Note return to page 1 “Measure for Measure” was first printed in the folio of “Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies,” 1623, where it occupies twenty-four pages, viz., from p. 61 to p. 84, inclusive, in the division of “Comedies.” It was, of course, reprinted in the later folios of 1632, 1664, and 1685.

Note return to page 2 1Whetstone's “Heptameron” is not paged, but “the rare Historie of Promos and Cassandra,” commences on Sign. N. ij b.

Note return to page 3 1This list of characters (with the omission of “a Justice”) is appended to the play in the folio of 1623.

Note return to page 4 1Since I am put to know,] i. e. I am compelled to know.

Note return to page 5 2—lists—] Bounds or limits.

Note return to page 6 3—Then no more remains, But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able, And let them work.] This passage is evidently corrupt, as is shown both by the metre and by the sense. The latter will be cleared by the omission of the preposition “to:”—“then no more remains [to be said], but that your sufficiency, as your worth is able, and let them work.” This change however will only partially cure the defective measure; and even were we to omit “that,” as well as “to,” the line would not be perfect without reducing “sufficiency” to a trisyllable. It has been thought best, therefore, to leave the text as it stands in the first folio. “Sufficiency” is adequate authority.

Note return to page 7 4—them on thee.] The old copy reads—“they on thee.”

Note return to page 8 5—to fine issues;] for high purposes.

Note return to page 9 6Both thanks and use.] Use of old signified interest of money.

Note return to page 10 7To one that can my part in him advertise;] i. e. to one, says Malone, who is already informed as to the duties of my office.

Note return to page 11 8Hold, therefore, Angelo:] In all probability, tendering Angelo his commission, as the Duke had previously given a similar document to Escalus. Having stated its import, he places it in the hands of Angelo at the concluding words of the speech, “Take thy commission.”

Note return to page 12 91 Gent. Why?] It may be doubted whether what follows this interrogatory do not belong to Lucio, rather than to the gentleman who is thus made to ask a question and answer it himself. Ritson plausibly suggests that the observation afterwards, “In any proportion, or in any language,” belongs to the 2 Gent., and not to Lucio.

Note return to page 13 1Well, there went but a pair of sheers between us.] A proverbial expression to show that they were both cut off the same piece. It is of common occurrence in our old dramatists.

Note return to page 14 2—as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet.] The point of this retort depends upon the similarity of sound between pil'd, in reference to the pile of velvet, and pill'd, in reference to a person losing his hair.

Note return to page 15 3Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes!] The old copies give the whole of this speech to Lucio, but the latter part of it probably belongs to 1 Gent. Pope, and Malone following him, took it altogether from Lucio, but there is no reason for depriving him of the observation respecting the approach of the Bawd, who enters just afterwards, though the folios mark it here.

Note return to page 16 4To three thousand dollars a-year.] A quibble upon dollar and dolour. We meet with it again in “The Tempest,” A. II., sc. 1.

Note return to page 17 5What's to do here, Thomas Tapster?] She uses the name “Thomas Tapster,” merely as a designation of the Clown's business. Thomas, or Tom Tapster, was a common mode of speaking of a drawer.

Note return to page 18 6Thus can the demi-god, Authority,] “Authority,” Henley remarks, being absolute in Angelo, is finely styled by Claudio, “the demi-god.” To this uncontroulable power, the poet applies a passage from St. Paul to the Romans, ch. ix. v. 15. 18, which he properly styles, “the words of heaven:” “for he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy,” &c. And again: “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy,” &c.

Note return to page 19 7And when we drink, we die.] The following lines from Chapman's “Revenge for Honour,” 1654, as quoted by Steevens, form an excellent commentary upon this passage:— “Like poison'd rats, which, when they've swallowed The pleasing bane, rest not until they drink; And can rest then much less, until they burst.”

Note return to page 20 8—as the morality—] The old copies have mortality. The correction was made by Sir W. Davenant in his adaptation of this play.

Note return to page 21 9Only for propagation of a dower] “I suppose the speaker means (says Steevens) for the sake of getting the dower.” Malone suggested prorogation instead of “propagation,” to which he was perhaps led by the spelling of the first folio “propogation.”

Note return to page 22 1—and appeal to him.] This speech seems to have been originally meant for verse, though not so printed in any edition.

Note return to page 23 2—a game of tick-tack.] Tick-tack (in French tric-trac, and sometimes spelt trick-track in English) was a game at tables.

Note return to page 24 3Believe not that the dribbling dart of love] Steevens quotes what he calls Sir Philip Sidney's “Arcadia,” meaning his “Astrophel and Stella,” respecting the word dribbling:— “Not at first sight, nor with a dribbed shot Love gave the wound.” But dribbed, as it stands in the ordinary impressions, is not the word wanted. Thomas Nash published a surreptitious edition of “Astrophel and Stella,” in 1591, 4to, and there we have the very word employed by Shakespeare:— “Not at the first sight, nor with a dribling shot Love gave the wound,” &c. This is in the second sonnet, and not in the second stanza, as Steevens misterms it. In the later impressions, as in that of 1598, folio, dribling is altered to dribbed. Dribbed was a technical word in archery, and it is employed by Ascham in his Toxophilus, 1545.

Note return to page 25 4—and witless bravery keeps.] “And,” from the folio, 1632.

Note return to page 26 5The needful bits and curbs to head-strong weeds,] Malone reads for instead of “to,” and steeds instead of “weeds,” following Theobald, who first made the unnecessary alteration from the text as it stands in all the folios. Weed is a term still commonly applied to an ill-conditioned horse.

Note return to page 27 6—fourteen years] In the preceding scene Claudio has said “nineteen zodiacs.”

Note return to page 28 7We have let sleep;] In the folios slip is printed, in all probability, for “sleep;” the simile which follows seems to correct the error; and in the next act Angelo says that the law “hath slept.”

Note return to page 29 8For terror,] The second folio, in opposition to the first, reads, “for error.” In the next line Pope supplied a deficiency by inserting “becomes,” which, if not the right word, can hardly be said to be a wrong one.

Note return to page 30 9And yet my nature never in the fight, To do in slander.] This is the old and true reading of all the folios, the meaning being, “And yet my nature never in the fight, or contest, with crime, to do what is necessary under an imputation, or slander, of too great severity.” It has usually been altered, since Sir Thomas Hanmer's edition, thus:— “And yet my nature never in the sight, To do it slander.”

Note return to page 31 1Sir, make me not your story.] i. e. “Do not make me your story or jest,” to which Lucio very naturally answers, “'Tis true.” Malone altered the passage to “Sir, mock me not—your story,” which renders Lucio's reply impertinent.

Note return to page 32 2Enter Provost.] The modern editors all represent the Provost, or Jailor, as on the stage from the beginning of the scene, which is evidently improper. In the old copies he comes in when he is called for, “Where is the Provost?”

Note return to page 33 3Some run from breaks of ice, and answer none,] Thus the text stands in the old copies, which seems right; the meaning being, that some escape without responsibility, even though the danger seem as imminent as when the ice breaks under them; but Malone and others would change the expression into “brakes of vice,” and it would be an easy corruption, if there were any necessity for a change. It is certain, as Steevens shows at large, that an old instrument of torture was called “a brake,” but not by any means certain that Shakespeare intended a reference to it.

Note return to page 34 4—and now she professes a hot-house,] A “hot-house” and a bagnio formerly were synonymous: thus in the romance of “Apollonius of Tyre,” on which Shakespeare founded “Pericles,” at the end of Chap. II. we read, “the common shews and plaies surceased, baines and hot-houses were shut up.” “Shakespeare's Library,” Part v. p. 188. See the reprint of Rowley's “Search for Money,” 4to, 1609, by the Percy Society, p. 45, for some curious particulars respecting the suppression of the stews in Southwark, &c.

Note return to page 35 5Why, very well: I telling you then,] Malone has it “I tell you then,” in opposition to all the authorities. The Clown is referring to what is past, and to what he had formerly told Froth.

Note return to page 36 6Justice, or Iniquity?] Justice and Iniquity were both characters in the ancient Miracle-plays and Moralities. In the “Interlude of King Darius” the Vice is expressly called “Iniquity,” but he went by various appellations. Iniquity was not always the Vice or Fool of the elder stage, but a distinct character, for in “Histriomastix,” 1610, the following stage-direction occurs: “Enter a roaring Devil with the Vice on his back, Iniquity in one hand, and Juventus in the other.” Juventus was the hero of “Lusty Juventus,” by R. Wever.

Note return to page 37 7I shall do with this wicked caitiff?] Malone, Steevens, and all the modern editors read should instead of “shall,” as we find it in the first and other folios.

Note return to page 38 8Troth, and your bum is the greatest thing about you;] Escalus refers to the ridiculous practice, among both sexes, of stuffing the dress of the hinder parts of their persons with horse-hair, wool, or some other material of the same kind. This custom is referred to by many writers of the time of Shakespeare. Steevens asserts that it commenced early in the reign of Elizabeth, but it would not be difficult to show that it prevailed before she came to the throne.

Note return to page 39 9—the youth of the city?] Malone, Steevens, Capell, &c. read “in the city,” following the second folio. No change is necessary.

Note return to page 40 1Three pence a bay.] Johnson and Steevens were both puzzled by this expression, though the former admits that he has heard of “a bay of building” in many parts of England. Coles' Dictionary, 1677, explains it at once:—“a bay of building—mensura viginti quatuor pedum,” referring, no doubt, to the frontage. I owe this note to the Rev. H. Barry, of Draycot.

Note return to page 41 2The readiness] So the old copies, which modern editors have changed to your: thy would be nearer the original, but no alteration is in fact necessary. Escalus means “by the readiness you showed in the office,” &c.

Note return to page 42 2May call it back again:] The word back was inserted by the editor of the folio of 1632; and, perhaps, as the measure shows, it had accidentally dropped out in the original impression of 1623.

Note return to page 43 3If the first, that did th' edict infringe,] The sense is here complete without man, which Pope inserted after “first.” Malone, Steevens, &c., adopted this reading, in opposition to Capell and Tyrwhitt, who recommended that the line should run, “If he, the first that did the edict infringe.” The second folio makes no change, and were the sense incomplete, there might be some reason for an attempt to amend the measure of Shakespeare.

Note return to page 44 4But here they live to end.] This is the reading of all the folios: Sir Thomas Hanmer altered the text to “ere they live, to end;” and Malone to “where they live, to end.” There is no need of alteration. Angelo is referring to the place of his own rule, and contrasts what the state of the law there had been with what it then was: formerly it slept, and criminals escaped, but now it is awake, and resolves to punish crimes—“but here they live to end;” here crimes live only that they may be brought to an end. All the modern editors have erred in this passage by not attending to the old copies: mistakes have been made from carelessness of collation, and subsequently reasoned upon, as if the text had been accurately followed.

Note return to page 45 5Not with fond shekels] “Fond” is foolish, and in this instance worthless, or only valued by the foolish. The old copies have “sickles” for “shekels,” and Shakespeare's word may have been “cycles.” [Subnote: P. 37.—Shakespeare's word may have been “cycles”] Supposing him, of course, to have somewhat misapplied it; and judging only from the misprint in the folios.]

Note return to page 46 6For I am that way going to temptation, Where prayers cross.] The meaning is not very clear, but it may thus be explained. Isabella prays, “Heaven keep your honour safe;” and Angelo answers, “Amen; for, tempted as I am, I pray for one thing, you for another; you pray heaven to keep my honour safe, I the contrary, and thus our prayers cross.”

Note return to page 47 7Who falling in the flames of her own youth,] The old copies read “flawes” for flames, which word Sir W. Davenant, in his “Law against Lovers,” restored. The misprint is a very easy one; and as the flames of youth is a natural expression, and the metaphor requires fire to produce the blistering mentioned in the next line, there is little doubt that Sir W. Davenant, who flourished so near the time of Shakespeare, was right.

Note return to page 48 8&lblank; but least you do repent, As that the sin hath brought you to this shame;] The modern editors have printed lest instead of “least,” as it stands in the old copies, and have thus confused the meaning, which is, “You do repent least that the sin hath brought you to this shame,” instead of repenting most the sin itself. This true reading makes the sense of the Duke's observation complete at “But as we stand in fear,” without supposing his unfinished sentence to be rudely broken in upon by Juliet, as it has been invariably printed.

Note return to page 49 9Grace go with you! Benedicite!] Ritson suggested that “Grace go with you” ought to be given to Juliet, and “Benedicite” to the Duke; but Juliet may be supposed to be so absorbed by the information that Claudio “must die to-morrow,” (which words she repeats) as hardly to have heard, much less to have spoken to, the Duke at his departure.

Note return to page 50 1Grown sear'd and tedious;] Warburton suggested seared for “feared,” or “feard,” as it stands in most copies of the first folio: that belonging to Lord Francis Egerton has it seard, as if the letter s had been substituted for f, as the sheet was going through the press. We need not therefore doubt as to the adoption of sear'd instead of “fear'd.”

Note return to page 51 2Blood, thou art blood:] Pope, to remedy the supposed defect of the metre, read, “Blood, thou art but blood;” and Malone, “Blood, thou still art blood,” for the same reason; but we have no right to take these liberties with the text: “Blood, thou art blood,” is more emphatic than “Blood, thou art but blood,” or “Blood, thou still art blood,” and the pause after the mark of admiration amply fills up the time.

Note return to page 52 3The general, subject to a well-wish'd king,] This is the old and intelligible reading. “The general” is the people: so in “Hamlet”—“'twas caviare to the general,” A. ii. sc. 2; and Lord Clarendon, as quoted by Malone, “as rather to be consented to, than that the general should suffer.” Hist. b. 5, p. 530, 8vo. edit. Yet in Act iii. sc. 2, of this play, “subject” is used for subjects, and the “the general subject of a well-wish'd king” may mean, “the general subjects,” &c. Either way, the meaning is evident.

Note return to page 53 4Or seem so, crafty; and that is not good.] This is the old reading, and not craftily, as it has been modernized—“or seem so, being crafty,” is the meaning.

Note return to page 54 5Let me be ignorant,] “Me,” added in the folio 1632.

Note return to page 55 6But in the loss of question] This may mean, but for the sake of the question which must otherwise be lost, or could not be put.

Note return to page 56 7Of the all-building law;] Since the time of Theobald this compound epithet has been changed to “all-binding.” Shakespeare seems to use “all-building” in reference to the constructive and constantly repairing power of the law. The modern editors have given no other reason for changing so important and emphatic a word, but that Theobald had done so before them.

Note return to page 57 8That longing I have been sick for,] The old copies omit the pronoun, which is required by the sense.

Note return to page 58 9Ignomy in ransom,] The second folio reads, ignominy for “ignomy;” the word ignomy occurs again in Troilus and Cressida, A. v. sc. 3.

Note return to page 59 10Nothing akin to foul redemption.] The folios have kin for “akin;” but then they regulate the passage differently:— &lblank; “lawful mercy Is nothing kin to foul redemption.”

Note return to page 60 1If not a feodary, but only he, Owe, and succeed this weakness.] The word this (instead of thy, as it stands in the old copies) is from an old MS. note in the margin of Lord Francis Egerton's first folio: it is probably right, and the meaning of the whole passage seems to be, “If we are not all frail, let my brother die, if he alone offend, and have no feodary (companion or accomplice) in this weakness.” To “owe” is here, as in many other instances, to own.

Note return to page 61 2To whom should I complain?] So the folio of 1623, and all the others. Why Malone and Steevens altered “should” to shall is no where stated. They did precisely the reverse in a former scene of this play, A. ii. sc. 1.

Note return to page 62 3—which do call thee sire,] The old folios of 1623, 1632, 1664, and 1685 have fire for “sire,” a misprint from taking the long s for an f. Lord Francis Egerton's folio of 1623 gives the true reading in old MS.

Note return to page 63 3Serpigo,] The first folio has sapego, the second sarpego: the “serpigo” is a kind of tetter, which has sometimes been misprinted fetter. See, for instances, Malone's Shakespeare by Boswell, viii. 303, and ix. 98.

Note return to page 64 4Enter Isabella.] According to the modern editors, Isabella enters before the Provost asks, “Who's there?” and tells her to “come in.”

Note return to page 65 5Bring me to hear them speak, where I may be conceal'd,] The first folio has the line,— “Bring them to hear me speak,” &c. which is obviously wrong: the second folio thus corrects the error:— “Bring them to speak, where I may be conceal'd,” but the smallest change is the best, and the mere transposition of me and them is all that is required. The addition of the words, “Yet hear them,” in the second folio, adopted by Malone, is thereby rendered unnecessary.

Note return to page 66 6Comforts are; most good, most good, indeed:] This line is not quite syllabically correct, but the emphatic repetition of “most good” makes up the time. Hitherto the commentators have omitted the second “most good,” and regulated the metre thus:— Claud. Now, sister, what's the comfort? Isab. Why, as all comforts are; most good, indeed. This mode of printing the passage neither preserves the text nor the measure. The words, “Why, as all,” complete the previous imperfect line, put into the mouth of Claudio.

Note return to page 67 7—an everlasting leiger:] A “leiger” was a permanently resident ambassador.

Note return to page 68 8Though all the world's—] The old copies read, “through all,” &c.

Note return to page 69 9—and follies doth enmew,] The old reading is emmew: the meaning is, that Angelo makes follies mew up or hide themselves, as the falcon compels the fowl to conceal itself.

Note return to page 70 1The princely Angelo?] The first folio has “the prenzie Angelo,” and the second substituted “princely” for prenzie. The word occurs again three lines lower, where Isabella talks of “prenzie guards.” But for this repetition it might have been thought that Shakespeare meant to introduce the Italian word prence, as applied to Angelo, to designate his rank. Warburton would read priestly in both places, and Tieck suggests precise, which sounds ill as regards the metre, the accent falling on the wrong syllable. However, this would not constitute a sufficient objection, and the emendation deserves attention. We have followed the second folio, which in cases like this ought to have considerable weight. Warburton's priestly would answer the purpose at least as well, but it is not supported by any old authority.

Note return to page 71 2In princely guards!] “A guard in old language (observes Malone correctly) meant a welt or border of a garment,” “because (says Minsheu) it guards and keeps the garment from tearing.” These guards were afterwards sometimes taken for ornaments, and the word is so used by Shakespeare in “the Merchant of Venice,” A. II. sc. 2.

Note return to page 72 3—penury,] The oldest copy has perjury. It was corrected in the second folio. In a previous line it has thought for “thoughts.”

Note return to page 73 4—a warped slip of wilderness] i. e. Of wildness—a wild slip, not proceeding from the grafted stock. Beaumont and Fletcher, Dekker, Milton, and others, use “wilderness” in the same sense.

Note return to page 74 5—he made trial of you only.] i. e. He will avoid your accusation by alleging that “he made trial of you only.”

Note return to page 75 6He was affianced to her by oath,] The first folio reads merely, “was affianced to her oath:” by was supplied by the second folio, but he was still wanting to render the sentence complete. The modern editors have,—“Her should this Angelo have married,” altering the nominative case to the verb, which is needless, if he be inserted before “was.” The old printers, confounding the cases of “she” and her, perhaps omitted “he” as unnecessary.

Note return to page 76 7Combinate husband,] i. e. Contracted husband.

Note return to page 77 8This being granted in course, and now follows all:] So the folios. The modern editors omit the conjunction, which, though not absolutely necessary, ought not to have been left out, least of all without notice.

Note return to page 78 9—and the corrupt deputy scaled.] i. e. Exposed, by removing the scales which cover him.

Note return to page 79 1Scene II.] In the original copies the scene is not changed, but Elbow, the Clown, and officers join the Duke where he has been talking with Claudio and Isabella. This is evidently improper.

Note return to page 80 2—bastard.] A kind of sweet wine made of raisins, then much used: from the Italian bastardo.

Note return to page 81 3I drink, I eat, array myself, and live.] The old copies have away myself; an easy misprint, and a self-evident emendation by Theobald.

Note return to page 82 4From our faults, as faults from seeming, free!] The meaning is obvious enough, although long notes have been written to explain it. The Duke wishes that we were all as free from faults, as faults are from seeming to be so. This is the reading of the first folio, but the second needlessly inserts the word “free” at the beginning of the second line of the couplet.

Note return to page 83 5What, at the wheels of Cæsar?] All the ancient editions read, “What, at the wheels of Cæsar?” and Malone and Steevens, “What, at the heels of Cæsar.” Why the change was made, is no where explained. The allusion, of course, is to Cæsar's chariot wheels.

Note return to page 84 6And extracting it clutch'd?] The old copies omit “it,” which is necessary to the sense.

Note return to page 85 7What say'st thou, trot?] The word trot was almost uniformly applied to old women, and hence Grey would read, “What say'st thou to't?” but the printing of “trot” in the old copies with a capital letter discountenances the conjecture. Possibly a letter has dropped out, and we ought to read troth, an ordinary expletive, which the Clown uses just afterwards.

Note return to page 86 8Which is the way?] Johnson explains this question, “What is the mode now?” but Lucio is referring to old ballads and ballad-tunes, and “the new way” was sometimes added to the directions as to tunes at the head of old ballads, and it is to this that Lucio appears to allude.

Note return to page 87 9—it is not the wear.] i. e. It is not the fashion.

Note return to page 88 1He is a motion] i. e. a puppet—made of wood.

Note return to page 89 2—much detected for women;] “Detected” was of old not unfrequently synonymous with suspected. Capell read detracted.

Note return to page 90 3—clack-dish.] The beggars used to proclaim their want by a wooden dish, called a clack-dish, or clap-dish, with a moveable cover, which they clacked, or clapped, to attract attention.

Note return to page 91 4—an inward of his:] Inward is intimate: here it is used substantively.

Note return to page 92 5The greater file of the subject] i. e. The larger number of subjects.

Note return to page 93 6—and knowledge with dearer love.] The old copies have it “deare love,” the letter r having doubtless dropped out.

Note return to page 94 7—too unhurtful an opposite.] i. e. Adversary or opponent.

Note return to page 95 8—eat mutton on Fridays.] This figure is taken from the fasting required on Fridays, and from the word mutton being applied to flesh, both human and bestial. Mutton and laced mutton were the commonest terms applied to prostitutes in Shakespeare's time.

Note return to page 96 9He's now past it;] Monck Mason could not understand this passage as restored from the old copies. Lucio says, in reference to the Duke's years, that “he's now past it,” yet that, notwithstanding, he would “mouth with a beggar.” Sir Thos. Hanmer read, “He's not past it,” which is the very reverse of what was intended.

Note return to page 97 1—and as it is as dangerous, &c.] Hitherto “as” has been omitted in all the modern editions, the commentators having been misled by the period, mistakenly inserted by the old printer after the word “undertaking,” although the sense clearly runs on, and is not concluded until the word “accurs'd.” Thus has a decided error been repeated for two centuries.

Note return to page 98 2—to make fellowships accurs'd.] “The sense is (says Holt White) there scarcely exists sufficient honesty in the world to make social life secure; but there are occasions enough where a man may be drawn in to become surety, which will make him pay dearly for his friendships.”

Note return to page 99 3Grace to stand, and virtue go;] Coleridge, in his “Literary Remains,” II. 124, observes upon this passage, “Worse metre, indeed, but better English would be:— “Grace to stand, virtue to go.” Monck Mason proposed to read,— “In grace to stand, and virtue go;” but we had better leave the text as we find it in such cases.

Note return to page 100 4Most pond'rous and substantial things!] The passage ending with this line is very difficult: it is possible that the author's brevity rendered it obscure originally, and that it has since been made worse by corruption. “Likeness” has been construed comeliness, but “likeness made in crimes” may refer to the resemblance in vicious inclination between Angelo and Claudio. Steevens gave up the four lines as quite unintelligible, and the other commentators have not extracted much meaning out of them. We have printed the old text, as at least as good as any of the proposed emendations: the sense seems to be, “how may persons of similar criminality, by making practice on the times, draw to themselves, as it were with spiders' webs, the ponderous and substantial benefits of the world.”

Note return to page 101 5Take, O! take those lips away,] The earliest authority for assigning this song to Shakespeare (excepting that one stanza of it is found here) is the spurious edition of his Poems printed in 1640. It is inserted entire in Beaumont and Fletcher's “Bloody Brother,” A. v. sc. 2, and there the second stanza runs as follows:— “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 first set my poor heart free,   Bound in those icy chains by thee.” It may be doubted whether either stanza was the authorship of Shakespeare, as it certainly was the frequent custom of dramatists of that day to insert songs in their plays which were not of their own writing; but, on the other hand, we have no proof that such was the usual practice of Shakespeare; coupling the two circumstances that one stanza of the song is found in “Measure for Measure,” and that the whole was imputed to Shakespeare in 1640, his claim may perhaps be admitted, until better evidence is adduced to deprive him of it.

Note return to page 102 6—a planched gate.] i. e. A gate made of boards: from the Fr. Planche.

Note return to page 103 7There have I made my promise upon the heavy Middle of the night to call upon him.] The old folios thus regulate these lines:— “There have I made my promise, upon the Heavy middle of the night to call upon him.” And Malone reads:— “There have I made my promise to call on him Upon the heavy middle of the night.” There is no need to take so much liberty with the text, for if we were to read upon in the first line on, the measure is not defective, though somewhat harsh.

Note return to page 104 8—and most contrarious quests] The first folio reads quest: the alteration was made in the second folio.

Note return to page 105 9—for yet our tithe's to sow.] Warburton very plausibly conjectured that we ought to read tilth for tithe, meaning the ground as prepared for seed. With this observation, we adhere to the ancient reading.

