, would laugh themselves out of Immortality; or, as we say in common Life, laugh themselves dead. This Notion of the Angels weeping for the Sins of Men is purely Rabbinical—Oh peccatum flentes Angelos inducunt Hebræorum Magistri.—Grotius ad S. Lucam, c. 15. v. 7.

Note return to page 187 [11] (11) We cannot weigh our Brother with our self.] Why not? Tho' this should be the Reading of all the Copies, 'tis as plain as Light, it is not the Author's Meaning. Isabella would say, there is so great a Disproportion in Quality betwixt Lord Angelo and her Brother, that their Actions can bear no Comparison, or Equality, together: but her Brother's Crimes would be aggravated, Angelo's Frailties extenuated, from the Difference of their Degrees and State of Life. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 188 [12] (12) Who falling in the Flaws of her own Youth, Hath blister'd her Report.] As, blister'd, follows in the second Line, Mr. Warburton ingeniously advises to read Flames in the first. And it is the Metaphor our Author elsewhere chooses to use. So Polonius in Hamlet. &lblank; I do know, When the blood burns, how prodigal the Soul Lends the Tongue Vows. These Blazes, oh, my daughter, &c. And so the Countess, in All's Well that ends Well. Nat'ral Rebellion, done i'th' Blaze of Youth, When Oyl and Fire, too strong for Reason's force, O'erbears it, and burns on. And so Prospero, in The Tempest; &lblank; do not give Dalliance Too much the rein; the strongest Oaths are Straw To 'th' Fire i'th' blood: &lblank;

Note return to page 189 [13] (13) Else let my Brother dye, If not a Feodary, but only He, &c.] This is so obscure a Passage, but so fine in its Application, that it deserves to be explain'd. A Feodary was One, that, in the Times of Vassalage, held Lands of the chief Lord, under the Tenure of paying Rent and Service: which Tenures were call'd Feuda amongst the Goths. This being premised, let us come to a Paraphrase of our Author's Words. “We are all frail, says Angelo; yes replies Isabella; if all Mankind were not Feodaries, who owe what they have to this Tenure of Imbecillity, and who succeed each other by the same Tenure, as well as my Brother, I would give him up.” And the comparing Mankind, (who, according to some Divines, lye under the Weight of Original Sin,) to a Feodary, who owes Suit and Service to his Lord, is, I think, one of the most beautiful Allusions imaginable. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 190 [14] (14) &lblank; Reason thus with Life; If I do lose thee, I do lose a Thing That none but Fools would keep.] But this Reading is not only contrary to all Sense and Reason; but to the Drift of this moral Discourse. The Duke, in his assum'd Character of a Friar, is endeavouring to instill into the condemn'd Prisoner a Resignation of Mind to his Sentence; but the Sense of the Lines, in this Reading, is a direct Perswasive to Suicide! I make no Doubt, but the Poet wrote, That none but Fools would reck. i. e. care for, be anxious about, regret the Loss of. Mr. Warburton. And the Word is very frequent with our Author. 2 Gent. of Verona; Recking as little what betideth me, As much I wish all Good befortune you. And Hamlet; Himself the primrose Path of Dalliance treads, And recks not his own Reed. Et alibi passim.

Note return to page 191 [15] (15) &lblank; Thou hast nor Youth, nor Age; &c.] Mr. Warburton has given me a Correction of, and Paraphrase on, this and the subsequent Lines; which shews so fine a Spirit, that, tho' I have not ventur'd to disturb the Text, I must not deprive my Readers of it.—“The Drift of this Period, you see, is to prove, that neither Youth, nor Age, is really enjoy'd: which, in poetical Language is, We have neither Youth, nor Age.” But how is This prov'd? That Age is not enjoy'd, he makes appear by recapitulating the Infirmities of it, which deprive old Age of the Sense of Pleasure. To prove Youth is not enjoy'd, he uses these Words; for all thy blessed Youth becomes as aged, and doth beg the Alms of palsied Eld. Out of which, he that can deduce the Proof, erit mihi magnus Apollo.” Undoubtedly, if we would know how the Author wrote, we must read. &lblank; for, pall'd, thy blazed Youth Becomes assuaged; and doth beg the Alms Of palsied Eld. i. e. When thy youthful Appetite becomes pall'd, as it will be, in the Enjoyment; the Blaze of Youth becomes assuaged, and thou immediately contract'st the Infirmities of Age; as, particularly, the Palsie, and other nervous Infirmities; the Consequence of the Enjoyment of sensual Pleasure. This is to the Purpose; and proves Youth is not enjoy'd, by shewing the fleeting Duration of it.”

