Note return to page 1 “The Tragedie of Julius Cæsar” was first printed in the folio of 1623, where it occupies twenty-two pages; viz. from p. 109 to p. 130 inclusive, in the division of “Tragedies.” The Acts, but not the Scenes, are distinguished; and it appeared in the same manner in the three later folios.

Note return to page 2 P. 5.&lblank; Robert Greene, a graduate of both Universities, makes the same statement.] He has the following passage in his “Orlando Furioso;” not according to the play as printed by the Rev. A. Dyce, from the editions of 1594 and 1599, but according to the fragment of the part of the hero, preserved at Dulwich College, which was not discovered when Mr. Dyce published the collection of Greene's Works in 1831. “So, sirs; what says Cassius? why stabb'd he Cæsar In the senate-house?” See the “Memoirs of Edward Alleyn,” published by the Shakespeare Society, p. 206. There was a play upon the historical subject of the fall of Cæsar, anterior to the time when Greene wrote his “Orlando Furioso,” and to that representation he probably refers.

Note return to page 3 1Lord Stirling published a tragedy under the title of “Julius Cæsar,” in 1604: the resemblances are by no means numerous or obvious, and probably not more than may be accounted for by the fact, that two writers were treating the same subject. The popularity of Shakespeare's tragedy about 1603 may have led to the printing of that by Lord Stirling in 1604, and on this account the date is of consequence. Malone appears to have known of no edition of Lord Stirling's “Julius Cæsar” until 1607.

Note return to page 4 1A list of characters was first prefixed by Rowe.

Note return to page 5 1&lblank; Marullus,] The folios call him Murellus; but it is an obvious error, and Theobald changed it to “Marullus,” on the authority of Plutarch. The “Citizens” in the old copies are called Commoners.

Note return to page 6 2Flav. What trade, thou knave?] We follow the old copy in this and in the next speech but one, by giving the first to Flavius, and the second to Marullus. Most of the commentators seem to have thought that both should be given to the same person, either both to Flavius or both to Marullus. The necessity for this change does not strike us, because, as Johnson remarks, the object of giving “What trade, thou knave?” &c. to Flavius might be, that he should not stand too long unemployed upon the stage.

Note return to page 7 3&lblank; but with all.] Printed withal in the old editions, and without any stop, so that the reading may merely be, “but withal I am indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes.”

Note return to page 8 4See, whe'r &lblank;] Printed where in the old copies, to indicate that it was to be considered a monosyllable. See Vol. ii. p. 149; and Vol. v. p. 173. The folio, 1623, is by no means uniform in this practice.

Note return to page 9 5&lblank; with Music,] In the old copies nothing is said about music; but from what follows it is evidently necessary.

Note return to page 10 6&lblank;a common laugher,] Old copies, laughter. Corrected by Pope.

Note return to page 11 7To every new protester;] i. e. says Johnson, To invite every new protester to my affection by the scale or allurement of customary oaths.

Note return to page 12 8If the tag-rag people &lblank;] The expression “tag and rag” is old in our poetry: thus in “The worthie Historie of the most valiant knight, Plasidas,” by John Partridge, 8vo, 1566, “To walles they goe, both tagge and ragge,   Their citie to defende,” &c. —Sign. C. 7.

Note return to page 13 9Thy honourable metal &lblank;] It may be doubted whether “mettle,” a few lines above, ought not also to be printed metal. Butler says of Hudibras, “Both kinds of metal he prepar'd, Either to give blows or to ward: Courage and steel both of great force, Prepar'd for better or for worse.”

Note return to page 14 10Who glar'd upon me,] The old folios all read glaz'd; which Southern, in his copy of the folio, 1685, altered to “glar'd:” and there can be little doubt that it is the correct reading, and glaz'd a misprint.

Note return to page 15 11Have thewes and limbs &lblank;] “Thewe” seems to be from the Saxon word signifying the thigh, and it means muscular power: by a comparison of the old copies, we may ascertain about the time it became obsolete. It is found in the folios, 1623 and 1632, but is altered to sinews in the folios, 1664 and 1685. It was rather a favourite word with Shakespeare, and he uses it in “Hamlet,” and in “Henry IV.” part ii. It occurs in Chaucer and Spenser, in the sense of manners or qualities, but then it has a different etymology. Ben Jonson employs “thewes” in the same way as Shakespeare, and not Chaucer, as indeed Gifford suspected. (Works, vol. viii. p. 127.)

Note return to page 16 1In favour's like the work &lblank;] i. e. In appearance, or, more strictly, in countenance, is like the work, &c. The folios all read, “Is favour's,” for “In favour's.”

Note return to page 17 2&lblank; the ides of March?] All the folios read, “the first of March,” a decided error, corrected by Theobald.

Note return to page 18 3Sir, March is wasted fourteen days.] “Fifteen days” in all editions before that of Theobald, who truly states that March was only wasted fourteen days, inasmuch as Lucius was speaking at the dawn of the fifteenth day.

Note return to page 19 4Sir, 'tis your brother Cassius &lblank;] Cassius was brother to Brutus by reason of the marriage of the former with the sister of the latter.

Note return to page 20 5For if thou path,] This verb was in use for walk by Drayton, one of the best writers of his time. All the old editions concur in “path;” but Southern, in his copy of the folio, 1685, has altered the word to put. Coleridge also, in his Lit. Rem. vol. ii. p. 140, would read put, being, as he states, not aware that any writer of Shakespeare's age had used “to path” in the sense of to walk.

Note return to page 21 6&lblank; and envy afterwards;] We have had many previous instances in which “envy” is used for hatred, or malice. In the same speech, “envious” is used in a corresponding sense.

Note return to page 22 7&lblank; go along by him:] i. e. By his house. The expression seems equivalent to the Fr. chez lui.

Note return to page 23 8We were two lions] All the folios,“We heare two lions.”

Note return to page 24 9She dream'd to-night she saw my statue,] The word “statue” in the time of Shakespeare was frequently pronounced as a trisyllable, and it is necessary in this line, as well as afterwards, A. iii. sc. 2, “And at the base of Pompey's statue;” which is usually, but needlessly, printed statua. See also Vol. v. pp. 166 and 428, where the same error is pointed out.

Note return to page 25 10He is address'd:] i. e. He is ready. So in Vol. iv. p. 425, “Our navy is address'd,” &c.

Note return to page 26 1Are we all ready?] Ritson, with some plausibility, would make these words the conclusion of Cinna's speech; but we adhere to the old copies, as no deviation from the ancient distribution is absolutely required. Cæsar, by the words, “Are we all ready?” may mean, is the senate yet prepared to proceed?

Note return to page 27 2These couchings, and these lowly courtesies,] The Rev. Mr. Barry recommends the substitution of crouchings, on the ground that it suits the sense better, and was an easy misprint. This is certainly true; but an intelligible meaning is to be obtained from the old reading, and it is, in such cases, our principle to adhere to the text of the old copies.

Note return to page 28 3Into the law of children.] A clear misprint in all the old copies of lane for “law.” When, as formerly, “law” was spelt with a final e, nothing could be easier than such a mistake.

Note return to page 29 4Know, Cæsar doth not wrong; nor without cause Will he be satisfied.] A question has arisen, whether this passage has reached us in the shape in which Shakespeare originally wrote it; and the doubt has been produced by the misquotation of it in Ben Jonson's “Explorata, or Discoveries,” which were written, not only after the publication of the folio, 1623, but after the appearance of John Taylor's collected pieces, (which Ben Jonson calls “The Water-rhimer's Works,”) in 1630. Ben Jonson, after asserting that Shakespeare “many times fell into those things could not escape laughter,” adds this:—“As when he said in the person of Cæsar, one speaking to him, ‘Cæsar, thou dost me wrong,’ he replied, ‘Cæsar did never wrong, but with just cause,’“ (Edit. fo. 1640, p. 98.) It is very evident that Ben Jonson was only speaking from memory, “shaken (as he confesses in the same work) with age now, and sloth;” because Metellus had not said, “Cæsar, thou dost me wrong,” nor any thing like it, though that might have been the upshot of his complaint. We have little doubt that the folio, 1623, represents the passage as it was written by Shakespeare, and that it was never in fact liable to the criticism of Ben Jonson, though he had ridiculed the same expression in the Induction to his “Staple of News,” which was acted in 1625, and printed in vol. ii. of the folio edition, with the date of 1631.

Note return to page 30 5&lblank; and last by Marcus Brutus.] The old stage-direction is merely, “They stab Cæsar,” but more particularity seems necessary. The modern stage-direction has been formed, by Malone and other editors, from the accounts of Plutarch and Suetonius.

Note return to page 31 6Et tu, Brute?] It has been a question whence Shakespeare obtained the words, Et tu, Brute? which, for the sake of emphasis, and without regard to propriety, he puts into the mouth of Cæsar. The probability is, that he found them in some earlier play on the same subject, which earlier play is quoted, or at all events referred to, in “The True Tragedy of Richard Duke of York,” 1594, where this line occurs, “Et tu, Brute? Wilt thou stab Cæsar, too?” It is also met with (as Malone remarks) in the very same words in a poem called “Acolastus his Afterwit,” by S. Nicholson, 1600. Malone supposed that Et tu, Brute appeared originally in the old Latin play upon the death of Cæsar: this is very possible, but quite as likely that Shakespeare took it from some anterior English drama, containing the line quoted in “The True Tragedy” and in “Acolastus.”

Note return to page 32 7In states unborn,] The first folio has, state; corrected in the second folio.

Note return to page 33 8&lblank; the heart of thee.] Coleridge (Lit. Remains, vol. ii. p. 140) gives it as his decided opinion, that this and the preceding line were not by Shakespeare, but interpolated by some player of the part of Antony. Upon the same rule we might arbitrarily reject many other passages.

Note return to page 34 9&lblank; for mine eyes,] So the second folio, rightly: the first has “from mine eyes.”

Note return to page 35 1Even at the base of Pompey's statue,] “Statue” is here also to be pronounced as a trisyllable, but not therefore to be printed statua, as in many modern editions. See note, p. 39.

Note return to page 36 2For I have neither writ,] So the folio, 1623; which we feel bound to follow, as the meaning is sufficiently clear; but the folio, 1632, substitutes wit for “writ,” with some appearance of propriety. Johnson preferred “writ,” and understood it to mean, a penned or premeditated oration.

Note return to page 37 3&lblank; fire the traitors' houses.] The folio, 1632, reads, “fire all the traitors' houses;” but needlessly, as “fire” was often used as a dissyllable.

Note return to page 38 3Our best friends made, and our best means stretch'd out;] This is the line as it stands in the folio, 1632: in the folio, 1623, it is left imperfect—“Our best friends made, our means stretch'd.” This is one of the cases in which the second folio comes in aid of the defects of the first. Malone thus pieced out the line, “Our best friends made, our means stretch'd to the utmost,” which is not only a bad verse, but is supported by no authority.

Note return to page 39 4Within the tent of Brutus.] In the old copies there is no change of place here, although one may be supposed: the stage-direction in the first folio is, Exeunt. Manet Brutus and Cassius. The second folio alters Manet to Manent.

Note return to page 40 5That every nice offence &lblank;] i. e. Every trifling offence. We have had many instances of this use of the word “nice.” See Vol. iv. p. 348; Vol. v. p. 434; and Vol. vi. pp. 436. 484.

Note return to page 41 6Companion, hence.] “Companion” here, as in “Coriolanus,” Vol. vi. p. 230, and in various other places, is used derogatorily, and as a term of reproach.

Note return to page 42 7Impatient of my absence,] As the Rev. Mr. Barry suggests, “Impatience of my absence” would certainly read better in connexion with the line that follows, “And grief,” &c.; but we see no sufficient ground for varying from the old text, and we do not think that in this instance he would wish to see it altered for the sake of a more correct form of reply on the part of Brutus.

Note return to page 43 8&lblank; warn us &lblank;] To warn is to summon. The use of the word in this sense was not uncommon. See “King John,” Vol. iv. p. 24, &c.

Note return to page 44 9&lblank; three and thirty wounds] This is the reading of all the old copies. Theobald changed it to three and twenty, and he was certainly supported by Plutarch, Suetonius, &c.; but we are not thereby warranted in changing the text as it has come down to us, and as it was probably written by Shakespeare: as Ritson showed, Beaumont and Fletcher committed a similar error in their “Noble Gentleman,” where they spoke of Cæsar's two and thirty wounds. Our great dramatist probably considered historical accuracy in such a matter of no importance.

Note return to page 45 1I know not how, &c.] Warburton thought that something had been lost here, but the sentence is only inverted: “Arming myself with patience to stay (or await) the providence, &c. I do find it cowardly and vile,” &c.

Note return to page 46 2Look, whe'r &lblank;] Printed where in the old copies, as on p. 9 of this Vol. See note 4. It occurs again in the next scene.

Note return to page 47 3And say to all the world, “This was a man!”] This passage bears a striking resemblance to a portion of a stanza in Drayton's “Barons' Wars,” first printed under that title, and in that form of stanza, in 1603. The point is more particularly illustrated in the “Introduction” to this tragedy. Drayton commenced his poetical career in 1591: at least such is the date of his earliest known work, “The Harmonie of the Church,” reprinted by the Percy Society; and in Mr. P. Cunningham's interesting volume, (printed for the Shakespeare Society,) “Extracts from the Revels' Accounts,” is stated the novel fact, in connection with Drayton's history, that he was in the pay of Prince Henry, being allowed an annuity of 10l. per annum. Sylvester, we learn on the same authority, was paid 20l. per annum.

Note return to page 48 “The Tragedie of Macbeth” was first printed in the folio of 1623, where it occupies twenty-one pages; viz. from p. 131 to p. 151 inclusive, in the division of “Tragedies.” The Acts and Scenes are regularly marked there, as well as in the later folios.

Note return to page 49 1There is no list of characters in any of the old copies: it was first supplied by Rowe.

Note return to page 50 2&lblank; hurlyburly's done,] This word (observes Henderson) came recommended to Shakespeare by the authority of Henry Peacham, who, in the year 1577, published a book (reprinted in 1593) professing to treat of the ornaments of language. It is called “The Garden of Eloquence,” and has this passage:— “Onomatopeia, when we invent, devise, fayne, and make a name intimating the sownd of that it signifieth, as hurlyburly, for an uprore and tumultuous stirre.” It was, however, in common use in our language, and for the purposes of the stage, before Peacham noticed it: as in the following couplet, put into the mouth of the Vice, in the old interlude of “Appius and Virginia,” by R. B. 1575. “Thus in hurly burly, from pillar to poste, Poore Haphazard daily was toste.” —Sign. E.

Note return to page 51 P. 99.&lblank; hurly burly's done.] The word also occurs in the unique poem, recently discovered, called “The pityfull Historie of ij loving Italians,” by John Drout, printed in 1570, 8vo. “Then hurly burly did begin,   great rumours straight were raysde.” This is the poem which was entered on the Stationers' registers in 1570, but of which nothing more was known. Malone, from the title, conjectured erroneously that the story related to “Romeo and Juliet.”

Note return to page 52 2Paddock calls:] “Paddock” is the old word for a toad, supposed to be one of the familiars of the Witches, like the cat, Graymalkin, in the preceding line. In the Townley Miracle-play called “Lazarus,” (published by the Surtees Society, p. 325,) we meet with this line, “And ees out of your hede thus-gate shalle paddokes pyke.”

Note return to page 53 3&lblank; a bleeding Soldier.] The “Soldier” is called a Captain in the stage-direction of the old copies; but by the dialogue it appears that he was a Sergeant. Of old, Sergeant seems to have been a considerably higher rank in the army than at present.

Note return to page 54 4&lblank; from the western isles Of Kernes and Gallowglasses is supplied;] We have had “Kernes of Ireland” spoken of in “Henry VI.” part ii. Vol. v. p. 161; and Boswell quotes the following description of Kernes and Gallowglasses from Barnabie Riche's “New Irish Prognostication,” 1624:—“The Galloglas succeedeth the Horseman, and he is commonly armed with a scull, a shirt of maile, and a Galloglas axe: his service in the field is neither good against horsemen, nor able to endure an encounter of pikes, yet the Irish do make great account of them. The Kernes of Ireland are next in request, the very drosse and scum of the countrey, a generation of villaines not worthy to live: these be they that live by robbing and spoiling the poor countreyman, that maketh him many times to buy bread to give unto them, though he want for himself and his poor children. These are they that are ready to run out with every rebel, and these are the very hags of hell, fit for nothing but for the gallows.” Boswell was not aware that the “New Irish Prognostication” is only a reprint, with a different title-page, of Riche's “Description of Ireland,” 1610.

Note return to page 55 5&lblank; damned quarry &lblank;] i. e. His army doomed, or damned, to become the “quarry,” or prey, of his enemies. This is the reading of all the old copies, which was deserted by most editors, although giving an obvious and striking meaning, much more forcible than quarrel, which, at Johnson's instance, they substituted for “quarry.” Respecting “quarry,” see Vol. vi. p. 147.

Note return to page 56 6&lblank; and direful thunders break,] In the folio, 1623, the line ends at “thunders,” and being obviously defective, the folio, 1632, inserted breaking; but the present tense, and not the participle, seems wanting, and Pope, therefore, changed the word to “break.”

Note return to page 57 7Enter Rosse and Angus.] Rosse only speaks, and is spoken of and to; but they both enter, and subsequently execute the commission they had in charge from the king. Modern editors omit Angus, although his name is found in every old stage-direction. It is here restored at the suggestion of Mr. Amyot.

Note return to page 58 8&lblank; Saint Colmes' Inch,] Colmes'-inch, now called Inchcomb, (says Steevens,) is a small island, lying in the Firth of Edinburgh, with an abbey upon it dedicated to St. Columb; called by Camden Inch Colm, or The Isle of Columba.

Note return to page 59 9Aroint thee, witch!] The meaning of the word is quite obvious; viz. begone, or stand off, and it is still used in the Craven district, and generally in the north of England, as well as in Cheshire. In some places it has assumed the form of rynt, but it is the same word. Various conjectures have been indulged respecting its etymology, and Mr. B. Thorpe (whose name as an Anglo-Saxon scholar requires no tributary epithet) suggests to me that it may be from the Latin averrunco, the participle of which has been formed into “aroint,” in the same way that punctum has become point; junctum, joint; or unctum, oint: this is the more plausible, because averrunco is most commonly used in the sense of averting any thing evil, such, for instance, as a witch or witchcraft. We meet with the same word, used in the same way, in “King Lear,” A. iii. sc. 4, “Aroint thee, witch, aroint thee!”

Note return to page 60 1&lblank; ronyon &lblank;] i. e. Scabby or mangy woman. Fr. rogneux, royne, scurf. In “As You Like It,” Vol. iii. p. 29, the adjective roynish is employed, which has the same etymology as “ronyon.”

Note return to page 61 2The weird sisters, hand in hand,] All authorities agree that “weird” (spelt weyward in the folio, 1623) is of Saxon origin, viz. from wyrd, which has the same meaning as the Latin fatum: “weird” is therefore fatal. In the ballad of “The Birth of St. George,” in Percy's “Reliques,” vol. iii. p. 275, edit. 1812, we meet with the expression of “The weird lady of the woods;” and the same word occurs twice in the old Scottish drama of “Philotus,” printed in 1603 and 1612, and reprinted in 1835 for the Bannatyne Club, by John Whitefoord Mackenzie, Esq. As Steevens remarks, Gawin Douglas, in his translation of the Æneid, calls the Parcœ “the weird sisters.”

Note return to page 62 P. 104.&lblank; The weird sisters hand in hand.] Shakespeare as usual obtained his information from Holinshed:—“But afterwards the common opinion was that these women were either the weird sisters, that is (as ye wold say) the goddesses of destinie, or else some nymphes or feiries.”

Note return to page 63 3Are ye fantastical,] i. e. Creatures of fantasy or imagination. In Holinshed it is stated, that Macbeth and Banquo at first reputed the appearance of the witches “some vain, fantastical illusion.”

Note return to page 64 4&lblank; eaten on the insane root,] The “insane root” is hemlock or henbane.

Note return to page 65 5&lblank; As thick as tale, Came post with post;] The old copies read, “Can post with post,” which seems a misprint. The meaning is evident, when we take tale in the sense, not of a narrative, but of an enumeration, from the Sax. telan, to count. Johnson explains the passage correctly in these words:—“Posts arrived as fast as they could be counted.” Rowe read, “as thick as hail,” which may be considered a needless alteration of the text; but it is to be observed, nevertheless, that Southern, in his copy of the folio, 1685, the property of Mr. Holgate, made the same change in manuscript.

Note return to page 66 6&lblank; or not Those in commission yet returned?] The folio of 1632 alters “or” into are, a change which all modern editors have adopted, but without sufficient reason. Duncan asks whether execution has been done on Cawdor, or whether the tidings had not yet been received by the return of those commissioned for the purpose? I owe this restoration to the Rev. Mr. Barry.

Note return to page 67 7The prince of Cumberland!] The crown of Scotland (as Steevens remarks) was originally not hereditary. When the successor was declared in the lifetime of a king, (as was often the case) the title of Prince of Cumberland was immediately bestowed on him as a mark of his designation. Cumberland was at that time held by Scotland of the crown of England as a fief. This incident is from Holinshed.

Note return to page 68 8&lblank; The raven himself is hoarse, That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements.] These lines have produced a good deal of comment, but the meaning seems to be, that Lady Macbeth considers the fate of Duncan so certain, that the ominous raven is hoarse with proclaiming it. Warburton would read, “The raven himself's not hoarse,” which appears to be the direct opposite of what was intended by the poet. Drayton, in his “Barons' Wars,” 1603, b. v. st. 42, has these lines:— “The ominous raven with a dismal cheer, Through his hoarse beak of following horror tells.”

Note return to page 69 9And pall thee &lblank;] i. e. Wrap thyself as in a pall.

Note return to page 70 10Where they most breed &lblank;] All the folios have “must breed;” and there the passage is thus pointed:— “Where they must breed, and haunt: I have observ'd The air is delicate.” Rowe changed must to “most,” and there is little doubt that it was a misprint in the first folio, which the others implicitly followed. Nevertheless, sense might be made out of the passage as it stands in the old copies, supposing Banquo to mean only, that the swallows must breed in their procreant cradles; adding, in the words, “the air is delicate,” his accordance with Duncan's previous remark. In the same speech there is a misprint of barlet for “martlet,” which error is also repeated in the folios, 1632, 1664, and 1685.

Note return to page 71 1How you shall bid God yield us for your pains And thank us for your trouble.] Malone had “no distinct conception” of what was meant by this passage, and Steevens was equally at fault. To us the whole speech seems sufficiently clear: Duncan says, that even love sometimes occasions him trouble, but that he thanks it as love notwithstanding; and that thus he teaches Lady Macbeth, while she takes trouble on his account, to “bid God yield,” or reward, him for giving that trouble.

Note return to page 72 2Enter—a Sewer,] A “sewer” (says Steevens) was an officer, so called from his placing the dishes upon the table. Asseour, French; from asseoir, to place.

Note return to page 73 3&lblank; and catch With his surcease success;] To “surcease” is to finish or conclude, and the meaning, of course, is, “and catch success with its conclusion.”

Note return to page 74 4&lblank; and shoal of time,] The old reading is schoole, which Theobald altered to “shoal;” and perhaps no better suggestion, to cure an obvious error, could be made. “We'd jump the life to come” is, We would take the chance of, or risk, the life to come. See Vol. vi. p. 203.