Note return to page 106 1—so every true man's apparel fits your thief.] This is the old and the correct division of the dialogue, though the last speech of the Clown has been usually coupled with Abhorson's answer. The Clown asks Abhorson for “proof” that his occupation is a mystery, and receives for reply, merely, “Every true man's (i. e. honest man's) apparel fits your thief.” The Clown, who is a quick fellow, instantly catches at the mode of reasoning passing in Abhorson's mind, and explains in what way “every true man's apparel fits your thief.” Abhorson is not a man of many words, and contents himself with the assertion upon which the Clown enlarges.

Note return to page 107 2—yare:] i. e. Handy, nimble in the execution of the office.

Note return to page 108 3—starkly—] Stiffly.

Note return to page 109 4—were he meal'd] “Meal'd” means mingled or compounded, from the Fr. mêler. Mell for meddle, or mingle, is common.

Note return to page 110 5That wounds the unsisting postern with these strokes.] “Unsisting,” says Blackstone, “may signify ‘never at rest,’ always opening.” Perhaps it was a mere misprint for resisting.

Note return to page 111 6Happily,] For haply, three syllables being required to complete the preceding line.

Note return to page 112 7—siege of justice,] i. e. Seat of justice.

Note return to page 113 8This is his lordship's man.] The old copy has “his lord's man.”

Note return to page 114 9We have very oft awaked him,] “Oft” is the reading of the old copies, and the change to often, by Malone, was quite gratuitous.

Note return to page 115 1—but, by chance, nothing of what is writ.] Very probably the word “here,” as Warburton suggests, has dropped out, but it is not necessary.

Note return to page 116 2—he's in for a commodity of brown paper and old ginger,] This passage refers to the practice of money-lenders to compel persons, who came to borrow of them, to take part in commodities, such as “brown paper and old ginger,” which the borrowers were afterwards obliged to sell at a heavy loss. This custom is alluded to by Wilson in his “Discourse upon Usury,” 1572; by Nash in his “Christ's Tears over Jerusalem,” 1594; by Dekker in his “Seaven Deadley Sins,” 1606, and by many other writers both dramatic and undramatic.

Note return to page 117 3Then is there here one Mr. Caper,] So printed in the old copies, and probably to be pronounced mister, because when “Three-pile the mercer” is mentioned, he is called master at length: Shakespeare seems to have intended to make a distinction between gentlemen and tradesmen.

Note return to page 118 4—and are now for the Lord's sake.] Alluding to the custom of prisoners begging “for the Lord's sake,” as, until recently, they were allowed to do at the Fleet. Thomas Nash thus mentions begging “for the Lord's sake” at the Fleet in his Pierce Penniless, 1592, “At that time that thy joys were in the fleeting, and thus crying, ‘for the Lord's sake,’ out of an iron window.”

Note return to page 119 5Ere twice the sun hath made his journal greeting To yond generation, you shall find Your safety manifested.] This is the regulation of the measure in the old copies, which was altered by Malone and Steevens thus:— &lblank; “Ere twice The sun hath made his journal greeting to The under generation, you shall find Your safety manifested.” The text and the metre are here corrupted. The old copies are right in both respects; for “generation” is a word of five syllables, and it is not necessary even to alter “yond” to yonder. This line is only one out of many instances in which the termination tion is to be read as two syllables, according to the common practice of our old poets.

Note return to page 120 6—and weal-balanc'd form,] Well-balanced seems the more proper reading. Weal-balanc'd may, however, refer to the State.

Note return to page 121 7—your bosom on this wretch,] i. e., as the Duke just afterwards expresses it, “revenges to your heart.”

Note return to page 122 8Sir, the Duke is marvellous little beholding to your reports;] The active instead of the passive participle was in general use at the time, and there is no reason for altering it. It is what Shakespeare wrote.

Note return to page 123 9—he's a better woodman than thou takest him for.] “Woodman” (from a passage cited by Reed from The Chances, A. 1. sc. 9) was applied to men who hunted after women as the woodman hunts after deer; the origin of the saying being probably the double-meaning of deer, and dear:— &lblank; “Well, well, son John, I see you are a woodman, and can choose Your deer, though it be i' the dark.”

Note return to page 124 10In most uneven and distracted manner.] This is a complete line, and although not so printed, it seems clear that the author meant this brief interview between two such principal personages to be rythmical. Some of the lines are rugged and irregular; but it is to be observed of such as— “They should exhibit their petitions,” that the last word is to be read as four syllables, for the same reason that on a preceding page, 81, “generation” is to be read as five syllables. After the exit of Escalus the old copies give the soliloquy of Angelo as verse, though the lines are far from regular.

Note return to page 125 1Which shall then have no power to stand against us.] Excepting this line, it seems impossible to make the speech run in any measured verse.

Note return to page 126 2—makes me unpregnant,] Steevens remarks that in the first scene the Duke says that Escalus is pregnant, i. e. ready in the forms of law. Unpregnant, therefore, in the instance before us, is unready, unprepared.

Note return to page 127 3Yet reason dares her? no:] Warburton tells us that the old folios read,— “Yet reason dares her No;” printing “no” with a capital letter; and it has been taken for granted that it is so, without reference to the originals, where in fact it stands merely,— “Yet reason dares her no,” The true reading seems to be as it stands in our text: Angelo asks himself, “Yet reason dares her?” or “Does reason dare her?” and he replies, “no: for my authority,” &c. Some of the commentators would have note, or not, instead of “no,” but all the change really required is to put a mark of interrogation after “her.” This was done by Malone.

Note return to page 128 4—you do blench,] To blench, says Steevens, is to start off, to fly off.

Note return to page 129 5Go, call at Flavius' house,] Misprinted “Flavia's house” in the old copies: two lines lower Valentius has been called Valentinus by the modern editors.

Note return to page 130 6Have hent the gates,] i. e. Have taken possession of the gates. The word “hent” is derived from the Saxon hentan, to catch or lay hold of. Shakespeare has it again in “The Winter's Tale,”—“And merrily hent the stile-a.” Hint has the same etymology, as Horne Tooke has justly observed. “Hent” was in use down to the time of Spenser and Shakespeare, but not much afterwards, excepting by writers who had been their contemporaries.

Note return to page 131 7Give me your hand,] “Give we your hand,” first folio.

Note return to page 132 8Friar Peter and Isabella come forward.] The old copies say, “Enter Peter and Isabella;” but they have been standing behind with Mariana, whose time for coming forward has not yet arrived.

Note return to page 133 9—Vail your regard—] To vail is to lower.

Note return to page 134 10Nay, it is ten times strange.] So the folios. Malone and Steevens omit “it is” without warrant, and without notice.

Note return to page 135 1—characts,] i. e. Characters, or inscriptions.

Note return to page 136 2And hide the false seems true.] Theobald and Monck Mason would read “Not hide the false seems true,” but no change is required.

Note return to page 137 3O, that it were as like, as it is true!] The Duke says in derision, “This is most likely;” and Isabel, finding the Duke's incredulity, insists upon the truth of her story, however improbable.

Note return to page 138 4Fond wretch,] i. e. Foolish wretch. See note 5, p. 37.

Note return to page 139 5In this I'll be impartial:] Impartial was frequently used for most partial, as the commentators have shown by a variety of quotations, but they are not wanted here: when the Duke says, “I'll be impartial,” he means that he will take no part, or stand neuter in the cause, leaving it to the decision of Angelo himself. The word has been hitherto mistaken.

Note return to page 140 6First, let her show her face;] The first folio has “your face,” arising perhaps from “you her” in the MS. having been abbreviated to you'r for the sake of the metre. The alteration was made by the editor of the second folio.

Note return to page 141 7And did supply thee at thy garden-house] What we now call a summer-house, erected in a garden, and often used for purposes of intrigue. They are noticed by many old writers, and especially by dramatists. See various instances in the last edit. of Dodsley's Old Plays, IV. 148, &c.

Note return to page 142 8These poor informal women—] Informal signifies out of their senses. In “The Comedy of Errors,” A. v. sc. 1, as Steevens pointed out, “a formal man” means a man in his senses. The same remark will apply to the same expression in “Antony and Cleopatra,” A. ii. sc. 5, and in “Twelfth Night,” A. ii. sc. 5. “Informal” is therefore here used as the opposite of “formal.”

Note return to page 143 9And punish them to your height of pleasure.] So the folios. To read unto would fill up the measure; but we cannot be at all certain that Shakespeare did not mean to leave the line as it is found in the old copies.

Note return to page 144 10To call him villain?] This is printed by Malone, and Steevens, as a hemistich, but by restoring the regulation of the metre, as in the old copies, for the next five or six lines, it will be seen that they run at least as regularly as Shakespeare, probably, intended in a scene of this description. At all events, the modern editors effected no improvement by their change.

Note return to page 145 1But we will know his purpose.] Malone substituted this for “his” without necessity.

Note return to page 146 2Nor here provincial.] “The different orders of monks (says Monck Mason) have a chief, who is called the General of the order; and they have also Superiors, subordinate to the General, in the several provinces through which the order may be dispersed. The friar therefore means to say, that the duke dares not touch a finger of his; for he could not punish him by his own authority, as he was not his subject, nor through that of the Superior, as he was not of that province.”

Note return to page 147 3Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop,] “Formerly with us (observes Warburton), the better sort of people went to the barber's shop to be trimmed, who then practised the under parts of surgery: so that he had occasion for numerous instruments, which lay there ready for use; and the idle people, with whom his shop was generally crowded, would be perpetually handling and misusing them. To remedy which, I suppose, there was placed up against the wall a table of forfeitures, adapted to every offence of this kind; which, it is not likely, would long preserve its authority.” This may be true, but it wants proof.

Note return to page 148 4Although by confiscation they are ours,] This reading was furnished by the editor of the second folio. The original copy has confutation.

Note return to page 149 1That's meet you all should know.] The first folio has “that meet,” &c., and it was corrected in the second folio. Not so with a slight error of the same kind on the preceding page, where “If any woman's wrong'd” is printed in both the old copies “If any woman wrong'd.”

Note return to page 150 “The Comedy of Errors” was first printed in the folio of 1623, where it occupies sixteen pages, viz. from p. 85 to p. 100 inclusive, in the division of “Comedies.” It was re-printed in the three subsequent impressions of the same volume.

Note return to page 151 1In Act I. and Act II. of “The Comedy of Errors,” in the folio of 1623, Antipholus of Syracuse is twice called Erotes and Errotis, which is conjectured to be a corruption of erraticus. Antipholus of Ephesus, in the same way, is once called Sereptus (misprinted, perhaps, for surreptus); but in the last three acts they are distinguished as “Antipholus of Syracusia,” and “Antipholus of Ephesus.” The epithets of erraticus and surreptus were not obtained by Shakespeare from Warner, but possibly from the old court drama.

Note return to page 152 2The list supplied by Meres is of twelve plays; and, if anything is to be gathered from the circumstance, he places “Errors” second, “Gentlemen of Verona” coming before it.

Note return to page 153 1This enumeration of the persons is not in the folio of 1623, nor in those of 1632, 1664, and 1685. It was first inserted by Rowe.

Note return to page 154 1And by me too,] Too was added by the editor of the second folio.

Note return to page 155 2And the great care of goods at random left] Malone altered he, as it stands in the folio of 1623, to the, and it is very evident that a letter had dropped out. The second folio, in order to make sense of the passage, reads “And he great store of goods at random leaving Drew me from kind embracements,” &c.

Note return to page 156 3—that women bear,] Boswell added a note, asserting that the first folio has bears and not “bear.” It is a matter of little moment, but every copy of the first folio I have seen has “bear” and not bears.

Note return to page 157 4A poor mean woman was delivered] The word poor was added to complete the metre in the second folio. Malone therefore adopted it, but he himself spoiled the line, by printing deliver'd instead of “delivered.” In the same way, near the end of the speech, we meet with this line:— “The seas wax'd calm, and we discovered:” Malone printed discover'd, though the word must be read as four syllables.

Note return to page 158 5Unwilling I agreed. Alas, too soon we came aboard!] This is the reading of the folios, whereas Malone would make the sense run on to the next line: the clear meaning is, that they “came aboard too soon,” in consequence of the storm that almost immediately followed.

Note return to page 159 6Which being violently borne upon,] The first folio has up, and the second up upon. The present is, no doubt, the true reading, as fixed by Malone.

Note return to page 160 7Gave healthful welcome] The second folio reads helpful, which is probably wrong, as we have had that word just before. Malone adopted the change without sufficient reason.

Note return to page 161 8Had not their bark] The first folio has back for “bark,” as it is correctly printed in the folio 1632.

Note return to page 162 9What hath befall'n of them, and thee, till now.] This is the reading of the second folio: the first gives the line thus:— “What have befall'n of them and they, till now.”

Note return to page 163 10My youngest boy,] Monck Mason remarks, that Shakespeare has here been forgetful, and that it was Ægeon's wife who had been fastened on the mast near the youngest boy. So she may have been; but our author does not say so, though he may leave it to be inferred: he only says that the wife was “careful of the latter born,” and therefore fastened that child to the mast.

Note return to page 164 1To seek thy help by beneficial help.] Some of the editors would substitute “life” for help in the first instance; and Steevens recommends “means” for help in the second instance. Perhaps Shakespeare wrote “To seek thy hope by beneficial help.” That is, to seek what you hope by beneficial help to acquire—money for your ransom. This is consistent with Ægeon's exclamation just afterwards, “Hopeless and helpless doth Ægeon wend,” &c. The folios have it as it stands in the text.

Note return to page 165 2Enter Antipholus] The old stage-direction is “Enter Antipholis Erotes.”

Note return to page 166 3Soon at five o'clock;] i. e. About five o'clock. A. iii. sc. 2, we have “soon at supper-time.” “Soon at night,” is a common expression.

Note return to page 167 4And afterwards consort you till bed-time:] i. e. Keep you company till bed-time.

Note return to page 168 5—confounds himself:] “To confound,” says Malone, “in old language signifies to destroy.” So it may, but that is not the meaning of the word here: confounds, in this place, is to be interpreted by what Antipholus just afterwards says, “So I, to find a mother and a brother, In quest of them, unhappy, lose myself;” in the same way that a drop is lost in the sea, and confounded with the great mass of waters.

Note return to page 169 6Here comes the almanack of my true date.] Because he and Dromio were born at the same hour. He, of course, mistakes Dromio of Ephesus for his own man.

Note return to page 170 7For she will score your fault upon my pate.] The reference is here to the old custom of keeping a score upon a post, instead of entering the item in a book. The old copies have scoure.

Note return to page 171 8—should be your clock,] The old copies read cook. Pope made the change, which may be adopted, though cooks at dinner-time struck on the dresser.

Note return to page 172 9—o'er-raught—] i. e. over-reached.

Note return to page 173 1And many such like liberties of sin:] Sir Thomas Hanmer has libertines for “liberties,” and perhaps correctly; but the old copies are intelligible, though a letter may have dropped out.

Note return to page 174 2—and Luciana her sister.] This is the old explanatory stage-direction, excepting that Sereptus is put for “of Ephesus.”

Note return to page 175 3He takes it ill.] No doubt ill, which is the word in the second folio, is right, and the first folio wrong in having it thus. The scene henceforward is in rhyme, until the entrance of Dromio of Ephesus.

Note return to page 176 4Men, more divine, the masters of all these,] The old copies read man and master, and lord in the next line; but the rest of the passage shows that “men,” “masters,” and “lords,” are necessary to the sense.

Note return to page 177 5—some other where?] i. e. Some where else, as we now familiarly express it. Johnson suggests that we should read “start some other hare,” and Steevens is for taking “where” as a noun; but no alteration whatever is required. Adriana says afterwards, “I know his eye doth homage other where.”

Note return to page 178 6Till he come home again, I would forbear.] “Home” is omitted in Malone's Shakespeare by Boswell. It is found in all the old copies.

Note return to page 179 7—fool-begg'd patience—] She seems, says Johnson, to mean by “fool-begg'd patience,” that patience which is so near to idiotical simplicity, that your next relation would take advantage from it to represent you as a fool, and beg the guardianship of your fortune.

Note return to page 180 8—a thousand marks in gold:—] The oldest copy reads—a hundred marks. The correction was made in the second folio.

Note return to page 181 9Will you come, quoth I?] All the modern editions read “Will you come home, quoth I?” but without any authority.

Note return to page 182 1Am I so round with you,] “To be round” meant, of old, to be plainly spoken, or free of speech. Dromio plays upon the ambiguity of the expression.

Note return to page 183 2—case me in leather.] Like a foot-ball, which he has previously mentioned.

Note return to page 184 3My decayed fair,] Nothing would be easier than to accumulate instances where “fair” is used for fairness by the writers of Shakespeare's time and earlier.

Note return to page 185 4Poor I am but his stale.] Stale here means, as Steevens remarks, a pretended wife: the stalking horse, or pretended horse, behind which sportsmen formerly shot, was sometimes called “a stale.” In the Menæchmi of Plautus, translated by W. W. 1595, Shakespeare might have met with the same word used on a similar occasion: “He makes me a stale, and a laughing stock.”

Note return to page 186 5Would that alone, alone he would detain,] The meaning is, “I wish he would only detain from me the chain alone.” The first folio has it, “Would that alone a love he would detain,” which the second folio corrected.

Note return to page 187 6—it shame.] In the folio of 1623, this passage stands literatim as follows:— “I see the Iewell best enamaled Will loose his beautie: yet the gold bides still That others touch, and often touching will, Where gold and no man that hath a name, By falshood and corruption doth it shame.” The folio of 1632 omits entirely the last two lines. Sense may be made of this difficult passage if we convert “yet the,” in the second line, into yet tho', or though, a very small change, omit the last letter of “and” in the third line, and read wear for “where” in the fourth line, an easy corruption: the meaning will then be, “I see that the jewel best enamelled will lose his beauty: yet though gold that others touch remains gold, an often touching will wear gold; no man with a name willingly shames it by falsehood and corruption.”

Note return to page 188 7Enter Antipholus of Syracuse.] Here called Antipholis Errotis.

Note return to page 189 8You know no Centaur?] Dromio of Ephesus did not say that he knew no Centaur: the question was not put to him by Antipholus of Syracuse.

Note return to page 190 9I must get a sconce for my head, and insconce it too;] Dromio's joke depends upon the double meaning of “sconce,” a head, and a small fortification. The verb “to insconce” is derived from “sconce.”

Note return to page 191 1Scanted men in hair,] The original reading, as well as that of the second folio, is “scanted them in hair.” The meaning can hardly be, that what Time has scanted beasts in hair, he has made up to them in wit. To take them as a misprint for men, is to make the next observation of Antipholus more consequential.

Note return to page 192 2In a thing falsing.] It may be reasonably doubted whether falling were not the word written by Shakespeare: though “to false,” as Steevens states, be used by Chaucer and Spenser, they do not employ the participle.

Note return to page 193 3—'tiring;] i. e. attiring. The old copies have trying: the correction was by Pope.

Note return to page 194 4I live disstain'd,] i. e. unstained. The use of the word in this sense is, if not solitary, very uncommon.

Note return to page 195 5—you are from me exempt,] The use of “exempt” here is rather constrained, and the word seems to have been employed for sake of the rhyme, exactly in a similar sense as in the following couplet, quoted by Monck Mason from Beaumont and Fletcher's “Triumph of Honour:”— “Hard-hearted Dorigen! yield, lest for contempt They fix you there a rock, whence they're exempt.” In both instances it means parted or separated.

Note return to page 196 6I'll entertain the offer'd fallacy.] Both the old folios read “freed fallacy,” which cannot be right. Pope adopted “favoured fallacy;” but offered seems to come nearer the sense. The same character afterwards speaks of “an offer'd chain.” A. iii., sc. 2.

Note return to page 197 7—and elvish sprites.] Elvish is obtained from the second folio, where it stands only elves, but it was probably meant for elvish. The word is omitted in the first folio, and the line consequently defective.

Note return to page 198 8Dromio, thou Dromio,] Theobald altered the second “Dromio” in the old copies into drone. The folio 1632 omits “thou,” before “snail,” for the sake of the metre.

Note return to page 199 9And shrive you] i. e. Take confession from you. The word is of the commonest occurrence, and is derived by etymologists from the Latin scribo, because the priests anciently gave those who confessed to them a written form of penance. Shrift is confession.

Note return to page 200 1Carkanet;] i. e. Necklace: in this instance it means a chain to be worn round the neck.

Note return to page 201 2Mome,] The etymology of this word is uncertain, but it is probably from the Greek &grm;&grw;&grm;&gro;&grst;; and the meaning, a blockhead or stupid person, who has nothing to say for himself. Mummers were silent performers.

Note return to page 202 3Patch!] A professed fool was probably called patch from his patched dress; but the term had also a wider application.

Note return to page 203 4—I owe!] i. e. I own, am master of. See note 1, p. 45

Note return to page 204 5When? can you tell?] This seems to have been a proverbial expression, and the same remark will apply to Dromio's question,—“Shall I set in my staff?”

Note return to page 205 6—you'll let us in, I hope?] Malone was of opinion that a line following this has been lost, in which the speaker threatened Luce with the corporal correction of a rope, which would furnish the rhyme now wanting.

Note return to page 206 7—we shall part with neither.] i. e. We shall depart or go away with neither.

Note return to page 207 8Bought and sold.] This phrase was equivalent to over-reached. We still say, vulgarly, “you are sold,” to a person who has been deceived or disappointed.

Note return to page 208 9Once this,] This expression puzzled Malone and Steevens, who did not perceive that it was elliptical, and meant “For once let me tell you this.”

Note return to page 209 1—of her wisdom,] The folios have your for her in this line; and in the next but one they read, “on your part” for “on her part.” The sense corrects these errors.

Note return to page 210 2And, in despite of mirth,] The meaning is, says Warburton, “I will be merry even out of spite to mirth, which is now of all things the most unpleasing to me.”

Note return to page 211 3I know a wench of excellent discourse,] In the translation of the Menæchmi, by W. W., 1595, a parallel incident occurs. Menæchmus being shut out of his house by his wife, exclaims, (A. iiii.) “My wife thinks she is notably reveng'd on me, now she shuttes mee out of doores, as though I had not a better place to be welcome to. If she shut me out, I know who wil shut me in,” &c. Sign. D b.

Note return to page 212 4Luciana] Misprinted Juliana in first, but corrected in the second folio.

Note return to page 213 5Shall love, in building, grow so ruinous?] This line in both the early folios runs as follows:— “Shall love in buildings grow so ruinate?” which Malone corrected with little violence to the words, and some aid to the sense, while the intended rhyme is preserved.

Note return to page 214 6—become disloyalty;] i. e. make disloyalty become you.

Note return to page 215 7—make us but believe,] The folios have not for “but.”

Note return to page 216 8—To you do I decline.] i. e. I do decline, or lean, from her to you.

Note return to page 217 9—sister's flood of tears.] The folio of 1623 has it “sister flood of tears,” but it is altered, as it stands in the text, in the folio of 1632.

Note return to page 218 1And as a bed I'll take thee,] The earliest folio has bud for bed; the correction is made in the second folio.

Note return to page 219 2Let Love, being light, be drowned if she sink!] Shakespeare not unfrequently makes Love feminine.

Note return to page 220 3Not mad, but mated;] The words which follow mated—“how, I do not know”—support the notion of Monck Mason, that a play was intended on the double meaning of “mated,” as confounded or bewildered, and matched with a wife.

Note return to page 221 4Gaze where you should,] The old copies read when for where.

Note return to page 222 5I aim thee.] “I am thee” in the old copies, which Shakespeare could not have written. It was not peculiar to him to convert “aim” into a verb transitive: “I aim thee” means, I aim at thee.

Note return to page 223 6—without he say, sir-reverence.] A very old corruption of save-reverence, salvâ reverentiâ.

Note return to page 224 7—that is, an ell] Or a Nell. This reply has been strangely misprinted and misunderstood by all the commentators: they altered “is” to “and,” because they were puzzled by the old punctuation, and because they did not know that “an ell” Flemish is three quarters of a yard. Dromio merely says, that “an ell,” or three quarters of a yard, “will not measure her from hip to hip.”

Note return to page 225 8I found it by the barrenness:] Hence Malone concluded hastily that “The Comedy of Errors” was not revived after the accession of James I., “otherwise the passage would have been struck out by the Master of the Revels.” See the “Introduction.”

Note return to page 226 9—arm'd and reverted, making war against her heir.] Theobald thought, and Malone concurred with him, that Shakespeare in this passage about France, intended a covert reference to the state of that country after the assassination of Henry III, in 1589, when the people were “making war against the heir” to the throne, Henry IV. In 1591, Elizabeth sent over the Earl of Essex to Henry's assistance, and the conjecture is that the Comedy of Errors was produced soon afterwards. In this opinion Johnson does not concur, and sees in the passage nothing more than an equivocation respecting the corona veneris, a disorder which he supposes Dromio to impute to the kitchen-wench. There can be little doubt that Theobald is right; for if no allusion to the heir of France had been meant, hair would, probably, not have been spelt heire, as it stands in the oldest copy, though the second folio converts it into haire. The words “arm'd and reverted” also would hardly have been employed by Shakespeare, had he not intended more than Johnson saw in the passage.

Note return to page 227 P. 145.—To be ballast at her nose.] The word “ballast” ought, perhaps, to have been printed ballac'd, if we consider it part of the verb to ballace, which we find used by Fitzgeffrey in his Sermon on the death of Sir A. Rous, 1622, “And to ballace their knowledge by judgment,” &c. Thomas Powell, in the dedication of his “Love's Leprosie,” 1598, speaks of an “unballast bark.” In the same way Forde, in his “Honor Triumphant,” (Shakespeare Society's reprint, p. 9) has “weak-ballast souls.” Nevertheless, Nash, in his Epistle before Sidney's “Astrophel and Stella,” 1591, ridicules persons who were “balisted with bullbeefe.” See Introd. to his “Pierce Penniless,” (reprinted by the Shakespeare Society) p. xxv.