Note return to page 192 [16] (16) The weariest, and most loathed worldly Life,] This natural Fear of Claudio, from the Antipathy we have to Death, seems very little varied from that infamous Wish of Mæcenas recorded in the 101st Epistle of Seneca. Debilem facito manu, Debilem pede, coxâ; Tuber adstrue gibberum, Lubricos quate dentes: Vita, dum superest, bene est. Hanc mihi, vel acutâ Si sedeam cruce, sustine. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 193 [17] (17) I drink, I eat away myself, and live.] Thus hitherto in all the Impressions. This is one very excellent Instance of the Sagacity of our Editors, and it were to be wish'd heartily, they would have oblig'd us with their physical Solution, how a Man can eat away himself and live. The ingenious Mr. Bishop, when we read this Play together, gave me that most certain Emendation, which I have substituted in the Room of the former foolish Reading; by the Help whereof, we have this easy Sense; that the Clown fed himself, and put Cloaths on his Back by exercising the vile Trade of a Bawd. In Othello, Iago speaks much to the same Purpose of Cassio's Strumpet. A Housewife, that, by selling her Desires, Buyes herself Bread, and Cloath. And B. Jonson, much nearer to the Words of the Passage here corrected, in his Epigram upon Lieut. Shift. By that one Spell he lives, eats, drinks, arrays Himself.

Note return to page 194 [18] (18) &lblank; and he is a Motion generative; that's infallible.] This may be Sense; and Lucio, perhaps, may mean, that tho' Angelo have the Organs of Generation, yet that he makes no more Use of them than if he were an inanimate Puppet. But I rather think, our Author wrote; —and he is a Motion ungenerative,—because Lucio again in this very Scene says;—this ungenitur'd Agent will unpeople the Province with Continency.

Note return to page 195 [19] (19) The Duke, I say to thee again, would eat Mutton on Fridays.] This is not meant to impeach the Duke of being an ill Catholick, as transgressing the Rules of Abstinence in Diet: But the Joke, alluded to, will be explain'd by looking back to the third Note on the Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Note return to page 196 [20] (20) How may Likeness made in Crimes, Making Practise on the Times, To draw with idle Spider's Strings Most pond'rous and substantial Things?] This obscure and ungrammatical Passage Mr. Warburton has restor'd to its Purity, only by adding one Monosyllable, and throwing out another: as he has likewise made it intelligible by the following Comment. “How much Wickedness may a Man hide within, tho' he appears like an Angel without! How may that Likeness, made in Crimes, i. e. by Hypocrisy; [a pretty paradoxical Expression, of an Angel made in Crimes] by imposing on the World, [thus emphatically express'd, making Practise on the Times] draw with its false and empty Pretences [which Shakespeare finely calls, Spiders Strings;] the most ponderous and substantial Things of the World, as Riches, Honour, Power, Reputation, &c.

Note return to page 197 [21] (21) Take, oh, take those Lips away,] This Song, which, no doubt, was a great Favourite in its Time, is inserted in Beaumont and Fletcher's Bloody Brother with this additional Stanza. Hide, oh, hide those Hills of Snow,   Which thy frozen Bosom bears; On whose Tops the Pinks, that grow,   Are of those that April wears. But my poor Heart first set free,   Bound in those icy Chains by thee. With this Addition likewise it is printed in the Volume of Shakespeare's Poems. The Reason, of this second Stanza being omitted here, is obvious. Mariana has the Song sung, applicable to her Love for Angels, and his Perjury to her: and the Addition can only sort, when address'd from a Lover to his Mistress.

Note return to page 198 [22] (22) &lblank; for yet our tythe's to sow.] It must be Tilth; that is, our Tillage is yet to be made; our Grain is yet to be put in the Ground; the Project, from which we expect to profit in the Issue, is still to be put in Hand.

Note return to page 199 [23] (23) Abhor. Every true Man's Apparel fits your Thief. Clown. If it be too little for your Thief, your true Man thinks it big enough. If it be too big for your thief, your Thief thinks it little enough: so every true Man's Apparel fits your Thief.] This is a very notable Passage, as it stands in all the Editions; but, I dare say, is notably corrupted; and both the Speeches, and the Words, shuffled and misplaced. What! does the Clown ask Proof, how the Hangman's Trade is a Mystery; and, so soon as ever Abhorson advances his Thesis to prove it, the Clown takes the Argument out of his Mouth, and perverts the very Tenour of it? I am satisfied, the Poet intended a regular Syllogism; and I submit it to judgment, whether my Regulation has not restor'd that Wit, and Humour which was quite lost in the Depravation.

Note return to page 200 [24] (24) You shall find me yours;] This Reading, I believe, was first Mr. Rowe's; and consequently adopted by the last Editor. The old Books have it, You shall find me y'are.—Very little Sagacity might have instructed them, that the Corruption is only in the Apostrophe; and that the Poet's Word was yare; i. e. dextrous in the Office; a Word very frequent in our Author's Writings.

Note return to page 201 [25] (25) &lblank; yet reason dares her:] The old Folio Impressions read, yet Reason dares her no:—perhaps, dares her Note: i. e. stifles her Voice; frights her from speaking. In this Sense, our Author uses the Word dare, again, in his Henry VIII. Farewel, Nobility! Let his Grace go forward, And dare us with his Cap, like Larks.

Note return to page 202 [26] (26) He says to vail full purpose.] Thus the old Copies. I don't know, what Idea our Editors form'd to themselves, of vailing full Purpose, but, I'm persuaded, the Poet meant, as I have restor'd; viz. to a Purpose that will stand us in stead, that will profit us.