Note return to page 75 5Like the poor cat i' the adage?] The adage is, “The cat loves fish, but dares not wet her feet.” It is found in the following form in “Adagia Scotica,” &c. collected by R. B. 12mo, 1668, “Ye breed of the cat: ye would fain have fish, but ye have na will to wet your feet.” See “Bridgewater Catalogue,” 1837, p. 2.

Note return to page 76 6Who dares do more is none.] The old folios, instead of “do more,” read “no more.” The correction was made by Southern, in his folio, 1685.

Note return to page 77 7We fail?] This is the punctuation of the folios, 1623, 1632, 1664, and 1685, and in this case, perhaps, we may take it as some evidence of the ancient mode of delivering the two words, “We fail?” interrogatively. Malone substituted a mark of admiration, “We fail!” and Steevens pursued the same course; but it may be doubted by some whether both these modes are not wrong, and that Lady Macbeth means merely to follow up what her husband says, by stating the result of failure, which, however, in the next line, she supposes impossible, if Macbeth be but resolute in his purpose.

Note return to page 78 8Will I with wine and wassel so convince,] i. e. so overcome. The word is again used in the same sense, A. iv. sc. 3; and we have already had it so applied in “Love's Labour's Lost,” Vol. ii. p. 377.

Note return to page 79 9Of our great quell?] To “quell” and to kill are in fact the same word in their origin, from the Saxon crellan. Here “quell” is used substantively.

Note return to page 80 1Enter Banquo, and Fleance, with a torch before him.] This is the old stage-direction, which says nothing about a servant, as in the modern editions. Fleance carried the torch before his father.

Note return to page 81 2There's husbandry in heaven,] i. e. thrift, or frugality in heaven.

Note return to page 82 3Sent forth great largess to your offices.] It is not only needless, but improper, with Malone, to change “offices” of the old copies into officers. There were various “offices” in the residences of the nobility, and servants belonging to each: to send largess to the “offices” in Macbeth's castle, was to give it to the persons employed in them.

Note return to page 83 4If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis, It shall make honour for you.] This passage has occasioned a good deal of discussion, but the sense seems evident: “If (says Macbeth) you shall adhere to my opinion, when that leisure arrives, it shall make honour for you.”

Note return to page 84 5Exeunt Banquo and Fleance.] All the modern editors seem to have forgotten that Fleance had also to quit the stage, and merely note “Exit Banquo.” Fleance, no doubt, stood back while his father and Macbeth were talking together, and he goes out with Banquo, still carrying the torch. This was part of the economy of the old stage, which could not spare a performer merely for the purpose of carrying a torch, which might be borne by Fleance. When Macbeth enters with a servant, the “servant with a torch” is expressly mentioned in the stage-direction of the folios, and Macbeth has to send a necessary message by him to Lady Macbeth—“Go; bid thy mistress,” &c.

Note return to page 85 6And on thy blade, and dudgeon, gouts of blood,] The “dudgeon” is the handle or haft of a dagger: “gouts” of blood are drops of blood, from the Fr. goutte. The word was unusual in this sense.

Note return to page 86 7The curtain'd sleep: witchcraft celebrates] So all the old copies: editors since the time of Davenant (Mr. Knight is an exception) have inserted now before “witchcraft,” but surely injuriously, as regards the effect of the line: it is much more impressive in the original; and, as has been often remarked, we have no right to attempt to improve Shakespeare's versification: if he thought fit to leave the line here with nine syllables, as he has done in other instances, some people may consider him wrong, but nobody ought to venture to correct him.

Note return to page 87 8With Tarquin's ravishing strides,] The folios have sides, out of which it is not easy to extract sense: the objections made to “strides” (which was Pope's word) have been two-fold; first, that it is not the reading of the old copies; and next, that “strides” does not indicate a “stealthy pace,” or moving “like a ghost.” We cannot see the force of the last objection, inasmuch as a person with such a purpose would take “strides,” in order that as few foot-falls as possible might be heard: neither is “strides” inconsistent with secrecy and silence. It was most likely a misprint.

Note return to page 88 9Thou sure and firm-set earth,] In the old copies of 1623 and 1632 it stands sowre, instead of “sure;” but, no doubt, in the MS. from which the tragedy was printed in 1623, the word was written sewre, a not very unusual mode of spelling it at that time; and hence the corruption, which became sour in the folio, 1685.

Note return to page 89 1&lblank; which way they walk,] The folios read, “which they may walk,” obviously wrong. The Rev. Mr. Barry proposes another alteration of the old text, by reading, “where they may walk;” but wh was not used, as he supposes, for a contraction of where in manuscripts of the time: it was sometimes the contraction of “which,” and if we conclude that “they” and “way” had been transposed, and may misprinted for “way,” it gives us the ordinary, and, we apprehend, the correct reading.

Note return to page 90 2Who's there? what, ho!] In the old copies, “Enter Macbeth” is placed above this speech, but he does not in fact enter till afterwards.

Note return to page 91 3&lblank; the ravell'd sleave of care,] “Sleave” silk is coarse unwrought silk. See Vol. vi. p. 110, note 7. This and what follows seem Macbeth's reflections upon sleep, and ought not, therefore, to form part of what he is supposed to have overheard. Compare Griffin's “Fidessa,” sonn. 15. repr. 1815.

Note return to page 92 4Making the green one, red.] The punctuation in the three earliest folios (the fourth folio omits the comma) is that which we have transferred to our text, and such was the ordinary reading until the time of Murphy, who suggested that the passage should be given thus:—“Making the green—one red.” As we have before had occasion to remark, although the old pointing can be no rule, it may be some guide, and we therefore revert to what we consider the natural, and to what was probably the ancient, mode of delivering the words.

Note return to page 93 5&lblank; he should have old turning the key.] The word “old” was a very common augmentative in Shakespeare's time, and hundreds of instances of its use might easily be accumulated.

Note return to page 94 6Ring the bell.] Malone and Steevens omitted these words, on the ground that they were a stage-direction; whereas they are a repetition of Macduff's order to “ring the alarum bell,” and they are moreover necessary to complete the line. Lady Macbeth's speech begins, it is true, with an imperfect hemistich, but such has been the case in many previous instances. If “Ring the bell” had been a stage-direction, it would hardly have been followed by “Bell rings,” as it stands in all the old copies.

Note return to page 95 7Re-enter Macbeth and Lenox.] The folio, 1623, adds “and Rosse” to this stage-direction; but Rosse has not been on the stage in this act, and he is employed in the next scene. We have, therefore, had no difficulty in correcting an error, which runs through the old copies.

Note return to page 96 8Against the undivulg'd pretence I fight] “Pretence” is intention, design, a sense in which the word is often used by Shakespeare. So in the next scene, Rosse asks, “What good could they pretend?”

Note return to page 97 9&lblank; the travailing lamp.] The words travel and travail (observes the Rev. Mr. Barry) have now different meanings, though formerly synonymous. Travelling, the ordinary reading, gives a puerile idea; whereas the poet, by “travailing,” seems to have reference to the struggle between the sun and night, which induces Rosse to ask, “Is't night's predominance, or the day's shame,” &c.

Note return to page 98 1&lblank; that will ravin up] We have had “ravin down” used precisely in the same manner in “Measure for Measure,” Vol. ii. p. 15, “Like rats that ravin down their proper bane.

Note return to page 99 2&lblank; Let your highness Command upon me,] So the old copies, which it seems unnecessary to alter to either Lay, as was done by Davenant in his alteration of “Macbeth,” or to Set, which was recommended by Monck Mason. It is to be admitted, however, that the expression was by no means usual.

Note return to page 100 3&lblank; but we'll take to-morrow.] Malone persisted in changing “take” to talk, but without the slightest pretence, the meaning being quite obvious. This is one of the instances in which opposition to Steevens induced Malone to persevere in a decided error, with what Mr. Amyot truly calls “a parade of misapplied authorities.”

Note return to page 101 4For Banquo's issue have I fil'd my mind:] i. e. Defiled my mind. To “file” is often used for to defile, by elision of the preposition. We meet with it in Rowland's “Looke to It, for Ile Stabbe Yee,” 1604, “He fyle no hands upon thee.”—Sign. D 3 b. Other authorities are needless.

Note return to page 102 5&lblank; the seeds of Banquo kings!] So the old copies, which there is no sufficient reason for abandoning, especially as Macbeth is speaking of Banquo's issue throughout in the plural.

Note return to page 103 6And champion me to the utterance!] i. e. To extremity; à l'outrance, Fr.

Note return to page 104 7&lblank; the valued file] i. e. the “file” or list in which they are valued.

Note return to page 105 8We have scotch'd the snake,] i. e. Wounded it. This word is best illustrated by a passage in “Coriolanus,” Vol. vi. p. 235, “He scotched him and notched him like a carbonado.”

Note return to page 106 9Whom we to gain our peace have sent to peace,] The second folio poorly substitutes place for “peace” in the first instance, perhaps by a misprint.

Note return to page 107 1The shard-borne beetle,] “Shard” is synonymous with scale; and the allusion, probably, is to the scaly wings of the beetle, which bear him through the air. Such is the construction of Steevens, who supports it by the following lines from Gower's Confessio Amantis:— “She sigh, her thought, a dragon tho, Whose scherdes shynen as the sonne.” On the other hand, Tollet argues that “shard-borne” ought to be printed “shard-born,” and that the epithet had reference to the dung or shard in which the beetle was born. Malone was as usual opposed to the construction of Steevens. Ben Jonson, in his “Sad Shepherd,” speaks of “scaly beetles with their habergeons.”

Note return to page 108 2Come, seeling night,] i. e. Blinding. “Seeling” is a term in falconry.

Note return to page 109 3Enter Banquo and Fleance, with a torch.] Here again Fleance carries the torch to light his father; and in the old stage-direction nothing is said about a servant, who would obviously be in the way, when his master was to be murdered. The servant is a merely modern interpolation.

Note return to page 110 4Re-enter Ghost.] It was the opinion of the late Mr. Benjamin Strutt that the Ghost which entered at this point was that of Duncan, and not of Banquo. The folio, 1623, certainly, does not mention whose Ghost made its appearance, but the immediate context, referring again to the absence of Banquo, seems to warrant the ordinary interpretation. Had it been the Ghost of Duncan, the old copies would hardly have failed to give us the information. It merely here states, “Enter Ghost,” having before stated, “Enter the Ghost of Banquo.” Mr. H. C. Robinson, in communicating to me Mr. B. Strutt's notion, supports it by several later portions of the scene, particularly by the passages, “Thy bones are marrowless,” “Thou hast no speculation in those eyes,” and “Take any shape but that;” which are supposed to be applicable to Duncan, who had been long dead, and not to Banquo, who had been very recently murdered. This opinion deserves to be treated with every respect, but it seems rather one of those conjectures in which original minds indulge, than a criticism founded upon a correct interpretation of the text of the author. Macbeth would not address “And dare me to the desert with thy sword” to the shade of the venerable Duncan; and “Thou hast no speculation in those eyes,” &c. is the appearance that eyes would assume just after death. Some have maintained, against the positive evidence of all the old copies, that the first Ghost was that of Duncan.

Note return to page 111 5If trembling I inhabit, then protest me The baby of a girl.] This passage has occasioned much dispute; and supposing the arguments equally balanced, we should prefer the reading of all the old copies. Malone would alter “inhabit then,” to inhibit thee, or forbid thee, which was the meaning of inhibit: according to what we think the true reading, Macbeth means to say, that he will not refuse to meet the Ghost in the desert.

Note return to page 112 6How say'st thou, that Macduff denies his person, At our great bidding?] i. e. What say you to the fact, that Macduff will not come at our command? This is Monck Mason's interpretation, supported by the reply of Lady Macbeth, who had said nothing about the matter, and asks, in ignorance, whether Macduff had been sent to? Macbeth then proceeds to inform her what he had heard “by the way.”

Note return to page 113 7The son of Duncan,] The old copies, sons, obviously wrong.

Note return to page 114 8&lblank; the king,] i. e. Macbeth. The old copy has, their king.

Note return to page 115 9Harper cries,] In all the old folios this name is spelt Harpier. It may be doubted whether it was not a misprint for Harpy, then spelt Harpie. In Marlowe's “Tamberlaine,” 1590, Harpie is misprinted Harper.

Note return to page 116 1Toad that under the cold stone,] The line in the original copies is, “Toad, that under cold stone:” and laying only due and expressive emphasis upon “cold,” it may be doubted whether the line be defective. Pope introduced “the” to complete the metre, and Mr. Amyot thinks that he was right. We unwillingly yield to authority on this point. Steevens read coldest for “cold;” but there seems no reason for preferring the superlative degree, and it is more likely that the definite article dropped out in the printing.

Note return to page 117 2Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,] i. e. a tiger's entrails.

Note return to page 118 3Enter Hecate and other Witches.] The old stage-direction is, “Enter Hecate, and the other three Witches.” What “other three Witches” are intended does not appear: perhaps we ought to read only, “Enter Hecate, and other three Witches;” but that some addition was meant to the three Witches who had been engaged in the incantation is highly probable, if only for the purpose of the song which is given immediately afterwards.

Note return to page 119 4Music and a Song. “Black spirits,” &c.] The following, taken from “The Witch,” by Thomas Middleton, (Works, by the Rev. A. Dyee, vol. iii. p. 328,) is probably the song intended:— “Black spirits, and white,   Red spirits and grey; Mingle, mingle, mingle,   You that mingle may.” Doubtless, it does not belong to Middleton more than to Shakespeare; but it was inserted in both dramas, because it was appropriate to the occasion.

Note return to page 120 5Of nature's germins &lblank;] “Germins” are seeds which have begun to germinate or sprout. Shakespeare uses the word again in “King Lear,” A. iii. sc. 2.

Note return to page 121 6Call 'em: let me see 'em.] Thus it stands in the old copy, in opposition to the practice of some modern actors who lay a peculiar emphasis on them, which could not be meant by the poet, if he wrote the contraction of “'em” for them in both instances, as it is printed in the folios.

Note return to page 122 7&lblank; deftly show.] i. e. Dexterously, or fittingly, from the Sax. dæft.

Note return to page 123 8Apparition, an armed Head.] In the old copies, the Apparitions are distinguished by the figures 1, 2, and 3, meaning the first, second, and third Apparition; and there seems every reason to continue to observe this practice, for the sake of distinctness.

Note return to page 124 9Who can impress the forest;] i. e. Who can “impress” the forest into his service?

Note return to page 125 1Rebellious head, rise never,] “Rebellious dead” runs through the folios: the emendation was first made by Theobald.

Note return to page 126 2&lblank; and Banquo last, with a Glass in his Hand.] Such is the old stage-direction, which, being complete in itself, and applicable to what follows, there is no sufficient reason for altering, as has been done in the modern editions. The first of the show of kings must have resembled “the spirit of Banquo,” as one of his immediate descendants. The crown seared the eye-balls of Macbeth, because it fulfilled the prediction of the Witches respecting Banquo's issue.

Note return to page 127 3&lblank; and thy hair,] Mr. Amyot, with Monck Mason, prefers “hair” to air, which was Warburton's change from the old copies, which all have haire. The likeness was in the “hair,” to which Macbeth's attention was directed by the crown surmounting it. Besides, had air been intended, the pronoun before it would probably have been printed thine, and not “thy:” thine is generally used before words beginning with vowels, or with an h when not aspirated.

Note return to page 128 4&lblank; the blood-bolter'd Banquo &lblank;] The epithet “blood-bolter'd” (says Malone) is a provincial term, well known in Warwickshire. When a horse, sheep, or other animal, perspires much, and any of the hair or wool, in consequence of such perspiration, or any redundant humour, becomes matted in tufts with grime and sweat, he is said to be boltered; and whenever the blood issues out, and coagulates, forming the locks into hard clotted bunches, the beast is said to be “blood-bolter'd.” To this note we may add, that in “Arden of Faversham” the word bolstered is used much in the same sense: Michael says, “Methinkes I see them with their bolstered haire, Staring and grinning in thy gentle face.”

Note return to page 129 5Dies.] There is no such stage-direction in the old copies, which, after this speech by the son, have only “Exit, crying murder;” but the meaning probably is, that only Lady Macduff goes out exclaiming, leaving the boy dead. She is, of course, followed by the assassins.

Note return to page 130 6Bestride our down-fall'n birthdom.] The old copies have down-fall.

Note return to page 131 7You may deserve &lblank;] The folios read discerne, an easy misprint, which Theobald corrected.

Note return to page 132 8The title is affeer'd!] The old copies spell the law term, “affeer'd,” affeared. To affeer, in the proceedings of manor courts, is to confirm; and the meaning of the whole passage is,—“Great tyranny, be thou confident, for goodness dares not oppose thee: do what wrong thou wilt; thy title is confirmed.” Perhaps we ought also to read Thy for “The.”

Note return to page 133 9Than summer-seeming lust;] i. e. probably, “summer-beseeming.” Warburton proposed to read, “summer-teeming;” but the change seems unnecessary. Blackstone recommended “summer-seeding,” and Steevens took “summer-seeming lust” to mean, “lust that seems as hot as summer.”

Note return to page 134 1Scotland hath foisons &lblank;] i. e. Plenty. It is generally used in the singular. We have had “teeming foison,” Vol. ii. p. 21.

Note return to page 135 2&lblank; their malady convinces] i. e. overcomes. See Vol. ii. p. 377. To “convince” is sometimes to convict. See Vol. vi. p. 49.

Note return to page 136 3'Tis call'd the evil;] It is said that Edward the Confessor was the first who touched for the cure of the king's evil, and the power was supposed to descend with the crown. It is certain that Elizabeth and James exercised it, especially the latter; in compliment to whom Shakespeare seems to have inserted this part of the scene, not necessary to the action of the tragedy.

Note return to page 137 4&lblank; should not latch them.] To “latch,” (in the north country dialect,) Steevens informs us, signifies the same as to catch. It has the same meaning in Norfolk, as we find from Holloway's “General Provincial Dictionary.” 1838.

Note return to page 138 5&lblank; fee-grief,] A grief that has a single owner.

Note return to page 139 6Were, on the quarry of these murder'd deer,] A “quarry” was a heap of dead game. See Vol. vi. p. 147.

Note return to page 140 7Whispers the o'er-fraught heart, and bids it break.] The following is from Montaigne's Essays, by Florio, b. i. ch. 2, a work of which it is known Shakespeare had a copy, and of which he certainly elsewhere made use:—“All passions that may be tasted and digested are but mean and slight. “Curæ leves loquuntur, ingentes stupent.   “Light cares can freely speake,   Great cares heart rather breake.”

Note return to page 141 8This tune goes manly.] The folios read, time, which Rowe altered to “tune.” Time could here scarcely be right, even were we to take for granted Gifford's statement (Massinger, vol. ii. p. 261.), that time and tune were, of old, used indifferently. No misprint could be more easy than time for tune, and vice versâ; and perhaps none was more frequently committed.

Note return to page 142 9Enter a Doctor of Physic, and a waiting Gentlewoman.] This is the old stage-direction, but the English “Doctor” introduced in the last scene with Malcolm and Macduff must also have been a Doctor of Physic, though not so described in the old editions.

Note return to page 143 1Ay, but their sense is shut.] Surely it is not necessary to retain the false concord of “their sense are shut.” We should have made an amendment of this description silently, had not Malone endeavoured to justify the printer's error, because perhaps Steevens had corrected it.

Note return to page 144 2My mind she has mated,] i. e. Astonished, confounded. The word has occurred several times before in the same sense. See Vol. ii. p. 142; and Vol. v. p. 159.

Note return to page 145 3shall never sag with doubt,] “Sag” is an old form of swag.

Note return to page 146 4&lblank; patch?] An appellation of contempt, in frequent use, alluding to the patched or particoloured dress of fools. See Vol. ii. p. 136. 426; Vol. vi. p. 54.

Note return to page 147 5Will cheer me ever, or disseat me now.] “Disseat” is, no doubt, the true reading, though some editors would, with the second folio, substitute disease. It is evident that the printer of the folio of 1623 did not understand the line, for he has composed the word “dis-eate.”

Note return to page 148 6&lblank; my way of life] Johnson suggested that we ought to read May for “way,” the M having been inverted; but in that case, “way” would probably have been printed in the folio with a capital W, which is not the fact. “Way of life” is very intelligible.

Note return to page 149 7&lblank; skirr the country round;] i. e. Scour the country round: “skirr” was sometimes spelt scur.

Note return to page 150 8That keep her from her rest.] Malone says that “her” is omitted in the folio of 1623, and inserted in that of 1632. It is to be found in all copies of the folio of 1623 which I have had an opportunity of consulting; and, possibly, he meant to refer to the next speech, “Cure her of that,” where “her” is left out in the folio, 1623, and supplied in that of 1632.

Note return to page 151 9Cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous stuff,] We have, of course, no warrant for altering the text of this line as it stands in the old copies, though the repetition of “stuff'd” and “stuff” is certainly disagreeable to the ear. Steevens would change “stuff'd” to foul; but it does not seem to have struck the commentators that the error, if any, rather lies in the last word of the line, which, perhaps, the printer mistook, having composed “stuff'd” just before. It is vain to speculate what word to substitute, but from its position it need not necessarily be of one syllable only.

Note return to page 152 1&lblank; seena,] The old copies read, cyme. No such drug appears to be known, and Rowe corrected it to “senna.”

Note return to page 153 2and my fell of hair] “Fell” is skin, and is still in use in the word “fell-monger.” I am indebted to Mr. Barron Field for a very happy emendation of an obviously corrupt passage in “Midsummer's-Night's Dream,” Vol. ii. p. 460, which, as it relates to the word “fell,” in the sense of skin or hide, I may insert here, regretting that the suggestion was not in time to be added in the proper place. The lines usually run thus:— “Then know, that I, one Snug the joiner, am A lion fell, nor else no lion's dam.” Mr. Field amends them as follows:— “Then know that I, one Snug the joiner, am A lion's fell, nor else no lion's dam.” “Fell” has hitherto, as he states, been erroneously taken in the sense of cruel, “A lion fell;” but the insertion of a single letter, which had accidentally dropped out in the press, makes the whole perspicuous: Snug informing the ladies, who were likely to be frightened, that he was not “a lion fell,” but merely “a lion's fell,” or a man in the skin of a lion.

Note return to page 154 3The queen, my lord, is dead.] We must suppose, that Seyton has gone to what we now call “the wing” of the stage to inquire.

Note return to page 155 4The way to dusty death.] Shakespeare was not the first to apply the epithet “dusty” to death. Anthony Copley, in his “Fig for Fortune,” 1596, has this line:— “Inviting it to dusty death's defeature.” There can be no doubt it is the right word, although the second folio reads “study death,” and Warburton would read dusky. None of the commentators appear to have found an instance of the coupling of the two words “dusty death.”

Note return to page 156 5The wood began to move.] So in Deloney's ballad in praise of Kentish-men, published in “Strange Histories,” 1607, (reprinted by the Perey Society) they conceal their numbers by the boughs of trees:— “For when they spied his approach,   in place as they did stand, Then marched they to hem him in   each one a bough in hand. “So that unto the Conqueror's sight,   amazed as he stood, They seemed to be a walking grove,   or els a mooving wood.”—P. 7. This ballad was written, unquestionably, before the year 1600.