Note return to page 228 1—and made me turn i' the wheel.] i. e. The wheel attached to the spit, she being the kitchen-maid. It may be doubted whether “steel” and “wheel” were not intended to rhyme, and the elision “i' the,” for the purpose of making in the one syllable, looks like it.

Note return to page 229 2Is growing to me] i. e. accruing to me.

Note return to page 230 3—from the Courtezan's.] Thus the old copies; but from what Antipholus of Ephesus says of her at the end of A. iii. sc. 1, she hardly seems to deserve this character.

Note return to page 231 4—and her confederates,] The old copies have—their confederates.

Note return to page 232 5—you run this humour out of breath.] This expression was proverbial, and John Day wrote a comedy under the title of “Humour out of Breath,” printed in 1608.

Note return to page 233 6Good sir, say, whe'r you'll answer me, or no?] So printed in the old copy, to show that whether was to be pronounced as one syllable: “either,” printed at length in the preceding speech of Angelo, “Either send the chain, or send me by some token,” must also be taken as one syllable. Perhaps we ought to read by me, instead of “me by;” but the old copies are uniform and intelligible.

Note return to page 234 7Enter Dromio of Syracuse.] “From the Bay,” the old copies add, whither his master had not long before sent him, to ascertain whether any vessel was about to sail.

Note return to page 235 8Peevish sheep,] i. e. Silly sheep. Many instances might be collected to show that the ancient meaning of “peevish” was silly or foolish, but one will be sufficient. “We have infinit poets, and pipers, and such peevishe cattel among us in Englande, that live by merry begging,” &c. Gosson's “School of Abuse,” 1579, as printed by the Shakespeare Society, p. 17.

Note return to page 236 9Of his heart's meteors tilting in his face?] The oldest folio inserts a mark of interrogation after “case,” and begins the next line—“Oh, his heart's meteors,” &c. The true reading seems to be, to let the sense run on; for Adriana had previously asked Luciana what she had observed in the eyes of Antipholus. Besides, the interjection “O” is most frequently printed in the folio Oh; and the f had perhaps been mistaken by the compositor for an h, which was constantly written with a tail below the line.

Note return to page 237 1Stigmatical in making,] That is, marked or stigmatized with deformity.

Note return to page 238 2Far from her nest the lapwing cries away:] Shakespeare has employed this simile in “Measure for Measure,” A. i. sc. 5: “With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest, Tongue far from heart.” It was used by many old writers from Chaucer downwards, and became proverbial. Rowley, in his “Search for Money,” 1609, has, “This sir dealt like a lapwing with us, and cried furthest off the nest,” which comes nearer to Shakespeare, in the scene before us, than any of the numerous quotations collected by the commentators. This quality of the lapwing to cry far from its nest, in order to lead people away, is well understood.

Note return to page 239 3A devil in an everlasting garment hath him,] Serjeants, such as the one who had arrested Antipholus, were clad in buff, (Dromio just afterwards calls him “a fellow all in buff,”) and, on account of its durability, that dress is here termed “an everlasting garment.”

Note return to page 240 4—creeks, and narrow lands;] This is the correct reading, though Grey cites a very apposite passage from Richard II., A. v. sc. 6, to prove that it ought to stand “narrow lanes.” In Lord Francis Egerton's copy of the first folio the word is printed lans, as if the letter d had dropped out; but it is inserted in the Duke of Devonshire's first folio, having been corrected in the press.

Note return to page 241 5A hound that runs counter,] i. e. The contrary, or wrong way in a chase. The sergeant is said “to run counter,” from his carrying debtors to the prison so called.

Note return to page 242 6And yet draws dry-foot well;] To draw dry-foot is technical, and means to hunt by the scent of the animal's foot.

Note return to page 243 7One that, before the judgment, carries poor souls to hell.] i. e. Carries them to prison (for which hell was the cant term) before judgment had been given against them; or, as Malone truly explains it, upon mesne process.

Note return to page 244 8—that can I tell.] Printed by Malone, “that I can tell.”

Note return to page 245 9That he,] The original copy has—Thus he. The emendation was made in the second folio.

Note return to page 246 1If he be in debt,] The old editions read—If I be in debt. Corrected by Malone. Rowe read, “If time be in debt.”

Note return to page 247 2What have you got the picture of old Adam new apparell'd?] The commentators, from Theobald downwards, have interpolated this interrogatory by inserting the words rid of after “What have you got.” They do not seem to have been aware that “What have you got?” is stil a vulgar phrase for “What have you done with?” or “What is become of?” and they therefore puzzled themselves, and corrupted the language which Shakespeare thought fit, very appropriately, to put into Dromio's mouth. The words, “picture of old Adam new apparell'd,” refer again to the suit of buff in which the serjeant, who had arrested Antipholus of Ephesus, was dressed.

Note return to page 248 3—gives them a sob,] The old copies have sob, perhaps misprinted for “fob,” which is the word preferred by modern editors.

Note return to page 249 4—he that sets up his rest] This expression became proverbial, and was applied to a person who took up any fixed position. It was generally used in the card-game of Primero, but here it has immediate reference to the rest of the morris-pike, and to the arrest by a serjeant.

Note return to page 250 5—than a morris-pike.] i. e. A Moorish pike, a well-known instrument of war.

Note return to page 251 6Master, if you do, expect spoon-meat, or bespeak a long spoon.] For “or” we ought, perhaps, to read and: “you” has been supplied from the folio, 1632, which makes no other correction.

Note return to page 252 7Thou art, as you are all, a sorceress:] Malone transposed the words “are all,” and read all are.

Note return to page 253 8—a Jailor.] This is the old stage-direction; and as Adriana and Antipholus subsequently call him so, there is reason for retaining it, instead of “an officer,” as it stands in the modern editions.

Note return to page 254 9—by my long ears.] Meaning, probably, that his master had lengthened his ears by pulling them.

Note return to page 255 10Mistress, respice finem,] Shakespeare may have seen this familiar phrase in Ulpian Fulwell's excellent work “The First Parte of the Eighth Liberall Science,” 1579, 4to. “Wherefore, gentle maister Philodoxus, I bid you adew, with this motion or caveat, Respice finem.” It is to be observed that a marginal note is added in these words:—“All is well that ends well;” which may still farther connect the passage with Shakespeare.

Note return to page 256 1—or rather the prophecy, like the parrot, Beware the rope's end.] In the comedy of “Englishmen for my Money,” by W. Haughton, 1616, one of the characters exclaims, “An almond for a parrot? a rope for a parrot;” and the same words are to be found in Dekker's “Honest Where,” A. i. sc. 12. The parrot's prophecy would seem to be, by crying “rope,” to predict an infliction to some person. Warburton quotes the following lines very appositely from Hudibras:— “Could tell what subtlest parrots mean, That speak and think contrary clean; What member 'tis of whom they talk, When they cry Rope, and Walk, knave, walk.”

Note return to page 257 2Perdy,] A corruption of pardieu, Fr.

Note return to page 258 3—and bind Antipholus and Dromio.] “And offer to bind him: he strives” is the direction of the old copies; but it is clear, from what almost immediately follows, that they succeed in binding both Antipholus and Dromio. Hitherto these assistants have been represented as coming on the stage with Adriana, Luciana, the Courtezan, and Pinch, but the authentic editions show that they do not arrive before they are wanted.

Note return to page 259 4—thou peevish officer?] i. e. silly officer. See Note 8, p. 150.

Note return to page 260 5—and Luciana.] “Run all out” is the stage-direction of the old copies, in one place, and afterwards, as if to be more emphatic, “Exeunt omnes, as fast as may be, frighted.” The jailor does not “run out,” until the others are gone.

Note return to page 261 6—our stuff—] i. e. our baggage.

Note return to page 262 7—get within him;] i. e. close with him, get within his guard.

Note return to page 263 8—take a house.] i. e. Go into a house, in the same way as people used to say, “Take sanctuary,” which Antipholus and Dromio do in “the Priory,” as it is called in the stage-direction of the old copy.

Note return to page 264 9Enter the Lady Abbess.] It was therefore an abbey, not a priory, in which Antipholus and Dromio took sanctuary. She is called “Lady Abbess” in the old folios, but the modern editors deprive her of her title.

Note return to page 265 10It was the copy of our conference:] i. e. The chief part of our discourse: copy is often used in this sense by our old writers, from the Latin copia: thus Stephen Gosson, in his “School of Abuse,” 1579, talks of “copy of abuses,” or abundance of abuses.

Note return to page 266 1And at her heels a huge infectious troop] So the old copies; and Malone needlessly altered her to their, when, in fact, only one person is spoken of, viz. “moody and dull melancholy:” the next line, “Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair,” is clearly parenthetical. There is no reason why Shakespeare should not make the personification of melancholy feminine, as he has previously made love in this play, excepting that he had called her “kinsman” in the preceding line. Their was originally proposed by Heath.

Note return to page 267 2—a formal man again.] i. e. to restore him to his senses: to bring him back to the forms of sober behaviour. See Note 8, p. 96.

Note return to page 268 3By this, I think, the dial points at five;] The second folio here inserts “Enter Merchant and Goldsmith;” but they had never quitted the scene. It also makes Adriana and Luciana very unnecessarily go out, and return again on the arrival of the Duke.

Note return to page 269 4The place of death—] The original copy has depth, which is followed in the second folio. Rowe made the emendation.

Note return to page 270 P. 168.—The place of death.] We doubt much whether in this instance, where sense can be made of depth, the word in the original copy, we ought not to have adhered to that text.

Note return to page 271 5At your important letters,] Important is often used for importunate. Instances might be quoted from “Much Ado about Nothing,” “King Lear,” &c.

Note return to page 272 6Beaten the maids a-row,] i. e. One after another, on a row.

Note return to page 273 7His man with scissars nicks him like a fool;] “Fools,” says Malone, “were shaved and nicked in a particular manner in our author's time, as is ascertained by the following passage in ‘The Choice of Change, containing the Triplicitie of Divinitie, Philosophie, and Poetrie,’ by S. R. Gent. 4to, 1598: ‘Three things used by monks, which provoke other men to laugh at their follies: 1. They are shaven and notched on the head, like fooles.’”

Note return to page 274 8—thy master and his man are here:] Of course, meaning that they are in the Abbey, and pointing to it.

Note return to page 275 9—with harlots—] Harlot was a term of reproach applied to cheats among men, as well as to wantons among women. Horne Tooke says it means a hireling, and derives it from hire, of which there is little question: it is used only to signify a servant in Chaucer's “Sompnoure's Tale,” as Steevens remarks.

Note return to page 276 1And this is false you burden me withal.] A repetition of an expression previously used by Adriana: see the preceding page.

Note return to page 277 2All gather to see them.] This is the stage-direction of the old folios, applicable to Antipholus and Dromio; but the modern editors, without the slightest reason, substitute him for them.

Note return to page 278 3If I dream not,] In the old copies this speech of Ægeon, and the subsequent one of the abbess, follow the speech of the duke, beginning with the words—“Why, here,” &c. Malone made the necessary change.

Note return to page 279 4Why, here begins his morning story right:] The “morning story” is what Ægeon has told the Duke in the first scene of this play.

Note return to page 280 5Besides her urging of her wreck at sea,] Malone contends that a line has been lost here; but it is quite unnecessary, if we suppose the circumstances stated by Ægeon in the morning, and their confirmation by Æmilia afterwards, to occur to the duke's mind suddenly, so as to lead him at once to the conclusion, “These are the parents of these children.” “Children” is to be read as a tri-syllable.

Note return to page 281 6And thereupon these errors are arose.] The reading of the first folio is, “these errors are arose;” and it is repeated in the second, as well as in the later folios, but it may be a question whether Shakespeare did not write “these errors all arose.” There is, however, no warrant for alteration.

Note return to page 282 7Twenty-five years] In all the old copies “thirty-three years,” which must be wrong. Twenty-five is the correct number; for Ægeon says, in a former part of the play, that he had parted from his son seven years ago, when the boy was only eighteen, making together the “twenty-five years.” Theobald made the correction.

Note return to page 283 8My heavy burden undelivered:] The folios have this line— “My heavy burden are delivered;” which must be an error of the press. The meaning of Æmilia is, that she considers she has gone in travail with her twin sons twenty-five years, and that till this present hour her heavy burden had been undelivered. Malone thought fit to alter “and 'till,” in the preceding line, to until, and substituted “not delivered” for “are delivered,” but the only change required is un for are, which was a very easy misprint.

Note return to page 284 9Exeunt Ant. S. and E., Adr. and Luc.] The old stage-direction is, “Exeunt omnes. Mane[n]t the two Dromios and two brothers.” Such may have been the case; but it is more likely that the two Antipholuses went out with Adriana and Luciana, the two Dromios only remaining to conclude the play. Possibly, the conjunction ought to be omitted, and then it would stand, “Manent the two Dromios, two brothers.”

Note return to page 285 “Much adoe about Nothing. As it hath been sundrie times publikely acted by the right honourable, the Lord Chamberlaine his seruants. Written by William Shakespeare.—London Printed by V. S. for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley. 1600.” 4to. 36 leaves. It is also printed in the division of “Comedies” in the folio 1623, where it occupies twenty-one pages, viz., from p. 101, to p. 121, inclusive. It was reprinted in the other folios.

Note return to page 286 1Chalmers (Suppl. Apol. 381.) conjectures that when Beatrice says, “Yes, you had musty victuals, and he hath holp to eat it,” Shakespeare meant a sarcasm upon the manner in which the army under the Earl of Essex had been supplied with bad provisions during the Irish campaign. Most readers will consider this an overstrained speculation, although, in point of date, it accords pretty accurately with the time when “Much Ado about Nothing” may have been written.

Note return to page 287 1Thomas Jordan's “Royal Arbor of Loyal Poesie,” 8vo, 1664, contains an ill-written ballad, called “The Revolution, a love-story,” founded upon the serious portion of “Much Ado about Nothing.”

Note return to page 288 1No list of persons is prefixed to the 4to. or folio editions. The deficiency was first supplied by Rowe.

Note return to page 289 1—with a messenger.] The old stage-direction, in the 4to, 1600, as well as in the first folio, runs thus, explaining the relations of the parties to each other, in the absence of any list of characters. “Enter Leonato, governor of Messina, Innogen his wife, Hero his daughter, and Beatrice his niece, with a messenger.” It is clear, therefore, that the mother of Hero made her appearance before the audience, although she says nothing throughout the comedy, and is not entitled to have her name placed in the Dramatis Personæ.

Note return to page 290 2Don Pedro.] In the old copies, 4to. and folio, this name stands “Don Peter” here, as well as when Leonato speaks of him just afterwards; but on his entrance he is called Don Pedro in the stage-direction.

Note return to page 291 3I know none of that name, lady:] Beatrice asks after Benedick by a term of the fencing-school, “Montanto,” the humour of which the messenger does not appear to understand, and answers, “I know none of that name, lady.”

Note return to page 292 4He set up his bills here in Messina,] “To set up bills” was to give public notice of a challenge, by posting placards.

Note return to page 293 5—challenged Cupid at the flight:] The “flight” was a species of arrow, apparently so called from the circumstance that it was used for flying long distances. Daniel, in a passage quoted by Steevens, distinguishes between “flight-shafts” and “sheaf-arrows.” Civil Wars, b. viii. st. 15. The flight was contra-distinguished from the bird-bolt, mentioned just afterwards, which, instead of being long and slender, was short and thick, and calculated only to hit near objects.

Note return to page 294 6—stuffed with all honourable virtues.] i. e. furnished. In her reply Beatrice plays upon the double meaning of the word.

Note return to page 295 7—four of his five wits went halting off,] The five senses, long before the time of Shakespeare, were called the five wits; and hence the intellectual powers, intended by Beatrice, were also supposed to be five in number. Of this, many proofs might be adduced if necessary. Edgar, in King Lear, A. iii. sc. 4, exclaims, “Bless thy five wits;” and Malone remarks, that Shakespeare in one of his Sonnets (141) distinguishes “the five wits” from the five senses:— “But my five wits, nor my five senses, can Dissuade one foolish heart from loving thee.”

Note return to page 296 8—with the next block.] i. e. The mould on which a hat is formed.

Note return to page 297 9—is there no young squarer now,] i. e. No young quarreller: to “square,” is now to take the first position for boxing.

Note return to page 298 1John.] The modern editors call him “Don John,” but in the ancient copies he is called “John,” “John the bastard,” and “Sir John,” in the stage directions or in the prefixes to the speeches assigned to him.

Note return to page 299 2—are you come]. The folio reads “you are come.”

Note return to page 300 3That is the sum of all.] The folio reads This, &c.

Note return to page 301 2—to go in the song?] i. e. To join in the song you are singing.

Note return to page 302 3—God forbid it should be so.] This alludes to some old tale, no doubt in print in Shakespeare's time, but now lost.

Note return to page 303 P. 194.—God forbid it should be so.] It ought to have been mentioned, that Blakeway has preserved an oral tradition of the story, which may be seen in Malone's Shakspeare by Boswell, vol. vii. p. 168.

Note return to page 304 4—I spoke mine.] This is the preferable reading of the 4to, 1600: the folio has, “I speak mine,” but Benedick is referring to what he has already said.

Note return to page 305 5—a recheat winded in my forehead,] “Recheat” is a hunting term, a recall. Benedick of course means, that he will not wear a horn which a huntsman might blow. The “bugle in an invisible baldrick” contains a similar allusion.

Note return to page 306 6—let him be clapped on the shoulder, and called Adam.] To shoot at a cat in a bottle was formerly a sport; and when Benedick says that he who hits him is to be “called Adam,” the allusion may be to the famous outlaw and archer Adam Bell; or perhaps the meaning only is that the person who hit the bottle was to be called, by way of distinction, the first man, i. e. Adam.

Note return to page 307 7In time the savage bull doth bear the yoke.] This line is quoted from A. ii. of “The Spanish Tragedy,” the earliest known edition of which (the second) was printed in 1599. Shakespeare does not give the line exactly as it stands in the original:— “In time the savage bull sustains the yoke.” Vide Dodsley's Old Plays, 111, 118, last edit. Kyd, the author of “The Spanish Tragedy,” quoted it and three other lines from Watson's Sonnets.

Note return to page 308 8—guarded with fragments,] Clothes were said to be guarded, when they were ornamented with lace. See note 2, p. 51.

Note return to page 309 9—flout old ends any farther,] i. e. Old ends or conclusions of letters: it was very common formerly to finish a letter with the words used by Benedick, Claudio, and Don Pedro:—“And so I commit you to the tuition of God: From my house, the sixth of July, your loving friend,” &c.

Note return to page 310 1Saying, I lik'd her ere I went to wars—] It is obvious that Claudio is interrupted by Don Pedro just as he is beginning “to twist so fine a story.” It has not hitherto been so printed.

Note return to page 311 2And thou shalt have her.] These, and the preceding words, “and with her father,” are only in the 4to, 1600.

Note return to page 312 3—I can tell you strange news] The folio of 1623 omits “strange,” which is found in the 4to, 1600.

Note return to page 313 4—thick-pleached alley] i. e. Thickly interwoven.

Note return to page 314 5—were thus much overheard] “Were thus overheard,” folio, 1623.

Note return to page 315 6What the good year, my lord!] An exclamation found (as Blakeway observes) in Roper's Life of Sir T. More, “What the good year, Mr. More!”

Note return to page 316 7—at least] The folio reads yet.

Note return to page 317 8—true root,] True is omitted in the folio, 1623. The changes from the 4to. in the folio are nearly all for the worse.

Note return to page 318 9—but I am] That, modern editions; “but,” 4to. and folio.

Note return to page 319 10I make all use of it, for I use it only.] So the 4to, 1600, which is certainly right: John is speaking in the present tense. The folio, 1623, reads, “I will make all use of it,” &c.

Note return to page 320 1—I whipt me] The folio 1623 omits “me.”

Note return to page 321 2—sixpence in earnest of the bear-ward,] Spelt berrord in the old copies, a colloquial corruption of Bear-ward and not of Bear-herd. Yet in the Introduction to “The Taming of the Shrew” (as the Rev. H. Barry of Draycot observes to me), we meet with Bearheard: that, however, was itself a corruption of “Bearward,” which was the ordinary term.

Note return to page 322 3—if the prince be too important,] i. e. Importunate. See note 5, p. 169.

Note return to page 323 4Balthazar, John,] The 4to. and folio here both read, “Balthazar or dumb John;” and Reed argued that Shakespeare might have called John “dumb John,” on account of his taciturnity! Balthazar and John were two distinct persons, and the former could not be called also dumb John—“Balthazar or dumb John.” “John the bastard” was necessarily present.

Note return to page 324 5—and maskers.] “With a drum,” adds the folio, 1623, showing the sort of music they brought with them.

Note return to page 325 6—for God defend, the lute should be like the case!] i. e. God forbid that your face should be like your mask.

Note return to page 326 7—within the house is Jove.] “Jove” is the reading of the 4to, and without doubt the true reading, though the folios have love. The allusion is to the story of Baucis and Philemon in Ovid. Met. 8.

Note return to page 327 8—the “Hundred Merry Tales;”] An old jest book, of which only a fragment remains: it was reprinted in 1835, just after it had been recovered. It was originally printed by Rastell, between 1517 and 1533; but it had no doubt often been reprinted in the time of Shakespeare, and was a chap-book well known to his audiences.

Note return to page 328 9like an usurer's chain?] Chains of gold were at this time worn by persons of wealth, such as usurers; and Benedick, we may easily imagine, was not ill-acquainted with the habits of persons who advanced money upon interest.

Note return to page 329 10—it is the base though bitter disposition] So the 4to. and folio. There seems no reason whatever for changing “though” into the, as it stands in Malone's Shakespeare by Boswell, and every ground for retaining the authentic text. As if to prevent the possibility of mistake in the old copies, “though bitter” is in parenthesis.

Note return to page 330 1—if her breath were as terrible as her terminations,] The folio, 1623, omits “her.”

Note return to page 331 2—the infernal Até in good apparel.] “This is a pleasant allusion,” says Warburton, “to the custom of ancient poets and painters, who represent the furies in rags.”

Note return to page 332 3Fetch you a hair of the great Cham's beard;] All the old copies have off for “of,” a frequent error with early printers.

Note return to page 333 4—my lady Tongue.] The folio reads, “this lady Tongue.”

Note return to page 334 5—of that jealous complexion.] The folio reads, “of a jealous complexion.”

Note return to page 335 6Thus goes every one to the world but I,] “To go to the world” is again used by Shakespeare in “All's Well that Ends Well,” A. i. sc. 3, to signify being married. When Beatrice adds, “I am sun-burned,” she means that her beauty is damaged, and that that is the reason she cannot “go to the world.” See also “As you like it,” A. v. sc. 3, where Audrey desires to be “a woman of the world.”

Note return to page 336 7—answer my mind.] The folio, 1623, omits my.

Note return to page 337 8—hear Margaret term me Claudio;] This is the reading of the 4to and the folios; but “Claudio” can hardly be right, inasmuch as Claudio was himself to be a spectator of the scene. Theobald suggested that Borachio ought to be substituted for “Claudio.”

Note return to page 338 9Enter Benedick.] In the old copies Benedick enters “alone” before the boy makes his appearance; and the reason is obvious, for Benedick should ruminate, and pace to and fro, before he calls the boy. In all the modern editions “Benedick and a Boy” enter together: a very injudicious arrangement.

Note return to page 339 10—orthographer:] The old copies read—orthography.

Note return to page 340 11We'll fit the kid-fox] So the old editions; but perhaps “kid” is a misprint for hid, as Benedick says, “I'll hide me in the arbour.” If “kid” be the correct reading, it is to be taken either in the sense of known or discovered, or as meaning a young fox.

Note return to page 341 12Enter Balthazar, with music.] In the 4to. of 1600, Don Pedro, Leonato, and Claudio, are said, just before, to enter “with music,” the meaning of which probably was, that it was heard off the stage. Balthazar then comes upon the stage, and “Enter Balthazar, with music” is the direction of the 4to. The folio, 1623, only makes one entrance; and inserts the name of the singer of the song, Jack Wilson, instead of the character, “Enter Prince, Leonato, Claudio, and Jack Wilson,” before the words “Come, shall we hear this music?” See the “Memoirs of Edward Alleyn,” p. 153, respecting “ Mr. Wilson the singer,” who dined with the founder of Dulwich College in 1620.

Note return to page 342 1Note notes, forsooth, and nothing!] This is the reading of the old copies, and ought to be preserved in preference to noting, which Theobald substituted, and which has stood in the text ever since. Don Pedro means to play upon the similarity of sound between noting and “nothing,” and to indicate his opinion of the worth of Balthazar's “crotchets.”

Note return to page 343 2Stalk on, stalk on; the fowl sits.] An allusion to the stalking-horse, by which the fowler anciently sheltered himself from the sight of the game.

Note return to page 344 3—knavery cannot, sure, hide himself in such reverence.] Hitherto “himself” has been printed itself in the modern editions; but Shakespeare meant to personify knavery.

Note return to page 345 4—your daughter told us of.] In the 4to, 1600, us of is transposed.

Note return to page 346 5—have daff'd—] To daff is to doff, to do off, or put aside. See also p. 259.

Note return to page 347 6—a contemptible spirit.] i. e. A contemptuous or scornful spirit. The word was used in this sense by many writers in the time of Shakespeare.

Note return to page 348 7Shall we go seek Benedick,] See, folio, 1623. In a preceding speech, the folio has “you may see he is wise,” instead of “say.”

Note return to page 349 8—unworthy so good a lady.] The folio reads—“unworthy to have so good a lady:” the 4to, more tersely, as in our text.

Note return to page 350 9—her gentlewomen carry.] So the 4to: the folio gentlewoman; but Margaret and Ursula were both employed.