Note return to page 203 [27] (27) Have hent the Gates, &lblank;] An anonymous Correspondent advis'd me to read; Have hemm'd the Gates, &lblank; But, I apprehend, there is no Occasion for any Change. To hend, Skinner and some other Glossaries tell us, signifies, to seize, lay hold on with the hand; but we find by Spenser, in his Colin Clout, that it likewise signifies, to surround, encircle; (in which Senses it is used here.) From thence another World of Land we kin'd,   Floating amid the Sea in Jeopardy; And round about with mighty white Rocks hend,   Against the Sea's encroaching Cruelty. We meet with the Word again, in its first Acceptation, in our Author's Winter's Tale. Jog on, jog on, the foot-path Way,   And merrily hent the Stile-a: A merry Heart goes all the day,   Your sad tires in a mile-a.

Note return to page 204 [28] (28) And she will speak most bitterly.] Thus is the Verse left imperfect by Mr. Rowe and Mr. Pope; tho' the old Copies all fill it up, as I have done. I have restor'd an infinite Number of such Passages tacitly from the first Impressions: but I thought proper to take notice, once for all, here, that as Mr. Pope follows Mr. Rowe's Edition in his Errors and Omissions, it gives great Suspicion, notwithstanding the pretended Collation of Copies, that Mr. Pope, for the Generality, took Mr. Rowe's Edition as his Guide.

Note return to page 205 [29] (29) &lblank; come, cousin Angelo, In this I'll be impartial: be you judge Of your own Cause.] Surely, this Duke had odd Notions of Impartiality; to prosess it, and then commit the Decision of a Cause to the Person accus'd of being the Criminal. He talks much more rationally on this Affair, when he speaks in the Character of the Friar. &lblank; The Duke's unjust, Thus to retort your manifest Appeal; And put your Trial in the Villain's mouth, Which here you come t' accuse. &lblank; I think, there needs no stronger Authority to convince, that the Poet must have wrote as I have corrected; In this I will be partial;

Note return to page 206 [30] (30) Go, fetch him hither: &lblank;] The introducing Barnardine here, is, seemingly a matter of no Consequence; as he is no Person concern'd in the Action of the Play, nor directly aiding to the Dênoüement, as the French call it, of the Plot: but, to our Poet's Praise, let me observe, that it is not done without double Art; it gives a Handle for the Discovery of Claudio being alive, and so heightens the Surprize; and, at the same time, by the Pardon of Barnardine, gives a fine Opportunity of making the Duke's Character more amiable both for Mercy, and Virtue.

Note return to page 207 [31] (31) Joy to you, Mariana; love her Angelo:] I cannot help taking notice, with how much Judgment Shakespeare has given Turns to this Story, from what he found it in Cinthio Giraldi's Novel. In the first place, the Brother, whom our Poet calls Claudio, is there actually executed: And the ungrateful Governor sends his Head in a Bravado, to the Sister; after he had debauch'd her, on Promise of Marriage. A Circumstance of too much Horror, and Villany, for the Stage. And in the next place, this Sister afterwards is, to solder up her Disgrace, marry'd to the Governor, and begs his Life of the Emperor, tho' he had so unjustly been the Death of her Brother. Both which Absurdities our Poet has avoided by the Episode of Mariana, a Creature purely of his own Invention. The Duke's remaining incognito at home, to supervise the Conduct of his Deputy, is also entirely our Author's Fiction.— This Story was attempted for the Scene by one George Whetstone (before our Author was fourteen Years old,) in Two Comical Discourses (as they are call'd) containing, the right, excellent and famous History of Promos and Cassandra: and printed in the old Black Letter, in 1578. Neither of these Discourses, I believe, were ever acted: The Author left them with his Friends, to publish; for He, that very Year, accompanied Sir Humphry Gilbert, Sir Walter Raleigh's Brother, in his Voyage to Norimbega in the West-Indies. I could prove to Demonstration, that Shakespeare had perus'd these Pieces; but whoever has seen, and knows what execrable mean Stuff they are; I am sure, will acquit him from all Suspicion of Plagiarism.

Note return to page 208 [1] (1) Much Ado about Nothing.] Innogen, (the Mother of Hero) in the oldest Quarto that I have seen of this Play, printed in 1600, is mention'd to enter in two several Scenes. The succeeding Editions have all continued her Name in the Dramatis Personæ. But I have ventur'd to expunge it; there being no mention of her thro' the Play, no one Speech address'd to her, nor one Syllable spoken by her. Neither is there any one Passage, from which we have any Reason to determine that Hero's Mother was living. It seems, as if the Poet had in his first Plan design'd such a Character; which, on a Survey of it, he found would be superfluous; and therefore he left it out:

Note return to page 209 [2] (2) &lblank; he is no less than a stufft man: but for the Stuffing well, we are all mortal.] Thus has this Passage been all along stop'd, from the very first Edition downwards. If any of the Editors could extract Sense from this Pointing, their Sagacity is a Pitch above mine. I believe, by my Regulation of the Stops, I have retriev'd the Poet's true Meaning. Our Poet seems to use the Word Stuffing here much as Plautus does in his Mostellaria; Act. 1. Sc. 3. Non Vestem amatores mulieris amant, sed Vostis fartum.