Note return to page 157 6Till famine cling thee:] “Cling” is a word to which it is difficult to assign a precise meaning. The commentators have adduced various passages from other authors, which show that most of them used it in different senses. Steevens says, that “clung, in the northern counties, signifies any thing that is shrivelled or shrunk up.” In Craven, when a wet bladder is empty, and it therefore collapses, it is said to cling, and the word is there also figuratively used for hungry or empty. See Holloway's “General Provincial Dictionary,” 1838. In Sir F. Madden's admirable Glossary to “Syr Gawayne,” 4to, 1839, clenged is interpreted “contracted or shrunk with cold.” “Till famine cling thee” may therefore mean, “till famine shrink thee.”

Note return to page 158 7&lblank; wretched kernes,] The word “kernes” seems here used with greater licence than usual, as mercenaries. See Vol. v. p. 161.

Note return to page 159 8Seems bruited.] i. e. Noised or reported. See Vol. vi. p. 584.

Note return to page 160 9Exeunt, fighting.] According to the stage-direction of the folio, Macbeth and Macduff re-enter fighting, and Macbeth is slain before the audience. This seems hardly consistent with what afterwards occurs, when, according to the old copies, Macduff returns to the stage with Macbeth's head.

Note return to page 161 The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet Prince of Denmarke By William Shake-speare. As it hath beene diuerse times acted by his Highnesse seruants in the Cittie of London: as also in the two Vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxford, and else-where. At London printed for N. L. and Iohn Trundell. 1603. 4to. 33 leaves. The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke. By William Shakespeare. Newly imprinted and enlarged to almost as much againe as it was, according to the true and perfect Coppie. At London, Printed by I. R. for N. L. and are to be sold at his shoppe vnder Saint Dunstons Church in Fleetstreet. 1604. 4to. 51 leaves. The title-page of the edition of 1605 does not differ in the most minute particular from that of 1604. The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmarke. By William Shakespeare. Newly imprinted and enlarged to almost as much againe as it was, according to the true and perfect Coppy. At London, Printed for Iohn Smethwicke and are to be sold at his shoppe in Saint Dunstons Church yeard in Fleetstreet. Vnder the Diall. 1611. 4to. 51 leaves. The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmarke. Newly Imprinted and inlarged, according to the true and perfect Copy lastly Printed. By William Shakespeare. London, Printed by W. S. for Iohn Smethwicke, and are to be sold at his Shop in Saint Dunstans Church-yard in Fleetstreet: Vnder the Diall. 4to. 51 leaves. This undated edition was probably printed in 1607, as it was entered at Stationers' Hall on Nov. 19, in that year. An impression, by R. Young, in 4to, 1637, has also John Smethwicke at the bottom of the title-page. In the folio of 1623, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke,” occupies thirty-one pages, in the division of “Tragedies;” viz. from p. 152 to p. 280, inclusive, there being a mistake of 100 pages between p. 156 and what ought to have been p. 157.

Note return to page 162 1Dr. Farmer had an imperfect copy of it, but it is preserved entire among Capell's books in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge, and was printed in 1608, by Richard Bradocke, for Thomas Pavier. “There can be little doubt that it had originally come from the press considerably before the commencement of the seventeenth century, although the multiplicity of readers of productions of the kind, and the carelessness with which such books were regarded after perusal, has led to the destruction, as far as can now be ascertained, of every earlier copy.”—Introduction to Part IV. of “Shakespeare's Library.”

Note return to page 163 2Belleforest derived his knowledge of the incidents from the History of Denmark, by Saxo Grammaticus, first printed in 1514.

Note return to page 164 3We give the date of 1587 on the excellent authority of the Rev. A. Dyee, (Greene's Works, vol.i. pp. xxxvii. and ciii.) We have never been able to meet with any impression earlier than that of 1589. Sir Egerton Brydges reprinted the tract from the edition of 1616, (when its name had been changed to “Green's Arcadia,”) in “Archaica,” vol. i.

Note return to page 165 P. 193.&lblank; and we heard him broach them some years before the Lectures Ueber Dramatische Kunst and Litteratur were published] It is fit to add, that Goethe, in his “Wilhelm Meister,” had promulgated the leading notions of Schlegel, on the character of Hamlet, many years earlier.

Note return to page 166 1No copy of the tragedy, before the time of Rowe, has a list of the characters.

Note return to page 167 1Long live the king!] This sentence appears to have been the watch-word given in answer to the demand of Francisco, “Nay, answer me,” he being already on the watch.

Note return to page 168 2I think, I hear them.—Stand, ho! Who is there?] In all the quartos, that of 1603 excepted, this is a complete line: the folio of 1623 gives the latter part of it, “Stand: who's there?”

Note return to page 169 3&lblank; honest soldier:] The quarto, 1604, has soldiers; but only one was departing. It is followed by the later quartos, but the error is corrected in the folio, 1623.

Note return to page 170 4&lblank; to-night?] In all the quartos, that of 1603 excepted, this line is assigned to Horatio, who had come purposely to inquire about the ghost. The folio, 1623, gives it to Marcellus.

Note return to page 171 5&lblank; it harrows me &lblank;] One of the senses of “to harrow” is to overthrow or subdue, and some lexicographers have contended that it is more properly spelt harry. The verb occurs with a different meaning afterwards. The quarto, 1603, reads, “it horrors me,” &c.

Note return to page 172 6&lblank; the sledded Polacks &lblank;] i. e. the sledged Polanders; “Polacks” (spelt Pollax) was the name by which they were known in Shakespeare's time.

Note return to page 173 7&lblank; and jump at this dead hour,] So every quarto: the folio explains the meaning of “jump” by substituting just. See also Act v. sc. 2. “Jump” was frequently used for just, as in Chapman's “May Day,” 1611:— “Your appointment was jump at three.”

Note return to page 174 8&lblank; such daily cast &lblank;] Every quarto prints “cast,” cost: the folio, 1623, corrects the probable error.

Note return to page 175 9&lblank; as by the same co-mart, And carriage of the article design'd,] The folio, 1623, has cov'nant and design, for “co-mart” and “design'd.” The latter improvement was not made till the folio, 1623. The quartos have “co-mart.”

Note return to page 176 1Of unimproved mettle &lblank;] The quarto, 1603, reads, inapproved, i. e. unproved; which may have been the true reading, but all the other quartos and folios have “unimproved.”

Note return to page 177 2&lblank; lawless resolutes,] So every quarto, including that of 1603: the folio, probably by an error, gives it “landless resolutes.”

Note return to page 178 3And terms compulsative,] So the folio, 1623, which suits the measure better than, “And terms compulsatory” of the quartos.

Note return to page 179 4I think, it be no other, but e'en so:] This and the seventeen following lines are not in the folio, nor is any trace of them to be found in the earliest quarto, that of 1603. They are, however, contained in all the subsequent quarto editions.

Note return to page 180 5Well may it sort,] i. e. agree or accord. See Vol. v. p. 257; and Vol. vi. p. 16.

Note return to page 181 6As, stars with trains of fire and dews of blood, Disasters in the sun;] There is evidently some corruption here, which it is perhaps impossible now to set right. Malone imagined, that a line had been accidentally omitted. We suspect also that “disasters” may be a misprint, the compositor having been misled in some way by the words “as stars” in the line immediately preceding.

Note return to page 182 7&lblank; of fierce events] So some of the later quartos: that of 1604 has “feare events,” and perhaps the true word was fear'd.

Note return to page 183 8Stay, illusion!] At these words there is a stage-direction in the edition of 1604, copied into the later quartos, which seems to show the action used by the Ghost: the words are, “It spreads his arms.” Lower down, just before the Ghost disappears again, the stage-direction in the quartos (likewise omitted in the folios) is, “The Cock crows.”

Note return to page 184 9Shall I strike at it &lblank;] The word “at” is omitted in the quartos; and in a preceding line they read, “your spirits,” for “you spirits.”

Note return to page 185 10&lblank; trumpet to the morn,] The folio has day for “morn;” but the cock is the trumpet to the “morn,” and not to the day; and we have not only “day” just afterwards, but it seems used in such a manner as to show that “morn” (found in all the quartos but that of 1603, which has morning) is the true reading.

Note return to page 186 1&lblank; no spirit dares stir abroad,] So all the quartos, but the first of 1603, which has “dare walk:” the folio, can walk. Lower down, the folio has “the time,” for “that time” of the quartos; but it seems right in substituting “eastern” for eastward.

Note return to page 187 2No fairy takes.] Talks in the folio. To “take” is to blast or infect.

Note return to page 188 3&lblank; jointress of this warlike state,] The quartos read to for “of.”

Note return to page 189 4Thus much the business is:] All the preceding part of this speech is not found in the quarto, 1603.

Note return to page 190 5For bearers of this greeting &lblank;] The folio, 1623, less correctly, “For bearing,” &c. The later folios, as usual, copy the first.

Note return to page 191 6My dread lord,] So every quarto but the first, which reads, “My gracious lord:” the folio, 1623, “Dread my lord,” which was not by any means an unusual form of expression.

Note return to page 192 7&lblank; wrung from me my slow leave,] This and the two following lines are in the quarto, 1604, and in every subsequent edition in that form, but not in the folios: the quarto, 1603, reads, “He hath, my lord, wrung from me a forc'd grant, And, I beseech you, grant your highness' leave.”

Note return to page 193 8A little more than kin, and less than kind.] This expression seems to have been proverbial. In Rowley's “Search for Money,” 1609, (reprinted for the Percy Society) we meet with the following:—“I would he were not so near to us in kindred; then sure he would be nearer in kindness.” —Sign. B.

Note return to page 194 9&lblank; cast thy nighted colour off,] The quarto, 1603, has no corresponding passage, and all the other quartos have “nighted,” which the folio, 1623, injuriously alters to nightly.

Note return to page 195 1&lblank; thy vailed lids] To “vail” was to lower. See Vol. vi. p. 201, and various previous instances there referred to.

Note return to page 196 2&lblank; good mother,] So the folio, 1623, and no doubt rightly. Boswell informs us that “the quarto” reads “cool mother:” no quarto that I have seen so reads; but the quarto, 1604, has “coold mother,” which the quarto, 1611, changes to could smother, in which it is followed by the subsequent quarto impression. In the quarto, 1603, the whole speech is addressed to the king:—“My lord, 'tis not the sable suit I wear,” &c. The quarto, 1604, lower down, reads, “chapes of grief,” subsequently altered to “shapes of grief,” excepting in the folio, 1623, which has “shows.” In the next line, the quarto, 1604, having the letter n, in “denote,” turned, led some of the printers of the later quartos to suppose that the word devout was intended.

Note return to page 197 3To do obsequious sorrow:] i. e. sorrow as at obsequies. See Vol. v. pp. 270 and 352.

Note return to page 198 4And the king's rouse &lblank;] i. e. carouse: the word “rouse” was often used: and Brand, in his “Popular Antiquities, vol. ii. p. 228, (as Todd remarks) tells us that as late as the reign of Charles II. “the Danish rowsa” was notorious in this country. This may be the same as the German rausch, drunkenness, and hence “rouse” and carouse.

Note return to page 199 5&lblank; resolve itself into a dew;] “Resolve” is dissolve. See Vol. iv. p. 92.

Note return to page 200 6His canon 'gainst self-slaughter!] The quartos 1604, &c., read “seale-slaughter.” The same remark will apply to “weary,” in the next line, which is misprinted wary. The folio is right in both places.

Note return to page 201 7Fie on't! O fie!] The folio, 1623, to the injury of the metre, and in opposition to the quartos, reads, “Fie on't! O fie fie!”

Note return to page 202 8That he might not beteem the winds of heaven] To “beteem” here is to permit or suffer: the word has occurred in a different sense in “Midsummer-Night's Dream,” Vol. ii. p. 395, being there to be taken as the provincial word teem, which is still used for pour out in the North of England. It stands beteen in the three earliest folios, and between in the fourth, which Southern in his copy altered to permit, as indeed Rowe printed it. The quartos (excepting that of 1603, where the line is wanting) have “beteem.”

Note return to page 203 9I would not hear &lblank;] So the quartos: the folio, “I would not have.”

Note return to page 204 1We'll teach you to drink deep, ere you depart.] So the quarto, 1603, and the folio, 1623: the later quartos have the line, “We'll teach you for to drink ere you depart.” Three lines farther on, some of the quartos (including those of 1604 and 1611) omit “see.”

Note return to page 205 2&lblank; dearest foe in heaven] “Dearest” is here direst. See Vol. iii. p. 409, where this line is quoted.

Note return to page 206 3Ere ever I had seen &lblank;] The quarto, 1603, and the folio, 1623, (the last with a slight transposition) have “Ere ever,” the later quartos, “Or ever,” which is equivalent. Malone objects to the folio, that it substitutes a modern for an ancient form of expression, not being, of course, aware that “Ere ever” was warranted by the oldest known copy of this play. Besides, ”ere ever” is perhaps as ancient an expression as “or ever.”

Note return to page 207 4In the dead vast and middle of the night,] This is the line as it stands in the quarto, 1603; and if that edition had afforded us no other correction of a misprint in the other quartos and folios, its high value would, we think, have been established. Hitherto the reading has been, “In the dead waist and middle of the night;” the word waist having been printed wast or waste in all the old copies subsequent to that of 1603. Few corruptions could be more easy than for the compositor to substitute w for v. The word “vast” is here used in the same sense as in “The Tempest,” A. i. sc. 2, &lblank; “urchins Shall, for that vast of night that they may work, All exercise on thee.” “Vast of night” means the vacancy or void of night; and in the line in our text, “the dead vast and middle of the night” is the silent vacancy of midnight. To take wast of the quarto, 1604, &c. in the sense of the waist, or middle of a person, is to impute mere tautology to Shakespeare, instead of the fine meaning derived from the supposition, that his reference is to the deserted emptiness and stillness of midnight. See also note 2 to “Winter's Tale,” Vol. iii. p. 430. I may add, that I am entirely seconded by Mr. Amyot and Mr. Barron Field in this alteration.

Note return to page 208 5Armed at point,] So all the quartos, excepting that the quarto, 1603, has “Armed to point.” The folio, 1623, substitutes “Arm'd at all points.”

Note return to page 209 6&lblank; whilst, they, distill'd] Every quarto has “distill'd,” and the folio bestil'd. It was probably a mere misprint, and so Southern considered it in his copy of the folio, 1685.

Note return to page 210 7Indeed, indeed, sirs,] All the quartos, but the first, omit the second “indeed.” Farther on, the same remark will apply to the repetition of “very like.”

Note return to page 211 P. 211.&lblank; he wore his beaver up.] The Rev. Mr. Goodchild refers us to a passage in the Diary of Archbishop Laud, (quoted in Wood's Athenæ by Bliss, vol. ii. p. 433) by which it seems that he meant by “wearing the beaver up,” that the face was covered by it. This is not quite clear, but the fact may be, that the beaver was sometimes made to rise from below, and sometimes to fall from above, for the protection of the face; and hence “he wore his beaver up” might mean that his countenance was not exposed. Such, however,is clearly not the meaning of Shakespeare here.

Note return to page 212 8His beard was grizzled?] So every quarto: the folios, grisly.

Note return to page 213 9I warrant it will.] The folio inserts you after “warrant,” to the injury of the metre. “Warrant” is to be pronounced as one syllable, or in the time of one syllable; and so it is printed in every quarto subsequent to that of 1603, which has the word at length.

Note return to page 214 1Let it be tenable in your silence still;] The folio misprints “tenable,” as it stands in the quartos, treble. The quarto, 1603, spells the word tenible.

Note return to page 215 2The perfume and suppliance of a minute;] Tho folio strangely omits the words “perfume and,” absolutely necessary to the line.

Note return to page 216 3The virtue of his will:] So every quarto: the folios have fear for “will,” which last is evidently the right word. The compositor, perhaps, caught fear from the end of the line. “Besmirch,” in the previous line, is a word which has frequently occurred before (Vol. ii. pp. 235. 246; Vol. iii. p. 26; and Vol. iv. p. 542) with the same meaning, viz., soiled or sullied.

Note return to page 217 4For he himself is subject to his birth.] This line is only in the folios. The quarto, 1603, has no trace of it, and the whole speech of Laertes is there much abridged.

Note return to page 218 5The safety and health of this whole state;] We follow the quartos, 1604, &c.: the folio is very incorrectly printed in this part of the scene, and reads, “The sanctity and health of the weole state.” “Safety” was often of old, as in this line, pronounced as a trisyllable.

Note return to page 219 6&lblank; his particular act and place,] So the quartos, 1604, &c. The folio reads, peculiar sect and force;” but there is little doubt that it is a misreading. Sect and force may be strained into a meaning, but “act and place” require no such effort.

Note return to page 220 7And recks not his own read.] i. e. And cares not for his own counsel or advice. “Read” was used of old both as a substantive and a verb.

Note return to page 221 8Look thou character:] i. e. Look thou imprint, as in characters. The folio has, “See thou character.”

Note return to page 222 9&lblank; with hoops of steel;] Malone would substitute hooks for “hoops,” without any authority. The oldest quarto has, “with a hoop of steel,” and all the others, and the folios, “with hoops of steel.” Lower down the quartos have courage for “comrade,” and the folio unhatch'd for “new-hatch'd.”

Note return to page 223 1Are of a most select and generous chief in that.] The meaning perhaps is, “Are of a most select and generous rank and station, chiefly in that.” Malone, however, thought that “chief” might here be used as in heraldry.

Note return to page 224 2The time invites you:] Every quarto but the first, where the passage is wanting, has, “The time invests you:” the folio “invites.”

Note return to page 225 3Wronging it thus,] The folios read, “Roaming it thus,” and the quartos, 1604, &c. “Wrong it thus.” Possibly the true reading may have been, “Running it thus.” Warburton printed “Wringing it thus,” and Coleridge (Lit. Rem. vol. ii. p. 217) suspected that “wronging” was used much in the same sense as wringing or wrenching.

Note return to page 226 4With almost all the holy vows of heaven.] The folio reads poorly, and lamely, “With all the vows of heaven.” Our text is that of the quartos.

Note return to page 227 5Lends the tongue vows: these blazes, daughter,] The folio has Gives for “Lends” of all the quartos: the last is to be preferred, if on no other account, because the next line begins with “Giving.” Coleridge did not doubt (Lit. Rem. vol. ii. p. 217) “that a spondee had dropped out in this line,” but we have had many previous examples of eight-syllable lines, and the old copies are uniform in the text.

Note return to page 228 6From this time,] So the quartos, 1604, &c. “Fire” is to be read as a dissyllable: the folio has, “For this time, daughter,” which is clearly wrong.

Note return to page 229 7Not of that die &lblank;] So every quarto but that of 1603, which does not contain the passage. The folios, “Not of the eye,” probably a mere misprint: the “die” has reference to the “investments,” or vestments.

Note return to page 230 8&lblank; and pious bonds,] Theobald, with great plausibility, and with reference to “brokers” just above, read bawds for “bonds;” but as the text is intelligible without alteration, we make none.

Note return to page 231 9&lblank; any moment leisure,] i. e. any leisure moment. The old copies, quarto and folio, are uniform in this text, and modern editors uniform in varying from it. At the same time it is to be admitted, that “any moment's leisure” would not be objectionable, if change were required.

Note return to page 232 10&lblank; it is very cold.] So all the quartos, and no doubt rightly. The folio absurdly makes it a question, “is it very cold?” after Hamlet has himself complained that “the air bites shrewdly.”

Note return to page 233 1&lblank; and Ordnance shot off, within.] The folios have no stage-direction here: in the quarto, 1604, it is, “and 2 pieces go off:” perhaps the theatre had only two pieces belonging to it.

Note return to page 234 2This heavy-headed revel, east and west] This and the twenty-one following lines are not in the folio, nor is there any trace of them in the quarto, 1603, but they are inserted in all the other quarto editions. Possibly they never formed part of the acted play, as James I. was married to a Danish Princess, and the King of Denmark twice visited this country early in the reign of the successor of Elizabeth. Mr. Barron Field thinks that “the disquisition is too long and calm for the awful occasion, and that Shakespeare may have desired it to be left out by the performer on this account.” Both reasons may have had their influence.

Note return to page 235 3They clepe us drunkards,] i. e. “they call us drunkards;” from the Sax. clypian. See Vol. ii. p. 291.

Note return to page 236 4Their virtues else &lblank;] In all the old copies it is “His virtues else”—corrected by Theobald.

Note return to page 237 5To his own scandal.] This sentence in the 4to. 1604, stands thus:— &lblank; “the dram of eale Doth all the noble substance of a doubt To his own scandal.” Some corruption is evident, but the text, as we have given it, affords a distinct and consistent meaning: it is easy to see how “ill” might be misprinted eale, and “often dout” of a doubt, the compositor having taken the passage by his ear only: indeed a stronger proof of the kind could hardly be pointed out. To “dout” is of course to do out, to destroy or extinguish, and the word is still not out of use in some parts of the kingdom, particularly in the north. See Holloway's “General Provincial Dictionary,” 1838.

Note return to page 238 6Be thy intents &lblank;] The folio, 1623, reads “Be thy events.” Those who profess to adhere to the first folio have frequently left important variations unnoticed, though materially affecting the authority of that edition.

Note return to page 239 7O! answer me:] The folio, 1623, thus repeats the interjection, to the injury of this most impressive line, “O! O! answer me.”

Note return to page 240 8quietly in-urn'd,] The quartos, including that of 1603, have “quietly interr'd:” the folio as in our text.

Note return to page 241 9The Ghost beckons.] This stage-direction is in every old copy, though omitted in every modern one.

Note return to page 242 1It waves you &lblank;] So every quarto: the folio, wafts. But Hamlet, just below, according to the same edition, says, “It waves me forth again.”

Note return to page 243 2&lblank; then, will I follow it.] So the quarto, 1603, and the folio: the other quartos, “I will.”

Note return to page 244 3And hears it roar beneath.] This and the three preceding lines are only in the quartos, 1604, &c. In the second line of the speech the folio has sonnet for “summit.”

Note return to page 245 4&lblank; of him that lets me:] i. e. that hinders or prevents me. See Vol. vi. p. 409. The word hardly requires a note.

Note return to page 246 5Whither wilt thou lead me?] The folio, in opposition to every quarto, prints Where. “Whither,” like whether, as we have seen in various instances, (Vol. ii. p. 149; Vol. v. p. 173, &c.) is to be pronounced in the time of a mono-syllable. It is sometimes so printed.

Note return to page 247 6So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear.] This and the preceding speech are quoted in Beaumont and Fletcher's “Woman Hater,” 1607. See Dyce's Beaumont and Fletcher, vol. i. p. 37.

Note return to page 248 7Thy knotted &lblank;] So every quarto: the folio has knotty.

Note return to page 249 8Like quills upon the fretful porcupine:] Here again we see the quarto, 1603, confirming the folio. Every other quarto edition has fearful for “fretful,” which last is the word in the folio, 1623.

Note return to page 250 9&lblank; List, list, O list!] So the quartos, 1604, &c. The folio injures the metre, by reading, “List, Hamlet, O, list!”

Note return to page 251 10Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift] Both the measure and the grammar of this line are spoiled in the folio, by the needless repetition of haste, and the omission of I.

Note return to page 252 1That roots itself &lblank;] The quarto, 1603, and all the other quartos, have “roots:” the folio, probably by a misprint, rots.

Note return to page 253 2&lblank; with traitorous gifts,] The folio reads corruptly, as the sense and the quartos show, “hath traitorous gifts.”

Note return to page 254 3&lblank; what a falling-off was there!] The earlier quartos omit “a,” which is found in the folio, and in the quarto, 1637.

Note return to page 255 4Will sate itself &lblank;] Even the errors of the quarto, 1603, are sometimes of importance. The quarto, 1604, and others, read, “Will sort itself,” and the folio, 1623, “Will sate itself,” while the quarto, 1603, has fate for “sate;” the error, as usual, having arisen from the printer mistaking a long s for an f.