Note return to page 351 10The conference was sadly borne.] i. e. Seriously conducted. “Sad” and “sadly” are often used for serious and seriously, grave and gravely.

Note return to page 352 11—to bid you come in to dinner.] This is in accordance with the old copies, and with what Beatrice has said; yet the modern editors omit “in.”

Note return to page 353 12To listen our propose.] A few lines above we had “Proposing with the Prince and Claudio.” “Propose” is conversation, and is the reading of the 4to, for which the folio has “purpose.” Beatrice was to come to overhear what Hero and Ursula were saying, not what they intended to do.

Note return to page 354 1As haggards of the rock.] A haggard of the rock is a wild hawk, frequenting mountainous districts.

Note return to page 355 2It were a better death than die with mocks,] The folio, 1623, has “than to die with mocks;” but “to” is surplusage, both as regards sense and metre.

Note return to page 356 3She's lim'd,] So the 4to. more figuratively: the folio reads ta'en.

Note return to page 357 4—and then go I] So the old copies: modern editions, I go.

Note return to page 358 5Well, every one can master a grief,] The old editions, 4to. and folio, have cannot for “can,” an obvious misprint.

Note return to page 359 6—all slops;] Large loose breeches, or trowsers.

Note return to page 360 7—or in the shape of two countries at once; as, a German from the waist downward, all slops, and a Spaniard from the hip upward, no doublet.] This passage is only in the 4to, 1600, and not in any of the folio impressions. Why it was omitted, must be matter of conjecture: perhaps, on account of the change of fashion in dress between 1600 and 1623.

Note return to page 361 8Conclude, conclude,] The folio does not repeat the word “conclude.”

Note return to page 362 9—with her face upwards.] So all the old copies. Theobald altered “face” to heels, principally on the authority of the following quotation from Beaumont and Fletcher's “Wild Goose Chase:” &lblank; “love cannot starve me, For if I die o' the first fit, I am unhappy, And worthy to be buried with my heels upwards.” On the other hand, Heath remarks, that “Theobald quite mistakes the scope of the poet, who prepares the reader to expect somewhat uncommon or extraordinary, and the humour consists in the disappointment of that expectation.” At all events, we have no right to disturb the text, as it has been handed down to us, merely upon conjecture. If the old copies varied, we might doubt.

Note return to page 363 1Good den, brother.] “Good den” is a colloquial abridgment of good even, but it was also used for good day; and in A. v. sc. 1, Don Pedro says, good den, and Claudio, good day.

Note return to page 364 2—bear it coldly but till midnight,] The folio reads, “but till night.” That of the 4to. is no doubt the true reading, as fixing the particular hour of the night.

Note return to page 365 3Enter Dogberry and Verges,] Verges, in the old stage-direction of the 4to. and folio, is called the “compartner” of Dogberry.

Note return to page 366 4—will never answer a calf when he bleats.] So the old editions. Malone printed “it bleats:” this confusion of genders is characteristic of Shakespeare and of his time.

Note return to page 367 5Be vigitant, I beseech you.] So the 4to, 1600, and the folio, 1623. The second folio has vigilant: the blunder, no doubt, was intended.

Note return to page 368 6—reechy painting;] i. e. Painting, says Steevens, discoloured by smoke.

Note return to page 369 7—smirched—] i. e. Soiled, obscured. See note 11, p. 246.

Note return to page 370 8I know him, he wears a lock.] i. e. A lock of hair, called a love-lock, not unfrequently cherished by the gay young men of that day. Dogberry alludes to it again in A. v. sc. 1.

Note return to page 371 P. 235.—I know him, he wears a lock.] A correspondent has been good enough to refer us to Manzoni's novel, I promessi Sposi, by which it appears that in the sixteenth century, in Lombardy, the wearing of a lock of hair was made highly criminal, merely because it was considered the testimony of lawless life led by the young men of the day.

Note return to page 372 91 Watch. Never speak:] In the old editions this is made part of what Conrade is supposed to say; but it is evidently wrong. Theobald detected and corrected the error.

Note return to page 373 1—rabato—] An ornament for the neck, a kind of ruff.

Note return to page 374 2—side sleeves,] i. e. long sleeves. Peele, in his “Old Wives' Tale,” has “side slops” for long trowsers. Dyee's Peele's Works, i. 209, edit. 1829.

Note return to page 375 3“Light o' love;”] This is the name of an old dance tune, mentioned in “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” A. i. sc. 2. See Chappell's “Ancient English Airs,” II. 78 & 193, where the words of a song to the tune of “Light o' Love” are given; but it may be doubted whether they are the original words.

Note return to page 376 4For the letter that begins them all, H.] The word “ache” was formerly generally pronounced like the letter H, and Beatrice means that she cries “heigh ho!” in consequence of pain she feels. She uses “for” in the sense of because, or by reason of.

Note return to page 377 5—Carduus benedictus,] “Carduus benedictus, or blessed thistle, (says Cogan, in his ‘Haven of Health,’ 1589,) so worthily named for the singular virtues that it hath.”

Note return to page 378 6Palabras, neighbour Verges.] How this Spanish word came into our language, and to be in familiar use with the lower orders, it is difficult to ascertain. Sly, in the Induction to “The Taming of the Shrew,” has pocas palabras; and the same words are found in the very popular old play “The Spanish Tragedy,” where they are spoken by Hieronimo, A. iv. sc. 4. Hence, possibly, Shakespeare obtained them, as in his Induction he ridicules another part of Kyd's play. However, he might easily have found them elsewhere, or they would not have been appropriate in Sly's mouth.

Note return to page 379 7Yes, an 'twere a thousand pound more than 'tis;] The folio has times for “pound,” which is the reading of the 4to. This is one of the constable's humorous confusions, and ought to be preserved.

Note return to page 380 4—to examination these men.] Folio, 1623, “to examine those men.”

Note return to page 381 5—not knowing what they do!] These words, from the 4to, 1600, are omitted in the folio.

Note return to page 382 6Interjections? Why then, some be of laughing, as, ha! ha! he!] Benedick quotes from the Accidence.

Note return to page 383 7Out on thee, seeming!] Since Pope's time this has usually been printed “Out on thy seeming!” but there is no reason for the change. Claudio addresses Hero as the personification of “seeming” or hypocrisy. Both the 4to. and the folio support the reading in our text.

Note return to page 384 8True? O God!] This is Hero's exclamation on John's assertion—“these things are true.” Hitherto it has been printed as if Hero merely answered, “True, O God!” to Benedick's observation, “This looks not like a nuptial.”

Note return to page 385 9I charge thee do so,] The folio, 1623, omits “so,” to the manifest injury of the metre.

Note return to page 386 10Fie, fie! they are not to be nam'd, my lord, Not to be spoke of;] This is the old regulation; whereas the modern editors alter it, under the notion that they can make something like measure out of “Not to be nam'd, my lord, not to be spoken of.” At all events, the 4to, 1600, and the folio, 1623, give us ten syllables in the first line, and make “not to be spoke of” a hemistich: the folio, 1623, changes “spoke” to spoken.

Note return to page 387 11Who smirched thus,] The folio substitutes smeared for “smirched” in the 4to. We have before had “smirched” in this play (p. 235) in the sense of soiled, and it is a word to which Shakespeare was partial. See “As You Like It,” A. i. sc. 3.

Note return to page 388 1In angel whiteness, beat away those blushes;] The folio 1623, and modern editions after it, have bear instead of “beat,” which is the reading of the original 4to, 1600, misprinted by the compositor of the folio.

Note return to page 389 2Your daughter, here, the princes left for dead;] In the old copies, folio and 4to, the line is thus printed:—“Your daughter here, the princess (left for dead),” which cannot be right unless we suppose the friar to call Hero a “princess.” Theobald altered the line as it stands in the text, by which in fact only one letter is changed, omitting the parenthesis, and the sense entirely cleared.

Note return to page 390 3Do not swear by it, and eat it.] So the folio, 1623; and what Benedick afterwards says, “I will swear by it, that you love me,” &c., seems to warrant the insertion of “by it,” though not found in the 4to.

Note return to page 391 4You kill me to deny it.] The folio omits “it;” which seems a proper, though not an absolutely necessary, part of what Beatrice says: it is inserted in the 4to, 1600. Shakespeare and other writers of his time, and afterwards, not unfrequently employ “deny,” in the sense of refuse; and so it may be taken in the folio.

Note return to page 392 5—a goodly count, count confect;] “Count confect” is the title Beatrice gives him in contempt. We still speak of “caraway confects.” She first calls him “count,” and then mentions his title, “count confect; a sweet gallant, surely!” This is the reading of the 4to, 1600, and of the folio, 1623.

Note return to page 393 6Enter Dogberry, Verges, and Sexton,] In the course of the dialogue in this scene, both in the 4to. and folio, the names of the actors Kemp (in one place misprinted Keeper) and Cowley are placed opposite what is given to Dogberry and Verges; thus affording clear evidence that they originally played the parts of the constable and his “compartner.” Kemp must have quitted the company to which Shakespeare belonged not long after this play was acted; as, by Henslowe's Diary, it appears that he belonged to the company of Lord Nottingham's players in March, 1602.

Note return to page 394 7Sexton.] He is called “town-clerk” in the old stage-directions, probably because, being able to read and write, he acted as clerk for the town, or for such of the inhabitants as had not his accomplishments.

Note return to page 395 8Marry, that am I and my partner.] The name of “Andrew” is placed before this speech, but it clearly belongs to Dogberry, performed by Kemp. We know of no actor of the Christian or sirname of Andrew in the company of the Lord Chamberlain's players. “Merry Andrew” may possibly have been a nick-name of Kemp, but his Christian name was William.

Note return to page 396 9—before such villains!] The part of Dogberry's speech which precedes these words, and the answer of Conrade and Borachio, which produced Dogberry's speech, are omitted in the folio, 1623, in consequence, perhaps, as Blackstone suggests, of the stat. 3 Jac. I. c. 21, against the profane employment of the name of the Creator. The whole passage might be an interpolation by the actors, and it might therefore be excluded in the folio.

Note return to page 397 1—that's the eftest way.] i. e. The quickest or readiest way.

Note return to page 398 2Off, coxcomb!] The old copies here seem to have coupled two separate speeches. “Let them be in the hands of coxcomb” is the original reading; but Verges, probably, was interrupted, after he had said “Let them be in the hands”—by the exclamation of Conrade, “Off, coxcomb!” to the watchman who was endeavouring to pinion him. What immediately follows fully supports this lection, which was introduced by Theobald, and has since been invariably followed. Conrade's next speech, “Away! you are an ass; you are an ass,” both in the 4to. and folio, is erroneously assigned to Cowley, the actor of the part of Verges.

Note return to page 399 3And sorrow, wag! cry hem, when he should groan;] This is the reading of the old 4to. and of the folios, which may be reconciled to sense, and therefore ought not be disturbed. The meaning is clear, though not clearly expressed. “And, sorrow, wag!” is and sorrow away! (for which indeed it may have been misprinted) similar to the exclamation “care away!” The reading substituted by the commentators has usually been— “Cry sorrow, wag! and hem, when he should groan;” which has no warrant. Heath's suggestion of “And sorrowing, cry hem, when he should groan,” is the most plausible emendation.

Note return to page 400 4And made a push at chance and sufferance.] So the old copies, and so the interjection (which Gifford altered to pish, in Massinger's “Old Law,” Act ii. sc. 1.) was constantly spelt. Many instances in proof of it might be collected from our old dramatists. It is used in Beaumont and Fletcher's “Maids' Tragedy,” A. iii. sc. 1 (Dyce's edit.); in Chapman's “Gentleman Usher;” and repeatedly in Middleton's plays. See Dyce's Middleton's Works, i. 29, ii. 24, iv. 259, and v. 45. Boswell would derive the expression from fencing, and tells us that “to make a push at any thing is to contend against it, or defy it.” Shakespeare's meaning is quite evident, taking “push” as an interjection, and we need not resort to any misapplied ingenuity of explanation.

Note return to page 401 5—as we do the minstrels;] i. e. As we bid the minstrels draw their instruments out of their cases.

Note return to page 402 6—to turn his girdle.] “Large belts,” says Holt White, “were worn with the buckle before, but for wrestling the buckle was turned behind, to give the adversary a fairer grasp at the girdle. To turn the buckle behind, therefore, was a challenge.” This seems a plausible explanation.

Note return to page 403 7Shall I not find a woodcock too?] A jesting allusion to the supposed fact that the woodcock has no brains, and is therefore easily caught in a springe. It was often formerly the subject of a joke.

Note return to page 404 8But, soft you; let me be:] The modern editions read “let be,” in opposition to the 4to, 1600, and the first folio, which have “let me be:” meaning merely “let me alone.” The expression seems to require no such elaborate explanation, as that entered into by Malone and Steevens.

Note return to page 405 9Enter Dogberry, &c.] The entrance of the “Constables, Conrade, and Borachio,” in the old copies, is wrongly made to precede the last two speeches of Claudio and Don Pedro.

Note return to page 406 10Art thou the slave,] The folio repeats thou, to the destruction of the metre, which is complete in the 4to.

Note return to page 407 1Who, I believe, was pact in all this wrong,] “Pact” is properly bargain or contract, and Margaret, one party to the “pact,” is spoken of as the contract itself. The common, but erroneous, reading is the verb packed.

Note return to page 408 2—this lewd fellow.] “Lewd” has three meanings, lustful, ignorant, and wicked. The last is the sense in this place, and not ignorant, as Steevens contended.

Note return to page 409 3I give thee the bucklers.] To give the bucklers, was to yield the victory; by which an enemy obtained his adversary's shield, and retained his own. The phrase became proverbial.

Note return to page 410 4How pitiful I deserve,] The beginning, says Steevens, of an old ballad by William Elderton. A song to the same tune is to be found in “The Handful of Pleasant Delights,” 1584.

Note return to page 411 5Let me go with that I came for,] “For,” which is necessary to the sense, was first inserted by Rowe.

Note return to page 412 6An old, an old instance,] The words “an old,” are repeated in the 4to. as well as in the folios, for the sake of greater emphasis.

Note return to page 413 7—Yonder's old coil at home:] “Old” was a very common augmentative in the time of Shakespeare: “old coil” means great bustle or confusion.

Note return to page 414 8I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes;] The Rev. Mr. Barry suggests to me that the words “heart” and “eyes” have in some way changed places in the old copies.

Note return to page 415 9Atten. It is, my lord.] In the old copies these words are given to a “lord,” and it is not stated whether the “Epitaph” was to be read by him or by Claudio; doubtless by the latter, who, after he has read it, directs the music to sound for the “solemn hymn.”

Note return to page 416 1Death in guerdon of her wrongs] “Guerdon” is reward.

Note return to page 417 2Praising her when I am dumb.] This is the reading of the folio, which is, probably, right. The 4to has dead for “dumb.”

Note return to page 418 3Till death be uttered,] The meaning of this line is obscure; but it may be doubted whether by “Till death be uttered” we are to understand merely, as Boswell suggests, “till death be spoken of:” the verb “uttered” is perhaps to be taken in the sense of put forth, put out, or put away, and then the sense of “Graves, yawn, and yield your dead, Till death be uttered,” may be, until death be destroyed. In the next line, the 4to. has “heavily, heavily,” and the folio, 1623, “heavenly, heavenly,” which reading is adopted by the folio, 1632. Understanding “uttered” as we have explained it, the folio may be right; but as the sense appears very doubtful, it has been thought right to preserve the reading of the oldest authority.

Note return to page 419 4Yearly will I do this rite.] This couplet, in the old editions, is given to the “lord” before mentioned, but it clearly belongs to Claudio. This was the opinion of Rowe.

Note return to page 420 5Here come the prince, and Claudio.] This line is omitted in all the folio editions.

Note return to page 421 6Leon. This same is she,] The old copies give this speech to Leonato; but since the time of Theobald it has been assigned to Antonio. Though Antonio was formally to give away the lady at the altar, as her pretended father, Leonato may very properly interpose this observation: it is the more probably his from what follows, and there is no sufficient reason for altering the arrangement of the 4to. and folios.

Note return to page 422 7One Hero died defil'd;] The folios omit “defil'd,” which is found in the 4to, 1600.

Note return to page 423 8Have been deceived: they swore you did.] This is the text of both 4to. and folios. Sir T. Hanmer, “to improve the metre,” inserted for before “they.” Shakespeare might have very good reason for varying, in this respect, from the line below, put into the mouth of Beatrice. In the same way the replies of Beatrice and Benedict are varied “Why, no,” “Troth, no,” &c.

Note return to page 424 9Leon. Peace! I will stop your mouth.] Modern editors assign this line to Benedick; but all the old copies give it to Leonato. It may be very well also, as a piece of stage effect, to make Benedick kiss Beatrice at this juncture, but there is no warrant for it in any old stage-direction.

Note return to page 425 “A pleasant Conceited Comedie called, Loues labors lost. As it was presented before her Highnes this last Christmas. Newly corrected and augmented By W. Shakespeare. Imprinted at London by W. W. for Cutbert Burby. 1598.” 4to, 38 leaves. In the folio, 1623, “Love's Labour's Lost” occupies 23 pages, in the division of “Comedies,” viz., from p. 122 to p. 144, inclusive. It was reprinted in 1631, 4to, “by W. S., for John Smethwicke;” and the title-page states that it was published “as it was acted by his Majesties Seruants at the Blacke-Friers and the Globe.” It is merely a copy from the folio, 1623, with the addition of some errors of the press.

Note return to page 426 1Farther on this great psychological critic observes:—“If this juvenile drama had been the only one extant of our Shakespeare, and we possessed the tradition only of his riper works, or accounts of them in writers who had not even mentioned this play, how many of Shakespeare's characteristic features might we not still have discovered in ‘Love's Labour's Lost,’ though as in a portrait taken of him in his boyhood! I can never sufficiently admire the wonderful activity of thought throughout the whole of the first scene of the play, rendered natural, as it is, by the choice of the characters and the whimsical determination on which the drama is founded—a whimsical determination certainly, yet not altogether so very improbable to those who are conversant in the history of the middle ages, with their Courts of Love, and all that lighter drapery of chivalry, which engaged even mighty kings, with a sort of serio-comic interest, and may well be supposed to have occupied more completely the smaller princes, at a time when the noble's or prince's court contained the only theatre of the domain or principality.”

Note return to page 427 2It was asserted by Warburton, that in the character of Holofernes Shakespeare intended to ridicule Florio, and that our great poet here condescended to personal satire. The only apparent offence by Florio was a passage in his “Second Fruits,” 1591, where he complained of the want of decorum in English dramatic representations. The provocation was evidently insufficient, and we may safely dismiss the whole conjecture as unfounded.

Note return to page 428 1This list of characters was first printed by Rowe.

Note return to page 429 1You three, Biron,] “Biron” must be pronounced, as in French, with the accent on the last syllable, for the sake of the verse; and in order to secure this, in the old copies, 4to. and folio, the name of Biron is invariably spelt Berowne.

Note return to page 430 2Subscribe to your deep oaths, and keep it too.] Modern editors have altered “oaths” to oath, but unnecessarily: the meaning is, subscribe your oaths, and keep what you have sworn.

Note return to page 431 3—but bankrupt quite the wits.] This is the reading of the 4to, 1598: the folio omits “quite,” and prints “bankrupt” as a trisyllable,—bankerout. The couplet was proverbial, and it runs thus in “Parœmiologia Anglo-Latina, or Proverbs English and Latine, &c.” by John Clarke, 8vo, 1639. “Fat paunches make lean pates, and grosser bits Enrich the ribs, but bankrupt quite the wits.” Which is also an early authority for the insertion of the adverb.

Note return to page 432 4When I to feast expressly am forbid;] All the old editions read fast for “feast.” Theobald made the change, which seems necessary.

Note return to page 433 5—but that most vain,] The folio substitutes and for “but,” as it stands in the old 4to.

Note return to page 434 6Proceeded well,] To “proceed,” as Johnson observes, “is an academical term, and means to take a degree, as he proceeded bachelor in physic.”

Note return to page 435 7—an envious sneaping frost,] “Sneaping” is snipping, or as we now say, “nipping,”—vide “Winter's Tale,” A. i. sc. 2. In Malone's Shakespeare, by Boswell, this speech is given, without warrant, to Longaville.

Note return to page 436 8Why should I joy in any abortive birth?] Such was the authentic reading until the time of Pope, who changed “any” to an. “Any” is to be pronounced in the time of an, and the measure is perfect.

Note return to page 437 9Climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate.] The folio, 1623, spoils the line and injures the sense by reading, “That were to climb o'er the house to unlock the gate.”

Note return to page 438 1Well, sit you out:] The folio has “fit you out,” which may be right. Malone suggests that “set you out” may be the true reading.

Note return to page 439 2I'll keep what I have sworne,] So the old 4to, 1598, and the folio, 1623. The folio, 1632, substitutes swore for the sake of the rhyme, which may have been intended.

Note return to page 440 3A dangerous law against gentility!] In the old editions this line, and the “Item” immediately following it, are given to Longaville, whereas they seem to belong, as Theobald suggested, to Biron, who was reading the articles. The 4to, 1598, has gentletie for “gentility,” the lection of the first folio.

Note return to page 441 4—as the rest of the court can possibly devise.] This is the preferable reading of the 4to, 1598: the folio substitutes shall for “can.”

Note return to page 442 5—shall speak for me,] Shall break for me, folio, 1623.

Note return to page 443 6Suggestions] i. e. temptations, repeatedly so used by Shakespeare.

Note return to page 444 6—that Armado hight,] i. e. That is called Armado. See also p. 291.

Note return to page 445 7And I will use him for my minstrelsy.] i. e. “I will make a minstrel of him, whose occupation,” says Douce, “was to relate fabulous stories.”

Note return to page 446 8Enter Dull,] In the old copies Dull is not named here, but called a “Constable:” “with a letter,” is added after Costard, in the old stage-direction.

Note return to page 447 9—I am his grace's tharborough.] i. e. Thirdborough, or constable: farborough in the 4to, 1598.

Note return to page 448 10A high hope for a low having:] Theobald substituted “having” for heaven, the reading of the 4to. and folios. He was, probably, right.

Note return to page 449 11—to climb in the merriness.] Steevens supposes a play upon words between “style” and “climb” to have been intended. The Rev. Mr. Barry suggests, that as the word “climb” in the old copies, 4to. and folio, is spelt clime, there may have been a slight misprint, and that possibly we ought to read chime. I am inclined to agree with Steevens. The word “style” is played upon again in p. 321, after the reading of Armado's letter.

Note return to page 450 1—taken with the manner.] i. e. In the fact.

Note return to page 451 2ycleped] i. e. Called; the past tense of the verb to clepe.

Note return to page 452 3—thy curious-knotted garden:] The “knots” were the fantastic figures of the beds, or borders of a garden of that time.

Note return to page 453 4—with—] It is misprinted which in the old 4to, 1598, and in the folios. Theobald first made the change.

Note return to page 454 5—prosperity!] The 4to. has prosperie, a syllable having dropped out.

Note return to page 455 6set thee down, sorrow!] So the 4to: the folio omits “thee.” See p. 331, “Well set thee down, sorrow! for so, they say, the fool said.”

Note return to page 456 7Arm. Boy, what sign is it, &c.] The stage-direction in the 4to. and folio is as in the text, and the first speech is assigned in both to “Armado;” but subsequently, in the folio, instead of Armado, “Brag” (for Braggart) is the prefix to what belongs to Armado in the dialogue. The 4to. has it invariably “Armado.”

Note return to page 457 8What, that an eel is ingenious?] “Ingenious,” 4to, 1598: ingenuous, folio, 1623. The words were often used indifferently of old. In A. iii. sc. 1, the folio has “ingenious,” as well as the 4to.

Note return to page 458 9—crosses love not him?] By crosses Moth means money. So called, because it was stamped with a cross.

Note return to page 459 1—the dancing horse will tell you.] The dancing horse was named Marocco, and was the property of a person of the name of Bankes. It had been taught to dance, to count, and to perform a number of feats, for the exhibition of which its owner carried it about the country, and it obtained so much notoriety, that it is over and over again mentioned in old writers. In 1595, a humorous and satirical tract was published, purporting to be a dialogue between Bankes and his horse: it is called, “Maroccus Extaticus, or Bankes's bay horse in a Trance,” and on the title-page is a wood-cut representing the man and his beast, the latter dancing with a stick in his mouth. Bankes visited the continent with his wonderful horse; and according to the evidence of the author of “Don Zara del Fogo,” 8vo, 1656, both were burned at Rome for witchcraft. See Preface to the Percy Society's Reprint of Rowley's “Search for Money,” 1609.

Note return to page 460 2Most maculate thoughts,] So the first quarto, 1598, rightly; but the folio has immaculate.

Note return to page 461 3For blushing] The original 4to. and first folio have blush-in. The emendation was made by the editor of the second folio.

Note return to page 462 4Which native she doth owe.] i. e. Of which she is naturally possessed.—See note 1. p. 45, and note 4. p. 136.

Note return to page 463 5—the King and the Beggar?] See Percy's Reliques, vol. i. p. 202, edit. 1812. What Moth says shows that the ballad was older than Shakespeare's time.

Note return to page 464 6—for the day-woman.] A “day-woman” is a dairy-woman, or milk-woman. Upon the line in Chaucer's “Nonnes Preestes Tale,” “For she was, as it were, a maner dey,” Tyrwhitt observes, “It probably meant, originally, a day-labourer in general, though it may since have been used to denote particularly the superintendent of a Dayerie.” See Du Cange in v. Daeria, Dayeria.

Note return to page 465 7With that face?] The folio has “with what face?” but the oldest reading, that of the 4to, 1598, seems the most pointed.