Note return to page 210 [3] (3) And he that hits me, let him be clap'd on the Shoulder, and call'd Adam.] But why should he therefore be call'd Adam? Perhaps, by a Quotation or two We may be able to trace the Poet's Allusion here. In Law-Tricks, or, Who would have thought it, (a Comedy written by John Day, and printed in 1608) I find this Speech. I have heard, Old Adam was an honest Man, and a good Gardiner; lov'd Lettice well, Salads and Cabage reasonable well, yet no Tobacco;— Again, Adam Bell, a substantial Outlaw, and a passing good Archer, yet no Tobacconist. By This it appears, that Adam Bell at that time of day was of Reputation for his Skill at the Bow. I find him again mention'd in a Burlesque Poem of Sir William Davenant's call'd, The long Vacation in London. Now lean Attorney, that his Cheese Ne'er par'd, nor Verses took for Fees, And aged Proctor, that controuls The Feats of Punk in Court of Pauls, Do each with solemn Oath agree To meet in Fields of Finsbury: With Loins in Canvas bow-case tied, Where arrows stick with mickle Pride; With Hats pinn'd up, and Bow in hand, All day most fiercely there they stand, Like Ghosts of Adam, Bell, and Clymme; Sol sets, for Fear they'll shoot at him. By the Passage, which I above quoted from Law-Tricks, 'tis plain, Sir William's Editor has falsely pointed the last Line but one; We must correct it thus; Like Ghosts of Adam Bell, and Clymme; 'Tis this Wight, no Doubt, whom our Author here alludes to: and had I the Convenience of consulting Aschem's Toxophilus, I might probably grow better acquainted with his History.

Note return to page 211 [4] (4) If the Prince be too importunate,] This is the Reading only of Mr. Pope's Impressions, as I can find, and warranted by none of the Copies. I have restor'd with all the old Books, important; i. e. if the Prince be too forcible, pressing, lays too much Stress on his Suit, &c. The Poet employs this word again, in the like Signification, in K. Lear. &lblank; therefore great France My Mourning, and important Tears hath pitied.

Note return to page 212 [5] (5) My Visor is Philemon's Roof, within the House is Love.] Thus the whole Stream of the Copies, from the first downwards. I must own, this Passage for a long while appear'd very obscure to me, and gave me much Trouble in attempting to understand it. Hero says to Don Pedro, God forbid, the Lute should be like the Case! i. e. that your Face should be as homely and as course as your Mask. Upon this, Don Pedro compares his Visor to Philemon's Roof. 'Tis plain, the Poet alludes to the Story of Baucis and Philemon from Ovid: And this, old Couple, as the Roman Poet describes it, liv'd in a thatch'd Cottage; &lblank; Stipulis & cannâ tecta palustri. But why, Within the House is Love? Baucis and Philemon, 'tis true, had liv'd to old Age together, in a comfortable State of Agreement. But Piety and Hospitality are the top Parts of their Character. Our Poet unquestionably goes a little deeper into the Story. Tho' this old Pair liv'd in a Cottage, this Cottage receiv'd two straggling Gods, (Jupiter and Mercury,) under its Roof. So, Don Pedro is a Prince; and tho' his Visor is but ordinary, he would insinuate to Hero, that he has something god-like within: alluding either to his Dignity, or the Qualities of his Person and Mind. By these Circumstances, I am sure, the Thought is mended: as, I think verily, the Text is too by the Change of a single Letter. &lblank; within the House is Jove. I made this Correction in my Shakespeare restor'd; and Mr. Pope has vouchsaf'd to adopt it, in his last Edition. Nor is this Emendation a little confirm'd by another Passage in our Author, in which he plainly alludes to the same Story. As you like it. Clown. I am here with thee and thy Goats, as the most capricious Poet, honest Ovid, was amongst the Goths. Jaq. O Knowledge ill inhabited, worse than Jove in a thatch'd House. I am naturally drawn here to correct a Passage in Beaumont and Fletcher's Two Noble Kinsmen, where a Fault of the like Kind has obtain'd in all the Copies. &lblank; here Love himself sits smiling; Just such Another wanton Ganymede Set Love a-fire with, and enforc'd the God Snatch up the goodly Boy, and set him by him A shining Constellation: &lblank; All my Readers, who are acquainted with the poetical History here alluded to, will concur with me in the Certainty of the following Emendation: Just such Another wanton Ganymede Set Jove a-fire with, &lblank;

Note return to page 213 [6] (6) Balth. Well; I would, you did like me.] This and the two following little Speeches, which I have placed to Balthasar, are in all the printed Copies given to Benedick. But, 'tis clear, the Dialogue here ought to be betwixt Balthasar, and Margaret: Benedick, a little lower, converses with Beatrice: and so every Man talks with his Woman once round.

Note return to page 214 [7] (7) &lblank; budling jest upon jest, with such impossible conveyance, upon me.] Thus all the printed Copies; but I freely confess, I can't possibly understand the Phrase. I have ventur'd to substitute impassable. To make a Pass (in Fencing,) is, to thrust, push: and by impassable, I presume, the Poet meant, that she push'd her jests upon him with such Swiftness, that it was impossible for him to pass them off to parry them.

Note return to page 215 [8] (8) For I have heard my daughter say, She hath often dream'd of unhappiness, and wak'd her self with laughing.] Tho' all the Impressions agree in this Reading, surely, 'tis absolutely repugnant to what Leonato intends to say, which is this; “Beatrice is never sad, but when she sleeps; and not ever sad then; for she hath often dream'd of something merry, (an happiness, as the Poet phrases it,) and wak'd herself with laughing”.