Note return to page 256 5My custom always in the afternoon,] So the folio, supported by the quarto, 1603. The later quartos read of for “in.”

Note return to page 257 6&lblank; it doth posset] The word is not found in the quarto, 1603: the later quartos have possess: “posset” is the reading of the folio.

Note return to page 258 7&lblank; like eager droppings &lblank;] In the beginning of Sc. 4 we have had “eager” used in a somewhat similar sense: “it is a nipping and an eager air.” In this place in the folio it is spelt aygre, according to its French etymology. In his “Letter from Kenilworth,” 1575, Laneham tells us that a fool, who was put out of countenance, became “very wayward, eager, and sour.”

Note return to page 259 8bark'd about.] Here the quarto, 1603, comes again to our aid: it has “bark'd,” which is the reading of all the other quartos, and no doubt the right word, though in the folio it is misprinted bak'd, for which some editors contend.

Note return to page 260 9&lblank; at once despatch'd:] The word deprived, in the quarto, 1603, seems on some accounts preferable, but it is supported by no other authority.

Note return to page 261 1Unhousel'd, disappointed, unanel'd;] “Unhousel'd” is without having received the sacrament: “disappointed” is unappointed or unprepared; and “unanel'd” is unoiled, without extreme unction. In the quarto, 1604, (the earliest that contains the word) it is spelt unanueld.

Note return to page 262 2&lblank; most horrible!] Johnson recommended that this line should be transferred to Hamlet, and Garrick so repeated it; but that it was not so intended by the poet, is proved by every old copy, including the quarto, 1603. One reason stated by Johnson for assigning it to the hero was, that the speech of the Ghost was too long uninterrupted for the practice of the stage: according to the earliest copy of the play, Hamlet here interposed the interjection of “O God!” but it is found in no other edition.

Note return to page 263 3Adieu, Adieu! Hamlet, remember me.] This is the line in the folio: it differs from that in the quartos by having “Hamlet,” instead of adieu repeated a third time. It is so far supported by the quarto, 1603, that we find “Hamlet” in the line there, in addition to “adieu, adieu, adieu!”

Note return to page 264 4&lblank; bear me stiffly up!] The quarto, 1603, has not the passage: the other quartos read corruptly, “Bear me swiftly up.”

Note return to page 265 5My tables,—meet it is, I set it down,] The folio needlessly repeats “My tables,” and just above it inserts “yes” twice, in both cases to the injury of the metre, as it stands in the quartos.

Note return to page 266 6&lblank; come, bird, come.] An exclamation used by falconers. In the quartos it stands “boy, come and come.” There also the short speeches are somewhat differently distributed, but we have followed the folio, where the arrangement seems preferable.

Note return to page 267 7Look you,] These words are only in the folio impressions.

Note return to page 268 8&lblank; but wild and whirling words,] The folio has hurling: we adopt “whirling” not merely because it is the reading of the quartos, 1604, &c., but because it is found also in the 4to. 1603.

Note return to page 269 9&lblank; art thou there, true-penny?] “True-penny” was used by other authors besides Shakespeare, by Nash, for instance, in his “Almond for a Parrot.” It is (as I learn from Mr. Pryme, Mr. Kennedy of Sheffield, and other authorities) a mining term, and signifies a particular indication in the soil of the direction in which ore is to be found. Hence Hamlet may with propriety address the Ghost under ground by that name.

Note return to page 270 1Never to speak of this that you have heard, Swear by my sword.] In the quartos, 1604, &c. “Swear by my sword” precedes the line “Never to speak,” &c. In the quarto, 1603, and in the folio, the order is reversed, and the passage stands as in our text. In the later quartos also the Ghost afterwards says, “Swear by his sword,” and not merely “Swear,” as in the two previous instances. In the next line, the folio has ground, for “earth” of every anterior copy.

Note return to page 271 2&lblank; in your philosophy.] So every quarto, that of 1603 included: the folio, 1623, first introduced our.

Note return to page 272 3&lblank; this not to do,] So the folio, and so the quarto, 1603: the other quartos, “this do swear.”

Note return to page 273 4Enter Polonius and Reynaldo.] The later quartos read, “Enter old Polonius with his man or two.” The quarto, 1603, “Enter Corambis and Montano.”

Note return to page 274 5'Faith, no;] The quartos, 1604, &c. omit the negative.

Note return to page 275 6And, I believe, it is a fetch of warrant.] So the folio. The quarto, 1604, reads, “a fetch of wit.” Either may be right.

Note return to page 276 7By the mass,] In the folio, 1623, this exclamation is omitted as an oath. We have often seen that it is far from consistent in this particular.

Note return to page 277 8As “friend or so,” and “gentleman.”] These words are only in the folio impressions. In the next line but one, the folio needlessly inserts with you after “closes,” not found in any of the older copies.

Note return to page 278 9&lblank; this carp of truth:] All the folios have “cape of truth.”

Note return to page 279 10Alas, my lord!] The quartos, “O my lord, my lord,” and in the next line but one, closet for “chamber:” the quarto, 1603, has not the passage, but begins “O, my dear father! such a change in nature.”

Note return to page 280 1Come, go with me:] The folio omits “Come,” and in this part of the scene it is ill printed: for instance, in the next speech of Polonius, it has speed for “heed,” and fear for “fear'd.”

Note return to page 281 2I had not quoted him:] i. e. noted or observed him. See Vol. iv. p. 74. Vol. vi. pp. 106, 393.

Note return to page 282 3By heaven,] The Master of the Revels seems to have been especially scrupulous, and in the folio we find “It seems” substituted for “By heaven.”

Note return to page 283 4&lblank; than hate to utter love.] After this couplet the quartos, 1604, &c. add “Come.”

Note return to page 284 5I cannot dream of:] So the quartos, 1604, &c. The folio has deem for “dream.” In the next line but one, the folio has “humour” for haviour of the quartos. “Humour” seems preferable.

Note return to page 285 6Whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus.] This line, absolutely necessary to the sense, and found in all the quartos subsequent to that of 1603, is omitted in the folio.

Note return to page 286 7But we both obey &lblank;] “But,” necessary to complete the preceding hemistich, is only in the quartos. In the next line but one, the folio, to the injury of the metre, reads services for “service.”

Note return to page 287 8Ay, amen!] The folio omits “Ay,” obviously required for the line.

Note return to page 288 9&lblank; one to my gracious king:] The folio prints one for “and” of the quartos, and probably rightly.

Note return to page 289 1As it hath us'd to do,] So the quartos, 1604, &c. properly: the folio, “As I have us'd to do.”

Note return to page 290 2&lblank; the fruit to that great feast.] The folios, by a printer's error, “My news shall be the news to that great feast.”

Note return to page 291 3&lblank; my dear Gertrude,] The folios, “my sweet queen, that.”

Note return to page 292 4&lblank; our o'erhasty marriage.] The quartos have only “our hasty marriage.”

Note return to page 293 5Therefore, since brevity &lblank;] The quartos, 1604, &c., omit “since.”

Note return to page 294 6Thus:] “These” in the folio; but probably a misprint for “Thus” of the quartos.

Note return to page 295 7Or given my heart a winking,] The quartos have working for “winking” of the folio, which seems the better reading.

Note return to page 296 8&lblank; out of thy star,] All the old copies, quarto and folio, anterior to the folio of 1632, read “out of thy star:” even the quarto, 1603, has it so; but the editor of the folio, 1632, altered it to “sphere.” “Star” is probably to be taken as destiny. In the next line we also follow the folio, 1623, preferring “precepts” to prescripts. Lower down the folio reads “repulsed,” and the quartos repell'd. The two first changes are in the quarto, 1637, but it generally follows the other quartos.

Note return to page 297 9And all we wail for.] So the folio, which we also adhere to in the two next speeches, which slightly vary from those in the quartos.

Note return to page 298 9But keep a farm,] The folio reads “And keep a farm,” &c.

Note return to page 299 1Excellent well;] The folio spoils the line, if line were intended, by repeating “excellent.”

Note return to page 300 2&lblank; out of ten thousand.] So every quarto. The folio has “two thousand.”

Note return to page 301 3&lblank; being a good kissing carrion,] Warburton's note, and Johnson's eulogy of it, seem to have led most subsequent editors from the old text in this place without sufficient consideration. The passage is not found in the quarto, 1603, (where, by the way, the scene is transposed) and in every other old impression, quarto and folio, the words are, “being a good kissing carrion,” and not “being a god, kissing carrion,” as Warburton gave them. “Good” could hardly have been a misprint for God, as in the latter case it would most likely have been written with a capital letter. Coleridge considered the passage “purposely obscure,” but understood the reference to be to Ophelia and Polonius—the former as bred out of the latter, “a dead dog,” but nevertheless “a good kissing carrion.” As Warburton remarked, in “Cymbeline” the sun is called “common-kissing Titan,” but the whole sense which seems to have been intended by Hamlet is obtained without altering “good” to god: if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, which dead dog is a good kissing carrion, why may not Ophelia have been produced by such carrion as Polonius? Such is Coleridge's interpretation. (Lit. Rem. vol. ii. p. 224.) The objection to this notion seems to be, that if Hamlet likens Polonius to carrion, he necessarily likens Ophelia to the offspring of carrion. In a case of such difficulty it is at all events better to furnish the ancient wording, leaving the reader to form his own conjectures.

Note return to page 302 4&lblank; but not as your daughter may conceive: &lblank;] The negative is found in the folios, and although the passage is intelligible without it in the quartos, it seems to render the sense more distinct. Lower down the repetition “far gone” is also from the folio.

Note return to page 303 5&lblank; the matter that you read, &lblank;] So every quarto, and rightly: the folio, “the matter that you mean.” In the next line, the folio substitutes slave for “rogue” of all previous authorities. Southern corrected the error in his folio, 1685, the property of Mr. Holgate.

Note return to page 304 6&lblank; for you yourself, sir, should be &lblank;] For “should be” of the folio, the quartos have shall grow. There are other minute variations.

Note return to page 305 7&lblank; take my leave of you.] For this passage, from “and suddenly contrive,” the quartos, 1604, &c. have only “I will leave him and my daughter. My lord, I will take my leave of you.” In the quarto, 1603, the interview between Hamlet and Ophelia has already taken place.

Note return to page 306 8&lblank; except my life.] The folio has only “except my life, my life.” These repetitions in the quartos struck Coleridge as “most admirable.” (Lit. Rem. vol. ii. p. 224.)

Note return to page 307 9&lblank; the very button.] In the quartos previous to that of 1637, the reading is, “Happy in that we are not ever happy on Fortune's lap. We are not the very button.”

Note return to page 308 1&lblank; I am most dreadfully attended.] Here ends an addition to the scene, only found in the folios. It began at “Let me question more in particular.”

Note return to page 309 2Nay, then I have an eye of you.] Steevens says, “an eye of you means, I have a glimpse of your meaning.” It is, in fact, only one out of many instances in which, in the time of Shakespeare, the preposition “of” was used for on.

Note return to page 310 3&lblank; and your secresy,] The folio erroneously has of for “and.”

Note return to page 311 4&lblank; it goes so heavily with my disposition,] The folio misprints heavenly for “heavily” of the quartos; and just below it entirely omits “firmament,” though found in every older copy. Farther on, for “it appeareth nothing to me, but,” it reads, “it appears no other thing to me, than.” We have of course in these instances adhered to the quartos, and even that of 1637 introduced no changes of the ancient text.

Note return to page 312 5&lblank; lenten entertainment,] i. e. such entertainment as players met with in Lent, when they were often not allowed to perform publicly. Steevens thought that the words meant “sparing, like the entertainments given in Lent.”

Note return to page 313 6&lblank; we coted them on the way;] i. e. We overtook them, or strictly came side by side with them; from the Fr. côté. See Vol. vi. p. 100. The quarto, 1603, has “We boarded them by the way.” When Polonius is about to accost (which word has a similar meaning and etymology) Hamlet, he says, “I'll board him presently.” To board is from the Fr. border, and the French use bordée for a broadside.

Note return to page 314 7&lblank; whose lungs are tickled o' the sere;] The meaning of “tickled o' the sere” is not at all distinct; but, as Douce showed, the phrase “tickle of the seare” occurs in Lord Northampton's “Defensative against the Poyson of supposed Prophecies,” first printed in 1583. “Sere” may be derived from serum. “Every one (says Douce) has felt that dry tickling in the throat and lungs which excites coughing: Hamlet's meaning may therefore be, that the Clown, by his merriment, shall convert even their coughing into laughter.” We are by no means satisfied with this, or any other explanation. The passage about the Clown is only in the folios, and in the quarto, 1603, where it stands, “The clown shall make them laugh that are tickled in the lungs.”

Note return to page 315 8&lblank; by the means of the late innovation.] This passage probably refers to the limiting of public theatrical performances to the two theatres, the Globe on Bankside, and the Fortune in Golden Lane, in 1600 and 1601. The players, by a “late innovation,” were “inhibited,” or forbidden, to act in or near “the city,” and therefore “travelled,” or strolled, into the country. See History of Engl. Dram. Poetry and the Stage, vol. i. p. 311, &c.

Note return to page 316 9&lblank; an eyry of children, little eyases, that cry out on the top of question,] Shakespeare here alludes to the encouragement at that time given to some “eyry” or nest of children, or “eyases,” (young hawks) who spoke in a high tone of voice. There were several companies of young performers about this date engaged in acting, but chiefly the children of Paul's and the children of the Revels, who, it seems, were highly applauded, to the injury of the companies of adult performers. From an early date, the choir-boys of St. Paul's Westminster, Windsor, and the Chapel Royal, had been occasionally so employed, and performed at Court.

Note return to page 317 1&lblank; escoted?] Paid, says Johnson. From the French escot, a shot or reckoning. We have not met with the word elsewhere.

Note return to page 318 2&lblank; to tarre them to controversy:] i. e. to excite them to controversy, as dogs to fight. See Vol. iv. p. 65; Vol. vi. p. 40.

Note return to page 319 3&lblank; Hercules, and his load too.] From Hamlet's speech, “How comes it? Do they grow rusty?” down to “Hercules, and his load too,” is not in the quarto, 1604, nor in any subsequent edition in that form. In the quarto, 1603, there are sufficient traces of this part of the scene to enable us to be certain that it was acted when the play was originally produced.

Note return to page 320 4It is not very strange;] The folio omits “very.”

Note return to page 321 5&lblank; that would make mowes at him &lblank;] So the folio, and not mouths, as in the quartos, 1604, &c. Perhaps they were originally the same word; but the quarto, 1603, has “that would make mops and moes,” which was the more usual expression. Just afterwards the folio omits “fifty.”

Note return to page 322 6&lblank; I know a hawk from a handsaw.] It is very likely, as Sir T. Hanmer suggested, that “handsaw” is a corruption of hernshaw, i. e. a heron; but the expression, “I know a hawk from a handsaw,” was proverbial in the time of Shakespeare.

Note return to page 323 7When Roscius was an actor in Rome,—] The folio omits “was,” and there are some other variations of little moment.

Note return to page 324 8tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral,] These words are only in the folio, 1623, (and in the other folios printed after it) and in the quarto, 1603, which shows that they were part of the original representation.

Note return to page 325 9For the law of writ, and the liberty,] The meaning probably is, that the players were good, whether at written productions or at extemporal plays, where liberty was allowed to the performers to invent the dialogue, in imitation of the Italian commedie al improviso. See History of Engl. Dram. Poetry and the Stage, vol. iii. p. 393.

Note return to page 326 10It came to pass, as most like it was,] These are quotations from the first stanza of the ballad of “Jephthah, Judge of Israel,” in Percy's “Reliques,” vol. i. p. 193. edit. 1812. Steevens informs us, that in the books belonging to the Stationers' Company, there are two entries of this ballad. Among others, “A ballet intituled the Songe of Jephthah's Doughter,” &c. 1567, vol. i. fol. 162. Again: “Jeffa Judge of Israel,” p. 93, vol. iii. Dec. 14, 1624. Malone conjectured that there had been an English drama written on the subject, and it appears from Henslowe's Diary that such was the fact, for in May, 1602, Henry Chettle was paid money on account of a tragedy called “Jefftha.”

Note return to page 327 11&lblank; thy face is valanced &lblank;] So the quarto, 1603, and the other editions in that form: the folio, valiant.

Note return to page 328 10&lblank; by the altitude of a chopine.] A “chopine,” or more properly cioppino, was a cork or wooden soled shoe, worn by the Italian ladies to add to their height. It is often mentioned in the writers of Shakespeare's age. Ben Jonson, T. Heywood, Dekker, and other dramatists, speak of it in the same way, and in Marston's “Dutch Courtesan,” 1605, one of the characters asks, “Dost thou not wear high corked shoes—chopines?”

Note return to page 329 1&lblank; cracked within the ring.] The allusion is to the voice of the boy, (who usually performed female parts, and is addressed by Hamlet as “your ladyship,”) which, by advance towards maturity and manhood, became cracked, or “cracked within the ring.” The phrase “cracked within the ring,” is frequently met with metaphorically applied, and it refers to money, which, when so much injured as to be cracked within the ring upon the face of the coin, was not current.

Note return to page 330 2&lblank; like French falconers,] So the folio, and so, no doubt, rightly, as “French” is the word in the quarto, 1603, although in all the later quartos it is friendly. “How well (observes the Rev. Mr. Barry) this expresses what the French call La Chasse, the pursuit of trifling birds.”

Note return to page 331 3What speech, my good lord?] Here we adopt “good” from the quarto, 1603, and it accords with all the other quarto editions: the folio omits it.

Note return to page 332 4&lblank; 'twas caviare to the general:] The general here, as in “Measure for Measure,” Vol. ii. p. 42, is used for the people at large.

Note return to page 333 5&lblank; there were no sallets in the lines,] So every copy, quarto and folio: Pope read salt with some plausibility.

Note return to page 334 6&lblank; that might indict the author of affectation,] i. e. convict him of affectation, or affection as it stands in the quarto, 1604, &c. Affection was often used by Shakespeare and other writers for “affectation.” See Vol. ii. pp. 345 and 365.

Note return to page 335 7&lblank; as wholesome as sweet, and by very much more handsome than fine.] These words are not in the folio. The folio afterwards reads, “One chief speech,” &c., and omits “So proceed you,” below.

Note return to page 336 8&lblank; 'twas Æneas' tale to Dido;] The quartos, 1604, &c. have talk; but the quarto, 1603, and the folio “tale.”

Note return to page 337 9To their lord's murder:] So the quartos: the folios “vile murders.”

Note return to page 338 10&lblank; Unequal match'd,] The folio reads, “Unequal match.”

Note return to page 339 1And like a neutral &lblank;] “And” is from the folio, the line in the quartos being defective.

Note return to page 340 2&lblank; he's for a jig,] A jig was the technical name for a comic species of entertainment, usually performed by the clown of the company after the play. See History of Engl. Dram. Poetry, and the Stage, iii. 378.

Note return to page 341 3But who, O! who had seen the mobled queen—] Thus the line stands in the quarto, 1603, the oldest authority, as far as it is to be considered such: the quarto, 1604, has, “But who, a woe, had seen the mobled queen.” The folio, 1623, misprints “mobled” inobled. “Mobled” means hastily or carelessly dressed. According to Holloway's General Provincial Dictionary, to mab or mob in the north of England still means, “to dress in a slatternly manner.” Hence, perhaps, a mob-cap.

Note return to page 342 4With bisson rheum;] “Bisson” is blind. See Vol. vi. p. 172.

Note return to page 343 5&lblank; the rest of this soon.] the folio omits “of this.”

Note return to page 344 6&lblank; for they are the abstracts,] So the quarto, 1603, and the folio: the other quartos, abstract. Lower down, all the quartos have “while you live” for “while you lived” of the folio.

Note return to page 345 7God's bodkin,] So the quartos, 1604, &c. The word does not occur in the quarto, 1603, and the folio has “God's bodykins,” and omitting “much.” In the next line we read, “who should 'scape whipping,” because it so stands in the quarto, 1603, and in the folio, not shall as in the quartos, 1604, &c.

Note return to page 346 8Ay, so, good bye you. &lblank;] The quartos, “Ay, so, good by to you.”

Note return to page 347 9&lblank; all his visage wann'd;] or became wan, a very Shakespearian expression in the quartos, 1604, &c., and much superior to warm'd, which is the tame and comparatively unmeaning reading of the folio. In the preceding line the quartos have “own” for whole of the folio.

Note return to page 348 10&lblank; or he to Hecuba,] So the quarto, 1603, confirming the same reading in the folio: the later quartos have “or he to her.”

Note return to page 349 1&lblank; and appal the free,] The word is not in the quarto, 1603, but that of 1604 has appale, and the folio, 1623, apale. The quarto, 1611, and the subsequent editions in that form, read appeale; but there can be no doubt as to the true word.

Note return to page 350 2The very faculties of eyes and ears.] So the quartos: the folio, faculty.

Note return to page 351 3Like John a-dreams,] “A nickname, I suppose, (says Steevens) for any ignorant, silly fellow:” rather for a sleepy, apathetic fellow. The only mention yet met with of John a-dreams, is in Armin's “Nest of Ninnies,” 1608, recently reprinted by the Shakespeare Society, where at p. 49 the following passage occurs: “His name is John, indeed, says the cinnick; but neither John a-nods, nor John a-dreames, yet either, as you take it.” John a-droynes, mentioned by Whetstone and Nash, and referred to by Steevens, was in all probability a different person.

Note return to page 352 4O, vengeance!] This exclamation is from the folio, which begins the next line “Who? What an ass am I!” though some modern editors omit Who, and, printing the line without it, tell us that the folio reads the passage as they give it. For “This is most brave” of the quartos, the folio has, “Ay, sure, this is most brave,” making the entire line run thus:— “Who? What an ass am I? Ay, sure, this is most brave.”

Note return to page 353 5&lblank; of a dear father murder'd,] Modern editors, following the reading of the folio, have left out the material word “father” in this line; and it is certainly not found in the quartos, 1604 or 1605. It is, however, in some copies of the undated quarto, which may be assigned to the year 1607, and in that of 1611, but not in the quarto, 1637. The omission must have been discovered as the tragedy was going through the press, when first printed for Smethwicke, and then supplied; for it is a fact, showing how necessary it is to examine different copies of the same edition, that all those in the collection of the Duke of Devonshire, excepting the first, are without “father.” The quarto, 1603, has the line thus: “Why this is brave! that I the son of my dear father,” omitting the word “murdered.”

Note return to page 354 6They have proclaim'd their malefactions;] See a very curious and apposite instance of the kind in T. Heywood's “Apology for Actors,” 1612, reprinted for the Shakespeare Society, p. 57. The same story is told in the old tragedy, “A Warning for Fair Women,” 4to, 1599. Perhaps the play was also the authorship of Heywood, and several portions of it are not unlike his style, and would do him no discredit.

Note return to page 355 7I'll tent him to the quick: if he but blench,] Both “tent” and “blench” are words that have occurred in previous plays. To “tent” is to search or try, and to “blench” to start, or start away. See Vol. vi. pp. 14, 45, and 47.

Note return to page 356 8May be the devil:] “May be a deale,” in the quarto, 1604, but that of 1611 alters it to “devil.” Possibly “devil” was then sometimes pronounced as it is still in Scotland. The folio has it, “May be the devil.”