Note return to page 466 8Come, Jaquenetta, away.] This speech, which probably belongs to Dull, the constable, is assigned in the old copies to Costard, who is called Clown. At the same time, it was very natural for Costard to wish Jaquenetta to go.

Note return to page 467 9—to be too silent] “Too” is omitted in the folio.

Note return to page 468 10Yet was Samson so tempted,] The folio transposes “was Samson;” though “was Solomon,” in the next line, shows that the verb ought to precede its nominative.

Note return to page 469 11The first and second cause will not serve my turn;] See Touchstone's dissertation on the causes of quarrel in “As You Like It.” A. v. sc. 4.

Note return to page 470 12I shall turn sonneteer.] The old reading is, “I shall turn sonnet,” which was altered by Sir T. Hanmer, and the sense seems to require the change. If the words, as Mr. Amyot suggests to me, had been, “I shall turn a sonnet,” it would have been clear enough without alteration, taking “turn a sonnet” in the sense of “turn a sentence.”

Note return to page 471 1Like humble-visag'd suitors,] Not humbly-visag'd, as we find it in Malone's Shakespeare by Boswell: the compound epithet is printed “humble visage” in the 4to, 1598.

Note return to page 472 2A man of sovereign parts he is esteem'd;] This is the reading of the folio, 1623: the 4to. has the line misprinted as follows:— “A man of soveraigne peerelsse he is esteem'd.”

Note return to page 473 3Well fitted in arts, glorious in arms:] The editor of the folio, 1632, inserted the before “arts,” as if the metre were defective, and it has found its way into all the modern editions. If, however, “glorious” be read as three syllables, which is the proper pronunciation of the word, the line is syllabically complete. At all events the does not improve the harmony of the verse, while the sense requires its rejection: “well fitted in arts” is the proper phrase.

Note return to page 474 4—though he had no wit.] So the 4to, 1598: the folio, 1623, she.

Note return to page 475 5—if I have heard] The folio reads “as I have heard.”

Note return to page 476 6Here comes Boyet.] The folio gives these words to Margaret, who hitherto in the folio has been called “I Lady.” The 4to, 1598, assigns them, more properly, to an attendant “lord.”

Note return to page 477 7—his unpeopled house.] Unpeeled, 4to, 1598.

Note return to page 478 8—and welcome to the wide fields too base to be mine.] The folios and quarto agree in reading wide, and all the modern editors have conspired to insert wild instead of it, without the slightest pretence. It is not easy to reduce this speech to measure, even if it were intended by the Poet to be so.

Note return to page 479 9Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?] In the 4to. this line, and some others following it, are assigned to Katherine: in the folio they are given to Rosaline, to whom they seem more properly to belong.

Note return to page 480 8Which we much rather had depart withal,] To “depart” and to part were formerly used synonymously.

Note return to page 481 9I will yield unto.] The folio, 1623, “would I yield unto.”

Note return to page 482 10—within my gates;] So the 4to, 1598, and so we ought to read for the antithesis of “without” in the next line.

Note return to page 483 1—fair harbour in my house.] The folio, 1623, reads farther for “fair.” In the next line but one “shall we” is transposed in the folio.

Note return to page 484 2Lady, I will commend you to mine own heart.] In the folio this and the speeches immediately following are given to Boyet. In the 4to. they are rightly assigned to Biron.

Note return to page 485 3Is the fool sick?] So the 4to, 1598: the folio reads soul.

Note return to page 486 4No point, with my knife.] A quibble on Non point, Fr., which occurs again A. v. sc. 2. See p. 360.

Note return to page 487 5—an you saw her in the light.] The folio has if instead of “an:” the meaning is of course the same.

Note return to page 488 6What's her name, in the cap?] Here Biron again comes forward to question Boyet. In the old copies we have, “Enter Berowne,” as a stage-direction, because his exit had been previously inserted.

Note return to page 489 7My lips are no common, though several they be.] Shakespeare clearly intends to play upon the words “common” and “several;” the first meaning open uninclosed land, and the last such as, having been once common, has been separated and made private property. A difficulty has arisen from the use of “though;” for if Shakespeare had employed but, instead of “though,” the opposition designed between “common” and “several” would have been complete. Perhaps we ought to take “though” in the sense of because, and then Margaret's reply will mean that she will not allow Boyet, under the figure of a sheep, to pasture upon her lips, because they are no “common,” but “several.” The sense of “several,” in relation to the division of the lips, is sufficiently obvious.

Note return to page 490 8—from where they were glass'd,] This reading is from the 4to: the folio has whence for “where.”

Note return to page 491 P. 309.—Boyet is dispos'd—] Some persons would discover an indelicate meaning here, in the use of the verb “dispos'd;” but, surely, prurient ingenuity was never more misplaced, as is shown by the context.

Note return to page 492 9Enter Armado and Moth.] Here the 4to, 1598, and the folio, 1623, have “Enter Braggart and his boy.” In the prefixes in both, Armado is called “Brag.” until Costard (or “clown”) comes in, and then he is called Arm. and the boy Page.

Note return to page 493 10Concolinel] Most likely Moth here sang some Italian song, beginning Con Colinel; but none such, I believe, is now known. The songs thus introduced into old plays were usually popular ditties, and it was therefore often thought unnecessary to give the words.

Note return to page 494 1—festinately] i. e. hastily.

Note return to page 495 2Master, will you win your love with a French brawl?] “Master” is the reading of the 4to. A French brawl was a species of dance, in which kissing bore a considerable part: on this account it seems to have given offence to the Puritans.

Note return to page 496 3canary to it with your feet,] A verb coined from the active nature of the dance called a Canary. The folio has “with the feet.”

Note return to page 497 4—turning up your eye-lids;] The folio has only eye for “eye-lids,” which is the reading of the 4to.

Note return to page 498 5By my penny of observation.] There is little doubt that this is the correct reading, though both quarto and folio have it penne. Sir Thomas Hanmer made the change.

Note return to page 499 6The hobby-horse is forgot.] This is meant by Moth as the end of the line which Armado had begun with “But O,—but O,—”. In “Hamlet,” A. iii. sc. 3, we have the whole line of the ballad, “For O, for O, the hobby-horse is forgot.” It seems to have been written on the omission of the hobby-horse in May-games. “The hobby-horse is forgot,” and “the hobby-horse is quite forgot,” are phrases constantly occurring in old writers.

Note return to page 500 7Here's a Costard broken in a shin.] “Costard” signifies a head; hence Moth's joke.

Note return to page 501 8Come, thy l'envoy;—begin.] L'envoy is the old French word for the conclusion of a story or poem. Armado means, “Come to thy conclusion by beginning.” L'envoy was adopted early in English.

Note return to page 502 9No salve in the male, sir:] This is printed in the quarto, 1598, and in the folio, “no salve in thee male, sir.” Malone, Steevens, and Johnson, take male in the sense of bag—there is no salve in the bag or wallet; but Tyrwhitt proposes to read “no salve in them all, sir,” which is so plausible, that I am almost tempted to place it in the text, even in opposition to all the authorities.

Note return to page 503 1I will example it:] These words, and the eight lines following, are omitted in all the folios. The dialogue is thus rendered unintelligible.

Note return to page 504 2—the best ward of mine honour] Thus the 4to: the folio has honours.

Note return to page 505 3—my incony Jew!] Mr. Dyce, in his edition of Middleton's Works, i. 252, explains “incony” as fine, delicate, pretty. This was also Warburton's interpretation of the word, asserting it to be of northern origin, which Ritson, without sufficient evidence, denied. It is of frequent occurrence, and we meet with it again in this play, A. iv. sc. 1. “Jew” seems used by Costard as a term of endearment, and for the sake of the rhyme. In “Midsummer Night's Dream,” A. iii. sc. 1, Thisbe calls Pyramus “most lovely Jew.”

Note return to page 506 4What's the price of this inkle?] “Inkle” seems to have been a species of tape. We have it mentioned again in “The Winter's Tale,” A. iv. sc. 3, and in “Pericles,” A. v. sc. 1.

Note return to page 507 5Guerdon,—O sweet guerdon! better than remuneration;] Steevens, on the authority of Farmer, pointed out the subsequent apposite passage in a tract called “A Health to the gentlemanly Profession of Serving-men,” by J. M.; but he mistook the date, giving it 1578, instead of 1598, the year in which “Love's Labour's Lost” was printed. The error is important, with reference to the question whether Shakespeare borrowed the joke from J. M., or J. M. from Shakespeare. “There was, sayth he, a man, (but of what estate, degree, or calling, I will not name, least thereby I might incurre displeasure of any) that comming to his friend's house, who was a gentleman of good reckoning, and being there kindly entertayned and well used, as well of his friende, the gentleman, as of his servantes; one of the sayd servantes doing him some extraordinarie pleasure during his abode there, at his departure he comes unto the sayd servant, and saith unto him, Holde thee, heere is a remuneration for thy paynes, which the servant receyving, gave him utterly for it (besides his paynes) thankes, for it was but a three-farthinges piece: and I holde thankes for the same a small price, howsoever the market goes. Now, another comming to the sayd gentleman's house, it was the foresayd servant's good hap to be neare him at his going away, who calling the servant unto him, sayd, Holde thee, heere is a guerdon for thy desartes. Now, the servant payde no deerer for the guerdon than he did for the remuneration, though the guerdon was xj d. farthing better, for it was a shilling, and the other but a three-farthinges.”

Note return to page 508 6—in print.] i. e. exactly, with the utmost nicety.

Note return to page 509 7—wimpled,] An allusion to Cupid's blindness; a “wimple” being a covering for the eyes, a hood or veil.

Note return to page 510 1This senior-junior,] In reference to the contrariety of love, Shakespeare calls Cupid “senior-junior,” and “giant-dwarf.” The 4to. and the folios have it “signior Junios giant dwarf.” The change was made by Johnson.

Note return to page 511 9—trotting paritors,] “An apparitor, or paritor,” says Johnson, “is an officer of the bishop's court, who carries out citations: as citations are most frequently issued for fornication, the paritor is put under Cupid's government.”

Note return to page 512 1A woman, that is like a German clock,] In the old editions, quarto and folio, “clock” is misprinted cloake, but there cannot be a doubt that it is an error, as is shown by the context.

Note return to page 513 2—pray, sue, groan:] This is the reading of the 4to, 1598, and of the first folio: the editor of the second folio has it “pray, sue, and groan”—an addition which may be welcome to those who judge of Shakespeare's metre merely by their fingers, but evidently an injury to the force of the line, in which the time is made up by the emphasis given by the speaker to the monosyllables of which it is composed.

Note return to page 514 3Whoe'er a' was, a' show'd a mounting mind.] This mode of putting “a'” for he, in familiar conversation, was not confined by Shakespeare to characters of low life, though with them it is, perhaps, most frequent.

Note return to page 515 4God dig-you-den all!] i. e. God gave you good even all. “Good den” is good even. See note 1, p. 229.

Note return to page 516 5Break up this capon.] i. e. Open this letter. “To break up,” says Percy truly, “was a peculiar phrase in carving.”

Note return to page 517 6Penelophon;] This name is misprinted in the quarto and folios, Zenelophon: Armado had become better acquainted with the ballad of “King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid” after his conversation with Moth in A. i. sc. 2.

Note return to page 518 7Food for his rage, repasture for his den.] This stanza has been given, in modern editions, as if spoken by Boyet after he has read Armado's letter; but it evidently is a sort of conclusion to it in verse. The verse is quite consistent with the prose by which it is preceded, and Armado has already told us that he should “turn sonneteer.” This is to be taken as a specimen of the “whole volumes in folio” he promised to pen.

Note return to page 519 8A phantasm, a Monarcho,] Monarcho was a character of the time, so called: See Meres' Palladis Tamia, folio 178, printed in the same year as the first edition of this play. Meres also mentions Peter Shakerley, a person of a similar class, introducing both under the head of “Braggers;” and we have already seen that Armado is repeatedly called the “Braggart” in the 4to, 1598, and in the folio, 1623. How long before Shakespeare wrote “Love's Labour's Lost,” Monarcho flourished, cannot perhaps be ascertained, but Churchyard wrote an epitaph upon him in 1580; and Peter Shakerley is spoken of by G. Harvey in his “New Letter of Notable Contents,” 4to, 1593, where he terms Marlowe, then dead, a “second Shakerley.” The word phantasm, or phantasma, seems also to have been used in a similar sense to Monarcho. In “Skeialetheia,” by E. Guilpin, printed in 1598, this description of persons is introduced:— &lblank; ”they are Phantasmas, butterflies, Inconstant, but yet witless Mercuries.” Sat. iii.

Note return to page 520 9—who is the suitor?] The joke, here and afterwards, depends upon the pronunciation of “suitor,” shooter. In this play, in the last line but one of A. iii., to “sue” is printed to “shue,” both in the 4to. and in the folio; and here “suitor” is printed shooter.

Note return to page 521 1Boyet. So I may answer thee, &c.] This speech, in Malone's Shakespeare by Boswell, is assigned to Biron, who was not on the stage.

Note return to page 522 2An I cannot, another can.] This is, no doubt, the same song that Cricket refers to near the end of “Wily Beguiled,” 1606. “To give my wench a kiss, And then dance, Canst thou not hit it.”

Note return to page 523 3—by cleaving the pin.] This is one of the emendations of the folio, 1632: both the 4to, 1598, and the folio, 1623, print is in, (caught by the compositor from the preceding line) instead of pin. To “hit the clout” and to “cleave the pin” were synonymous phrases in archery: the clout (nail), or pin, upheld the mark at which aim was taken.

Note return to page 524 P. 323.—By cleaving the pin.] See a correction of this note in Vol. vi. p. 418. Shooting at butts and at pricks is thus distinguished in Stephen Gosson's “Pleasant Quippes,” &c. 1594, printed, but suppressed, by the Percy Society: “When shooters aime at buttes and prickes, They set up whites and shew the pinne.”

Note return to page 525 4Armado o' the one side,] Spelt in the 4to, ath toothen side, of which the printer of the first folio seems to have been able to make no sense, and gave it ath to the side.

Note return to page 526 5Shouting within.] The old copies, 4to. and folio, have “shoote within:” it is, in fact, a shout raised upon the shooting.

Note return to page 527 6—ripe as the pomewater,] A species of apple. The 4to, 1598, reads, “the pomewater,” and the folio, “a pomewater:” the difference is not very material, but the definite article, from what follows, seems preferable.

Note return to page 528 7—'twas a pricket.] “A buck of the first head” is a stag of five years old: “a pricket” is a stag of the second year. Malone established these points by a quotation from “The Return from Parnassus,” 1606.

Note return to page 529 8—do fructify in us more than he;] This line is regulated according to Tyrwhitt's judicious emendation, by the insertion of the preposition “of,” not found in the old copies: “he” at the end of the line ought to be him, but Shakespeare wanted the rhyme.

Note return to page 530 9Dictynna,] Misprinted, in the old copies, Dictissima and Dictima.

Note return to page 531 1And raught not] i. e. Reached not, or attained not.

Note return to page 532 2—I have—] These words, wanting in the old copies, and apparently necessary, were inserted by Rowe.

Note return to page 533 3The preyful princess—] So the 4to. 1598, and folio 1623: the 4to. 1632, substituted praiseful; but the change was not only unnecessary but injudicious. Holofernes alludes to the occupation of the Princess, pursuing prey or game, and “preyful” is to be taken as one of his affected terms. [Subnote: P. 326.—In note 3, for “4to,” read folio.]

Note return to page 534 4If a talent be a claw, &c.] In our author's time the talon of a bird was frequently written talent. Hence the quibble. In Beaumont and Fletcher's “Woman Hater,” A. i. sc. 3 (Dyce's edit.), “talons” is spelt talents in the old copies, in the following passage:— &lblank; “hath yet seiz'd on thee With her two nimble talons.”

Note return to page 535 5—in those in whom] The second in is omitted in the 4to, and supplied by the folio.

Note return to page 536 6—quasi pers-on.] The joke depends upon parson, as we now pronounce it, being then sometimes called person. Person is no doubt correct, from persona ecclesiæ, as Sir W. Blackstone observes, Comm. I. p. 383, edit. 1800. Jaquenetta, nevertheless, just afterwards calls Sir Nathaniel parson.

Note return to page 537 7non te pregia.] This scrap of Italian, and the preceding passage from the commencement of Mantuan's Eclogues, are barbarously printed in the old copies. In Florio's “Second Fruits,” 1591, the proverbial saying about Venice is given as in the text, and from thence perhaps Shakespeare derived it.

Note return to page 538 8Who understandeth thee not, loves thee not.] The words “loves thee not” are in the 4to, but not in the folio. In the old copies this speech, and two others preceding it, are mistakenly assigned to Sir Nathaniel.

Note return to page 539 9If love make me forsworn,] Jaggard inserted this poem in the “Passionate Pilgrim,” 1599, not being aware, perhaps, that it had been printed the year before in this play: at all events, he used a different copy, though the variations are not material. They may be seen by comparing the “canzonet,” as it stands in the play, with the lines from the “Passionate Pilgrim” in our last vol.

Note return to page 540 1Here are only numbers ratified;] In the old copies, where there is from first to last, in this scene, much confusion of persons in the prefixes, Sir Nathaniel here begins to speak; but the sense and the character of what is said show that Holofernes ought to continue, until Jaquenetta answers the question put to her. He then again proceeds, and not Sir Nathaniel, as it stands in the 4to, 1598, and in the folios. In the prefixes Holofernes is not unfrequently called Pedant, and in the stage-direction he is introduced as “Holofernes, the Pedant.”

Note return to page 541 2Monsieur Biron, one of the strange queen's lords.] Biron was one of the king's lords, and Jaquenetta stated, just after her entrance, that the letter was sent to her by Armado. This oversight, for which it is not easy to account, was pointed out by Monck Mason.

Note return to page 542 3—of the party writing] In both 4to. and folio it stands written, an obvious error. Lower down in this speech, the folio omits “royal.”

Note return to page 543 4Sir Nathaniel,] Sir Holofernes: edits. 1598 and 1623. The editors of the folio did not attempt to set right the extraordinary confusion of persons in this scene.

Note return to page 544 5—where if, before repast,] The folio has it “(being repast),” in parenthesis.

Note return to page 545 6Gets up into a tree.] The old stage-direction is, “He stands aside;” but it is evident, from what Biron says on the entrance of Dumaine, that he was above the others,— “Like a demi-god here sit I in the sky,” &c.

Note return to page 546 7Why, he comes in like a perjurer, wearing papers.] The 4to, 1598, and folio, 1623, have “perjure,” a letter having, probably, dropped out, and the folio of 1632 altered it to perjurd. From a passage quoted by Steevens from Holinshed, it appears that perjurers wore papers stating their offence when they were punished.

Note return to page 547 8In love, I hope, &c.] In the old editions this line is given to Longaville.

Note return to page 548 9Disfigure not his shape.] So the MS. corrector of Lord F. Egerton's copy of the folio of 1623 would read, instead of shop, as it stands in the folio and quarto. Theobald substituted slop. The meaning is, “do not disfigure Cupid's appearance by tearing the rhymes, which are the ‘guards’ or ornaments of his dress.” “Shape,” therefore, seems preferable to slop; and shop must be wrong.

Note return to page 549 10To lose an oath, to win a paradise?] This sonnet is found in the “Passionate Pilgrim,” 1599, with some variations. See vol. viii.

Note return to page 550 1This is the liver vein,] In reference to the supposition, then general, and often alluded to by Shakespeare, that the liver was the seat of love.

Note return to page 551 2More sacks to the mill!] This is still a well-known game among boys. Three lines above, Biron refers to another “infant play,” called “all hid,” which is the same as hide and seek.

Note return to page 552 3By earth, she is not:—corporal; there you lie.] This is the reading of the 4to, 1598, and of the folios, and not— “By earth, she is but corporal; there you lie,” as it stands in Malone. The meaning is the same. Biron says that Katharine is not “the wonder of a mortal eye,” and is only “corporal;” that word being used by Shakespeare for “corporeal.” Just afterwards Biron observes, “stoop, I say,” instead of “she has a stoop, I say.”

Note return to page 553 4And I mine too, good Lord!] The pronoun “I,” necessary to the sense, is omitted in the old editions.

Note return to page 554 5On a day, alack the day!] This poem is also printed in the “Passionate Pilgrim,” and in “England's Helicon,” 4to, 1600, with the omission of two lines,— “Do not call it sin in me, That I am forsworn for thee,” and one or two trifling variations. It gives the line— “Thou for whom Jove would swear, [Notes and Emendations to the 1632 Folio]11Q0227” as it stands in the old copies, and without “even,” which has been interpolated in some modern editions, under the notion that it improved the metre.

Note return to page 555 6Love, whose month is ever May,] The folio substitutes every for “ever,” as it stands in the 4to.

Note return to page 556 7—from thy thorn:] The old editions have throne for “thorn,” which was ordinarily spelt with a final e. It was therefore an easy misprint, corrected in “England's Helicon,” 4to, 1600. In a previous line, “England's Helicon” corrects wish to “wish'd.”

Note return to page 557 8—no coaches;] Couches, in the old copies, 4to. and folio. Lower down, the folio has tuning for “to tune” in the 4to.

Note return to page 558 9A caudle, ho!] Misprinted in the folio, 1623, and in the three others, “A candle, ho!” The 4to, 1598, has it correctly, “A caudle, ho!”

Note return to page 559 10With men, like men of strange inconstancy.] Such is the reading of the second folio, which inserts “strange” to cure the defect in the line as it stands in the 4to, 1598, and folio, 1623, “With men like men, of inconstancy.” The second folio is probably right; but considering the state of mind in which Biron pretends to be, we might perhaps read “With men, like women of inconstancy;” a syllable only having dropped out. Malone printed it “With moon-like men, of strange inconstancy,” but this change is quite needless.

Note return to page 560 1Or groan for love?] Here we see a curious illustration of the advantage of being able to refer to different copies of the same edition of the same play. The 4to, 1598, belonging to Lord Francis Egerton, has “Or grone for Ione,” quite distinctly printed; while that of the Duke of Devonshire has, as distinctly, “Or grone for Love,” the word “love” being printed with a capital letter in order to make the matter quite clear. The correction must have been made while the sheet was passing through the press. The folios adopt the misprint, and the modern editors have followed them. It also stands “grone for Joane,” in the reprint of this play in 1631, 4to, which was made from the folio, 1623.

Note return to page 561 2—heaven show his face;] So the 4to; the folio, “heaven will show his face.” In the next line but one the folio has “we are born,” instead of “we were born.”

Note return to page 562 3O wood divine!] The old copies, by a misprint, read, “O word divine.” It was Theobald's correction.

Note return to page 563 4—the scowl of night;] This is also Theobald's emendation. The old copies have “the school of night.” Capell prints “stole of night.”

Note return to page 564 5—and usurping hair,] The necessary conjunction is found in the folio, 1632; not in that of 1623, nor in the 4to, 1598.

Note return to page 565 6—prisons up] The old reading, 4to. and folio, is poisons up.

Note return to page 566 7Of beauty's tutors] So all the old copies: Malone and Steevens read, “beauteous tutors,” surely without any pretence of improvement.

Note return to page 567 8Makes heaven drowsy] Malone, following the folio, reads make.

Note return to page 568 9Allons! Allons!] “Alone, alone,” 4to, 1598, and the folios. It occurs again at the end of the first scene of Act V., where it is also misprinted, alone.

Note return to page 569 1Enter Holofernes, Sir Nathaniel, and Dull.] The old stage-direction is, “Enter the Pedant, the Curate, and Dull;” and Holofernes is called the “Pedant” throughout the scene, both in the 4to. and folio.

Note return to page 570 2—witty without affection,] i. e. affectation, a sense common in Shakespeare and other writers of his time.

Note return to page 571 3This is abhominable,] This was a frequent mode of spelling the word before the time of Shakespeare. It seems to have been going out of use when this play was written, and abhominable soon was usually spelt abominable. [Subnote: P. 346.—Add to note 3: Yet in the folio, 1623, when the word “abominable” occurs, it is frequently spelt abhominable.]

Note return to page 572 4—it insinuateth me of insanie;] In the old editions, 4to. and folio, “it insinuateth me of infamie.” Theobald made the correction.

Note return to page 573 5O, they have lived long on the alms-basket of words!] Malone reads in for “on,” against all the authorities. Formerly, broken victuals were thrown into a basket, and given to the poor.

Note return to page 574 6—a flap-dragon.] A flap-dragon is a small inflammable substance, which topers used to swallow, floating on the top of their wine.

Note return to page 575 7The third of the five vowels,] The 4to. and folio editions read “the last of the five vowels,” which is evidently wrong.

Note return to page 576 8—a quick venew of wit;] A “venew” or venie, was the technical term for a hit at the fencing-school. In the various forms of venew, venie, venny and vennie, it is of common occurrence in our old writers.

Note return to page 577 9—at the charge-house] All the old copies have charg-house. Steevens supposed that by “charge-house” was meant a free-school. Possibly, it is only a misprint for “large house.”

Note return to page 578 10—among other important] The folio has importunate. Shakespeare uses the words synonymously. See note 5, p. 169, and note 3, p. 203. “Important” is from the 4to, 1598.

Note return to page 579 1Sir Nathaniel,] Misprinted “Sir Holofernes” in all the old copies.

Note return to page 580 2—myself, or this gallant gentleman] The old copies have and for “or:” the change seems necessary.

Note return to page 581 3—if this fadge not,] i. e. Suit not, or answer not the purpose.

Note return to page 582 4—to make his god-head wax;] i. e. grow: the pun is obvious.

Note return to page 583 5—mouse,] This was a term of endearment formerly; and is applied by Edward Alleyn to his wife in 1593. Vide his Memoirs, printed by the Shakespeare Society, 8vo, 1841, p. 25, 26.