Note return to page 216 [9] (9) Bora. Go then, find me a meet hour to draw on Pedro and the Count Claudio, alone; tell them that you know Hero loves me;— Offer them Instances which shall bear no less Likelihood than to see me at her Chamber-window; hear me call Margaret, Hero; hear Margaret term me Claudio; and bring them to see this the very night before the intended Wedding.] Thus the whole Stream of the Editions from the first Quarto downwards. I am oblig'd here to give a short Account of the Plot depending, that the Emendation I have made may appear the more clear and unquestionable. The Business stands thus: Claudio, a Favourite of the Arragon Prince, is, by his Intercessions with her Father, to be married to fair Hero. Don John, Natural Brother of the Prince, and a Hater of Claudio, is in his Spleen zealous to disappoint the Match. Borachio, a rascally Dependant on Don John, offers his Assistance, and engages to break off the Marriage by this Stratagem. “Tell the Prince and Claudio (says He) that Hero is in Love with Me; they won't believe it; offer them Proofs, as that they shall see me converse with her in her Chamber-window; I am in the good Graces of her Waiting-woman Margaret; and I'll prevail with Margaret at a dead Hour of Night to personate her Mistress Hero; do you then bring the Prince and Claudio to overhear our Discourse; and They shall have the Torment to hear me address Margaret by the Name of Hero, and her say sweet things to me by the Name of Claudio.”—This is the Substance of Borachio's Device to make Hero suspected of Disloyalty, and to break off her Match with Claudio. But, in the Name of common Sense, could it displease Claudio to hear his Mistress making Use of his Name tenderly? If he saw another Man with her, and heard her call him Claudio, he might reasonably think her betray'd, but not have the same Reason to accuse her of Disloyalty. Besides, how could her naming Claudio make the Prince and Claudio believe that She lov'd Borachio, as he desires Don John to insinuate to them that She did? The Circumstances weigh'd, there is no Doubt but the Passage ought to be reform'd, as I have settled in the Text. &lblank; hear me call Margaret, Hero; hear Margaret term me Borachio. I made this Correction in my Shakespeare restor'd, and Mr. Pope has thought fit tacitly to embrace it in his last Edition.

Note return to page 217 [10] (10) “Wise, or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her; fair, or I'll never look on her;] These Words, says Mr. Pope, added out of the Edition of 1623.—But they are likewise, before that, in the Quarto of 1600. They are also in the second and third Impressions in Folio; and in the two Editions by Mr. Rowe. Where is it they are not then, that they are thus said to be added by this wonderful Collator? They happen to be extant in the very first Edition, that we know of; they keep their place in an Edition publish'd 23 Years after that; and therefore, Mr. Pope says, they are added from this subsequent Edition.

Note return to page 218 [11] (11) O, she tore the Letter into a thousand half-pence;] i. e. into a thousand pieces of the same bigness. This is farther explain'd by a Passage in As you Like it; &lblank; There were none principal; they were all like one another as half-pence are. In both places the Poet alludes to the old Silver Penny which had a Crease running Cross-wise over it, so that it might be broke into two or four equal pieces, half pence, or farthings.

Note return to page 219 [12] (12) &lblank; if fair-fac'd, She'd swear, the Gentleman should be her Sister; If black, why Nature drawing of an Antick, Made a foul Blot; if tall, a Lance ill headed; &c. Some of the Editors have pretended, that our Author never imitates any Passages of the Antients. Methinks, this is so very like a remarkable Description in Lucretius; (lib. iv. vers. 1154, &c.) that I can't help suspecting, Shakespeare had it in View; the only Difference seems to be, that the Latine Poet's Characteristics turn upon Praise; our Countryman's, upon the Hinge of Derogation. Nigra &grm;&gre;&grl;&gria;&grx;&grr;&gro;&grst; est; immunda & fœtida, &grasa;&grk;&gro;&grs;&grm;&gro;&grst;. Cœsia, &grp;&gra;&grl;&grl;&graa;&grd;&gri;&gro;&grn;&grcolon; nervosa & lignea, &grd;&gro;&grr;&grk;&graa;&grst;. Parvola, pumilio, &grx;&gra;&grr;&gria;&grt;&grw;&grn; &grm;&gria;&gra;, tota merum Sal: Magna atque immanis, &grk;&gra;&grt;&graa;&grp;&grl;&grh;&grc;&gri;&grst;, plenaque honoris.

Note return to page 220 [13] (13) If low, an Agat very vilely cut;] But why an Agat, if low? And what Shadow of Likeness between a little Man and an Agat? The Antients, indeed, used this Stone to cut in, and upon; but most exquisitely. I make no Question, but the Poet wrote; &lblank; an Aglet very vilely cut; An Aglet was the Tagg of those Points, formerly so much in Fashion. These Taggs were either of Gold, Silver, or Brass, according to the Quality of the Wearer; and were commonly in the Shape of little Images; or at least had a Head cut at the Extremity, as is seen at the End of the Start of old fashion'd Spoons. And as a tall Man is before compar'd to a Launce ill-headed; so, by the same Figure, a little Man is very aptly liken'd to an Aglet ill-cut. Mr. Warburton. I'll subjoin a few Passages in Confirmation of my Friend's beautiful Conjecture. Taming of the Shrew. Why, give him Gold enough, and marry him to a Puppet, or an Aglet-baby, &c. The Two Noble Kinsmen of Beaumont and Fletcher; I'm very cold; and all the Stars are out too, The little Stars, and all; that look like Aglets. And Sir John Harrington, in his Translation of Aristo's Orlando Furioso. Book V. St. 47. The Gown I ware was white, and richly set With Aglets, Pearl, and Lace of Gold well garnish'd: My stately Tresses cover'd with a Net Of beaten Gold, most pure and brightly varnish'd, &c.