Note return to page 357 9&lblank; no drift of conference,] So the quartos, 1604, &c. The folio substitutes circumstance, which, from what follows, was probably not the word.

Note return to page 358 1&lblank; o'er-raught on the way:] i. e. over-reached, or, over-took.

Note return to page 359 2&lblank; they are about the court;] So the folio: the quartos read merely “they are here,” &c.

Note return to page 360 3Affront Ophelia:] i.e. face, or confront Ophelia. This use of the word was not uncommon. In the preceding line, the folios have there for “here;” and in the following line, “lawful espials” is only in the folios.

Note return to page 361 4Your loneliness.] Thus the folio. The quartos, 1604, &c. with evident corruption read, lowliness.

Note return to page 362 5&lblank; we do sugar o'er]] So the quartos. All the folios read “surge o'er.” In the next line, they omit “too,” found in the quartos.

Note return to page 363 6The pangs of despis'd love,] Thus every quarto, but that of 1603, which has not the line, and that of 1611, which corruptly reads “The pangs of office,” the printer having caught the word from the line below. The folios, dispriz'd. In the preceding line, the folios misprint, “the poor man's contumely.”

Note return to page 364 7With a bare bodkin?] Many passages from dramatists and other writers of the time might be produced, if necessary, to show that a “bodkin” was the old term for a small dagger. The folios give the rest of the line, “who would these fardels bear,” which is clearly wrong on every account.

Note return to page 365 8&lblank; make cowards of us all;] The words “of us all,” which most likely had dropped out at the end of the line in the quarto, 1604, (they are in the quarto, 1603,) are from the folio, 1623.

Note return to page 366 9&lblank; of great pith and moment,] The quartos, 1604, &c. read, “of great pitch and moment,” which Ritson preferred. His opinion will probably not be generally adopted. The line is wanting in the quarto, 1603.

Note return to page 367 1&lblank; their currents turn awry,] So all the quartos, excepting that of 1603, where the line is not found: the folios have away for “awry.”

Note return to page 368 2I humbly thank you; well, well, well.] We adopt the repetition of “well, well” from the folios.

Note return to page 369 3No, not I;] The folio reads only, “No, no.” In the next line but one, it has, “I know,” for “You know” of the quartos.

Note return to page 370 4&lblank; their perfume lost,] So the quarto, 1604, and every edition in the same form after it: the folios, “then perfume left;” but some modern editors constantly give a false notion of the value and accuracy of the folio, 1623, by adopting, without the slightest acknowledgment, the better readings of the quartos, as if they were really contained in the folio. The folio, 1623, is on the whole a well printed volume, but it has many errors.

Note return to page 371 5&lblank; your honesty should admit.] That this is the true reading we have the evidence of the quarto, 1603, where, however, the words are transposed, viz. “That if you be fair and honest, your beauty should admit no discourse to your honesty.” The quartos, 1604, &c., have merely you for “your honesty” of the folio. In the next line, however, the folio commits an error by substituting your for “with,” found in every quarto. As Mr. Barron Field observes to me, “Hamlet throughout the scene is not speaking of Ophelia personally, but of woman generally: e. g. ‘I have heard of your paintings too,’ &c., where he does not mean that he had heard that Ophelia painted, but that women were in the habit of painting themselves.”

Note return to page 372 6&lblank; virtue cannot so inoculate,] The word seems to have puzzled the compositor of the quarto, 1604, who prints it euocatat, which in the quarto, 1637, became evacuate. The folio gives the true word.

Note return to page 373 7&lblank; play the fool no where &lblank;] The folio reads, no doubt corruptly, “play the fool no way.”

Note return to page 374 8&lblank; farewell.] The folio, “go, farewell.”

Note return to page 375 9I have heard of your paintings too, well enough: God hath given you one face,] The folio misprints the passage thus:—“I have heard of your prattlings too, well enough: God has given you one pace,” &c. That this is wrong is proved by the quarto, 1603, where we find, “I have heard of your paintings too: God hath given you one face.” “Too” is not in the quartos, 1604, &c., but in other respects they all concur.

Note return to page 376 1&lblank; you jig, you amble, and you lisp,] The quartos misprint “lisp,” list, and read “and amble” for “you amble.”

Note return to page 377 2&lblank; your ignorance.] Here again the quarto, 1603, supports the folio in reading “your ignorance:” the quartos, 1604, &c. omit ”your.”

Note return to page 378 3Th' expectancy &lblank;] The quartos, 1604, &c., “Th' expectation,” which ill suits the measure. The line is not in the quarto, 1603.

Note return to page 379 4And I,] So the quartos, 1604, &c., rightly: the folio, “Have I,” &c.

Note return to page 380 5Now see that noble &lblank;] The quartos, “what noble.”

Note return to page 381 6&lblank; form and feature &lblank;] Stature in the quartos.

Note return to page 382 7&lblank; of his grief] So the quartos, 1604, &c. excepting that of 1611, which has merely it for “his grief.” The folio reads, “this grief.”

Note return to page 383 8&lblank; let her be round with him;] i. e. let her be plain with him. See Vol. ii. p. 125; Vol. iii. p. 356.

Note return to page 384 9&lblank; many of your players do,] So the quarto, 1603, and the folio, 1623: later quartos, our. Just afterwards the folio reads, “had spoke my lines” for “spoke my lines” of the quartos, 1604, &c. The quarto, 1603, “I had rather hear a town bull bellow.”

Note return to page 385 1&lblank; whirlwind of passion,] The folio omits your before “passion,” found in the quartos, 1604, &c. It seems quite unnecessary.

Note return to page 386 2&lblank; it offends me to the soul to hear &lblank;] The folio, “to see.”

Note return to page 387 3&lblank; for o'er-doing Termagant; it out-herods Herod:] “Termagant,” the god of the Saracens, and “Herod,” were characters in our old Miracle-plays, whose business it was, by their ranting and roaring, to split the ears of the “groundlings,” (or those who stood on the ground in our old theatres) and to “tear a passion to tatters, to very rags.”

Note return to page 388 4&lblank; the censure of which one &lblank;] The folio reads, “the censure of the which one;” but the is found in none of the quartos.

Note return to page 389 5&lblank; nor man,] The folio absurdly reads, or Norman. Farmer suspected that we ought to read, “nor Mussulman,” a suggestion that receives some countenance from the quarto, 1603, where the passage runs, “the gait of Christian, Pagan, or Turk.” In the next line but one, Malone would read, “had made them,” for “had made men,” but every old copy has “men,” and in fact no alteration is required.

Note return to page 390 6Both. We will, my lord.] The quartos make only Rosencrantz reply with “Ay, my lord.”

Note return to page 391 7Where thrift may follow fawning.] So all the quartos, (excepting that of 1603, where no word of the kind is met with) but the folio misprints it faining. Two lines earlier it has like for “lick,” and in the next line “my choice” for “her choice.”

Note return to page 392 8Hath seal'd thee for herself.] So the folio, making “election” the nominative to “hath.” The quartos would read, “She hath seal'd thee,” &c.; but the length of the line not allowing of she, it was printed thus, “S'hath seal'd thee,” &c.

Note return to page 393 9&lblank; are so well co-mingled,] The quartos, 1604, &c. read co-meddled, which may be right, but “co-mingled” seems preferable.

Note return to page 394 1&lblank; the very comment of my soul] So the folio, for “thy soul” of the quartos. Hamlet is putting Horatio in his place, for the purpose of watching the king, for though he intends to rivet his eyes on the face of the king, he must appear to be “idle”—“I must be idle: get you a place,” are the words Hamlet afterwards employs.

Note return to page 395 2As Vulcan's stithy.] i. e. Vulcan's forge. See Vol. vi. p. 107. It is stithe in the folio, which makes another misprint in the line, needful for “heedful.”

Note return to page 396 3I did enact Julius Cæsar:] A Latin play on Cæsar's death, by Dr. Edes, was performed in Oxford, in 1582. See the Introduction to “Julius Cæsar.”

Note return to page 397 4&lblank; my dear Hamlet,] The folio, “my good Hamlet.” In the quarto, 1603, the Queen only calls him Hamlet.

Note return to page 398 5Ay, my lord.] This answer, and Hamlet's question producing it, are only in the folios.

Note return to page 399 6&lblank; your only jig-maker.] See p. 251, note 2. Some of the “jigs” made by Tarlton are extant in manuscript, as well as the music to which they were sung by him.

Note return to page 400 7&lblank; the hobby-horse is forgot.] Alluding to the omission of the hobby-horse in the May-games. See Vol. ii. p. 311, where this line, from some old ballad of the time, is also quoted.

Note return to page 401 8Enter a king and queen, &c.] This is the stage direction as it stands in the folio, 1623. It differs, but not at all materially, from the later quartos.

Note return to page 402 9&lblank; this is miching mallecho; it means mischief.] The quartos (with the exception of the first of 1603) read “munching Mallico:” “miching,” i. e. stealing, is no doubt the right word; and by Minshew's Dictionary, 1617, it appears that mallecho is Spanish for a malefaction—any ill deed. In modern Spanish dictionaries the word is spelt malhecho, and the sense given is badly done.

Note return to page 403 10&lblank; by this fellow:] The folio, “by these fellows.” Every quarto has “this fellow,” rightly in the singular.

Note return to page 404 1In neither aught, or in extremity.] We print this and the two previous lines as in the folio: in the quartos, 1604, &c. (there is no trace of them in that of 1603) they run thus:— “For women fear too much, even as they love, And women's fear and love hold quantity, Either none, in neither aught, or in extremity.” As the whole of this play within a play is in rhyme, and as there is no corresponding line to that ending in “love,” the probability is, that a portion of the old text has been lost, and that the editors of the folio, 1623, finding it impossible to restore it, omitted a line not absolutely necessary to the sense. Why the concluding couplet of the speech was also omitted in the folio, we cannot at all understand, but it has nothing after the words “my fear is so.” Perhaps the two last lines were thought not very intelligible.

Note return to page 405 2&lblank; their functions &lblank;] The folio substitutes my for “their.”

Note return to page 406 3Wormwood, wormwood.] We follow the folio here: the earliest quarto reads, “O! wormwood.” The other quartos, “That's wormwood;” and it is placed in the margin, as if at first it had been accidentally omitted. The object might be to save room in the printing.

Note return to page 407 4Their own enactures &lblank;] So the quartos: the folio, enactors, which may be right: other, for “either,” in the preceding line, must be wrong.

Note return to page 408 5Nor earth to me give food,] This is the correct reading of the quartos 1604, &c.: the folios, “Nor earth to give me food,” &c.

Note return to page 409 6An anchor's cheer in prison be my scope!] This and the preceding line are in all the quartos but the first, but not in the folio. “An anchor's cheer” is an Anchoret's sustenance; and in the old copies it stands, “And anchor's cheer,” &c.

Note return to page 410 7The lady doth protest &lblank;] The folio, “The lady protests.”

Note return to page 411 8This play is the image of a murder done in Vienna: Gonzago is the duke's name.] In the quarto, 1603, the scene of the play within a play is laid in Guiana, (the short-hand writer having, perhaps, mis-heard the name) and the two principal characters are called Duke and Duchess in one place, and King and Queen in another: in the prefixes they are Duke and Duchess. The same confusion of rank prevails in the other quarto editions, excepting that Gonzago and Baptista are styled in the prefixes King and Queen.

Note return to page 412 9You are as good as a chorus, my lord.] So the quartos, including that of 1603: the folio reads, “You are a good chorus, my lord.” The answer of Hamlet refers, of course, to the dialogue invented for puppets in puppet-shows, which was called interpreting between them.

Note return to page 413 1So you must take your husbands.] i. e. For better for worse. The quartos, 1604, &c. and the folios, have mistake for “must take,” which last is a reading suggested by Theobald. It is authorised by the quarto, 1603, where it stands, “So you must take your husband.”

Note return to page 414 2The croaking raven doth bellow for revenge.] This perhaps was a quotation from some other play in Hamlet's memory: it does not seem to belong to that under representation, for Lucianus does not begin with it.

Note return to page 415 3Confederate season,] The quartos, the first excepted, misread, “considerate season.” The first quarto and first folio agree.

Note return to page 416 4&lblank; written in very choice Italian:] The folio, “and writ in choice Italian.”

Note return to page 417 5What! frighted with false fire?] This speech is only in the quarto, 1603, and in the folio.

Note return to page 418 6All. Lights, lights, lights!] That is, there was a general call for lights. In the quartos, 1604, &c. the speech is given to Polonius only.

Note return to page 419 7&lblank; (if the rest of my fortunes turn Turk with me)] This phrase seems to have been equivalent of old to a total change, and it is found in several writers of the time.

Note return to page 420 8&lblank; on my razed shoes,] The folio has rac'd, and the quartos raz'd: possibly all ought to read raised, as several writers show that shoes with thick cork soles were used to give people additional height. On the stage, as one of “a cry,” or company, of players, this might be important, especially to R. Burbage, the original actor of Hamlet, who was of short stature. “Razed shoes” may, however, possibly mean slashed shoes.

Note return to page 421 9A whole one, I.] Alluding to the shares or proportions into which the receipts at a theatre were divided, and given to the performers, according to their several rates of interest or rank in the company.

Note return to page 422 10For thou dost know, O Damon dear!] Probably a quotation from some ballad or play on the story of Damon and Pythias. Richard Edwards was the author of such a drama, first printed in 1571, (not in 1582, as Steevens tells us, when, in fact, the second impression came out) and included in Dodsley's Old Plays, Vol. i. p. 180, last edit.

Note return to page 423 1A very, very—peacock.] The word “peacock” presents a difficulty. It is printed in the old quartos paiock and paiocke, and paiocke also in the folio, 1623, which the folio, 1632, alters to pajock. Pope introduced peacock, but if that were the word intended, it is somewhat singular that, being of such common occurrence, it should have been misprinted at first, and afterwards reiterated in the later impressions of the play. “Peacock” seems to answer the sense better than any other word, the allusion being, perhaps, not, as Pope says, to the birds choosing a peacock instead of an eagle for king, but to the fable of the crow which adorned itself with peacock's feathers. The king has usurped the throne and royal habiliments of his murdered brother, and is yet to be stripped of his borrowed plumes.

Note return to page 424 2&lblank; he likes it not, perdy.] “Perdy,” is a common corruption of par Dica. See Vol. iv. p. 484. This couplet is probably a quotation.

Note return to page 425 3No, my lord, with choler.] The folio inserts rather before “with choler.” In Hamlet's next speech the folio reads “into far more choler.”

Note return to page 426 4&lblank; impart.] This word is wanting in the folio, but it is found in the quartos, 1604, &c. The quarto, 1603, has no such speech.

Note return to page 427 5&lblank; you do, surely, but bar the door upon your own liberty,] The folio has freely for “surely,” omits “but,” and reads of for upon of the quartos.

Note return to page 428 6&lblank; with Recorders.] A “recorder” was probably a flageolet, but some have contended that it was a flute—a position Sir John Hawkins controverted in his “History of Music,” Vol. iv. p. 479.

Note return to page 429 7&lblank; with your finger and thumb,] The quarto, 1604, reads “and the umber,” a misprint corrected in the quarto, 1611, where it stands, “and the thumb.”

Note return to page 430 8&lblank; most eloquent music.] So the quartos, 1604, &c. The folio substitutes excellent, and in the quarto, 1603, it is “delicate music.”

Note return to page 431 9&lblank; you make it speak.] The word “speak” was no doubt accidentally omitted in the folio: it is in the quartos, 1604, &c., but the passage is not in that of 1603. The folio substitutes Why for the impatient exclamation “'Sblood!”

Note return to page 432 10&lblank; of a camel?] So every quarto: the folio, “like a camel.”

Note return to page 433 1I will say so.] This, in the quartos, 1604, &c. is made part of Hamlet's speech; and “Leave me friends,” follows “I will come by and by.”

Note return to page 434 2&lblank; hell itself breathes out] So the folio, 1623. The quartos, 1604, &c. read “breaks out.”

Note return to page 435 3And do such bitter business as the day] In the quartos the epithet “bitter” is applied to “day,” not to “business.”

Note return to page 436 4&lblank; she be shent,] i. e. rebuked, reproved. See Vol. iii. p. 404. Vol. vi. p. 252. Warburton explains the expressions “To give them seals,” to put them in execution, as the completion of a deed.

Note return to page 437 5Hazard so dangerous, as doth hourly grow Out of his lunacies.] So the folio, 1623: the quartos, 1604, &c. have near us for “dangerous,” and brows for “lunacies;” but perhaps we ought to read lunes, which suits the verse: “near us” may be right, as the king was about to send Hamlet to a distant kingdom. This part of the scene is wanting in the quarto, 1603.

Note return to page 438 6That spirit upon whose weal &lblank;] So the quartos, 1604, &c. The folio, “That spirit upon whose spirit,” &c. At the end of the speech, the quartos read rain for “ruin,” and omit “with.”

Note return to page 439 7&lblank; pat, now he is praying;] The quartos, 1604, &c. read, “but now 'a is a praying.” The line is not in the quarto, 1603.

Note return to page 440 8I, his sole son,] This is the reading of the quartos, 1604, &c. The folio has “foul son,” which may be right.

Note return to page 441 9Why, this is hire and salary,] The quartos, 1604, &c. read, “Why, this is base and silly.” The reading of the folio is much to be preferred.

Note return to page 442 10&lblank; as flush as May;] The folio poorly has it, “as fresh as May.”

Note return to page 443 1&lblank; a more horrid hent:] We have previously had “hent” used as a verb. See Vol. ii. p. 87, and Vol. iii. p. 492, and there it meant to seize or to take: substantively it is therefore seizure.

Note return to page 444 2&lblank; be round with him.] i. e. be plain with him. See this Vol. p. 265.

Note return to page 445 3Ham. [Within] Mother, mother, mother!] In the folio only.

Note return to page 446 4I'll warrant you;] In the earlier quartos it stands “I'll wait you.”

Note return to page 447 5&lblank; with a wicked tongue.] So the quartos, 1604, &c., and rightly: in the folio the compositor repeated idle, catching it, no doubt, from the previous line. The passage is wanting in the quarto, 1603, where the scene is much mangled.

Note return to page 448 6And,—would it were not so!] The folio, “But—would you were not so.”

Note return to page 449 7How now! a rat?] In Shirley's “Traitor,” 1635, Depazzi says of a secreted listener, “Sirrah, sirrah! I smell a rat behind the hangings.”

Note return to page 450 8And sets a blister there;] The folio, “And makes,” &c. The difference is not material. It previously reads betters for “better;” but in giving “is” for be in “That it is proof,” in the second line of this page, it seems right, and we have followed it.

Note return to page 451 9&lblank; from the body of contraction &lblank;] “Contraction,” for marriage contract, says Warburton.

Note return to page 452 1Is thought-sick at the act.] We have adopted our text from the folio in this passage, because it seems more intelligible: the quarto, 1604, (followed by the later editions in the same form) gives it thus:— “Heavens face does glow O'er this solidity and compound mass, With heated visage,” &c.

Note return to page 453 2&lblank; and thunders in the index?] i. e. in the commencement, where the indexes of books were formerly placed. See Vol. v. p. 397. In the quartos, 1604, &c. this line is assigned to Hamlet.

Note return to page 454 3&lblank; his wholesome brother.] So the quartos: the folio, breath: and in this speech the readings of the earlier copies are generally to be preferred.

Note return to page 455 4And batten on this moor?] To “batten” is to feed or fatten, probably from the Saxon batan, to bait.

Note return to page 456 5To serve in such a difference.] This passage, from “Sense, sure, you have,” is only in the quartos, 1604, &c.

Note return to page 457 6at hoodman-blind?] This should seem to have been the old name of blindman's buff, or bough! It is often mentioned.

Note return to page 458 7Could not so mope.] This passage, from “Eyes without feeling,” also is wanting in the folios.

Note return to page 459 8If thou canst mutine &lblank;] To “mutine” was formerly used for to mutiny, not merely in verse, but in prose. In “King John,” Vol. iv. p. 31, we have seen Shakespeare employ “mutines” for mutineers: so also in Act v. sc. 2, of this play.

Note return to page 460 9And reason panders will.] So the folio; excepting that it misprints “And” As: the quartos, 1604, &c. have pardons for “panders.”

Note return to page 461 1Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul;] The quartos, 1604, &c. “Thou turn'st my very eyes into my soul;” and in the next line they have “grieved spots,” for “grained spots” of the folio.

Note return to page 462 2&lblank; an enseamed bed;] The word “enseamed” was not uncommon, from “seam,” grease. See Vol. vi. p. 58. The quarto without date has “incestuous bed,” and it was followed by the quartos, 1611 and 1637.

Note return to page 463 3&lblank; a vice of kings:] The vice was the fool, clown, or jester of the older drama, and was frequently dressed in party-coloured clothes: hence Hamlet just afterwards calls the usurper “a king of shreds and patches.”

Note return to page 464 4Enter Ghost.] “Enter the Ghost in his night-gown,” is the stage-direction in the quarto, 1603, affording proof that at that date, and in this scene, the spirit was not appareled as when it had before appeared on the platform. This is important, because it completely explains Hamlet's exclamation in this scene, “My father, in his habit as he lived.” See the Introduction. In the other quartos and in the folios it is only “Enter Ghost.”

Note return to page 465 5And with th' incorporal air &lblank;] The folio misprints it, “And with their corporal air.” Our reading is that of the quarto, 1604, and of all editions until the folio, 1623. Southern detected and corrected the error in his folio, 1685.

Note return to page 466 6&lblank; like life in excrements,] In the “Winter's Tale,” Vol. iii. p. 518, a beard is called an “excrement.” Compare also “Macbeth,” A. v. sc. 5, where the hero speaks of his “fell of hair”—“as life were in 't.”

Note return to page 467 7Ecstasy!] This word is not in any of the quartos.

Note return to page 468 8Lay not that flattering unction &lblank;] The folio imperfectly reads “a flattering unction.” The whole scene is unusually ill printed there.

Note return to page 469 9To make them ranker.] So the quartos; and in the preceding line, “on the weeds,” instead of “or the weeds” of the folio.

Note return to page 470 1Yea, curb] i. e. bend and trackle, from the Fr. courber.

Note return to page 471 2That monster, custom, who all sense doth eat Of habits, devil,] This passage, down to “That aptly is put on,” is not in the folio. Our punctuation is that recommended to us by the Rev. Dr. Morehead, of Easington, and it seems to remove part of the difficulty felt by the commentators, and makes the sense, “that monster, custom, who is a devil, devouring all sense of habits, is still an angel in this respect,” &c.

Note return to page 472 3&lblank; the next more easy:] These lines, down to “With wondrous potency,” are also wanting in the folio.

Note return to page 473 4And master the devil,] “Master” is the reading of the undated quarto, of the quarto, 1611, and of that of 1637, so that we need not resort to any conjectural emendation such as Malone introduced.

Note return to page 474 5One word more, good lady.] These words are from the quartos.

Note return to page 475 6Let the bloat king &lblank;] The folio, “Let the blunt king.” Modern editors have availed themselves of nearly all these improvements from the quartos, without acknowledgment, and as if the folio contained them.

Note return to page 476 7&lblank; a pair of reechy kisses,] “Reechy” is properly smoky. See Vol. ii. p. 235, and Vol. vi. 178: in the latter instance it seems to mean dirty from perspiration, and here it is rather used for heated or sweltering. It is an adjective formed from reek, smoke or vapour.

Note return to page 477 8&lblank; a paddock, from a bat, a gib,] A “paddock” is a toad: see this Vol. p. 99. A “gib” is a cat, and we generally meet with them in combination, as in “Henry IV.” part i. Vol. iv. p. 232, “I am as melancholy as a gib-cat.”