Note return to page 584 6—for, past cure is still past care.] The old editions read “past care is still past cure:” but the adage is, “things past cure are past care.”

Note return to page 585 7—were not so full of O's! “Not so” omitted in the folio.

Note return to page 586 8—and I beshrew all shrows!] The 4to, 1598, has “and I beshrow all shrows;” but the folio has beshrew: formerly, shrew was often spelt “shrow,” especially if the word were wanted for a rhyme. We may gather from what is said, that Katherine was marked with the small-pox; and the Princess, objecting to personalities, interposes. There is no sufficient ground whatever for taking this line from the Princess, as has been done by all the modern editors.

Note return to page 587 9—in by the week!] i. e. For a certainty, and for a fixed period. The expression was common. See Webster's Works, by Dyce, i. 54.

Note return to page 588 10—wholly to my behests,] This judicious alteration was made by the editor of the folio, 1632; in that of 1623, as well as in the 4to. of 1598, device is printed for “behests,” which last suits the sense, and is necessary for the rhyme prevailing in this part of the scene. In the next line, the folio, 1632, reads “with jests;” but as the change is not required, it is not adopted.

Note return to page 589 11So portent-like would I o'ersway his state,] The 4to, 1598, has “perttaunt like,” and the folio, 1623, “pertaunt like,” which is exactly followed by the folio, 1632, though the editor had made two changes in the two preceding lines. It may be questioned whether “portent-like” be the true reading. Capell prints pageant-like, which cannot well be right.

Note return to page 590 1As gravity's revolt to wantonness.] The reading of the 4to. and of the first folio here is wantons be: the emendation is that of the second folio.

Note return to page 591 2—and mirth is in his face.] “Is,” from the 4to: omitted in the folios.

Note return to page 592 3—stabb'd with laughter.] An awkward and unusual expression: the 4to. reads stable.

Note return to page 593 4And change you favours, too;] So the 4to: the folio, your.

Note return to page 594 5—but in mockery, merriment;] The folio reads “mocking merriment.”

Note return to page 595 6—will kill the speaker's heart,] The first folio reads keepers for “speakers,” as it correctly stands in the 4to, 1598. The blunder is not corrected in the second folio, which in the preceding line has “her,” misprinted his in the previous editions. In the second line of the next speech of the princess, the second folio also properly corrects e'er into “ne'er.”

Note return to page 596 7—in Russian habits,] Boyet has previously told us that the king and his lords were to enter “like Muscovites or Russians:” the old stage-direction is, “Enter Black-moors with music, the boy with a speech, and the rest of the lords disguised.” Hence it appears that Black-moors with music preceded the lords in order to introduce the maskers.

Note return to page 597 8Beauties no richer than rich taffata.] This line, the folios and quarto give to Biron; not to Boyet, as in all the modern editions. There is no sufficient reason for depriving him of it.

Note return to page 598 9To tread a measure.] A “measure” was a slow solemn dance.

Note return to page 599 1Then, in our measure do but vouchsafe one change.] Thus the 4to. 1598, which, at all events, is more musical than the line in the folio: “Then in our measure vouchsafe but one change.” The word “do” in the 4to. is syllabically superfluous, but an additional emphasis is thereby given to the passage, which may have been the reason for its insertion.

Note return to page 600 2The music plays: vouchsafe some motion to it.] In the old copies this line is assigned to Rosaline, when it clearly belongs to the King. In other places the dialogue is confusedly appropriated to the characters.

Note return to page 601 3Why take we hands then] You, folio 1623. Afterwards, for “Prize you yourselves?” the folio has only “prize yourselves.”

Note return to page 602 4Since you can cog,] To cog is, technically, to load dice, and metaphorically to deceive and cheat. It is of constant occurrence.

Note return to page 603 5Take that for your fair lady.] The folio reads, “Take you that,” &c.

Note return to page 604 6Well, better wits have worn plain statute-caps.] Referring probably to the citizens of London, proverbially of old not remarkable for their wit, who, with others, were enjoined by act of Parliament, in 1571, to wear woollen caps: hence apprentices, and citizens generally, were often called flat-caps, from the shape of their head-covering.

Note return to page 605 7But will you hear?] So the old editions. Malone or Boswell transposed it, “But you will hear.”

Note return to page 606 8Are angels vailing clouds,] i. e. Angels lowering the clouds that concealed them. The 4to, 1598, by a misprint, has varling for “vailing.” See note 9, p. 89.

Note return to page 607 9Command me any service to her thither?] Thither, necessary to the line, is omitted in the folio, 1623.

Note return to page 608 1—when God doth please:] The folio substitutes Jove for “God.”

Note return to page 609 2That kiss'd his hand away] “That kiss'd away his hand” in the folio, 1623.

Note return to page 610 3To show his teeth as white as whales bone:] i. e. As white as the bone or tooth of the walrus, of old called the whale. The expression was common at a very early date in our language. The reader will perceive, that “whales” is to be read as a dissyllable in Shakespeare, as well as in Lord Surrey's “Songs and Sonnets,” in Spenser's “Faerie Queene,” and various older authorities for the same simile.

Note return to page 611 4Pay him the due] Duty, folio 1623.

Note return to page 612 5Till this man show'd thee?] The old copies have it, “Till this mad man show'd thee?” There is no reason for calling Boyet a mad man, though there might be some for terming him a made man,—i. e. a man made up and completed as Biron has just before described him. However, mad seems to have crept injuriously into the text by an error of the compositor.

Note return to page 613 6Fair, gentle sweet,] “Fair” is the reading of the second folio, in order to complete the defective measure. A syllable is wanting, and we can resort for it to no better authority. Malone inserted my on his own responsibility, and without any evidence that it was the word used by Shakespeare. The adoption of “fair” by the editor of the folio of 1632, only nine years after the first folio appeared, affords some evidence in favour of that word.

Note return to page 614 7Three-pil'd hyperboles, spruce affection,] So the old copies; and Sir Nathaniel has already (p. 345,) used the expression, “witty without affection.” In both cases we should now write affectation, but Shakespeare's word, as appears by all the old copies, was “affection,” and that ought to be retained.

Note return to page 615 8Write, “Lord have mercy on us”] The inscription upon the doors of houses infected with the plague. The word “tokens,” which occurs a few lines lower, in reference to the favours worn by the ladies, was especially applied to symptoms of the plague.

Note return to page 616 9—you force not to forswear.] i. e. You do not hesitate, or care not, to forswear. This idiomatic use of the word is very old in our language. “O Lorde! some good body for God's sake, gyve me meate, I force not what it were, so that I had to eate.” Int. of Jacob and Esau, 1568, A. ii. sc. 2.

Note return to page 617 1—some slight zany,] This is the correction of the folio, 1623: the 4to. reads, saine, for “zany.”

Note return to page 618 2That smiles his cheek in years;] The old copies are uniform in this reading, which is very intelligible. Biron is speaking generally of some courtier who “smiles his cheek in or into years,” or an appearance of age, by constant grinning. Malone altered “years” into jeers.

Note return to page 619 3—by the squire,] From esquierre, Fr. a rule, or square.

Note return to page 620 4Hath this brave manage,] A term from the tilt-yard. The 4to, 1598, has nuage, the folio, 1623, manager. The correct reading was given by Theobald.

Note return to page 621 5You cannot beg us,] Meaning, you cannot solicit for the wardship of us, as idiots or lunatics. See note 7, p. 124.

Note return to page 622 1—worthy of Pompey the great:] The old copies make Costard say, “Pompion the great” in the first instance, and “Pompey the great” in the second: perhaps Shakespeare meant him to correct his own blunder, or to blunder on purpose. When he enters in the show, he calls himself Pompey.

Note return to page 623 2—that doth least know how:] Best, 4to, 1598. Both 4to. and folio, two lines lower, read that for “them.”

Note return to page 624 3—a man of God his making.] This was the old method of writing and printing the Saxon genitive, and so it stands in the 4to, “his” being necessary to the metre: “a man of God's making” is the reading of the folio.

Note return to page 625 4Abate throw at novum,] Novum or Novem, was a game at dice, and “Abate throw at novum” seems equivalent to saying, “barring throw at dice,” or barring the chance of throwing, these persons cannot be matched. Malone inserted the indefinite article before “throw,” but it is not necessary, and is not in the old copies. The nine Worthies brought Novem into Biron's mind.

Note return to page 626 5With libbard's head on knee.] Pompey wore a libbard's or panther's head upon his knee.

Note return to page 627 6—it stands too right.] “It should be remembered,” Steevens remarks, “to relish this joke, that the head of Alexander was obliquely placed on his shoulders.”

Note return to page 628 7—lion, that holds his poll-axe sitting on a close-stool,] “This alludes to the arms given in the old history of ‘The Nine Worthies,’” says Tollet, “to ‘Alexander, the which did beare geules, a lion or seiante in a chayer, holding a battle-ax argent.’” Leigh's Accidence of Armory, 1597, p. 23. The second part of the joke arises out of the similarity of sound between Ajax and a jakes.

Note return to page 629 8—good neighbour, faith,] The folio has in sooth.

Note return to page 630 9A gift nutmeg.] The folio has “a gilt nutmeg,” which may be right; but “a gift nutmeg,” the reading of the 4to, is perfectly intelligible.

Note return to page 631 10Arm. Peace!] Omitted in the folio, 1623.

Note return to page 632 11—when he breathed, he was a man.] These words, found in the 4to, 1598, are omitted in the folios.

Note return to page 633 12The party is gone:] In the old copies these words are printed in italic, and might be taken either as part of the speech of Armado, or as a stage-direction.

Note return to page 634 1—coming too short of thanks] Thus the 4to; the folio reads “coming so short of thanks,” making the adverb so occur three times in two lines.

Note return to page 635 2And often, at his very loose, decides] “At his very loose, may mean,” says Steevens, “at the moment of his parting.”

Note return to page 636 3—convince:] i. e. Overcome, or obtain by overcoming.

Note return to page 637 4Full of straying shapes,] All the old copies read—“Full of straying shapes.” Coleridge (Lit. Rem. II. 110,) recommends the substitution of stray for “straying,” Malone and others have strange; but it is easy to read “straying,” if necessary, in the time of one syllable.

Note return to page 638 5As bombast, and as lining to the time:] i. e. To fill up the time, as bombast was formerly used to fill up and stuff out dress.

Note return to page 639 6But more devout than this, in our respects] The 4to, 1598, reads,— “But more devout than this, our respects,” and the folio, 1623,— “But more devout than these are our respects,” both of which must be wrong. Our text is that suggested by Sir T. Hanmer, which is consistent with the rest of the speech of the Princess. The second folio follows the lection of the first.

Note return to page 640 7—till that instance,] “Instance” is elsewhere used by Shakespeare for solicitation, and that is the sense here: the folio substitutes instant. The Princess refers to the claim the king is to make of her hand at the end of the year.

Note return to page 641 8—your sins are rank:] “Your sins are rack'd,” is the reading of the old editions, and it may be strained to a meaning; but it is more probable that rackt was misprinted for “rank.” In Hamlet, A. iii. sc. 3, we have, “O! my offence is rank.”

Note return to page 642 9But seek the weary beds of people sick.] Thirlby and Warburton suggested, that this and the five preceding lines ought to be omitted, as only an abridgment of what Rosaline says afterwards in answer to Biron. The conjecture is, that they were carelessly left in by the actor-editors; and if they only occurred in the folio of 1623, we might think it more plausible, but they are also found in the 4to. of 1598. Coleridge (Lit. Rem. II. 110,) repeated this opinion, and it ought to be mentioned, although there is no sufficient reason for absolutely expunging the question of Biron, and the answer of Rosaline, from the text.

Note return to page 643 1—for thy love.] So the 4to: the folio reads “for my love.”

Note return to page 644 2And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue,] The rhymes of the first four lines of every stanza are alternate; but in the old copies, in the first stanza, they are mistakenly arranged as couplets. Theobald made the necessary change.

Note return to page 645 3To-who,] This part of the burden of the song is wanting in the old copies, but without it the two last verses could not be sung to the same tune.

Note return to page 646 4While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.] To “keel” means to cool.

Note return to page 647 5The words of Mercury are harsh after the songs of Apollo.] These are the concluding words of the old 4to: they are assigned to no character, and are printed in a larger type than the rest of the play, as if intended as a sort of motto, but without any very obvious application. The name of Armado (or rather “Braggart”) was prefixed to them in the folio of 1623, and the addition made, “You that way: we this way.”

Note return to page 648 “A Midsommer nights dreame. As it hath beene sundry times publickely acted, by the Right honourable, the Lord Chamberlaine his seruants. Written by William Shakespeare. Imprinted at London, for Thomas Fisher, and are to be soulde at his shoppe, at the Signe of the White Hart, in Fleetestreete, 1600.” 32 leaves. “A Midsommer night's dreame. As it hath beene sundry times publikely acted, by the Right honourable, the Lord Chamberlaine his seruants. Written by William Shakespeare. Printed by James Roberts, 1600.” 32 leaves. In the folio, 1623, it occupies 18 pages, viz., from p. 145 to 162 inclusive, in the division of “Comedies.” It is of course, like the other plays, inserted in the later folios.

Note return to page 649 18vo. 1841, p. 6. The following are the terms Forman employs; and they are subjoined, that the reader may compare them with the passage in “Midsummer-Night's Dream,” A. ii. sc. 1. “Ther was moch sicknes but lyttle death, moch fruit, and many plombs of all sorts this yeare and small nuts, but fewe walnuts. This monethes of June and July were very wet and wonderfull cold like winter, that the 10 dae of Julii many did syt by the fyer, yt was so cold; and soe was yt in Maye and June; and scarce too fair dais together all that tyme, but yt rayned every day more or lesse. Yf yt did not raine, then was yt cold and cloudye. Mani murders were done this quarter. There were many gret fludes this sommer, and about Michelmas, thorowe the abundaunce of raine that fell sodeinly, the brige of Ware was broken downe, and at Stratford Bowe, the water was never seen so byg as yt was: and in the lattere end of October, the waters burst downe the bridg at Cambridge. In Barkshire were many gret waters, wherewith was moch harm done sodenly.” MS. Ashm. 384, fol. 105.

Note return to page 650 2A wood-cut is on the title-page, intended to represent Robin Goodfellow: he is like a Satyr, with hoofs and horns, and a broom over his shoulder. Sir Hugh Evans, in “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” was no doubt thus dressed, when he represented Puck, or Robin Goodfellow. A copy of the wood-cut may may be seen in “The Bridgwater Library Catalogue,” 4to, 1837, p. 258.

Note return to page 651 1The two quartos of 1600, and the four folio editions, are without any enumeration of the persons. It was first given by Rowe.

Note return to page 652 1Four nights will quickly dream away the time;] The 4to, by Roberts, has daies instead of “nights:” the 4to. by Fisher, and the folio, give it correctly.

Note return to page 653 2Now bent in heaven,] The old copies, 4to, and folio, are uniform in this reading: Rowe changed “now” to new, but surely without necessity. The meaning of Hippolyta is, that “then the moon, which is now bent in heaven like a silver bow, shall behold the night of our solemnities.” Astronomically the alteration does not seem called for; because, elsewhere in this act, we find that the nights were moonlight at the time when Hippolyta is speaking. In this restoration I am glad to fortify myself by the opinion of Mr. Amyot.

Note return to page 654 3Stand forth, Demetrius.—] It ought to be mentioned, that in all the old editions, “Stand forth, Demetrius,” and afterwards, “Stand forth, Lysander,” are printed as stage-directions, and not as part of the text, to which they appear to belong, because they form portions of the lines completed in one case by the words, “my noble lord,” and in the other by the words, “and my gracious duke.” Egeus wished them to show themselves separately for greater distinctness.

Note return to page 655 4But earthly happier is the rose distill'd,] The old editions read, earthlier happy; but there can be little doubt that the printer mistook, and made the wrong word in the comparative degree. The change which the sense seems to require was recommended by Capell.

Note return to page 656 5Unto his lordship, to whose unwish'd yoke] The second folio gives the line as in the text. The sense is incomplete without “to,” which is not found in anterior editions, but had probably dropped out: “to whose unwish'd yoke” is a very slight, but still important change.

Note return to page 657 6Beteem them—] To beteem in its common acceptation is to bestow, but Steevens suggests that it here means pour out. [Subnote: P. 395.—Add to note 6: To teem out is still used in the north of England for to pour out.]

Note return to page 658 7Ah me! for aught that I could ever read,] The folio of 1623 omits “Ah me,” and places the adverb “ever,” before “I could,” instead of after it; thus abandoning the 4to. by Roberts, and spoiling one of the most beautiful lines of a most beautiful passage.

Note return to page 659 8O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low!] “Low” is printed love in all the old copies. Theobald corrected the mistake, and the typographical error was easy. The context and the designed antithesis seem fully to warrant the alteration.

Note return to page 660 9—the choice of friends:] For “friends” the first folio reads, merit; and it is difficult to account for the variation, which is certainly no improvement.

Note return to page 661 1Making it momentany as a sound,] The folio changes “momentany,” into momentary: but “momentany” is the older word, though still in use (as Henley has shown) in Dryden's time. Philip Stubbes, in 1593, preferred momentany to momentary, when in the list of errors of the press, before his “Motive to Good Works,” he enumerated misprinting momentary, instead of momentany, in the following passage, p. 188:—“this life is but momentary, short and transitory; no life, indeed, but a shadow of life.”

Note return to page 662 2—in the collied night,] i. e. In the black night.

Note return to page 663 3From Athens in her house remote—] So the two 4tos. The folio has remov'd, a needless change.

Note return to page 664 4To do observance to a morn of May)] The folio, 1623, has “for a morn.”

Note return to page 665 5By that which knitteth souls, and prospers loves,] So Fisher's 4to; and, independently of the rhyme, as “souls” is in the plural, probably “loves” was intended to be so too; but Roberts's 4to. and the folio have love.

Note return to page 666 6Demetrius loves your fair:] i. e. fairness or beauty. See note 3, p. 126.

Note return to page 667 7Your words I catch,] The meaning is, that Helena only catches the words and not the voice of Hermia. “Favour,” in the preceding line, is beauty.

Note return to page 668 8His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine.] So Fisher's 4to. Roberts's 4to. and the folio read, none for “no fault.”

Note return to page 669 9Seem'd Athens as a paradise to me:] So Fisher's 4to. The folio, 1623, has like for “as,” in which it follows Roberts's 4to. In the next line but one, Fisher's 4to. has, “unto a hell,” instead of “into hell.”

Note return to page 670 10To seek new friends and strange companions.] All the ancient copies concur in this reading, as well as of “counsel swell'd,” in the third line of this speech. We therefore make no change, admitting at the same time that Theobald's alterations to “counsel sweet” and “stranger companies” are plausible for the sake of the rhyme. If the sense required any improvement, the case would be different; but other parts of the scene are not in rhyme.

Note return to page 671 11he is so oft beguil'd.] The folio, 1623, spoils the line, by reading “he is often beguil'd.”

Note return to page 672 1Enter Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and Starveling.] The old stage-direction gives their different trades,—“Enter Quince, the carpenter; and Snug, the joiner; and Bottom, the weaver; and Flute, the bellows-mender; and Snout, the tinker; and Starveling, the tailor.”

Note return to page 673 2—and so grow to a point.] The folio, 1623, has “and so grow on to a point. [Notes and Emendations to the 1632 Folio]11Q0252” Our reading is that of both quartos.

Note return to page 674 3—most gallant for love.] So the 4to. editions: the folio improves the grammar, but renders the expression less characteristic, by reading gallantly.

Note return to page 675 4The foolish fates.] These lines are printed as prose in all the old copies. Very possibly they are some quotation, as Bottom would hardly be made extemporize to the extent of eight lines.

Note return to page 676 5here is a play fitted.] The folio reads, there.

Note return to page 677 6I will roar you an 'twere any nightingale.] The folio omits “you.”

Note return to page 678 7—we may rehearse more obscenely.] Fisher's 4to. only has most: probably an error.

Note return to page 679 8—hold, or cut bow-strings.] This seems intended as a strong assurance of a determination to keep the appointment: the origin of the phrase is uncertain.

Note return to page 680 9—from opposite sides.] The old stage-direction partakes of the simplicity of our early theatres. The scene is obviously laid in a wood, but the representatives of the Fairy and Puck are said to enter at different “doors,” the wood being, probably, supposed. In the old stage-direction, and in the prefixes to the speeches, Puck is called Robin-goodfellow, until after the entrance of Oberon. Robin-goodfellow was his popular name: See “The Mad Pranks and Merry Jests of Robin Good-fellow,” recently reprinted by the Percy Society, from a unique copy of 1628, in the library of Lord Francis Egerton. The Introduction to the reprint contains a copy of a unique ballad founded upon the same tract.

Note return to page 681 1Swifter than the moon's sphere.] Coleridge, in his lectures in 1818, was very emphatic in his praises of the beauty of these lines: “the measure,” he said, “had been invented and employed by Shakespeare, for the sake of its appropriateness to the rapid and airy motion of the Fairy by whom the passage is delivered.” In his “Literary Remains,” II. 112, he dwells upon the subject with more particularity, and dissects the lines according to the Greek measures, observing upon “the delightful effect on the ear in the sweet transition,” from the eight amphimacers of the first four lines to the trochees of the concluding verses. It has been usual to print “moon's” as two syllables, “moones;” as if it were to be pronounced like “whales,” p. 362; but it is not so given in any of the old copies, and all that seems required for the measure is to dwell a little longer than usual upon the monosyllable “moon's.”

Note return to page 682 2Farewell, thou lob of spirits:] The Fairy, by the word lob, reproaches Puck with heaviness, compared with his own lightness.

Note return to page 683 3—spangled starlight sheen,] “Sheen” is bright, shining.

Note return to page 684 4But they do square] i. e. quarrel. See note 9, p. 190.

Note return to page 685 5That frights the maidens—] So the 4tos. and folio properly; and it is clear that the verbs “skims,” “labours,” “makes,” &c., though not so printed, should be in the singular also.

Note return to page 686 6—in the quern,] i. e. In the mill, from kuerna, Islandic.

Note return to page 687 P. 405.—In the quern.] A “quern” is properly a hand-mill. “He was fayne to serve a baker in turning a querne or hand-mill.”—Northbrooke's “Treatise against Plays,” &c. reprint by the Shakespeare Society, p. 85.

Note return to page 688 7—the drink to bear no barm;] i. e. Not to work: “barm” is yeast.

Note return to page 689 8And “tailor” cries,] “The custom,” observes Johnson, “of crying tailor at a sudden fall backwards, I think I remember to have observed. He that slips beside his chair, falls as a tailor squats upon his board.”

Note return to page 690 9And waxen in their mirth,] Dr. Farmer's conjecture, that “waxen” is a misprint for yexen, i. e. hiccup, deserves consideration. However, it may be doubted, as Johnson suggests, whether “waxen” is not to be taken merely as the plural of the verb to wax, and then the sense will be that they “increase in their mirth.“

Note return to page 691 1—from the other, with hers.] Here again Oberon and Titania are said to enter at different doors. “Enter the King of Fairies at one door with his train, and the Queen at another with hers.” In modern editions this is marked as a new scene, but there is no change of place, although new characters enter.

Note return to page 692 2Fairy, skip hence:] This expression certainly seems somewhat undignified for Titania; and, unless we suppose it to be addressed to Oberon, there seems no reason why she should speak to a particular fairy, when surrounded by her whole train. The Rev. W. Harness suggests to me that the proper reading is, “Fairies, keep hence,” and that the error has arisen from the person who copied the play writing by his ear, and not by his eye. It is certainly natural that Titania should wish to keep all her attendants at a distance. She was retiring herself, until stayed by Oberon's “Tarry, rash wanton.”

Note return to page 693 3When thou hast stol'n—] The folio has wast.

Note return to page 694 4—the farthest steep of India,] So the folio, and Roberts's 4to. Fisher's 4to. has steppe.

Note return to page 695 5From Perigenia, whom he ravished?] Her true name seems to have been Perigone. Sir Thos. North, in his “Translation of Plutarch,” which first appeared in 1579, and was often reprinted, calls her Perigouna. This last would have suited Shakespeare's verse as well as Perigenia, and perhaps he did not procure the name from North's Plutarch. In the next line all the old copies read, Eagles for Æglé.

Note return to page 696 6And never, since the middle summer's spring,] “The middle summer's spring is, I apprehend,” says Henley, “the season when trees put forth their second, or, as they are frequently called, their midsummer shoots.”

Note return to page 697 7The nine men's morris is fill'd up with mud;] “In that part of Warwickshire,” says James, “where Shakespeare was educated, and the neighbouring parts of Northamptonshire, the shepherds and other boys dig up the turf with their knives to represent a sort of imperfect chess-board. It consists of a square, sometimes only a foot diameter, sometimes three or four yards. Within this is another square, every side of which is parallel to the external square; and these squares are joined by lines drawn from each corner of both squares, and the middle of each line. One party, or player, has wooden pegs, the other stones, which they move in such a manner as to take up each other's men, as they are called, and the area of the inner square is called the pound, in which the men taken up are impounded. These figures are by the country-people called Nine Men's Morris, or Merrils; and are so called, because each party has nine men.”

Note return to page 698 8The childing autumn] i. e. productive, teeming, or pregnant.

Note return to page 699 9I'll put a girdle round about the earth] The 4to. by Roberts, and the folio, read, “I'll put a girdle about the earth.” Fisher's 4to. has it as in the text, the metre being perfect.

Note return to page 700 1&lblank; I am invisible, And I will over-hear their conference.] Among the “properties” enumerated in Henslowe's Diary is “a robe for to go invisible.” Possibly Oberon wore, or put on, such a robe, by which it was understood that he was not to be seen. Hist. Engl. Dram. Poetry and the Stage, iii. 362.