Note return to page 221 [14] (14) She shall be buried with her Face upwards.] Thus the whole Set of Editions: But what is there any ways particular in This? Are not all Men and Women buried so? Sure, the Poet means, in Opposition to the general Rule, and by way of Distinction, with her heels upwards, or face downwards. I have chose the first Reading, because I find it the Expression in Vogue in our Author's time. So, Beaumont and Fletcher in their Wild-Goose Chase. Whilst I have Meat and Drink, Love cannot starve me; For if I dye o'th' first Fit, I'm unhappy; And worthy to be buried with my heels upwards. And in The Woman's Prize; or, The Tamer tam'd: &lblank; Some Few, For these are rarest, they are said to kill With Kindness and fair Usage; but what they are, My Catalogue discovers not; only 'tis thought, They're buried in old Walls with their Heels upward. And again, in The Coxcomb; Judge me, I do but jest with thee: What, an She were inverted with her Heels upward, like a Traytor's Coat?

Note return to page 222 [15] (15) Conr. Masters, Masters,— 2 Watch. You'll be made bring Deformed forth, I warrant you. Conr. Masters, never speak, we charge you, let us obey you to go with us.] The different Regulation which I have made in this last Speech, tho' against the Authority of all the printed Copies, I flatter my self, carries its Proof with it. Conrade and Borachio are not design'd to talk absurd Nonsense; that is the distinguishing Characteristick of the Constable and Watch. It is evident therefore, that Conrade is attempting his own Justification; but is interrupted in it by the Impertinence of the Men in Office.

Note return to page 223 [16] (16) Dear my Lord, if you in your own Proof.] I am surpriz'd, the Poetical Editors did not observe the Lameness of this Verse. It evidently wants a Syllable in the last Foot, which I have restor'd by a Word, which, I presume, the first Editors might hesitate at; tho' it is a very proper one, and a Word elsewhere used by our Author. Anth. and Cleop. &lblank; Sister, prove such a Wife As my Thoughts make thee, and my farthest Bond Shall pass on thy Approof. Besides, in the Passage under Examination, this Word comes in almost necessarily, as Claudio had said in the Line immediately preceding; Not knit my Soul to an approved Wanton.

Note return to page 224 [17] (17) Your Daughter here the Princess (left for dead)] But how comes Hero to start up a Princess here? We have no Intimation of her Father being a Prince; and this is the first and only Time that She is complimented with this Dignity. The Remotion of a single Letter, and of the Parenthesis, will bring her to her own Rank, and the Place to its true Meaning. Your Daughter here the Princes left for dead; i. e. Don Pedro, Prince of Arragon; and his Bastard Brother who is likewise call'd a Prince. So in the other Passages of this Play; To burn the Error that these Princes hold Against her Maiden Honour. And again, There is some strange Misprision in these Princes. And again, I thank you, Princes, for my Daughter's Death.

Note return to page 225 [18] (18) That, What we have, we prize not to the Worth, Whiles we enjoy it; but being lack'd and lost, Why, then we rack the Value; then we find The Virtue that Possession would not shew us Whilst it was ours: &lblank;] Whether this be an Imitation, or no, I won't contend; but if not, it seems to me a very fine Paraphrase on this Passage of Horace; Lib. III. Ode 24. Virtutem incolumem odimus, Sublatam ex oculis quærimus invidi.

Note return to page 226 [19] (19) Both. Yea, Sir, we hope. To. Cl. Write down, that they hope, they serve God: and write God first: for God defend, but God should go before such Villains &lblank;] This short Passage, which is truly humourous and in Character, I have added from the old Quarto. Besides, it supplies a Defect: for, without it, the Town-Clerk asks a Question of the Prisoners, and goes on without staying for any Answer to it.

Note return to page 227 [20] (20) To. Cl. Yea, marry, that's the easiest Way, let the Watch come forth.] This, easiest, is a Sophistication of our modern Editors, who were at a Loss to make out the corrupted Reading of the old Copies. The Quarto, in 1600, and the first and second Editions in Folio all concur in reading; Yea, marry, that's the eftest way, &c. A Letter happen'd to slip out at Press in the first Edition; and 'twas too hard a Task for the subsequent Editors to put it in, or guess at the Word under this accidental Depravation. There is no Doubt, but the Author wrote, as I have restor'd the Text; Yea, marry, that's the deftest way, &c. i. e. the readiest, most commodious Way. The Word is pure Saxon. Deaflice, debitè, congruè, duely, fitly. Ledæftlice, opportunè, commodè fitly, conveniently, seasonably, in good time, commodiously. Vid. Spelman's Saxon Gloss.