Note return to page 478 9When in one line two crafts directly meet.] This and the eight preceding lines are only in the quartos.

Note return to page 479 10Who was in life a foolish &lblank;] The quarto, 1604, has, “Who was in life a most foolish,” &c. Boswell tells us that “the quarto” (he does not say which) reads, “in 's life:” he seems to have consulted only the undated quarto.

Note return to page 480 1&lblank; Hamlet dragging in Polonius.] The folio has “tugging in,” and the quarto, 1603, “Exit Hamlet with the dead body.” The other quartos have merely Exit.

Note return to page 481 2Enter King, Queen, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern.] In the folio it is only “Enter King,” the Queen even not being mentioned. Our stage-direction is from the quarto, 1604: that of 1603 has “Enter the King and Lordes.”

Note return to page 482 3Bestow this place on us a little while.] This line is omitted in the folio, because it does not appear that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern came on the stage. In the next line the quartos read, “Ah! my own lord.”

Note return to page 483 4He whips his rapier out, and cries,] The quartos read merely, “Whips out his rapier, cries,” &c. In the next line, they have this for “his,” of the folio.

Note return to page 484 5&lblank; so, haply, slander,] These words are of Theobald's introducing, in order to make the sense complete: no part of the passage down to “And hit the woundless air,” is to be found in the folio, and it was perhaps omitted, because without some addition, like that of Theobald, it was unintelligible.

Note return to page 485 6But soft!] These words are from the quartos. It is to be remarked, that in the quarto, 1603, this scene is wanting, excepting that what Hamlet says about a sponge is introduced in an earlier scene between Hamlet, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern.

Note return to page 486 7&lblank; like an ape;] So the folio; and that it is the true reading (and not apple, as in the quartos, 1604, &c.) we have the evidence of the quarto, 1603, which has “he doth keep you as an ape doth nuts.” Farmer and Ritson conjectured that we ought to read, “like an ape an apple.”

Note return to page 487 8Hide fox, and all after.] This is supposed to refer to the boyish game of All hid, and Sir T. Hanmer expressly tells us that it was sometimes called “Hide fox, and all after.”

Note return to page 488 1&lblank; and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.] This speech and the preceding interjections, obviously necessary to the sense, are not contained in the folio. In Hamlet's previous speech it omits “politic.”

Note return to page 489 2Hamlet, this deed,] The folio inserts of thine after “deed,” unnecessarily to the sense, and injuriously to the metre. Lower down, “With fiery quickness” is only in the folio. It also reads, “at bent” for “is bent” of the quartos, at the conclusion of the speech.

Note return to page 490 3&lblank; that sees them.] The folio has him for “them” of the quartos: him seems to have no reference, unless Hamlet be mentally adverting to his father.

Note return to page 491 4By letters conjuring &lblank;] All the quartos have congruing. The same word occurs in the quartos of “Henry V.” (See Vol. iv. p. 476, note 7) which the folio there alters to congreeing. The text of the folio seems preferable, although the quartos may be right.

Note return to page 492 5&lblank; were ne'er begun.] So the folio, and so the rhyme requires: the quartos, “will ne'er begin.”

Note return to page 493 6Claims the conveyance &lblank;] “Craves the conveyance” in the quartos.

Note return to page 494 7Go softly on.] These words are probably addressed to his troops, and in the quarto, 1603, we have, “Go, march away,” instead of them. The folio prints “softly” safely.

Note return to page 495 8Enter Hamlet, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, &c.] The folio omits all the rest of this scene, and there is no trace of it in the quarto, 1603.

Note return to page 496 9And ever three parts coward, &lblank;] Schlegel, in his work, Ueber dramatische Kunst und Litteratur, iii. p. 149, quotes this passage as a sort of key to Hamlet's character, and the omission of such an important soliloquy, in connexion with what immediately precedes it, would convince us, even if we had no other reason for thinking so, that the abbreviation of this tragedy for the stage, as we find it in the folio, 1623, was the work of the players, and not of the poet.

Note return to page 497 10Enter Queen, Horatio, and a Gentleman.] The folio omits the “Gentleman,” and gives all the quartos assign to him to Horatio, and what Horatio says to the Queen—no doubt to avoid the employment of another actor. We have restored the ancient, more convenient, and, as it seems to us, more natural distribution of the dialogue.

Note return to page 498 1&lblank; they aim at it,] The folio has “aim” for yawn of the quartos; and yawn may possibly be right, though not very likely to be so. Three lines lower, the folio substitutes would for “might.”

Note return to page 499 2Hor. 'Twere good, she were spoken with.] This advice seems to come properly from Horatio, as it is given in the quartos, and the Queen's reply ought to commence at the order, “Let her come in.” In the quartos these latter words are, however, erroneously made the end of what Horatio says. The desire to employ few actors, in all probability, led to this confusion of the dialogue.

Note return to page 500 3It spills itself in fearing to be spilt.] It deserves notice that this and the three preceding lines are marked by inverted commas in all the quartos, not for the purpose of showing that the passage was a quotation, but apparently to enforce it as an axiom. Such was not a very unusual practice.

Note return to page 501 4&lblank; with Ophelia.] The stage-direction in the quarto, 1603, is curiously minute: “Enter Ophelia, playing on a lute, and her hair down, singing.” She therefore accompanied herself in her fragments of ballads.

Note return to page 502 5O, ho!] These interjections are left out in the folio.

Note return to page 503 6Larded with sweet flowers;] So the quarto, 1603, and the folio; the other quartos interpolate all after “larded.”

Note return to page 504 7Which bewept to the grave did not go,] The quarto, 1603, and the folio have “grave,” the other quartos ground; but all authorities read “did not go,” which Pope considered an error, and which may possibly be so.

Note return to page 505 8Well, God'ild you!] i. e. God yield or reward you. See Vol. iii. pp. 62 and 94.

Note return to page 506 9He answers.] These words are in the quartos, 1604, &c. In the folio the king afterwards asks, “How long hath she been this?” instead of “thus” of the quartos.

Note return to page 507 1&lblank; they would lay him &lblank;] The folio, “they should lay him.”

Note return to page 508 2And now, behold,] These words are from the quartos, 1604, &c.

Note return to page 509 3In hugger-mugger to inter him:] The meaning is, “We have done but imprudently or unwisely to inter him secretly:” the expression “in hugger-mugger” is of most frequent occurrence in writers of the time.

Note return to page 510 4Feeds on his wonder,] So the quartos: the folio, “Keeps on his wonder,” the compositor having caught the word from a subsequent part of the line.

Note return to page 511 5Alack! what noise is this?] Only in the folios. “Attend,” just afterwards, is only in the quartos, 1604, &c.

Note return to page 512 6Overpeering of his list,] i. e. swelling over his boundary.

Note return to page 513 7&lblank; impetuous haste,] So the quarto, 1611, the undated quarto, that of 1637, and the second folio. The reading of the quarto, 1604, and of the first folio, is impitious, probably a misprint.

Note return to page 514 8O! this is counter,] To hunt “counter” is to hunt contrary to the proper course. See Vol. ii. p. 153, and Vol. iv. p. 354.

Note return to page 515 9&lblank; that's calm,] So the quartos, 1604, &c.; the folio, that calms.

Note return to page 516 1&lblank; unsmirched brow] To smirch is to make dirty or defile; and it is found used in Vol. ii. pp. 235, 246, and Vol. iii. p. 26.

Note return to page 517 2&lblank; life-rendering pelican,] This is the reading of every quarto: the folio absurdly misprints it politician, and modern editors silently adopt the word in the earlier impressions, as in many other instances, leaving people to imagine that the folio, 1623, is much more accurately printed than it is in reality.

Note return to page 518 3&lblank; to your judgment 'pear,] So the quartos: the folio, pierce.

Note return to page 519 4Let her come in.] These words are given to Laertes in the quartos; but in the folio they properly stand as uttered by the Danes, who are unseen by the audience.

Note return to page 520 5Re-enter Ophelia.] “Enter Ophelia, fantastically dressed with straws and flowers” say modern editors; but not so the old copies, where we read merely “Enter Ophelia,” excepting in the quarto, 1603, which has, “Enter Ophelia, as before.” In fact, it is only her “re-entrance,” as she has been on the stage before in this scene.

Note return to page 521 6After the thing it loves.] This hemistich and the two preceding lines are only in the folios: the quartos read, “a poor man's life,” but they are evidently wrong.

Note return to page 522 7Hey non nonny, nonny, hey nonny:] This burden (not uncommon in old songs of the time) is not in any of the quarto impressions.

Note return to page 523 8Fare you well, my dove!] In the folio, these words are erroneously printed in Italics, as if part of the song.

Note return to page 524 9It is the false steward, that stole his master's daughter.] No such ballad is known. In the quarto, 1603, Ophelia says, “'Tis o' the king's daughter, and the false steward.”

Note return to page 525 1&lblank; and there is pansies,] The folio calls them paconcies.

Note return to page 526 2&lblank; we may call it, herb of grace o'Sundays:] Rue seems to have been also constantly called “herb of grace.” Shakespeare so terms it in “Richard II.” Vol. iv. p. 181:— “I'll set a bank of rue, sour herb of grace.” And in “All's Well that Ends Well,” Vol. iii. p. 295, it is spoken of as “herb of grace” only.

Note return to page 527 3&lblank; you may wear &lblank;] “O! you must wear,” in the folio.

Note return to page 528 4God ha' mercy on his soul!] This last stanza is quoted with some variation in “Eastward Ho!” 1605, by Ben Jonson, Marston, and Chapman. See Dodsley's Old Plays, last edit. vol. iv. p. 223. Both Shakespeare and the authors of “Eastward Ho!” probably adopted the words of a well-known ballad of the time. The folio reads, “Gramercy on his soul.”

Note return to page 529 5I pray God.] Here the quartos are more scrupulous than the folio, as they omit “I pray God.” In the next speech of Laertes, the quartos omit “see.”

Note return to page 530 6his obscure funeral,] So the quartos, 1604, &c. The folio has burial. In the last line of this speech, the quartos seem right in reading, “That I must call't in question:” the folio has “That I must call in question.”

Note return to page 531 7Sailors, sir:] For “Sailors,” the quartos, 1604, &c. have “Sea-faring men;” but on their entrance they are termed “Sailors,” and the prefixes accord with this designation.

Note return to page 532 8&lblank; I am to do a good turn for them.] “Good” is from the folio, and there are other minute variations: thus “and” is in one place omitted in the folio, and “thine ear” is there printed “your ear.” In the quartos the letter ends, “Farewell; So that thou knowest thine.”

Note return to page 533 9So criminal and so capital in nature, As by your safety, greatness, wisdom, all things else,] The folio prints “criminal” crimeful, and omits “greatness.” In the third line of the king's next speech, the folio substitutes And for “But.”

Note return to page 534 10She's so conjunctive &lblank;] The quartos, 1604, &c. have it conclive, which is clearly an error.

Note return to page 535 1&lblank; for so loud a wind,] So the folio, and rightly. Some quartos read, loued armed, and others loued armes. The quartos, 1604, &c. are however right in giving, in the next line but one, “aim'd” instead of arm'd, as it is misprinted in the folio.

Note return to page 536 2Whose worth,] So the quartos, 1604, &c. The folio makes the passage nonsense by misprinting it Who was.

Note return to page 537 3How now! what news?] Only in the folios, as well as part of the answer, “Letters, my lord, from Hamlet.”

Note return to page 538 4Of him that brought them.] This hemistich, which completes the sentence, though not absolutely necessary to it, is not found in the folios.

Note return to page 539 5&lblank; and more strange &lblank;] These words are only in the folios.

Note return to page 540 6&lblank; Ay, my lord, So you will not o'er-rule me to a peace.] Thus the quartos, completing the unfinished line of the king's speech: the folios have only, “If so you'll not o'er-rule me to a peace.”

Note return to page 541 7As liking not his voyage,] This is the clear and correct reading of the undated quarto, that of 1611, &c. Malone seems to have referred here to no other quarto than that of 1604, and finding it read corruptly, “As the king at his voyage,” he adopted the text of the folio, “As checking at his voyage,” which, no doubt, was there introduced as a conjectural emendation.

Note return to page 542 8Of the unworthiest siege.] “Siege” is here used, as in “Othello,” A. i. sc. 2, &c. for seat; and seat denotes place or rank. Shakespeare was by no means peculiar in this respect.

Note return to page 543 9Importing health and graveness.] These words, and all the previous lines between them and “And call it accident,” are only in the quartos. The folio takes it up again at “Two months since,” which it prints “Two months hence.”

Note return to page 544 1And they can well on horseback;] The folio has ran for “can.” It was a mere misprint; people do not run on horseback. In the next line, the folio has into for “unto.”

Note return to page 545 2&lblank; so far he topp'd &lblank;] So the quartos: the folio, tamely, pass'd.

Note return to page 546 3Upon my life, Lamord.] The folios print the name Lamound.

Note return to page 547 4&lblank; the scrimers of their nation,] Escrimeur is Fr. for a fencer; and hence “scrimer.” This passage, “If you oppos'd them,” is not in the folios.

Note return to page 548 5What out of this, my lord?] The folio, “Why out of this,” &c.

Note return to page 549 6There lives within the very flame of love] This and the nine following lines are excluded from the folio.

Note return to page 550 7&lblank; like a spendthrift's sigh,] So the quartos, 1604, 1611, and the undated quarto, though Malone states that the quarto, 1611, has “spendthrift sigh:” perhaps he meant the quarto, 1637, where it is so printed; but how carelessly he sometimes wrote upon these points may be judged from the fact, that he asserts that the folio, 1623, has “spendthrift's sigh,” when no word of the whole passage is there to be found, nor in any other folio. The meaning seems sufficiently obvious.

Note return to page 551 8&lblank; your father's son in deed,] The quartos thus transpose the words, “in deed your father's son:” in both it is printed indeed.

Note return to page 552 9A sword unbated,] i. e. not blunted: in “Love's Labour's Lost,” A. i. sc. 1, we meet with the word “bate” for blunt:— “That honour, which shall bate his scythe's keen edge.”

Note return to page 553 10&lblank; that but dip a knife in it,] So the quartos, 1604, &c., which modern editors properly follow, although the folio (the defect in which they do not point out) has, “I but dipt a knife in it.”

Note return to page 554 1&lblank; on your cunnings,] So all the quartos, and no doubt rightly: the folio prints it commings. Lower down it substitutes “prepar'd” for preferr'd of the quartos, which is probably the true word.

Note return to page 555 2&lblank; your venom'd stuck,] So all the copies, excepting the quarto, 1637, which has tuck, a word sometimes used for a sword; but “stuck” is warranted by its etymology, stoccata, a term in the art of fencing: “venom'd stuck” is equivalent to “venom'd thrust.” The words, “But stay, what noise?” in the next line are only in the quartos, which omit “How, sweet queen!”

Note return to page 556 3&lblank; grows ascaunt the brook,] So every quarto but that of 1603, which merely says, “Sitting upon a willow by a brook.” The folio has aslant a brook. In the next line but one it has come for “make” of the quartos.

Note return to page 557 4&lblank; snatches of old lauds;] i. e. old songs of praise. The folio substitutes tunes, and is incorrectly printed here, for it gives “their drink,” “her drink,” and “her melodious lay, [Notes and Emendations to the 1632 Folio]11Q1037” “her melodious buy.”

Note return to page 558 5But that this folly drowns it.] So every quarto after that of 1603, which has not the line: the folio “doubts it,” meaning douts it, or does it out.

Note return to page 559 6&lblank; that wilfully seeks &lblank;] So the folio: the quartos, “when she wilfully seeks.” In the next line the folio has “and therefore.”

Note return to page 560 7&lblank; se offendendo;] The quartos have only so offended, the compositor not understanding the humour: in the same way, instead of “argal” he printed or all. The folio, however, by mistake has “it is an act, for “it is to act.”

Note return to page 561 8&lblank; than their even Christian.] “Even Christian,” as Thirlby remarked, means fellow Christian. The expression occurs in Chaucer, Gower, and our elder writers; but no other instance of its use in Shakespeare's time has been pointed out.

Note return to page 562 9&lblank; Could he dig without arms?] This allusion to Scripture, and the question producing it, are not in the quartos.

Note return to page 563 1&lblank; for that frame &lblank;] The quartos omit “frame.”

Note return to page 564 2Go, get thee to Yaughan,] This is printed, in Italic type, as a proper name, in the folio: in the quartos we have only, “Go, get thee in.” It is just possible that “Yaughan” was a mis-spelt stage-direction to inform the player that he was to yawn at this point.

Note return to page 565 3In youth, when I did love, did love,] Mr. Rimbault was good enough to point out to me the original words and music to this song in MS. Sloane, No. 4900, (of the time of Edward VI., or Mary) where nobody would have dreamed of looking for it, as the rest of the volume is of an entirely different character. The words there given with the music (neither of them has the author's name) are these: “I lothe that I did love   In youth that I thoughte swete, As tyme requyred for my behoofe,   Me thincke thei are not meete.” The other verses, sung by the 1 Clown, are taken from the same poem by Lord Vaux, but, like the above, they are much corrupted. The whole will be found in “Percy's Reliques,” i. 190, edit. 1812. Another MS. copy, without the music, (MS. Harl. No. 1703) states that it was made by Lord Vaux “in the time of noble queen Mary.”

Note return to page 566 4To contract, O! the time, for, ah! my behove] The O and the ah in this line are of course only the interjections of the Clown in the double exertion of singing and digging.

Note return to page 567 5Hath claw'd me in his clutch,] This is the quarto reading, and we prefer it because it accords with the original song: the folio has caught for “claw'd.”

Note return to page 568 6&lblank; which this ass now o'er-reaches;] The folio has o'er-offices.

Note return to page 569 7&lblank; but to play at loggats with them?] Loggats was an English game, at least as old as the time of Henry VIII., being forbidden in a statute of that reign. It seems originally to have been played with logs or loggets, which were thrown at a stake stuck in the ground, and hence its name. It is still played, but generally with a bowl, and pins, (as a substitute for logs) to be thrown at by the players. It seems, in fact, to be much the same game as that known in many parts of the country as “kettle-pins,” or skittle-pins.

Note return to page 570 8&lblank; this rude knave &lblank;] So the folio, where this scene is on the whole better given than in the quartos, which have “mad knave.”

Note return to page 571 9&lblank; and double ones too,] The quartos have only “and doubles:” in the preceding line they omit “his;” and below, have scarcely for “hardly,” and sirrah for “sir.”

Note return to page 572 1&lblank; the heel of the courtier,] So the quartos, including that of 1603: the folio has it “so near the heels of our courtier.” In the Clown's reply, the quartos omit “all.” The sense of “picked,” in the previous part of the sentence, is explained by Minshew in 1617, as “trimmed, or dressed sprucely.” “Picked” may also allude to the pointed shoes formerly worn.

Note return to page 573 2&lblank; I have been sexton here,] The folio misreads, “I have been sixteen here:” the quartos, 1604, &c., “sexton.” The quarto, 1603, has no part of the 1 Clown's answer, nor of some preceding questions and replies, though this scene on the whole is not given so imperfectly as some other parts of the tragedy.

Note return to page 574 3&lblank; now-a-days,] Only in the folio.

Note return to page 575 4Let me see.] Only in the folio; and above it characteristically repeats “this same scull, sir.”

Note return to page 576 5&lblank; how abhorred in my imagination it is!] Here the quartos are to be preferred: the folio reads, “how abhorred my imagination is.”

Note return to page 577 6&lblank; to mock your own grinning?] The folio, jeering; but the scull did not jeer, though it “grinned.” In the next line, the quartos have “my lady's table,” excepting the quarto, 1603, which supports the folio.

Note return to page 578 7&lblank; as thus;] Not in any of the quartos, but that of 1603.

Note return to page 579 8Imperial Cæsar,] So the folio: the quartos, imperious: the words were often used indifferently. See Vol. vi. p. 283.

Note return to page 580 9&lblank; t' expel the winter's flaw!] “The water's flaw,” in the quartos, 1604, &c.: the quarto, 1603, has not the couplet. A flaw is a gust of wind. See Vol. v. p. 162. In the next line, the quartos read awhile for “aside.”

Note return to page 581 10Fordo its own life: 'twas of some estate.] To “fordo” is to destroy, to undo. The folio has, “'twas some estate.”

Note return to page 582 11 Priest.] The “Priest” of the folio, is called in the quarto, 1604, Doctor; but in that of 1603, “Priest.”

Note return to page 583 2Shards,] i. e. (says Ritson) broken pots or tiles, called pot-sherds, tile-sherds. The quartos omit “shards.”

Note return to page 584 3Yet here she is allowed her virgin crants,] We preserve the word in every old quarto anterior to that of 1637, (which, like the folio, has rites) excepting that of 1603, where the line is not found. “Crants” are garlands, from the German kranz. Warburton substituted chants.

Note return to page 585 4To sing a requiem,] “To sing sage requiem,” in the folio only.

Note return to page 586 5O! treble woe] The folio introduces a strange corruption here, of which some modern editors have taken no notice, but have quietly adopted the reading of the quartos. The folio, 1623, reads, “O! terrible woer;” and it is followed by the three later folios. Our text is that of the quartos, 1604, &c.

Note return to page 587 6For though I am not &lblank;] The folio reads, “Sir, though I am not.” No doubt the compositor mistook the f for a long s, and hence the error.

Note return to page 588 7Which let thy wisdom fear: hold off thy hand.] The folio has wiseness, and “Away thy hand.”

Note return to page 589 8All. Gentlemen,] The folio has not this speech, and the quartos naturally give the next to Horatio, and not to a Gentleman.

Note return to page 590 9'Swounds!] For this exclamation the folio tamely substitutes “Come.”

Note return to page 591 1Woul't drink up Esill?] We print this word “Esill,” as it stands in the quarto, 1604, &c. There is no doubt that eyesel is the old word for vinegar, although there is considerable doubt whether that be meant here. Some of the commentators suppose Hamlet to challenge Laertes to drink up the river Yssell, or Eisell, and Sir T. Hanmer went so far as to change it to Nile. The quarto, 1603, affords us no aid here, for it reads, “Wilt drink up vessels?” In the folio it is, “Woo't drinke up Esile,” and omits “woul't fast” in the preceding line.

Note return to page 592 2This is mere madness:] This speech in the folio is given to the King.

Note return to page 593 3When that her golden couplets are disclos'd,] To disclose was anciently used for to hatch: and as Malone remarks, the word disclose has already occurred in that sense in this play, Act iii. sc. 1, p. 264.

Note return to page 594 4An hour of quiet thereby shall we see;] So all the quartos, after that of 1604, (that of 1603 has no corresponding line) which has thirty,—no doubt a misprint for “thereby,” and not for shortly, as it stands in the folios.

Note return to page 595 5&lblank; now shall you see the other;—] The folio reads, “now let me see,” &c.

Note return to page 596 6Worse than the mutines in the bilboes.] Here again we have “mutines” for mutineers, as in “King John,” Vol. iv. p. 31. The bilboes seem to have been so called from the place where they were made, Bilboa, and they consisted of an iron bar with rings for confining the hands or legs of offenders on board ship. It is said that the punishment was made known to this country by the Armada.

Note return to page 597 7When our deep plots do pall; and that should teach us,] The folio has “dear plots” for deep plots of the quartos: “pall” is the reading of the quarto 1604, and of the folio: other quartos have fall. We adopt “teach” from the folio, instead of “learn” of the older copies. The reasoning in this passage is consecutive in Hamlet's mind, but, perhaps, hardly so in his expressions.