Note return to page 701 2The one I'll slay, the other slayeth me.] All the old copies read, by an easy misprint, “The one I'll stay, the other stayeth me.” In a subsequent scene, Hermia suspects that Demetrius has slain Lysander. A. iii. sc. 2.

Note return to page 702 3—and wood within this wood,] “Wood” is mad, raving.

Note return to page 703 4Because I cannot meet my Hermia.] Malone reads with for “my.”

Note return to page 704 5Than to be used as you use your dog?] So the 4to. editions. The folio substitutes do for “use.” Malone's reading, “Than to be used as you do use your dog,” is warranted by no authority.

Note return to page 705 5Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field,] Thus Fisher's 4to; and no doubt rightly. The folio follows Roberts's 4to, and reads “and field.”

Note return to page 706 6I'll follow thee] The folio has “I follow thee:” the two quartos as in the text.

Note return to page 707 7—with rear-mice—] A rere-mouse is a bat.

Note return to page 708 8Sing in our sweet lullaby;] The folio has your for “our.”

Note return to page 709 9—we can make of it.] So both the quartos: the folio, “can you make of it.”

Note return to page 710 1Two bosoms interchained with an oath;] This reading of the quarto editions is surely far preferable to interchanged of the folio.

Note return to page 711 2But Athenian found I none,] Thus Fisher's quarto: that by Roberts, and the folio, 1623, read “find I none.”

Note return to page 712 3—this charm doth owe.] i. e. own. See note 1, p. 45.

Note return to page 713 4O! wilt thou darkling leave me?] i. e. in the dark.

Note return to page 714 5Nature here shows art,] The quartos omit “here,” and the first folio prints it her: the editor of the second folio altered it to “here;” but perhaps, as Malone observes, the words “her” and “shows” were transposed, and we ought to read, “Nature shows her art.”

Note return to page 715 6—but Helena I love.] “Now” is inserted in Roberts's quarto and in the folio before “I love,” to the injury of the metre, although “Helena” is sometimes to be pronounced in the time of two syllables: see above.

Note return to page 716 7—of those they did deceive;] The folio reads “of those that,” &c.

Note return to page 717 8And you sat smiling—] The folio reads “And yet sat smiling.”

Note return to page 718 9Speak, of all loves!] Of all loves is a frequent adjuration used by Shakespeare and his contemporaries.

Note return to page 719 1—our 'tiring-house;] i. e. “Attiring-house,” the place where the actors attired themselves. Every theatre of old had its 'tiring-room or 'tiring-house.

Note return to page 720 2By'rlakin, a parlous fear.] By our ladykin, or little lady. Parlous is a word corrupted from perilous.

Note return to page 721 3—it shall be written in eight and six.] i. e. In verse of fourteen syllables; the popular measure, which was sometimes divided into two lines, the first of eight and the last of six syllables.

Note return to page 722 4—and tell them plainly he is Snug, the joiner.] See in “Anecdotes and Traditions,” (by W. J. Thoms,) printed for the Camden Society, p. 28, a story to the same effect, told of Henry Goldingham, in a show before Queen Elizabeth.

Note return to page 723 5Odours, odours.] This is the reading of the folio: the quartos have “odours, odorous.” Possibly, we ought to read “the flowers have odours, savours sweet,” or “odorous savours sweet.”

Note return to page 724 6A stranger Pyramus than e'er play'd here!] In the two early quartos, this line is given to Quince: in the folio, 1623, it is properly assigned to Puck, who has been standing behind.

Note return to page 725 7—cues and all.] A cue, technically, is the last word or words of the preceding speech.

Note return to page 726 8Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound, A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire;] So in “Robin-goodfellow, his Mad Pranks, and Merry Jests,” reprinted by the Percy Society:— “Thou hast the power to change thy shape To horse, to hog, to dog, to ape;” and in the unique ballad in the “Introduction” to the same tract— “Sometimes a walking fire he'd be, And lead them from their way.”

Note return to page 727 9The oosel.-cock, so black of hue, With orange-tawney-bill,] By “the oosel-cock,” Bottom probably means the black-bird. “The oosel-cock,” properly, has a white crescent on its breast, and its beak is not “orange-tawney,” but, as Yarrell states (British Birds, I. 211), “the adult male has the point of the beak almost black, with more or less of yellow at the base.” Now, of the black-bird, he remarks, “the beak and the edges of the eye-lids in the adult male are gamboge yellow,” which is what Bottom means by “orange-tawney.” In the next line but one, the folio has and for “with”—“the wren and little quill.”

Note return to page 728 1On the first view, to say, to swear, I love thee.] In Roberts's 4to, and in the folio, the four preceding lines are strangely misplaced, so as to make them utter nonsense. Fisher in his 4to. gives them correctly as they stand in the text.

Note return to page 729 2—Nay, I can gleek upon occasion.] To “gleek” is to joke, scoff, or gird. Bottom is congratulating himself on the humour of what he has just said.

Note return to page 730 3—Squash,] “Squash” would seem to be an immature peascod.

Note return to page 731 4Tie up my lover's tongue,] So all the old copies; but modern editors, Malone excepted, read, “my love's tongue.”

Note return to page 732 5What night-rule—] Night-rule in this place probably means frolic of the night.

Note return to page 733 6A crew of patches,] i. e. fools. See note 3, p. 136.

Note return to page 734 7An ass's nowl—] i. e. Head.

Note return to page 735 8—sort,] i.e. Company. It is used in the same sense in the preceding page.

Note return to page 736 9—latch'd—] Or letch'd, lick'd over: from lecher, Fr. to lick.

Note return to page 737 1So should the murder'd look,] The folio has murderer, which is clearly wrong: Demetrius means that he looks more like a murdered man than a murderer: both quartos have “murder'd.”

Note return to page 738 2O! once tell true, tell true,] The emphatic repetition of “tell true,” is not in the folio, and the measure therefore defective.

Note return to page 739 3And from thy hated presence part I so;] Pope inserted “so,” and it seems right; but it is not found in the old quartos nor in the folios.

Note return to page 740 4—bankrupt sleep—] All the old copies misprint “sleep” either slip, or slippe. The same error occurs in “Measure for Measure.” See p. 18.

Note return to page 741 5That must needs be sport alone;] A coarse character, under the name of Robin Good-fellow, is introduced into the play of “Wily Beguiled,” the first edition of which is dated 1606, but which must have been acted perhaps ten years earlier: there one of Robin Good-fellow's exclamation is, “Why, this will be sport alone,” meaning most excellent sport.

Note return to page 742 6This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss!] “Princess” is found in all the old copies; but it may be doubted from the context whether impress were not Shakespeare's word. Sir T. Hamner, and Warburton after him, changed “princess” to pureness, making it “pureness of pure white,” which must be admitted to be not a very happy emendation.

Note return to page 743 7I see you all are bent] In the folio, 1623, the words “all are” are transposed.

Note return to page 744 8If you were men,] The folio, 1623, reads, “If you are men.”

Note return to page 745 9My heart to her—] The quartos and folios all read, “My heart to her.” Malone reads “with her.”

Note return to page 746 1Helen, it is not so.] The 4to. printed by Roberts, and the folio, omit “Helen,” which is necessary to the line.

Note return to page 747 2Lest to thy peril thou aby it dear.] So Fisher's 4to, rightly. In Roberts's 4to, and the folio, “aby” is altered to abide; and yet, subsequently in this scene, Roberts prints “aby,” while the folio has abide. To aby appears to be a form of abide, (though some have derived it from buy,) and means, not merely to stay, but to stay to answer, or suffer for anything. We have it in “Ferrex and Porrex,” A. iv. sc. 2,— “Thou, Porrex, thou shalt dearly 'by the same.” It would be easy to multiply instances of its use in this sense. When it means to stay, it is usually printed “bide” or “abide;” as, a few lines lower, and near the end of this Act, where Demetrius says to Lysander, “Abide me, if thou dar'st.”

Note return to page 748 3O! is all forgot?] So the two quarto editions, and the first folio. The second folio inserts and after the interjection, apparently to make up the ten syllables of the line; the editor not perceiving that the addition materially lessens the emphasis, by which Shakespeare perhaps meant to complete the measure. All the modern editors adopt “and,” excepting Malone, who substitutes now.

Note return to page 749 4Have with our needles—] So every old copy, and not neelds, as the word has been usually printed. The fact is, that “needle” was pronounced in the time of one syllable: so in “Lucrece,”— “And griping it, the needle his finger pricks.”

Note return to page 750 5Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.] The commentators say that the meaning is, that Hermia and Helena were as two shields, both of the first house, placed side by side, and crowned with a common crest. “Two of the first” may however refer merely to “bodies.” All the copies have life for “like.”

Note return to page 751 6I am amazed at your passionate words.] “Passionate” is first found in the folio of 1623: the two quartos give the line without it.

Note return to page 752 7Make mouths upon me—] This is the word in all the old copies, but the modern editors read mows.

Note return to page 753 8—than her weak prayers.] In all the original editions it stands “thy weak praise:” prayers, as Steevens suggested, is most likely the right word.

Note return to page 754 9&lblank; No, no, he'll— Seem to break loose; take on, as you would follow;] There is some slight difference of the text here, but the sense is quite obvious. Fisher's 4to. has it,— &lblank; “No, no, he'll Seem to break loose; take on, as you would follow.” In Roberts's 4to. the words are the same, the regulation of the lines only being different. The first folio (which the second folio exactly copies) gives the passage thus:— “No, no, Sir, seem to break loose; Take on, as you would follow.” Fisher's text seems preferable.

Note return to page 755 1O hated potion, hence!] This is the reading of Fisher's 4to: Roberts's 4to. and the folio have it poison instead of “potion.”

Note return to page 756 2—and how fond I am.] i. e. “How foolish I am.” See note 5, p. 37.

Note return to page 757 3—of hindering knot-grass made;] Knot-grass was formerly supposed to have the property of “hindering” growth.

Note return to page 758 4Thou shalt aby it.] i. e. answer for it. See note 2, p. 432.

Note return to page 759 5Of thine or mine,] This is the reading of all the old copies; and it requires no change, though modern editors have substituted or for “of.”

Note return to page 760 6I am amaz'd, and know not what to say.] This speech, though in both the 4to. editions, is omitted in the folio. In the next line but one the folio substitutes willingly for “wilfully,” which is the word in the quartos.

Note return to page 761 7—he had on?] Roberts's 4to. and the folio read hath, though, of course, Puck is speaking in the past tense.

Note return to page 762 8—do thee employ,] So Fisher's 4to: that of Roberts's apply, and the folio, 1623, imply, while the second folio adopts the error.

Note return to page 763 9Goblin, lead them up and down.] These four lines are possibly a quotation from some lost ballad respecting Puck and his pranks. He would otherwise hardly address himself as “Goblin.” The exit of Oberon is not marked in the old copies, and the last line might belong to him.

Note return to page 764 10Ho! ho! ho!] This is Puck's exclamation in the ballads and tracts relating to him, especially in “Robin Good-fellow, his Mad Pranks and Merry Jests,” 1628, where it often occurs, when the Goblin is peculiarly pleased at the success of any of his tricks.

Note return to page 765 11Where art thou now?] The passage stands merely “Where art thou?” in all the modern editions; and Steevens observes, that, “for the sake of the measure, I suppose we ought to read, ‘Where art thou now?’” If any of the commentators had taken the trouble in this place to refer to Fisher's edition, 4to, 1598, he would have seen that “Where art thou now?” is the reading there. Roberts's 4to, and the folio, omit “now.”

Note return to page 766 1Thou shalt 'by this dear,] See note 2, p. 432.

Note return to page 767 2—to your eye,] All the old copies omit “to,” which seems necessary to the sense. It has hitherto been introduced without notice.

Note return to page 768 3And all shall be well.] This is the “country proverb” Puck alludes to; and it is to be found in nearly the same words among John Heywood's “Epigrams.” See Halliwell's Introd. to M. N. D. p. 80.

Note return to page 769 4Dem. Hel. &c. sleep.] The old stage-direction in the folio is, “They sleep all the Act,” meaning that they are supposed to continue asleep during the interval between the third and fourth acts; and they are still sleeping at the opening of the fourth act, until they are suddenly roused by the horns of Theseus' huntsmen.

Note return to page 770 5Enter Titania and Botton;] In the old stage-direction, and in the prefixes, Bottom is merely called “clown.”

Note return to page 771 6—do coy,] i. e. do stroke or caress.

Note return to page 772 7—neif,] i. e. fist. Ben Johnson has it neuf in his “Poetaster,” A. iii. sc. 1. It is a north-country word.

Note return to page 773 8—cavalery Cobweb—] “Without doubt,” says Grey, “it should be cavalero Peas-blossom; as for cavalero Cobweb, he had just been dispatched upon a perilous adventure.”

Note return to page 774 9—the tongs and the bones.] Such music seems to have been played out of sight at this desire from Bottom; for the folio has “Music—tongs—rural music,” as a stage-direction. It is not found in the 4to. editions.

Note return to page 775 1—good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow.] This is consistent with the notion that Bottom really partakes of the nature of the ass: not so his declaration, “I must to the barber's,” &c. He confuses his two conditions.

Note return to page 776 2Seeking sweet savours—] Fisher's quarto alone reads favours for “savours.” Either may be right, but “savours” seems preferable.

Note return to page 777 3—loath his visage now!] The reading of Fisher's 4to, which seems preferable to this of Roberts and the folio. In the next line this is warranted by both the 4tos.

Note return to page 778 4—music! such as charmeth sleep.] After these words in the folio, 1623, we have the stage-direction “Music still;” which means, probably, that the music was to cease before Puck spoke, as Oberon afterwards exclaims, “Sound, music!” when it was to be renewed.

Note return to page 779 5Now, when thou wak'st,] The folio, following the 4to. by Roberts, omits Now, necessary to the line.

Note return to page 780 6And bless it to all fair prosperity.] This line is as it stands in Fisher's edition; but Roberts's and the folio have posterity. It might admit of dispute which is the better reading, if in a former scene “prosperity” had not been employed in exactly the same way—to give their bed joy and prosperity.”

Note return to page 781 7Trip we after the night's shade;] “The” is omitted by Fisher.

Note return to page 782 8With these mortals on the ground.] Here the folio has the stage-direction “Sleepers lie still;” meaning that they were not to be disturbed by the horns.

Note return to page 783 9For now our observation is performed:] i. e. Of the honours due to May.

Note return to page 784 10—the vaward of the day;] i. e. The early part of the day—the van-ward.

Note return to page 785 11Uncouple in the western valley: let them go:] So all the old authorities; and although to omit “let them” might reduce the line to ten syllables, we are not authorized on that account to leave out words which probably came from Shakespeare's pen. Malone and other modern editors have thought otherwise.

Note return to page 786 12Seem'd all one mutual cry.] So the second folio, rightly.

Note return to page 787 1So flew'd, so sanded;] The flews are the large chaps of a hound: “so sanded” may refer to the sandy marks on the dogs, or possibly it is a misprint for sounded, in allusion to their mouths.

Note return to page 788 2I wonder of their being here together.] So Fisher's edition. That of Roberts, and the folio, read this.

Note return to page 789 3Without the peril of the Athenian law—] This is the reading of Fisher's 4to, and beyond dispute the correct reading, Lysander being interrupted by the impatience of Egeus, with “Enough, enough!” The printer of Roberts's 4to. (which the folio followed) added be after “might” in the preceding line, in order to complete the sense at “Athenian law,” but to the destruction of the metre, and in opposition to the clear meaning of the poet. All the modern editors have adopted the mistake without reference to Fisher's 4to.

Note return to page 790 4Fair Helena in fancy following me.] In this instance, as in many others in Shakespeare, “fancy” means affection, or love. Fisher's 4to. has “following:” Roberts's and the folio followed.

Note return to page 791 5—ere I saw Hermia:] The reading of all the old copies is, “ere I see Hermia;” and in the next line they have “like a sickness,” for “like in sickness.”

Note return to page 792 6—we more will hear anon.] So Fisher's 4to. Roberts's has “we will hear more anon,” and the folio “we shall hear more anon.”

Note return to page 793 7Are you sure That we are awake?] These words are recovered from the two 4to. editions: they are omitted in the folio, 1623. Steevens thought fit to leave them out; an unpardonable liberty, considering how they are authorized, but other modern editors have imitated his example.

Note return to page 794 8And he did bid us follow to the temple.] The word “did,” which is required by the metre, is found in Fisher's 4to, but not in that of Roberts, nor in the folio.

Note return to page 795 9I shall sing it at her death.] The “play” in Bottom's mind was that of Pyramus and Thisbe, which was to be represented before the duke. “At her death” would seem, therefore, to refer to the death of Thisbe, at which time Bottom was to sing his ballad. The connexion is not obvious, but it seems sufficiently clear to enable us to reject Theobald's amendment “after death,” instead of “at her death,” as it stands in all the old editions.

Note return to page 796 10He cannot be heard of.] In the 4to. editions this speech is assigned to Flute, but it is corrected in the folio; where, however, as in the quartos, there is still some confusion of persons, owing to the actor of the part of Thisbe being called This. in the prefixes.

Note return to page 797 1I will tell you every thing, right as it fell out.] “Right” is in the two 4to. editions, but is omitted in the folio.

Note return to page 798 2—such seething brains,] i. e. boiling brains. Elsewhere (Malone remarks) Shakespeare speaks of “boiled brains,” as in “The Winter's Tale” and “The Tempest.”

Note return to page 799 3—and gives to airy nothing] So both the quartos: the folio has aire.

Note return to page 800 4Call Philostrate.] Thus the quartos, which are decidedly right; though the folio alters it to “Call Egeus,” which name does not suit the measure of the line. All the speeches assigned to Philostrate in the quartos (with one exception, beginning “No, my noble lord”) are given to Egeus in the folio.

Note return to page 801 5There is a brief, how many sports are ripe;] By “brief” we are to understand enumeration. Instead of “ripe,” the 4to. by Roberts, and the folio, read rife, which hardly expresses that the sports are mature and prepared.

Note return to page 802 6The battle with the Centaurs,] Our text is in accordance with both the quartos; but the folio represents Lysander (to whom Philostrate had not given the “brief”) as reading the list, and Theseus as commenting upon it. The more natural course seems to be, for Theseus both to read and comment.

Note return to page 803 7—addrest.] i. e. ready, prepared.

Note return to page 804 8Flourish of trumpets.] This is the stage-direction of the folio, 1623: the quartos say nothing about it; but it was usual on our old stage for the actor who spoke the Prologue to enter upon the stage when the trumpet or trumpets had sounded thrice. Hist. Engl. Dram. Poetry and the Stage, iii. 440.

Note return to page 805 9—like a child on a recorder;] It is generally understood that the “recorder” was what we now call the flageolet.

Note return to page 806 1Enter Pyramus] In the folio, 1623, this stage-direction is preceded by another in these words, “Tawyer [Notes and Emendations to the 1632 Folio]11Q0276 with a trumpet before them.” Possibly Tawyer was the name of the trumpeter.

Note return to page 807 2And finds his trusty Thisby's mantle slain:] Both the quartos have “trusty;” a necessary epithet, as far as relates to the measure, but omitted in the folio.

Note return to page 808 3This lime, this rough-cast,] We have had “lime and rough-cast” just before; and Theseus asks, afterwards, “Would you desire lime and hair to speak better?” The 4tos. and folio in this place have lome, merely the mistake of a letter.

Note return to page 809 4O sweet, O lovely wall!] Fisher's and Roberts's 4to. read “O sweet, O lovely wall.” The folio has “thou sweet and lovely wall.”

Note return to page 810 5—she is to enter now.] The folio omits “now.”

Note return to page 811 6—with lime and hair knit up in thee.] This is the preferable reading of the folio: the quartos have “knit now again,” which does not preserve the intended rhyme.

Note return to page 812 7Now is the mural down between the two neighbours.] For “mural,” (which is Theobald's word,) the folio misreads moral; while the quartos seem still farther from the meaning, when they have it, “Now is the moon used,” &c.

Note return to page 813 8—one Snug, the joiner,] So the folio: the two quartos have “as Snug the joiner.”

Note return to page 814 9—let us listen to the moon.] The folio and the 4to. by Roberts have “hearken to the moon.”

Note return to page 815 10—it is already in snuff.] To take any thing “in snuff,” was to take it in anger. Of this many examples might be produced.

Note return to page 816 11—for all these are in the moon.] So Fisher's 4to; the folio and Roberts's 4to. have merely “they are in the moon.”

Note return to page 817 1Well moused, lion.] Monck Mason would change “moused,” of the old copies, to mouthed, in reference to the lion's mouthing and staining Thisbe's mantle. Steevens understands “moused” in this sense, and he is probably right. Compare “King John,” A. ii. sc. 2.

Note return to page 818 2And then came Pyramus. And so the lion vanished.] Thus all the old editions; and as there is no necessity for making any change, it ought to be avoided. Dr. Farmer suggested that the text ought to run,— “And so comes Pyramus. And then the moon vanishes;” but such is not the text: it is, therefore, left as it may be presumed Shakespeare left it. It is to be observed also, that the moon does not vanish, but remains to be thanked by Pyramus, and to go out after his death.

Note return to page 819 3For by thy gracious, golden, glittering streams,] The old copies repeat beams, as the rhyme to the same word in the line next but one preceding it; and the editor of the second folio substituted streams, perhaps, upon some then existing authority which we have no right to dispute; but it appears more likely, from the alliteration, that the word written by Shakespeare was “gleams,” which is quite as applicable to moonlight. I owe this suggestion to Mr. Knight's “Pictorial Shakspere.”

Note return to page 820 4I trust to take of truest Thisby sight.] So the 4tos: the folio reads taste for “take.”

Note return to page 821 5—God bless us.] This passage, from “he for a man,” is taken from the quartos. It was omitted in the folio, 1623, possibly on account of the statute against using the name of the Creator, &c., on the stage, 1 Jac. I. ch. 21, which had not passed when the original editions were printed.

Note return to page 822 6And thus she moans,] All the old copies have means for “moans,” a very easy misprint. Not so, lower down, where Thisbe exclaims,— “These lily lips, This cherry nose,” &c. Theobald, for the sake of the rhyme, altered “lips” to brows, which could not easily have been mistaken by the compositor.

Note return to page 823 3Bot. No, I assure you;] In the two 4to. editions this speech is given to “Lion.” Perhaps such was the original distribution, but changed before the folio was printed in 1623.

Note return to page 824 4A dance.] There is no stage-direction in any of the old copies, and Malone inserted, “Here a dance of Clowns,” which it probably was; but we have now no precise means of knowing what Bottom meant by his “Bergomask dance,” excepting that it probably was a burlesque of dancing, as the tragedy had been a burlesque of writing and acting.

Note return to page 825 5And the wolf behowls the moon;] All the old editions have beholds. Warburton detected the misprint.

Note return to page 826 6To sweep the dust behind the door.] As has been remarked in the “Introduction,” on the title-page of “Robin Goodfellow, his Mad Pranks and Merry Jests,” 4to, 1628 (reprinted for the Percy Society), Puck is represented in a wood-cut with a broom over his shoulder.

Note return to page 827 7First, rehearse your song by rote,] The folio, adopting the reading of Roberts's 4to, has this for “your.” Titania is, however, referring to the “ditty” assigned by Oberon.

Note return to page 828 8The Song.] In the folio, but not in either of the 4to. editions, Oberon's speech is printed in italic, as if it were “the song;” but it seems in fact to be wanting: in old plays songs, though mentioned, were often omitted. In obedience to the injunction of Oberon, the Fairies must have “danced it trippingly,” while the song was sung. The 4to. editions do not lead us to suppose that any song was given, excepting that it was spoken of by Oberon and Titania. The words, “the song,” are from the folio, and are to be taken as a stage-direction.

Note return to page 829 9And, as I'm an honest Puck,] “Puck,” or Pouke, meant the devil; and, as Tyrwhitt remarks, it is used in that sense in “Pierce Ploughman's Vision,” and elsewhere. It was therefore necessary for Shakespeare's fairy messenger to assert his honesty, and to clear himself from any connexion with the “helle Pouke.”

Note return to page 830 “The excellent History of the Merchant of Venice. With the extreme cruelty of Shylocke the Iew towards the saide Merchant, in cutting a iust pound of his flesh. And the obtaining of Portia, by the choyse of three caskets. Written by W. Shakespeare. Printed by J. Roberts, 1600.” 4to, 40 leaves. “The most excellent Historie of the Merchant of Venice. With the extreame crueltie of Shylocke the Iewe towards the sayd Merchant, in cutting a iust pound of his flesh: and the obtayning of Portia by the choyse of three chests. As it hath beene diuers times acted by the Lord Chamberlaine his Seruants. Written by William Shakespeare. At London, Printed by I. R., for Thomas Heyes, and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Greene Dragon, 1600.” 4to, 38 leaves. It is also printed in the folio, 1623, where it occupies 22 pages, viz., from p. 163 to p. 184, inclusive, in the division of “Comedies.” Besides its appearance in the later folios, the Merchant of Venice was republished in 4to, in 1637 and 1652.

Note return to page 831 P. 471.—See, for a plot somewhat similar to that of “The Merchant of Venice,” Wright's “Latin Stories of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries,” (printed for the Percy Society) pp. 114 and 241.

Note return to page 832 1In the old editions, in quarto and folio, there is no enumeration of the persons. It was first given by Rowe.

Note return to page 833 1There where your argosies—] “Argosies” were large merchant vessels: the word is said by Steevens to be corrupted from Ragosies, or, ships of Ragusa, celebrated for their size and value; but Mr. Douce (Illustr. of Shakesp. I. 248) has more probably derived it from the classical ship Argo.