Note return to page 228 [21] (21) Sexton. Let them be in the hands of Coxcomb.] The Generality of the Editions place this Line to the Sexton. But, why he should be pert upon his Brother-Officers, there seems no Reason from any superior Qualifications in him; or any Suspicion he shews of knowing their Ignorance. The old Quarto gave me the first Umbrage for placing it to Conrade; and common Sense vouches that it ought to come from one of the Prisoners, in Contempt of the despicable Wretches who had them in Custody.

Note return to page 229 [22] (22) If such a One will smile, and stroke his Beard, And hallow, wag, cry hem, when he should groan,] Mr. Rowe is the first Authority that I can find for this Reading. But what is the Intention, or how are we to expound it? “If a Man will halloo, and whoop, and fidget, and wriggle about, to shew a Pleasure when He should groan,” &c. This does not give much Decorine to the Sentiment. The old Quarto, and the 1st and 2d Folio Edition all read, And sorrow, wagge, cry hem, &c. We don't, indeed, get much by this Reading; tho', I flatter my self, by a slight Alteration it has led me to the true one. And Sorrow wage; cry, hem! when he should groan; i. e. If such a One will combat with, strive against Sorrow, &c. Nor is this Word infrequent with our Author in these Significations. So, in his Lear; To wage; against the Enmity o'th' Air, Necessity's strong Pinch. So, in Othello; Neglecting an Attempt of Ease and Gain, To wake and wage a Danger profitless. And in the 1st Henr. IV. I fear the Pow'r of Percy is too weak To wage an instant Tryal with the King.

Note return to page 230 [23] (23) No, no; 'tis all Men's Office to speak Patience to those, that wring under the Lead of Sorrow; But no Man's Virtue, nor Sufficiency, To be so moral, when he shall endure The like himself.] Patience under Misfortunes easier advis'd, than maintain'd, is one of the Topics of Shakespeare, for which, Mr. Gildon told us, he had met with no Parallels among the Antients: And This Observation is particularly directed to the Passage now before Us. A Man of so much Reading must certainly be betray'd by his Memory in this Point: For I have long ago observ'd no less than five Passages, all which seem to be a very reasonable Foundation for our Author's Sentiments on this Subject. Facilè omnes, quùm valemus, recta Confilia ægrotis damas; Tu fi hic fis, aliter sentias. Terent. &GREsa;&grl;&gra;&grf;&grr;&grog;&grn;, &grora;&grs;&grt;&gri;&grst; &grp;&grh;&grm;&graa;&grt;&grw;&grn; &gresa;&grc;&grw; &grp;&groa;&grd;&gra; &GREsa;&grx;&gre;&gri;, &grp;&gra;&grr;&gra;&gri;&grn;&gre;&gric;&grn;, &grn;&gro;&gru;&grq;&gre;&grt;&gre;&gric;&grn; &grt;&gre; &grt;&gro;&grug;&grst; &grk;&gra;&grk;&grwc;&grst; &grP;&grr;&graa;&grs;&grs;&gro;&grn;&grt;&gra;&grst;. Æschyl. &GRAsa;&grl;&grl;&grwi; &grp;&gro;&grn;&gro;&gruc;&grn;&grt;&gre; &grrr;&graa;&grd;&gri;&gro;&grn; &grp;&gra;&grr;&gra;&gri;&grn;&grea;&grs;&gra;&gri; &GREsa;&grs;&grt;&gri;&grn;, &grp;&gro;&gri;&grhc;&grs;&gra;&gri; &grd;&grap; &gra;&grus;&grt;&grog;&grn; &gro;&grus;&grx;&grig; &grrr;&graia;&grd;&gri;&gro;&grn;. Philem. &GRAra;&grp;&gra;&grn;&grt;&gre;&grst; &gres;&grs;&grm;&greg;&grn; &gre;&gris;&grst; &grt;&grog; &grn;&gro;&gru;&grq;&gre;&grt;&gre;&gric;&grn; &grs;&gro;&grf;&gro;&grig;. &GRAs;&gru;&grt;&gro;&grig; &grd;&grap; &grar;&grm;&gra;&grr;&grt;&graa;&grn;&gro;&grn;&grt;&gre;&grst; &gro;&grus; &grg;&gri;&grn;&grwa;&grs;&grk;&gro;&grm;&gre;&grn;. Eurip. &GRRr;&grac;&gro;&grn; &grp;&gra;&grr;&gra;&gri;&grn;&gre;&gric;&grn; &grhsg; &grp;&gra;&grq;&groa;&grn;&grt;&gra; &grk;&gra;&grr;&grt;&gre;&grr;&gre;&gric;&grn;. Idem.

Note return to page 231 [24] (24) Can'st, Thou so daffe me? &lblank;] This is a Country Word, Mr. Pope tells us, signifying, daunt. It may be so; but that is not the Exposition here: To daffe, and doffe are synonomous Terms, that mean, to put off: which is the very Sense requir'd here, and what Leonato would reply, upon Claudio's saying, He would have nothing to do with him. So Hotspur, in the 1 Henr. IV. &lblank; Where is his Son, The nimble-footed, mad-cap, Prince of Wales, And his Comrades, that daft the World aside, And bid it, pass? &lblank; i. e. put it aside; neglected all Considerations of the World. Doffe is too perpetual in our Author, to need any Quotations in Proof of it.