Note return to page 598 8&lblank; to unfold &lblank;] The folio “to unseal,” but the commission was supposed to be folded up, and perhaps it is here unnecessary to represent Hamlet breaking the seal of the commission. The quartos, 1604, &c. all have “unfold.”

Note return to page 599 9O royal knavery!] The quartos, 1604, &c. poorly read “a royal knavery.”

Note return to page 600 10But wilt thou hear me &lblank;] The quartos have now for “me.”

Note return to page 601 1And stand a comma 'tween their amities;] “The comma (says Johnson) is the note of connection and continuity of sentences; the period is the note of abruption and disjunction. Shakespeare had it perhaps in his mind to write,— That unless England complied with the mandate, war should put a period to their amity; he altered his mode of diction, and thought that, in an opposite sense, he might put, that “peace should stand a comma between their amities.”

Note return to page 602 2And many such like as's of great charge,—] The quartos unintelligibly read, “as, sir, of great charge,” which the folio altered to assis: Hamlet refers to the word as, which begins three previous lines. In the next line, the folio uses “know” for knowledge, which in the quartos is knowing.

Note return to page 603 3&lblank; was heaven ordinant.] Ordinate is the word in the folio.

Note return to page 604 4Why, man, they did make love to this employment;] This is a line not in any of the quartos. In the next line the folio reads debate for “defeat,” which last seems the right word. Above it has sement for “sequent.”

Note return to page 605 5To quit him with this arm?] i. e. to quite or requite him. From this line until the entrance of Osrick is only in the folio impressions.

Note return to page 606 6&lblank; I'll count his favours.] Rowe reads court for “count,” with considerable plausibility: however, “count” may be the word in the sense of count upon.

Note return to page 607 7Enter Osrick.] “Enter a courtier,” in the quartos, 1604, &c. “Enter a braggart gentleman,” in the quarto, 1603.

Note return to page 608 8&lblank; as I say,] The folio only reads “as I saw.” In the next speech it has friendship for “lordship.”

Note return to page 609 9&lblank; for my complexion.] So the folio, completing the sentence; but the quartos have “or my complexion,” leaving it unfinished. In the next speech, “But, my lord,” of the folio, is only My lord in the quartos.

Note return to page 610 1Sir, here is newly come to court,] From these words, inclusive, down to Hamlet's question, “What's his weapon?” is only in the quartos, 1604, &c., with the exception of the words “you are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is,”—to which the folio adds “at his weapon.” There is no trace of this part of the play in the quarto, 1603.

Note return to page 611 2&lblank; to speak feelingly of him,] So all the quartos but that of 1604, which has sellingly, which may be right.

Note return to page 612 3&lblank; would dizzy &lblank;] So all the quartos but that of 1604, which has dozie: it has also yaw for “raw,” which itself may be a misprint: Warburton would read slow for “raw.”

Note return to page 613 4&lblank; to understand in another tongue?] Malone suspected that we ought to read “in a mother tongue,” but no change seems necessary: Horatio is adverting to the sort of affected language used by Osrick and retorted by Hamlet, and asks if it be not possible that they should understand each other in another tongue. For “You will do't really,” the quarto, 1604, has, “You will to't really.” Perhaps we ought to read rarely for “really.”

Note return to page 614 5&lblank; in his meed he's unfellowed.] i. e. in his merit or excellence. See “meed” used in a similar sense in Vol. v. pp. 251 and 317, and Vol. vi. p. 515.

Note return to page 615 6&lblank; against the which he has imponed,] The folio has “imponed” for impauned of the quartos: but by what follows, “imponed” seems right, in order to imitate Osrick's affected pronunciation.

Note return to page 616 7&lblank; ere you had done.] Horatio (whose interruption is not in the folio) refers to the explanatory comment upon the body of a work, sometimes inserted in the margin of the page.

Note return to page 617 8Why is this imponed, as you call it?] The quartos omit “imponed,” and other trifling variations hardly require notice: thus the folio has “French but” for “French bet.”

Note return to page 618 9Shall I deliver you so?] The folio has, “Shall I re-deliver you e'en so?”

Note return to page 619 10&lblank; no tongues else for's turn.] The folio repeats tongue instead of “turn,” as it stands in the quartos.

Note return to page 620 1He did comply with his dug, before he sucked it.] Horatio, by the simile of the lapwing, calls Osrick a forward fellow, and Hamlet follows it up by saying that he was so forward and conceited, that he complimented with his dug before he sucked it. Many authorities might be produced to show that to “comply” was to compliment.

Note return to page 621 2&lblank; and many more of the same breed,] The folio reads, “and mine more of the same beavy:” bevy might be right, but mine must be wrong.

Note return to page 622 3&lblank; the most fond and winnowed opinions;] The quarto, 1604, has “the most prophane and trennowed opinions,” and trennowed was altered in later quartos to trennowned, which affords no better sense. Our reading is that of the folio. The quarto has some other minor corruptions.

Note return to page 623 4Enter a Lord.] From the entrance of this lord, to his exit, the text is only to be found in the quartos. It is to be traced in the quarto, 1603.

Note return to page 624 5You will lose this wager,] The words “this wager” are from the folio.

Note return to page 625 6&lblank; such a kind of gain-giving,] i. e. mis-giving, against-giving. The quartos have gam-giving and game-giving, but none of them have “gain-giving” of the folio. In the next line, for “obey it,” the folio has merely “obey.” No old copy is at all well printed in this scene.

Note return to page 626 7Since no man, of aught he leaves, knows, what is't to leave betimes? Let be.] We have preferred here the reading of the quarto, 1604, which Warburton adopted: the folio has, “Since no man has aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes?” omitting “Let be.”

Note return to page 627 8Sir, in this audience,] This hemistich is not in any of the quartos.

Note return to page 628 9And hurt my brother.] The folio misprints “brother” mother. In the next speech of Laertes it reads ungorg'd for “ungor'd.” Modern editors pass over these variations as if the defects did not exist in the folio. Such errors, however, detect themselves.

Note return to page 629 1Give us the foils; come on.] The quartos have not “come on.”

Note return to page 630 2And in the cup an union shall he throw;] So the folio, rightly, an union being the most valuable kind of pearl. The quarto, 1604, has unice, the undated quarto Onix, and so it continued to be printed in the quarto, 1637.

Note return to page 631 3&lblank; set it by awhile.] The folio omits “it,” and the quartos afterwards, “A touch, a touch.”

Note return to page 632 4He's fat, and scant of breath.] On the authority of “Wright's Historia Histrionica,” 1699, it has been supposed that Taylor was the original Hamlet. This is a mistake: Wright says that “Taylor acted Hamlet incomparably well;” but he had the advantage of seeing Burbage in the part until 1619. We know, on the authority of the MS. epitaph upon Burbage, that he was celebrated for his Hamlet, and Shakespeare's words are employed, with reference to the obesity of the actor:— “No more young Hamlet, though but scant of breath, Shall cry revenge for his dear father's death.” These lines must have been written very soon after the decease of the subject of them, and they are decisive upon the point that Burbage was the performer who first acted the part of Hamlet. See the Introduction.

Note return to page 633 5Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows:] So the quartos: the folio, defectively, “Here's a napkin: rub thy brows.”

Note return to page 634 6I am afeard, you make a wanton of me.] The quartos, “I am sure,” &c. “Wanton” here means a feeble effeminate person.

Note return to page 635 7Why, as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osrick;] The folio omits “own.”

Note return to page 636 8&lblank; half an hour of life;] So the folio: the quartos, “half an hour's life.”

Note return to page 637 9&lblank; and my cause aright] The folio, “and my causes right.”

Note return to page 638 1O God!—Horatio,] The folio, “O good Horatio!” In the next line, for “shall live behind me” of the folio, the quartos have “shall I leave behind me.”

Note return to page 639 2&lblank; and Shot within.] The folio, which only has this part of the stage-direction, reads, “and shout within;” but the “warlike volley” afterwards mentioned would show that shout was a misprint for “shot.”

Note return to page 640 3&lblank; quite o'er-crows my spirit:] Malone states that only the quarto, 1637, reads o'er-grows for “o'er-crows;” but the fact is, that that reading (whether it be or be not an improvement upon the word in the quarto, 1604, and in the folio, 1623) is found in the undated quarto, and in that of 1611.

Note return to page 641 4&lblank; The rest is silence.] The folio has “O! O! O! O!” after “silence.”

Note return to page 642 5&lblank; and forc'd cause,] So the folio: the quartos, “and for no cause.”

Note return to page 643 6And from his mouth whose voice will draw on more:] i. e. will draw on more voices; referring to the declaration of Hamlet, “he has my dying voice.”

Note return to page 644 M. William Shak-speare: His True Chronicle Historie of the life and death of King Lear and his three Daughters. With the vnfortunate life of Edgar, sonne and heire to the Earle of Gloster, and his sullen and assumed humour of Tom of Bedlam. As it was played before the Kings Maiestie at Whitehall vpon S. Stephans night in Christmas Hollidayes. By his Maiesties seruants playing vsually at the Gloabe on the Bancke-side. London, Printed for Nathaniel Butter, and are to be sold at his shop in Paul's Church-yard, at the signe of the Pide Bull neere St. Austin's Gate. 1608. 4to. 41 leaves. M. William Shake-speare, His True Chronicle History of the life and death of King Lear, and his three Daughters. With the vnfortunate life of Edgar, sonne and heire to the Earle of Glocester, and his sullen and assumed humour of Tom of Bedlam. As it was plaid before the Kings Maiesty at White-Hall, vppon S. Stephens night, in Christmas Hollidaies. By his Maiesties Seruants, playing vsually at the Globe on the Banck-side. Printed for Nathaniel Butter. 1608. 4to. 44 leaves. The title-page of a third impression in 1608 corresponds with that last above given. In the folio of 1623, “The Tragedie of King Lear” occupies twenty-seven pages, in the division of “Tragedies;” viz. from p. 283 to p. 309, inclusive. The last page but one, by an error, is numbered 38, instead of 308. In the first, as well as in the folios of 1632, 1664, and 1685, the Acts and Scenes are regularly marked.

Note return to page 645 1A list of characters was first inserted by Rowe.

Note return to page 646 1&lblank; neither can make choice of either's moiety.] “Moiety,” here, as elsewhere, is not used by Shakespeare in its strict sense of half, but as a share. See Vol. iv. p. 283. The folio reads kingdom for “kingdoms,” and qualities for “equalities.” “Kingdoms,” in the plural, of course, refers to the separate dominions given by Lear to the Dukes of Albany and Cornwall. Steevens justifies “equalities” by a quotation, but none seems required.

Note return to page 647 2&lblank; saucily into the world &lblank;] The folio, “saucily to the world.”

Note return to page 648 3I shall, my liege.] “Liege” in the quartos; lord in the folio. In the next line it seems right in reading “purpose,” for purposes of the quartos. “Give me the map there.—Know that we have divided,” is from the folio: the quartos read, “The map there: know we have divided.”

Note return to page 649 4&lblank; and 'tis our fast intent] The quartos have “first intent;” and in the next line, “of our state,” for “from our age.”

Note return to page 650 5Conferring them on younger strengths,] So the folio: the quartos, “Confirming them on younger years.” What follows these words, down to “May be prevented now,” is only in the folio.

Note return to page 651 6The princes, France and Burgundy,] The quartos make a line of these words, by reading, “The two great princes, France and Burgundy.”

Note return to page 652 7&lblank; cares of state,] The two lines, forming this parenthesis, are wanting in the quartos.

Note return to page 653 8Where nature doth with merit challenge.] So the folio: the quartos, “Where merit most doth challenge it.” In the next line but one, our text is that of the folio, instead of “Sir, I do love,” &c. of the quartos.

Note return to page 654 9&lblank; or father found;] The quartos misprint “found” friend.

Note return to page 655 1What shall Cordelia speak?] Do, in the quartos.

Note return to page 656 2&lblank; and with champains rich'd, With plenteous rivers &lblank;] These words are not in the quartos, which, for “shadowy forests,” read “shady forests.”

Note return to page 657 3Speak.] This word, clearly necessary to the measure, probably dropped out in the folio at the end of the line. It is in all the quartos. The next line is from the folio, as the quartos read, prosaically, “Sir, I am made of the self-same metal that my sister is.” Lower down, for “she comes too short,” the quartos have, “she came short.”

Note return to page 658 4&lblank; square of sense possesses;] So the quartos, rightly: the folio, professes.

Note return to page 659 5More richer than my tongue.] For “richer” of the quartos, the folio has ponderous.

Note return to page 660 6Although our last, and least;] In this line, and to the end of the speech, we follow the folio: the quartos read thus:— “Although the last, not least in our dear love, What can you say to win a third, more opulent Than your sister?”

Note return to page 661 7Nothing.] Not in the quartos; which give the next line, “How! nothing can come of nothing. Speak again.” Lower down the folio has, “no more nor less,” a letter having perhaps dropped out.

Note return to page 662 8How? how, Cordelia?] The quartos, “Go to, go to;” and in the next line, “Lest it may,” &c.

Note return to page 663 9To love my father all.] This necessary hemistich is not to be found in the folio. In the next line it reads, “But goes thy heart with this?”

Note return to page 664 1The mysteries of Hecate and the night;] The folio, 1623, has miseries for “mysteries,” (corrected in the folio, 1632) which the quartos read, mistresse, and “might” for “night.”

Note return to page 665 2&lblank; to my bosom] These words are only in the folio.

Note return to page 666 3Only we still retain] The folio has turn for “turns,” in this line, and shall for “still:” in next line it has addition for “additions.”

Note return to page 667 4When Lear is mad.] The quarto with the bookseller's address has man.

Note return to page 668 5When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom;] The folio, “falls to folly,” and “reserve thy state” for “reverse thy doom.”

Note return to page 669 6&lblank; nor fear to lose it,] The folio has, “ne'er fear to lose it.”

Note return to page 670 7The true blank of thine eye.] The blank means probably the white at which the arrow is shot.

Note return to page 671 8O, vassal! recreant!] The interjection is from the folio; and “recreant” is from the quartos instead of miscreant, which the compositor of the folio probably mistook for the right word, which occurs again afterwards. The quartos have not the words “Dear sir, forbear.” Below the folio has “Revoke thy gift” for “Revoke thy doom” of the quartos: Kent, perhaps, refers to the “gift” made to Goneril and Regan.

Note return to page 672 9&lblank; our sentence and our power,] The folio, to the injury of sense and metre, reads sentences; but it is probably right in the preceding line, where it substitutes “strain'd” for straied of the quartos.

Note return to page 673 10Five days we do allot thee,] In the quartos it is Four days, and afterwards, consistently, “on the fifth.” In the next line, “diseases” (which in the folio is misprinted disasters) is to be taken in the etymological sense of inconveniences, which at the time was not unusual.

Note return to page 674 1Freedom lives hence,] In the quartos Friendship, and in the next line protection, for “dear shelter.”

Note return to page 675 2&lblank; and hast most rightly said!] Malone printed “more rightly,” contrary to all the early authorities.

Note return to page 676 3Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord.] In all the folios this speech is mistakenly assigned to Cordelia. The quartos have it rightly.

Note return to page 677 4&lblank; than hath your highness offer'd,] The quartos, “than what your highness offer'd:” they omit “Most” in the preceding line.

Note return to page 678 5Dower'd with our curse,] This is the better reading of the folio: the quartos have “Cover'd with our curse.”

Note return to page 679 6Most best, most dearest,] The folio, less forcibly, “The best, the dearest;” and in the last line of the speech, Should for “Could” of the quartos.

Note return to page 680 7&lblank; since what I well intend,] So the quartos. The folio, erroneously, “will intend.” In the next line it is probably right in changing may know of the quartos to “make known.”

Note return to page 681 8No unchaste action,] The quartos, “unclean action,” and two lines lower, rich for “richer.”

Note return to page 682 9Better thou] Before these words the quartos insert the expression of impatience, “Go to, go to,” which are natural, but detrimental to the measure.

Note return to page 683 1Is it but this?] The quartos, unnecessarily, “Is it no more but this?”

Note return to page 684 2Royal Lear,] The folio, “Royal king,” and in a previous line, regards for “respects;” but it is probably right in reading “She is herself a dowry,” for “She is herself and dower” of the quartos, although the latter is very intelligible.

Note return to page 685 3I am firm.] These words are only in the folio: they seem to weaken the sense and clog the metre, but we cannot feel warranted in omitting them.

Note return to page 686 4&lblank; respects of fortune &lblank;] i. e. considerations of fortune, using “respects” in the same sense as a few lines earlier: the folio has “respect and fortunes.”

Note return to page 687 5Shall buy &lblank;] The folio reads “Can buy.”

Note return to page 688 6&lblank; a better where to find.] i. e. a better place: “where” is used substantively, as in any where, every where, &c.

Note return to page 689 7Love well our father:] The quartos, “Use well our father.”

Note return to page 690 8And well are worth the want &lblank;] The folio rightly reads “want” for worth of the quartos.

Note return to page 691 9&lblank; at last shame them derides.] So the quartos, (excepting that “cover,” by a very common error, is misprinted covers,) correctly; and the folio, corruptly, “at last with shame derides.”

Note return to page 692 10Hath not been little.] The negative is from the quartos. What follows shows that it was accidentally omitted in the folio.

Note return to page 693 1Let us hit together:] A very intelligible expression for “Let us agree together:” i. e.strike at the same time. The folio misprints “hit” sit. Goneril afterwards follows up the figure “let us hit together,” by adding “and i' the heat,”—while the iron is hot.

Note return to page 694 2Thou, nature, art my goddess;] This speech in the folio is printed as verse, and in the quartos as prose. Such is the case with many others in the course of the drama.

Note return to page 695 3The curiosity of nations &lblank;] i. e. the scrupulousness of nations. In the second speech of this play “curiosity” has been used in the same sense. Edmund is here soliloquizing on his own bastardy, and on the evils to which bastards were exposed by custom and the scrupulous laws of nations.

Note return to page 696 4&lblank; with baseness? bastardy? base, base?] The quartos only have “base bastardy?” for these words of the folio.

Note return to page 697 5Fine word,—legitimate] These words are only in the folio.

Note return to page 698 6Shall top the legitimate.] The quartos have, “Shall tooth' legitimate,” and the folio, “Shall to' th' legitimate.” “Shall top the legitimate” is the ingenious emendation of Edwards, which in fact only substitutes the letter p for o in the quartos.

Note return to page 699 7&lblank; subscrib'd his power!] i. e. surrendered his power: the folio alone has prescrib'd. “Exhibition” in the next line is maintenance, and is still used in that sense at our Universities. We have it also in “Othello,” A. i. sc. 3.

Note return to page 700 8&lblank; not fit for your o'er-looking.] So the folio, though the reading of the quartos might be justified, “not fit for your liking.”

Note return to page 701 9This policy, and reverence &lblank;] The quartos omit “and reverence.”

Note return to page 702 10When came this to you?] The folio, “When came you to this?” Other minor variations do not require separate notice.

Note return to page 703 1&lblank; and fathers declined, the father &lblank;] The quartos read, “and fathers declining, his father, &c.” Below, the quartos have, “I apprehend him,” for “I'll apprehend him” of the folio.

Note return to page 704 2&lblank; and to no other pretence &lblank;] The quartos, “to no farther pretence:” “pretence” was frequently thus used for design or intention. See also p. 378.

Note return to page 705 3Nor is not, sure.] This speech and Gloster's reply, as far as “Heaven and earth!” are only in the quartos.

Note return to page 706 4I would unstate myself to be in a due resolution.] We should hardly have thought a note here necessary, if Warburton, Johnson, Mason, and Steevens, had not disputed regarding the meaning, which seems only to be, “I would be content to sacrifice my rank, if I could but arrive at a thorough conviction as to his design.”

Note return to page 707 5&lblank; as I shall find means.] The quartos, “as I shall see means.”

Note return to page 708 6This villain of mine &lblank;] From these words inclusive down to “disquietly to our graves” is only in the folio.

Note return to page 709 7&lblank; knaves, thieves, and treachers,] “Treachers” is a word of not unfrequent occurrence in old writers. In the quartos it stands treacherers.

Note return to page 710 8&lblank; to the charge of stars!] The folio, “on the charge of a star.”

Note return to page 711 9&lblank; on my bastardizing.] The quartos, “on my bastardy.”

Note return to page 712 1Edgar—and &lblank;] These two words are not in the folio: the quartos read, “out he comes,” for “pat he comes;” and farther on they have mine for “my cue;” “them of Bedlam” for “Tom o' Bedlam;” and they omit “Fa, sol, la, mi,” besides some smaller variations.

Note return to page 713 2&lblank; as of unnaturalness &lblank;] These words, and what follows them, down to “Come, come,” in Edmund's next speech, are only in the quartos.

Note return to page 714 3&lblank; dissipation of cohorts,] So the old copies; but Johnson very reasonably suggested that “cohorts” was a misprint for courts.

Note return to page 715 4&lblank; the heat of his displeasure;] In Malone's Shakespeare by Boswell, it is misprinted, “the heart of his displeasure.”

Note return to page 716 5That's my fear.] What follows these words, down to, and including, Edgar's speech, “Armed brother?” is not in the quartos.

Note return to page 717 6Brother, I advise you to the best;] Here the quartos add, “go armed;” but as our text is from the folio, which before has given, “If you do stir abroad, go armed,” this repetition of the injunction is needless.

Note return to page 718 7If he distaste it,] The quartos, “If he dislike it.” In the previous line the quartos, needlessly and injuriously, as regards the verse, insert servants after “fellows;” but the whole scene is there printed as prose.

Note return to page 719 8Not to be over-ruled. Idle old man,] This and the four lines succeeding it are not in the folio.

Note return to page 720 9I would breed from hence occasions, and I shall, That I may speak:] These words are only in the quartos.

Note return to page 721 1That can my speech diffuse,] So all the old editions: to “diffuse” meant, in the time of Shakespeare, to disorder or confuse: “diffus'd attire” is an expression in “Henry V.” (Vol. v. p. 556) for disordered dress. A “diffused song,” in “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” A. iv. sc. 4, is an irregular song. Tollet quoted the following apposite passage from Stow's Chronicle, “I doubt not but thy speech shall be more diffuse to him, than his French shall be to thee.”

Note return to page 722 2(So may it come!)] This parenthesis is not in the quartos, where the speech, like many others, is printed as prose.

Note return to page 723 3He says, my lord, your daughter is not well.] In the quartos, this answer is given to Kent, and the next to a servant. In the folio, they seem properly and consistently assigned to one of the knights attending on Lear.

Note return to page 724 4&lblank; of kindness:] These words are wanting in the quartos.

Note return to page 725 5I am none of these, my lord;] The quartos, “I am none of this, my lord.” There are other trifling variations in this part of the scene: thus, for “have you wisdom?” of the folio, the quartos read, “you have wisdom.”

Note return to page 726 6Why, my boy?] In the folio, this question is put into Lear's mouth: in the quartos, it is given to Kent, in the words “Why, fool?”

Note return to page 727 7&lblank; when the lady brach,] The quartos unintelligibly read, “when lady o' the brach.” A “brach” was a female hound, but the word was also used for a dog in general. See Vol. iii. p. 108; Vol. iv. p. 288; and Vol. vi. p. 44.

Note return to page 728 8This is nothing, fool] The fool's speech seems addressed to Lear, “Mark it, nuncle;” and it is natural that Lear should make this reply to it. He does so in the quartos, but the folio attributes “This is nothing, fool,” to Kent.