Note return to page 834 2And see my wealthy Andrew dock'd in sand,] We must take “Andrew” to be the name of a ship: for “dock'd in sand” all the old editions print “docks in sand.” Possibly we might read, “my wealthy Andrew's decks in sand.”

Note return to page 835 3Vailing her high top—] To vail means to bow, to lower, and sometimes to submit. Heywood, in his “Fair Maid of the West,” 1631 (not 1613 as quoted by Steevens), speaks of a carvel “vailing her top.” See also note 9, p. 89.

Note return to page 836 4Why, then you are in love.] Roberts's 4to. omits “why,” Heyes's 4to. and the folio have it as in the text.

Note return to page 837 5A stage, where every man] The 4to. by Roberts has one for “man.”

Note return to page 838 6I am Sir Oracle,] The first folio reads, “I am, Sir, an oracle;” but the 4to. of Heyes, and that of Roberts, have it, “I am Sir Oracle,” which is doubtless right.

Note return to page 839 7—when I am very sure,] So all the old copies, including the second folio. This reading is in Shakespeare's manner, who often left the nominative case of the verb to be understood. Rowe altered “when” to who, and he has been followed by the modern editors.

Note return to page 840 8For this fool-gudgeon,] An expressive compound, which Malone altered to fool's-gudgeon, by deserting all the authorities.

Note return to page 841 9Farewell: I'll grow a talker for this gear.] This expression frequently occurs without any very definite meaning: it signifies, generally, for this purpose, or, this matter. The 4to. by Roberts has “Farewell,” and that of Heyes and the folio, “Fare you well.”

Note return to page 842 10It is that:—any thing now.] This is the reading of the two quartos of 1600, and of the folio of 1623, and it is preserved in the folio of 1632. Surely, therefore, we are not warranted in altering the text, when a clear meaning can be made out of it. Antonio's observation, “It is that,” is addressed to Gratiano, concurring in his remark just before he made his exit; and then Antonio's bad spirits return upon him, and he adds, as if weary of Gratiano's talk, “any thing now.” This naturally leads to Bassanio's criticism upon Gratiano. Johnson, Steevens, and Tyrwhitt, reason upon the passage as if the old reading were, “Is that any thing now?” and they actually call it “the old reading,” while Malone contends that, “It is that:” is a “manifest misprint.” All the modern editors seem to have taken his word for it.

Note return to page 843 1—his reasons are as two grains of wheat—] The folio omits “as,” which is found in both the quartos.

Note return to page 844 2And, out of doubt, you do me now more wrong,] So both the quartos: the first folio reads,— “And, out of doubt, you do more wrong;” to cure which defective line the second folio has,— “And, out of doubt, you do to me more wrong.”

Note return to page 845 3—prest—] i. e. ready: of very frequent use. From the French.

Note return to page 846 4—it is no mean happiness, therefore, to be seated in the mean:] Both the 4to. editions have “mean happiness,” but the folio small; as if to avoid a repetition, which is just in the manner of Shakespeare.

Note return to page 847 5But this reasoning is not in the fashion—] Reason, first folio: both the quartos have “reasoning;” and afterwards, “in the fashion.”

Note return to page 848 6—will, no doubt, never be chosen—] Roberts's 4to. has “no doubt, you will never be chosen.”

Note return to page 849 7I shall never requite him.] Should, first folio: the two quartos “shall.”

Note return to page 850 8What think you of the Scottish lord, his neighbour?] Portia's reply could not be palatable to King James, and the Scotch who came to England on his accession: therefore, in the folio, 1623, other is substituted for “Scottish;” whereas the quartos, which were printed more than two years before James I. came to the throne, preserve the original and true reading. Possibly, when this play was publicly acted, subsequent to the spring of 1602–3, the whole satirical passage was omitted.

Note return to page 851 9—and I pray God grant them a fair departure.] So the quartos, printed before the Act 3 Jac. I. c. 21, against using the name of the Creator on the stage. The folio, 1623, has merely, “I wish them a fair departure.” Yet elsewhere, the folio has “God forbid,” “God rest his soul,” and other expressions where the name of the Creator occurs. See p. 495, &c.

Note return to page 852 1How now? what news?] Omitted in the first folio, but found in both the quartos.

Note return to page 853 2—seek for you,] The first folio omits “for.”

Note return to page 854 3—my well-won thrift,] The folio has well-worn, in opposition to both the quartos.

Note return to page 855 4—albeit I neither lend—] The 4to. by Roberts reads although.

Note return to page 856 5&lblank; Is he yet possessed, How much you would?] This is the reading of the 4to. by Heyes: that by Roberts gives it thus— &lblank; “are you resolv'd How much he would have?” In the folio, it is printed as follows:— &lblank; “is he yet possess'd How much he would?” The first seems the correct text: Antonio, turning and addressing himself to Bassanio, asks if Shylock were “yet possessed” or informed how much he (Bassanio) required.

Note return to page 857 6And thrift is blessing,] So all the old copies: in Boswell's Malone, This is printed for “And.”

Note return to page 858 7—shall we be beholding to you?] See note 8, p. 83.

Note return to page 859 8In the Rialto,] At the commencement of Act iii, Shakespeare alters the expression to “on the Rialto.” All the old copies concur in both places.

Note return to page 860 9A cur can lend—] Folio, should.

Note return to page 861 1A breed for barren metal—] The folio reads “of barren metal.”

Note return to page 862 2Exact the penalty.] Folio, penalties.

Note return to page 863 3—pleaseth me.] Folio, it pleaseth me.

Note return to page 864 4The Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows kind.] The folio has “This Hebrew;” and the 4to. by Roberts, “he grows so kind.”

Note return to page 865 5—the Prince of Morocco,] The stage-direction in the folio and quartos is, “Enter Morochus a tawnie Moore, all in white, and three or foure followers accordingly,” &c. This is curious, as it shows the manner in which Moors were usually dressed on the stage in Shakespeare's time. Doubtless, Othello was “all in white,” unless, indeed, he wore the military uniform of the Venetian state.

Note return to page 866 6I would out-stare the sternest eyes that look,] This reading is supported by Roberts's 4to, and it seems fully warranted by the sense, and by the first word of the next line, “out-brave.” The other 4to, and the folio, have o're-stare, a word not at all in use.

Note return to page 867 7—beaten by his page;] This is Theobald's emendation: the old copies have “beaten by his rage.” Lichas was the servant of Hercules.

Note return to page 868 8Enter Launcelot Gobbo.] The old copies read, “Enter the Clown alone;” and throughout the play Launcelot Gobbo is called the Clown at most of his entrances or exits. In this speech, both in the 4to. by Heyes and in the folio, he calls himself “Launcelot Jobbo,” although when his father enters it is printed “old Gobbo.” The 4to. by Roberts has it “Launcelot Gobbo.”

Note return to page 869 9—fiend, say I, you counsel well:] Roberts's 4to. reads, “You counsel ill.” Lower down it has incarnal for “incarnation.”

Note return to page 870 1—more than sand-blind,] An expression of the time, signifying much the same as what we now call pur-blind.

Note return to page 871 2I will try confusions with him.] So the 4to. by Heyes and the folio: the other 4to. has conclusions, the printer not understanding Launcelot's joke, which he carries into effect immediately afterwards, by misdirecting his father “the way to master Jew's.” Malone and the modern editors have conclusions.

Note return to page 872 3By God's sonties,] “Sonties” is a corruption of sanctities.

Note return to page 873 4—and Launcelot, sir.] The folio omits “sir.”

Note return to page 874 5—Dobbin, my phill-horse] Phill-horse, or Fill-horse, is the shaft-horse; the horse that goes between the shafts or fills.

Note return to page 875 6More guarded—] i. e. More ornamented. See note 2, p. 51.

Note return to page 876 7—a fairer table,] Astrologers called the open palm of the hand the table, and Launcelot looks upon his palm while he disserts upon his fortune. There has been a good deal of dispute as to the pointing of what follows these words, but I have adopted that punctuation which Johnson recommended, and which seems best to convey the meaning of the author.

Note return to page 877 8—in the twinkling of an eye.] The 4to. by Heyes and the folio omit of an eye, which words are found in the 4to. by Roberts, and are obviously necessary: the case would have been different, had the indefinite article stood before twinkling: “in a twinkling” might have been sufficient.

Note return to page 878 9—sad ostent—] i. e. Grave appearance. See note 10, p. 221.

Note return to page 879 1If a Christian do not play the knave, and get thee, I am much deceived:] The two quartos and the first folio agree in this reading, and the meaning may be, “if a Christian do not play the knave and obtain thee,” &c.; but very possibly “do” was misprinted for did, and in that case the meaning would not be disputable: the second folio has did.

Note return to page 880 2Will you prepare you—] Roberts's 4to. omits the necessary word “you.”

Note return to page 881 3Enter Shylock and Launcelot.] The old state-direction may be worth quoting, “Enter Jew and his man, that was the Clowne.”

Note return to page 882 4—to tell me, that I could—] The 4to. by Heyes, and the folio, print this prose reply by Launcelot as verse, and leave out “that.” It is found in the 4to. by Roberts.

Note return to page 883 5Hear you me, Jessica:] The 4to. by Roberts omits “you.”

Note return to page 884 6And the vile squeaking of the wry-neck'd fife,] Roberts's 4to. has “squeaking,” and that of Heyes and the folio squealing. The difference is immaterial.

Note return to page 885 7Will be worth a Jewess' eye.] In the old copies it is printed, “Will be worth a Jewes eye;” and it may be a question whether Shakespeare did not mean that Launcelot should merely repeat the phrase, “worth a Jew's eye,” leaving “Jewes” to be pronounced as a dissyllable.

Note return to page 886 8—and he sleeps by day] First folio only “but he sleeps by day:” the two quartos rightly as in our text.

Note return to page 887 9Desir'd us to make stand.] The folio alone has “to make a stand.”

Note return to page 888 1How like a prodigal doth she return;] This is the reading of the folio: the quartos have the; but there seems no particular allusion to the prodigal son, and “a younker” and “a prodigal” are spoken of in the earlier part of the simile.

Note return to page 889 2I have sent twenty out to seek for you.] This line is omitted in the 4to. by Roberts, and the two next lines are made part of Antonio's speech.

Note return to page 890 3Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.] The first folio in this place omits many, by which the line is reduced to ten syllables; but the other inscriptions are lines of twelve syllables, and both the quartos warrant the retention of many. The folio also has many when the inscription is afterwards repeated.

Note return to page 891 4Gilded tombs do worms infold.] The reading, in all the old copies, is timber for “tombs,” which injures the verse, and violates the grammar. Johnson's suggestion of “tombs” is no doubt correct. Rowe inserted wood; but no compositor could misprint “timber” for wood, whereas, as Johnson remarks, it would be easy to misprint timber for “tombs,” then spelt tombes.

Note return to page 892 5He came too late,] “He comes too late,” folio, 1623.

Note return to page 893 6Slubber not business—] Shakespeare uses “slubber” in two senses, somewhat connected: here it means, “neglect not business,” or, “do not do it carelessly.” In “Othello,” A. i. sc. 3, it means to obscure or darken—“to slubber the gloss of your new fortunes.” In the 4to. printed for Heyes the word is printed slumber, but it is a clear error of the press.

Note return to page 894 7address'd me:] i. e. Prepared me. See note 7, p. 456.

Note return to page 895 8—jump—] i. e. Agree with.

Note return to page 896 9How much low peasantry—] The folio alone reads pleasantry.

Note return to page 897 1Who chooseth me shall have] So all the old copies, though just before we have had get instead of “have.”

Note return to page 898 2So begone; you are sped.] Capell misprints this line, “So farewell, sir, you are sped;” and from whence he derived the corruption it is difficult to say. Malone and others interpolate Sir after “begone,” although there is no warrant for it in any of the three oldest editions. It first found its way into the second folio, and certainly lessens the force of the line.

Note return to page 899 3Patiently to bear my wroth.] Steevens says that “wroth” is here put for ruth.

Note return to page 900 4Enter a Messenger.] This is the stage-direction in all the old copies, for which modern editors have substituted “Enter a Servant.” It is clear that he was not a mere servant, not only from the language put into his mouth, but because, when he asks, “Where is my lady?” Portia replies, “Here; what would my lord?” The Messenger was a person of rank attending on Portia.

Note return to page 901 5—knapped ginger—] i. e. Snapped or broke ginger. Compare “Measure for Measure,” A. iv. sc. 3, p. 78.

Note return to page 902 6—my flesh and blood.] So the 4to. by Roberts, and the folio: the 4to. by Heyes has “my flesh and my blood.” Perhaps my ought in this place to be repeated for greater explicitness and emphasis: Shylock has just before used the expression, “my own flesh and blood.”

Note return to page 903 7—and hindered me half a million;] This is the reading of all the old copies, and not, “and hindered me of half a million,” as Malone printed it.

Note return to page 904 8—and what's his reason?] So the two quartos: the folio reads, poorly, “and what's the reason.”

Note return to page 905 9—unless the devil himself turn Jew.] This, and the preceding part of the speech, should be spoken as Tubal is approaching, and before he actually comes upon the stage; because the instant he appears, Shylock ought to put the question to him, “How now, Tubal? what news from Genoa?” Hitherto the entrance of Tubal has been wrongly placed, preceding what Salanio says, and keeping Shylock, who must naturally be all eagerness, waiting until Salanio has concluded his observation.

Note return to page 906 10—would she were] The 4to, by Roberts, reads, “O! would she were.”

Note return to page 907 1—I know not what's spent in the search:] This is the reading of both quartos: the folio, again more tamely, has how much is, &c.

Note return to page 908 2Where? in Genoa?] All the old editions have “here, in Genoa?” which is evidently wrong.

Note return to page 909 3—fee me an officer,] So all the ancient copies; not “see me an officer,” as it is misprinted in Malone's Shakespeare, by Boswell.

Note return to page 910 4&lblank; Beshrew your eyes, They have o'er-look'd me,] “O'er-look'd me” is here used in the sense of enchanted me. So in “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” A. v. sc. 5, as referred to by Malone:— “Vile worm, thou wast o'er-look'd even from thy birth.”

Note return to page 911 5—but 'tis to peize the time;] To peize is to poise, weigh, or balance, and, as Henley remarks, figuratively to keep in suspense, or to delay. Marlowe, in his “Hero and Leander,” 1598, Sest. II., uses the word in the sense of weighed:— “For from the earth to heaven is Cupid raised, Where fancy is in equal balance peized.” “Fancy” here, as in Shakespeare, is synonymous with love.

Note return to page 912 6—with much, much more dismay] The necessary repetition of “much” is obtained from the 4to. by Heyes.

Note return to page 913 7—in the eyes,] So the folio, rightly: the quartos have eye, in the singular.

Note return to page 914 8There is no vice—] The oldest copies read, voice. The emendation is in the second folio.

Note return to page 915 9Therefore, thou gaudy gold,] The 4to. of Heyes, and the folio, 1623, read, “Therefore then, thou gaudy gold.” In the 4to. by Roberts, then is properly rejected.

Note return to page 916 10Thy paleness moves me more than eloquence,] Warburton proposed to read plainness for “paleness;” as silver had been termed “pale” three lines before. The emendation is plausible, but it ought not to be adopted in preference to the reading of all the old copies, which is very intelligible: lead may be termed a pale metal as well as silver.

Note return to page 917 1In measure rain thy joy;] The 4to. by Roberts reads, “range thy joy.” It may reasonably be doubted whether we ought to read “rain,” or rein: the old spelling, raine, is quite equivocal.

Note return to page 918 2And leave itself unfurnish'd:] Thus all the old editions; but Steevens doubted if Shakespeare's word were not unfinish'd; but “unfurnish'd” would seem to refer to the other eye in the “counterfeit,” or portrait, the one the painter had completed not being furnished with a fellow.

Note return to page 919 3You see me, lord Bassanio, where I stand,] The folio alone has, “You see, my lord Bassanio, where I stand.”

Note return to page 920 4Is sum of nothing;] Portia is undervaluing herself, in comparison with what she would be for “Bassanio's sake. Our text is that of the folio: the quartos both read, “Is sum of something.”

Note return to page 921 5Are yours, my lord:] So the folio and Roberts's 4to: that of Heyes has “Are yours, my lords,” which may possibly be the true reading, taking lords as the genitive case, lord's.

Note return to page 922 6—being blent together,] i. e. Blended.

Note return to page 923 7—and Salerio.] “A Messenger from Venice” is added in the stage-direction of the quartos.

Note return to page 924 8Will show you his estate.] Here the old stage-direction is, “He opens the letter;” but this must, of course, be understood as applying to Bassanio, who reads the letter, while the rest pursue the conversation.

Note return to page 925 9Shall lose a hair—] So all the old copies. Malone reads should, which Boswell asserts is supported by the 4to. of Heyes, and by the folio. This is a strange mistake. For the metre we ought perhaps to read thorough “through,” instead of making “hair,” as Malone contended, a dissylable.

Note return to page 926 1Bass. reads.] In the old copies it is printed as if Portia had read the letter, but she had only asked to “hear” it. When it is done, she continues to speak without any fresh prefix.

Note return to page 927 2This is the fool that lent out money gratis.] This is the reading of both the quartos; and now Antonio is ruined and in prison, it is more proper for Shylock to speak in the past, than in the present tense. The folio has lends, at a time when Antonio has nothing to lend.

Note return to page 928 3—so fond] i. e. So foolish. See note 5, p. 37.

Note return to page 929 4Consisteth of all nations.] The sense of the four preceding lines is quite clear, though the construction may be a little involved: Antonio says, that if the commodity, or advantage, which strangers enjoy in Venice be denied, that denial will much impeach the justice of the state, which derives its profit from all nations. No change of the ancient text seems necessary.

Note return to page 930 5—hellish cruelty!] Roberts's 4to. alone has misery for “cruelty.”

Note return to page 931 6In speed to Padua:] Theobald was the first to correct the error of all the editions before his time, which read, Mantua, instead of “Padua”

Note return to page 932 7Unto the Tranect,] Shakespeare most likely obtained this word from some novel to which he resorted for his plot. It is supposed to be derived from the Italian tranare (to draw), owing to the passage-boat on the Brenta being drawn over a dam by a crane, at a place about five miles from Venice.

Note return to page 933 8—accoutred—] The 4to. by Roberts reads, apparell'd. Our text corresponds with the 4to. by Heyes, and the folio.

Note return to page 934 9I could not do withal:] An idiom of the time for I could not help it. See Gifford's Ben. Jonson, III. 470.

Note return to page 935 1How cheer'st thou, Jessica?] “How far'st thou, Jessica?” Roberts's 4to. alone.

Note return to page 936 2And if on earth he do not mean it, then, In reason he should never come to heaven.] The old copies vary in this place. The 4to. by Roberts gives it as in our text: the 4to. by Heyes must be wrong, when it says,— “And, if on earth he do not mean it, it In reason,” &c. The folio, 1623, makes sense out of the blunder of Heyes, by reading, “And if on earth he do not mean it, it Is reason, &c.

Note return to page 937 3Then, howsoe'er thou speak'st,] The folio and Heyes's 4to. have howsome'er.

Note return to page 938 4—his envy's reach,] Envy, of old, was often used in the sense of hatred.

Note return to page 939 5Thou wilt not only lose the forfeiture,] The old copies have “loose the forfeiture,” and perhaps we ought to take loose in the sense of release.

Note return to page 940 6Masters of passion sway it to the mood Of what it likes, or loaths.] This passage has occasioned a good deal of controversy, but the difficulty seems to be to find a difficulty: in the old copies “sway” is printed sways, making a false concord, the nominative case being “masters:” the pronoun “it,” of course, in both instances, agrees with “passion.” Shylock, in the preceding lines, speaks of those who are not “masters of passion.”

Note return to page 941 7—a woollen bag-pipe,] This is the reading of every ancient copy; and as we know that at this day the bag is usually covered with woollen, the epithet is perfectly appropriate, without adopting the alteration of Steevens to swollen.

Note return to page 942 8You may as well use question with the wolf, Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb;] These lines afford another remarkable instance of variation in two different copies of the same edition of a play. In the 4to. by Heyes, belonging to the Duke of Devonshire, the passage runs thus:— “Well use question with the wolf, The ewe bleat for the lamb;” whereas, in the copy of the same edition, the property of Lord Francis Egerton, the evident defect is supplied, and the lines stand as in our text. This change for the better must have been made while “The Merchant of Venice,” “printed by I. R., for Thomas Heyes,” was going through the press. On the other hand, the editors of the folio allowed the passage to stand,— “Or even as well use question with the wolf, The ewe bleat for the lamb;” which, if not nonsense, is imperfect sense. Roberts's 4to. fully confirms the words in the text, according entirely with the amended impression of Heyes.

Note return to page 943 9When they are fretten—] So both the old quartos, and there seems no reason to abandon the form of the participle, probably adopted by Shakespeare: if “fretten” were not the original word, it is singular that it should be found in the two editions by Heyes and Roberts, evidently printed from different manuscripts.

Note return to page 944 1—inexorable dog,] Misprinted in the old copies, previous to the third folio of 1664, inexecrable.

Note return to page 945 2To cureless ruin.] So both the quartos. The folio prints it endless.

Note return to page 946 3You stand within his danger,] “Within his danger” was in Shakespeare's time, and long before, equivalent to indebted to him: the phrase has no necessary reference to the peril of Antonio's position, but may mean merely that he owes Shylock money, unless we suppose Shakespeare to have had a double meaning.

Note return to page 947 4—this strict court of Venice] The folio has course for “court.”

Note return to page 948 5Yes, twice the sum:] Portia afterwards speaks of “thrice the money” having been offered to Shylock. This may have been a mere inadvertence, or a misprint.

Note return to page 949 6—how I do honour thee!] So both the quartos: the folio reads, “how do I honour thee,” &c.

Note return to page 950 7—lest he do—] “Lest he should,” folio, 1623.

Note return to page 951 8Is it so nominated in the bond?] So the two 4to. editions. The folio, 1623, puts it, poorly, as a mere assertion, “It is not nominated,” &c.

Note return to page 952 9You, merchant,] “Come, merchant,” folio, 1623.

Note return to page 953 10Repent not you that you shall lose your friend,] It may admit of doubt whether this reading, which is that of the folio, or “Repent but you,” of the two quartos, ought to be adopted. The folio is perhaps more consistent with what Antonio says above, and therefore we are inclined to prefer that reading.

Note return to page 954 1I'll pay it instantly—] Roberts's 4to, presently.

Note return to page 955 2Take then thy bond,] The folio, 1623, “Then take,” &c.

Note return to page 956 3—be it so much] Both 4tos. have “Be it but so much,” to the injury of the metre. In the preceding line, the 4to. by Roberts reads, “If thou cut'st more.”

Note return to page 957 4I'll stay no longer question.] So the folio and 4to. by Heyes. That by Roberts has, “I'll stay no longer here in question.”

Note return to page 958 5—not the font.] So the 4to. by Roberts. That by Heyes, and the first folio, read “not to the font,” to the injury of the metre.

Note return to page 959 6—home with me] The folio reads, “with me home.”

Note return to page 960 7—than on the value.] Roberts's 4to. has the line, “There's more than this depends upon the value.”

Note return to page 961 8His ring I do accept] “This ring,” &c., Roberts's 4to.

Note return to page 962 9—old swearing,] Of this augmentative in colloquial language, there are many instances in authors of the time.

Note return to page 963 1—master Lorenzo, and mistress Lorenzo?] The old copies have merely the letter M. for both master and mistress.

Note return to page 964 2Sweet soul,] In all the old copies these two words are given to Launcelot; and though it may be right, it is so much more likely that they belong to Lorenzo, that we have had no hesitation in transferring them; in this respect following the example of Rowe, who originally made the change. The first line of Lorenzo's speech is incomplete without them.

Note return to page 965 3My friend Stephano,] In the 4to. by Heyes, and in the folio, 1623, this name stands Stephen: in the 4to. by Roberts, rightly, Stephano.

Note return to page 966 4Is thick inlaid with patterns of bright gold;] This is the text of the second folio: the first folio has pattens, as well as the 4to. by Heyes. The other 4to., has pattents. “Patterns” seems the right reading.

Note return to page 967 5Doth grossly close it in,] Nothing can well be clearer than this reading, which is that of Heyes's 4to. The 4to. by Roberts, and the first folio, invert two words, and by printing in it instead of “it in,” occasioned some confusion, which led to the insertion of long notes by the commentators. In the clause “Doth grossly close it in,” the word it refers, of course, to the soul.

Note return to page 968 6—for our husbands' welfare,] The 4to. by Roberts has health; while the 4to. by Heyes, and the folio, concur in “welfare.”

Note return to page 969 7A tucket sounded.] From the Italian toccata, which Florio, in his “World of Words,” 1611, construes a prelude in music.

Note return to page 970 8—like cutlers' poetry] i. e. The poetry cutlers inscribed upon knives.

Note return to page 971 9—till your hour of death,] The folio reads “till the hour of death:” both quartos your.

Note return to page 972 1—no, God's my judge,] This is the oldest reading, as it stands in the two quartos. The folio, perhaps in consequence of the statute of James I., substituted “but well I know.”

Note return to page 973 2—to go displeas'd away,] The 4to, by Roberts, inverts the order of the words, reading “away displeas'd.” A similar error has occurred once or twice before; but in places where the variation was hardly worth notice.

Note return to page 974 3For, by these blessed, &c.] The folio substitutes And for “For.”

Note return to page 975 4I'll have that doctor] Folio 1623, “I'll have the doctor.”

Note return to page 976 5—for his wealth,] Folio 1623, “for thy wealth.”

Note return to page 977 6Till I were couching with the doctor's clerk.] So the 4to. by Heyes, and the folio. Roberts's 4to. has, “That I were couching with the clerk.”

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