Note return to page 232 [25] (25) And speak of half a dozen dangerous Words,] These Editors are Persons of unmatchable Indolence, that can't afford to add a single Letter to retrieve common Sense. To speak off, as I have reform'd the Text, is to throw out boldly, with an Ostentation of Bravery, &c. So in Twelfth-night; A terrible Oath, with a swaggering Accent sharply twang'd off:

Note return to page 233 [26] (26) The Watch heard them talk of one Deformed; they say, he wears a Key in his Ear, and a Lock hanging by it, and borrows money in God's Name, &c.] There could not be a more agreeable Ridicule upon the Fashion, than the Constable's Descant upon his own Blunder. One of the most fantastical Modes of that Time was the indulging a favourite Lock of Hair, and suffering it to grow much longer than all its Fellows; which they always brought before, (as we do the Knots of a Tye-Wig,) ty'd with Ribbands or Jewels. King Charles the 1st wore One of these favourite Locks, as his Historians take Notice, and as his Pictures by Vandike prove: And whoever has been conversant with the Faces of that Painter, must have observ'd a great many drawn in that Fashion. In Lord Clarendon's History compleated, (a Book in Octavo) being a Collection of Heads engrav'd from the Paintings of Vandike, we may see this Mode in the Prints of the Duke of Buckingham, Earl of Dorset, Lord Goring, &c. all great Courtiers.—As to the Key in the Ear, and the Lock hanging by it, there may be a Joak in the Ambiguity of the Terms. But whether we think, that Shakespeare meant to ridicule the Fashion in the abstracted Sense; or whether he sneer'd at the Courtiers, the Parents of it, we shall find the Description equally satirical. The Key in the Ear might be suppos'd literally: For they wore Rings, Lockets, and Ribbands in a Hole made in the Ear; and sometimes, Rings one within another: But it might be likewise allegorically understood, to signify, the great Readiness the Courtiers had in giving Ear to, or going into new Follies or Fashions. As for borrowing Money and never paying. That is an old Common Place against the Court and Followers of Fashions. Mr. Warburton.

Note return to page 234 [27] (27) To have no Man come over me? why, shalt I always keep below Stairs?] Thus all the printed Copies, but, sure, erroneously: for all the Jest, that can lie in the Passage, is destroy'd by it. Any Man might come over her, literally speaking, if she always kept below Stairs. By the Correction I have ventur'd to make, Margaret, as I presume, must mean, What! shall I always keep above Stairs? i. e. Shall I for ever continue a Chambermaid?

Note return to page 235 [28] (28) And Hymen now with luckier Issue speeds, Than this, for whom we render'd up this Woe.] Claudio could not know, without being a Prophet, that this new-propos'd Match should have any luckier Event than That design'd with Hero. Certainly, therefore, this should be a Wish in Claudio; and, to this End, the Poet might have wrote, speed's; i. e. speed us: and so it becomes a Prayer to Hymen. Dr. Thirlby.

Note return to page 236 [29] (29) Claud. Another Hero! Hero.—Nothing certainer: One Hero dy'd; but I do live, And surely as I live I am a Maid.] Besides that the last Line but One wants a whole Foot in Measure, it is as defective in the Meaning: For how are the Words made out? One Hero dy'd, and yet that Hero lives, but how is She then another Hero? The Supplement, which I have restor'd from the old Quarto, solves all the Difficulty, and makes the last Line reasonable.

Note return to page 237 [30] (30) I would not deny you, but by this good day I yield upon great persuasion, &c.] Is not this strange Mock-reasoning in Beatrice? She would not deny him, but that She yields upon great Persuasion.— By changing the Negative, I make no doubt but I have retriev'd the Poet's Humour.

Note return to page 238 [31] (31) Leon. Peace, I will stop your Mouth.] What can Leonato mean by This? “Nay, pray, peace, Niece; don't keep up this Obstinacy of Professions, for I have Proofs to stop your Mouth.” The ingenious Dr. Thirlby agreed with me, that this ought to be given to Benedick, who, upon saying it, kisses Beatrice: and this being done before the whole Company, how natural is the Reply which the Prince makes upon it? How dost thou, Benedick the married Man! Besides, this Mode of Speech, preparatory to a Salute, is familiar to our Poet in common with other Stage-Writers. So before, in this Play, Beatrice says to Hero; Speak, Cousin; or (if you cannot,) stop his Mouth with a Kiss, and let not him speak neither. So, again, in Troilus and Cressida, where She fears that She is saying too fond Things: Cress. &lblank; Stop my Mouth. Troil. And shall, albeit sweet Musick issues thence. [Kissing her. So, in Beaumont and Fletcher's Scornful Lady; Widow. Sir, you speak like a worthy Brother. And so much I do credit your fair Language; that I shall love your Brother; and so love him,—but I shall blush to say more. Eld. Love. Stop her Mouth. &lblank; [To his Brother, who kisses her. And Webster in his Dutchess of Malfy. Dutch. &lblank; I'll stop your Mouth. [Kissing him. Anto. Nay, that's but One: Venus had two soft Doves To draw her Chariot:—I must have another. [Kissing her. And so I conclude this Volume con la bocca dolce, as the Italians express themselves.

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