Note return to page 729 9That lord, that counsell'd thee] From this line down to “Give me an egg, nuncle,” is only in the quarto impressions. It was, perhaps, politically objectionable, and was therefore omitted.

Note return to page 730 1&lblank; and loads, too:] Modern editors, without the slightest authority, read, “and ladies, too,” when the old copies have not a word about ladies: all the fool means to say is, that if he had a monopoly of folly, great men would have part of it, and a large part, too—“and loads, too”—printed lodes in the quartos.

Note return to page 731 2Fools had ne'er less grace in a year;] So the folio: the quartos, “less wit in a year.” The next line but one seems also corrupt in the oldest editions, “They know not how their wits do wear.”

Note return to page 732 3Then they for sudden joy did weep, &c.] So, in “The Rape of Lucrece,” by Thomas Heywood:— “When Tarquin first in court began,   And was approved king, Some men for sodden joy gan weep,   And I for sorrow sing.” Steevens “could not ascertain” in what year this play was first published. The date of the earliest edition is 1608: Heywood multiplied the songs in subsequent impressions, and its popularity must have been great.

Note return to page 733 4Methinks you are too much of late i' the frown.] The folio prints this and the preceding line as prose, and makes them so by omitting “Methinks.” Some modern editors, who are opposed to a text made up from the quartos and folios, nevertheless, without notice, insert “Methinks” from the quartos.

Note return to page 734 5&lblank; now thou art an O without a figure.] The Fool (observes Malone) means to say, that Lear, “having pared his wit on both sides, and left nothing in the middle,” is become a mere cypher.

Note return to page 735 6Will call discreet proceeding.] The quartos, “Must call discreet proceedings.” The whole speech, and others that follow it, are there printed as prose. The Fool's observation, notwithstanding the rhyme, (probably from some old song) is made prose in all the old copies, quarto and folio.

Note return to page 736 7I would, you would make use of your good wisdom] The folio omits “Come, sir,” of the quartos, before this speech, and makes that verse which most modern editors have printed as prose.

Note return to page 737 8Lear's shadow?] These words are given in the folio to the Fool, and it leaves out what follows down to the question, “Your name, first gentlewoman?” The folio in other respects corrupts Lear's speech.

Note return to page 738 9This admiration, sir, is much o' the favour] The quartos again precede this speech by, “Come, sir:” we follow the text of the folio, which is in verse.

Note return to page 739 1&lblank; should be wise.] One of the quartos reads, “you should be wise,” but you is strictly speaking redundant, or may be understood. “I do beseech you (says Goneril) to understand my purposes aright, as you are old and reverend, you should be wise.”

Note return to page 740 2Than a grac'd palace.] The quartos have great for “grac'd.”

Note return to page 741 3&lblank; as may besort your age,] So the folio, and one of the quartos (that without the publisher's address): the other has before for “besort.”

Note return to page 742 4Woe, that too late repents,] So the folio, but the conclusion of the line “O sir! are you come,” is from the quartos: they however read as a question, “Is it your will, that we prepare our horses?” There the interruption of Albany “Pray, sir, be patient,” is wanting; and in Lear's next speech, for “thou liest,” of the folios, one quarto has, “thou list my train;” which may be right, taking to list in the sense of to limit or bound.

Note return to page 743 5Of what hath mov'd you.] This hemistich (which is completed by Lear's words, “It may be so, my lord,”) is only in the folio; and we have regulated the lines as they are there found. In the quartos, the speech is printed as prose, and is otherwise corrupt: thus for “thwart, disnatur'd,” they have “thourt disnatur'd.” “Disnatur'd,” as Steevens observes, was used by Daniel, one of the purest writers of that day, but we do not find it in any of his contemporaries. In the next line but one, the quartos read “accent tears,” for “ardent tears.”

Note return to page 744 6Away! Away!] The quartos repeat “Go, go, my people,” with which words Lear had concluded the former speech, and they say nothing of the exit and re-entrance of Lear.

Note return to page 745 7&lblank; to know the cause;] So the quartos: the folio“to know more of it.”

Note return to page 746 8That these hot tears, &c.] Our text is that of the folio: the quartos, quite unintelligibly, give the passage, and what immediately follows it, thus:—“That these hot tears, that break from me perforce, should make the worst blasts and fogs upon the untender woundings of a father's curse, peruse every sense about the old fond eyes, beweep this cause again, &c.”

Note return to page 747 9Let it be so:—I have another daughter,] We follow the text, though not the regulation of the folio, which makes two imperfect lines instead of only one: “To temper clay. Ha! let it be so. I have another daughter.” The quartos read, “yea; is't come to this? Yet have I left a daughter.”

Note return to page 748 1I have cast off for ever.] The quartos, after these words, add “Thou shalt, I warrant thee.”

Note return to page 749 2Pray you, content.] In the quartos, Goneril interrupts Albany more unceremoniously, “Come, sir, no more.” “Come, sir,” is there made a favourite expression with her.

Note return to page 750 3This man hath had good counsel.] This and the two next speeches, down to “When I have show'd the unfitness,” are only in the folio impressions.

Note return to page 751 4&lblank; how now, Oswald!] In the quartos Oswald the Steward does not enter until he has been again called by Goneril, “What, Oswald, ho!”

Note return to page 752 5You are much more attask'd] So one of the quartos: in the others the word is alapt, which seems unintelligible. “Attask'd” may mean taken to task, and the folio, somewhat consistently with this interpretation, has at task, but we know of no other instance of the use of that phrase. The quarto, 1655, reads “attask'd,” but it is not entitled to be considered any authority.

Note return to page 753 6&lblank; yet I can tell what I can tell.] So the folio: the quartos, “Yet I con what I can tell” i. e. “I know what I can tell,” which may be the right reading, though the text of the folio seems preferable. Lower down, in the Fool's answer to Lear, the quartos have not “indeed,” which is found in the folio.

Note return to page 754 7&lblank; but ear-bussing arguments?] A play, probably, upon bussing and buzzing: the folio has it “ear-kissing.”

Note return to page 755 8Not a word.] This and the preceding speech are in the quarto with the publisher's address, and in the folio, but not in the other quartos. In the next line the folio alone reads, “You may do, then, in time.” Other variations are hardly worth particular notice.

Note return to page 756 9Which I must act.—Briefness, and fortune, work!] The quartos give this line, “Which must ask briefness and fortune help.”

Note return to page 757 1Advise yourself.] The quartos “Advise your—” as if the sentence were incomplete from Edgar's interruption.

Note return to page 758 2Do more than this in sport.] Many passages might be produced from writers of the time to show, that young men out of gallantry sometimes stabbed their arms, in order to be able to drink the healths of their mistresses in blood.

Note return to page 759 3Mumbling of wicked charms,] The quartos “Warbling of charms,” evidently a misprint.

Note return to page 760 4&lblank; did all their thunders bend;] So the quartos: the folio “all the thunder bend.” Lower down the folio alone reads, “latch'd mine arm,” for “lanc'd mine arm.” Latch'd, which in “Midsummer Night's Dream,” Vol. ii. p. 427, seems used for licked, cannot be right here.

Note return to page 761 5My worthy arch] i. e. chief, now used, as Steevens states, only in composition, as arch-duke, arch-angel, arch-fiend, &c.

Note return to page 762 6&lblank; the murderous coward] In the quartos, “murderous caitiff.”

Note return to page 763 7And found him pight to do it,] i. e. pitched, in the sense of fixed or determined.

Note return to page 764 8&lblank; would the reposal] The quartos “could the reposure.”

Note return to page 765 9My very character,] i. e. my own hand-writing. In the next line, for “practice” of the folios, the quartos have pretence.

Note return to page 766 1&lblank; and potential spurs] “Spurs,” the reading of the quartos, for spirits of the folio, is here evidently to be preferred. The same remark will apply to the next line, where the folio reads poorly “O, strange and fasten'd villain,” which, besides, does not suit the measure.

Note return to page 767 2I never got him.] For this passage the folio merely has, said he, in reference to the question “Would he deny his letter?” In the next line for “I know not why he comes,” the folio has “I know not where he comes.”

Note return to page 768 3&lblank; I have heard strange news.] The folio is very imperfectly printed in this part of the scene, and the quartos are far from correct: for “strange news,” the folio has strangeness.

Note return to page 769 4&lblank; of that consort.] These words are from the folio. “Consort” is company.

Note return to page 770 5To have th' expense and waste of his revenues.] The quartos give this line as follows:—“To have these—and waste of this his revenues,”—obviously neither sense nor measure.

Note return to page 771 6He did bewray his practice;] The quartos here afford a comment on the folio, by reading betray for “bewray.”

Note return to page 772 7&lblank; threading dark-ey'd night.] The quartos read, threatening.

Note return to page 773 8&lblank; of some poize,] So two copies of the quartos: the other, for “poize” reads prize, which is also the word in the folio. It was an easy misprint. Lower down, one quarto reads, “from our home,” and the others, “from our hand:” the folio seems rightly to have “home.”

Note return to page 774 9&lblank; to our business,] The folio has businesses, instead of “business” of the quartos: the verb “craves,” in the next line, is, nevertheless, in the singular in the folio, which serves to show that “business” is right.

Note return to page 775 1Good dawning to thee, friend: art of this house?] The quartos have even for “dawning,” and the for “this.”

Note return to page 776 2&lblank; glass-gazing, superserviceable, finical rogue;] Malone makes a difficulty of nothing, as if “glass-gazing” did not mean gazing in a glass, with reference to Oswald's vanity and conceit. The quartos read merely, “superfinical rogue,” with much loss of meaning.

Note return to page 777 3&lblank; and take Vanity, the puppet's part,] The allusion is evidently to the character of Vanity, in some of the early Moralities or Moral-plays. She had also probably been represented in a puppet-show, and hence Kent calls her “Vanity, the puppet.”

Note return to page 778 4What's the matter? Part.] “Part” is wanting in the quartos.

Note return to page 779 5The messengers &lblank;] All the old copies have “messengers,” but Oswald is the only one upon the stage.

Note return to page 780 6&lblank; nature disclaims in thee:] We should now say “nature disclaims thee;” but the text was the phraseology of the time, as may be proved by various instances: one from Ben Jonson's “Fox,” A. iii. sc. 5, will be sufficient: “And, then, his father's oft disclaiming in him.”

Note return to page 781 7Ay, a tailor, sir: a stone-cutter, or a painter, could not have made him so ill,] The folio, by omitting “Ay,” which is in all the quartos, and by faulty punctuation, makes the passage read, as if Kent had contradicted himself, by saying first that a tailor had made Oswald, and next that a tailor could not have made him so ill. The folio also substitutes years for “hours.”

Note return to page 782 8&lblank; this unbolted villain &lblank;] i. e. this unsifted or coarse villain. To “bolt” is to sift: see Vol. v. p. 506.

Note return to page 783 9Which are too intrinse t'unloose:] The word is intrench in the quartos, which is a decided corruption. Shakespeare here uses “intrinse” in the same sense as “intrinsecate” in “Antony and Cleopatra,” A. v. sc. 2, where the heroine calls upon the asp to untie the “knot intrinsecate of life.” In the preceding line, the quartos omit “holy.”

Note return to page 784 10Bring oil to fire,] The quartos have stir for “fire” of the folio; but in the next line the folio is clearly wrong in having revenge for “renege” of the quartos: to “renege” is to deny, and it occurs in a similar scene in “Antony and Cleopatra,” A. i. sc. 1; but it was not by any means of common occurrence in other writers. Steevens found it in Stanyhurst's translation of the “Æneid,” 1584, but there it rather means to refuse, a sense in which deny was not unfrequently used. See Vol. ii. p. 251.

Note return to page 785 11&lblank; Camelot.] In Somersetshire, where the romances say king Arthur kept his western court. It is mentioned in Drayton's Polyolbion, Song iii.

Note return to page 786 12What's his offence?] The folio, in opposition to the quartos, has “What is his fault?” Other changes are less important.

Note return to page 787 1An honest mind and plain,] So the folio: the quartos, “he must be plain.”

Note return to page 788 2On flickering Phœbus' front,—] So the quartos; the folio “flicking,” but “flickering” is the true word, and it is found in several old writers.

Note return to page 789 3When he, compact,] “Compact” here seems to mean, in concert with, having entered into a “compact.” Compare Vol. ii. p. 265. The word in the quartos is conjunct, which will admit of a somewhat similar explanation.

Note return to page 790 4You stubborn ancient knave, you reverend braggart,] The quartos read, “miscreant knave,” and one of them, for “reverend,” has unreverent. In the next speech, the quartos have stopping for “stocking.” In these instances our text is that of the folio.

Note return to page 791 5His fault is much,] These words and the following lines, down to “Are punish'd with,” are not in the folio; and, having omitted them, it was thought necessary to extend the words, “the king must take it ill,” into an entire line, thus,—“The king, his master needs must take it ill. The quartos have temnedst for “contemnedst,” which Steevens substituted.

Note return to page 792 6For following her affairs.—Put in his legs.] This line is also wanting in the folio, which gives “Come, my lord, away” to Cornwall, omitting “good,” which is only in one of the quartos.

Note return to page 793 7&lblank; Nothing almost sees miracles,] The quartos, for “miracles,” have “my wrack.”

Note return to page 794 8Losses their remedies.] This and the preceding line and a half have occasioned some discussion as to the true wording; but we are to recollect that Kent, having a letter from Cordelia in his hand, is endeavouring to make out its contents by the imperfect light; he is unable to see distinctly, and hence, perhaps, part of the obscurity of the passage. He can only make out some words, and those not decisively, but sufficiently to enable the audience to judge of the general tenor of what he is trying to read.

Note return to page 795 9Of Bedlam beggars,] In his “Curiosities of Literature,” p. 286, edit. 1838, Mr. D'Israeli thus speaks of “Bedlam beggars:”— “The fullest account that I have obtained of these singular persons is drawn from a manuscript note, transcribed from some of Aubrey's papers, which I have not seen printed. “‘Till the breaking out of the civil wars, Tom o' Bedlams did travel about the country; they had been poor distracted men, that had been put into Bedlam, where recovering some soberness, they were licentiated to go a begging; i. e. they had on their left arm an armilla, an iron ring for the arm, about four inches long, as printed in some works. They could not get it off: they wore about their necks a great horn of an ox, in a string or bawdrick, which, when they came to a house, they did wind, and they put the drink given to them into this horn, whereto they put a stopple. Since the wars I do not remember to have seen any one of them.’ The civil wars, probably, cleared the country of all sorts of vagabonds; but, among the royalists or parliamentarians, we did not know that in their rank and file they had so many Tom o' Bedlams.”

Note return to page 796 1&lblank; from low farms,] Thus the folio: the quartos “from low service.” “Pelting villages,” in the next line, are petty villages. See Vol. vi. p. 108.

Note return to page 797 2Poor Turlygood!] In all the old copies it is printed Turlygod, but “Turlygood” is perhaps a corruption of Thoroughlygood. Warburton, without any authority would read Turlupin; but we know nothing of any Turlupins (at least by that name) in England.

Note return to page 798 3&lblank; wooden nether-stocks.] “Nether-stocks” were stockings, and were distinguished from “upper-stocks” or “over-stocks,” as breeches were sometimes called.

Note return to page 799 4Yes, they have.] This answer and Lear's previous assertion, “No, no; they would not,” are only in the quartos; but they omit Kent's asseveration, “By Juno, I swear, ay.”

Note return to page 800 5They summon'd up their meiny,] i. e. their retinue or followers. The word is sometimes used for a household, and sometimes in the sense of the multitude. See “Coriolanus,” Vol. vi. p. 199.

Note return to page 801 6Winter's not gone yet;] i. e. the troubles of Lear (says Johnson,) are not ended. No part of the speech is in the quartos: the Fool's last speech, “Ha, ha! look, he wears cruel garters,” &c. is there made verse, but the regulation in this respect is generally merely arbitrary in the quarto impressions.

Note return to page 802 7&lblank; that goes up the hill,] So the quartos: the folio poorly reads “that goes upward,” to the injury of the antithesis. Four lines lower, “and seeks” is from the folio.

Note return to page 803 8They have travell'd hard to-night?] The folio reads “travell'd all the night.”

Note return to page 804 9&lblank; what quality?] The quartos read “what fiery quality,” but the epithet was obviously wrongly repeated.

Note return to page 805 1Dost thou understand me, man?] This speech by Lear, and the preceding one by Gloster, are only in the folio.

Note return to page 806 2&lblank; commands her service:] The folio “commands, tends, service.” The next line is not in the quartos.

Note return to page 807 3&lblank; Tell the hot duke, that—] After “that,” the quartos add “Lear,” but they omit “fiery” in the first instance.

Note return to page 808 4O me! my heart, my rising heart!—but, down.] For this line the quartos have only “O my heart! my heart!” Here again we have some minor differences between the quartos and the folio.

Note return to page 809 5&lblank; the cockney] “Cockney” would here seem to mean cook, as in the ballad of the “Tournament of Tottenham:” we quote Mr. Wright's beautiful edition, from the MS. in the Public Library, Cambridge, 18mo. 1836. “At that fest were thei servyd in a rich aray, Euery fyve and fyve had a cokenay.” Compare “Twelfth Night,” Vol. iii. p. 398.

Note return to page 810 6Than she to scant her duty.] So the folio: the quartos have, “Than she to slack her duty.” Either word may be right, though Hanmer and Johnson thought both wrong, and would read “scan her duty.” The plain meaning is, “You less know how to value Regan's desert, than she knows how to be wanting in duty.” It seems strange how any doubt should ever have existed.

Note return to page 811 7Say, how is that?] This speech and the answer to it are only in the folio.

Note return to page 812 8To fall and blast her pride!] So every quarto: the folio merely, “to fall and blister,” which can hardly be right, inasmuch as fogs, though they fall, do not blister. Besides, the verse requires the words in the quartos. In the next speech, “is on” is from the folio, the sentence in the quartos being left incomplete.

Note return to page 813 9Thy tender-hefted nature &lblank;] In the quarto, the word is “tender-hested,” and possibly both are a misprint for “tender-hearted.” “Tender-hefted” seems to afford the better sense, taking hefted as heaved; and (as Steevens observes) in “The Winter's Tale,” Vol. iii. p. 453, we have “hefts” used for heavings. At the same time it may be remarked, that “heft” is handle, and “tender-hefted,” as Johnson suggested, may mean “tender-handled.”

Note return to page 814 1&lblank; to scant my sizes,] To contract my allowances or proportions settled. It is derived by lexicographers from the old Fr. assise.

Note return to page 815 2Who stock'd my servant?] The quartos give this speech to Goneril, who is not yet upon the stage, and print “stock'd” struck.

Note return to page 816 3&lblank; and sumpter &lblank;] “Sumpter” is a horse, or mule, to carry necessaries on a journey.

Note return to page 817 4&lblank; a disease that's in my flesh;] The quartos read, “a disease that lies within my flesh.”

Note return to page 818 5&lblank; a poor old man,] All the quartos read, “a poor old fellow.”

Note return to page 819 6He calls to horse;] This part of the reply by Gloster, and the question by Cornwall, “Whither is he going?” are not in the quartos.

Note return to page 820 7&lblank; and the bleak winds] The folio poorly substitutes high for bleak.

Note return to page 821 8There's scarce a bush.] The quartos in the preceding line have russle for ruffle of the folio, an easy misprint. They also read, “There's not a bush.”

Note return to page 822 9Enter Kent, and a Gentleman, meeting.[ “Severally” says the folio, and “at several doors” say the quartos. The quartos open the scene with “What's here,” &c.

Note return to page 823 10&lblank; tears his white hair,] These words, and the lines that follow to the end of the speech, are wanting in the folio.

Note return to page 824 1&lblank; the warrant of my note,] This is the reading of the folio: “my note” is my knowledge, and affords an evident meaning, which can scarcely be said of art, the word in the quartos.

Note return to page 825 2Either in snuffs and packings &lblank;] “Snuffs” (says Steevens) are dislikes, and “packings” underhand contrivances.

Note return to page 826 3Whereof, perchance, these are but furnishings; &lblank;] This and the seven preceding lines are only in the folios: what follows to the end of the speech, is only in the quartos. Two copies have “secret feet;” the other, “secret fee.”

Note return to page 827 4&lblank; who that fellow is] So the folio: the quartos “your fellow.” In the preceding line the folio and two of the quartos have “fear,” and the other quarto doubt.

Note return to page 828 5&lblank; in which your pain. That way, I'll this,] The quartos have only “I'll this way; you that.”

Note return to page 829 6Strike flat] The quartos “Smite flat.”

Note return to page 830 7&lblank; court holy-water &lblank;] Cotgrave, in his Dictionary, translates Eau benite de cour, court holy“water; compliments, faire words, flattering speeches.”

Note return to page 831 8That will with two pernicious daughters join,] The quartos read have and join'd.

Note return to page 832 9Shall of a corn cry woe,] The quartos read “Shall have a corn cry woe.” Lower down for “are you here?” they have “sit you here.” There are one or two other immaterial variations.

Note return to page 833 1Gallow the very wanderers of the dark,] To “gallow,” or gally, is a provincial word for to terrify, common to several parts of England, and not merely employed in the West, as stated by Warburton and Steevens.

Note return to page 834 2Th' affliction, nor the fear.] The quartos have force for “fear.”

Note return to page 835 3&lblank; this dreadful pother &lblank;] The folio has pudder, one quarto powther, and the others thundering.

Note return to page 836 4Thou perjur'd, and thou simular of virtue] A “simular” is a simulator: possibly we ought to spell it simuler, but the word man, by which it is followed in the quartos, is needless as regards the sense, and injurious as regards the metre. It may be doubted whether we ought not to read “Thou perjure,” instead of “Thou perjur'd.” When in “Love's Labour's Lost,” Vol. ii. p. 332, the quarto and folio read “he comes like a perjure,” they are possibly correct, for in the old play of “King John,” which preceded that of Shakespeare, we meet with this line:— “But now black-spotted perjure as he is,” &c.

Note return to page 837 5Rive your concealing continents,] So the folio: the quartos concealed centers.

Note return to page 838 6More hard than is the stone] The folio “More harder than the stone.” In the next line, the quartos have me for “you.”

Note return to page 839 7That's sorry yet for thee.] The quartos “That sorrowes yet for thee.”

Note return to page 840 8For the rain it raineth every day.] This scrap has the same burden as the song by the Clown at the end of “Twelfth Night,” and possibly it was part of the same ballad. The folio inserts and, in the middle of the first line, and has though, instead of “for,” in the last.

Note return to page 841 9&lblank; for I live before his time.] This speech, and prophecy of the fool, are contained in no quarto impression. It is to be observed, that the two lines, “Then shall the realm of Albion Come to great confusion,” are in Chaucer, as quoted by Puttenham in his “Arte of English Poesie,” 1589, which Steevens, (citing the passage,) calls his “Art of Poetry.”

Note return to page 842 10&lblank; a power already footed:] “Already landed” in the quartos. The word occurs again in the same sense, in scene 7 of this act, and there it is “footed” in all the copies. The quartos often print verse as prose, but in this scene they have printed prose as verse: the last speech is verse according to all the old copies, but sadly mangled in the quartos.

Note return to page 843 1&lblank; that this contentious storm] The quarto without the publisher's address has crulentious, and that with the publisher's address, tempestuous. “Contentious” of the folio is no doubt the true word.

Note return to page 844 2&lblank; the roaring sea,] So one of the quartos and the folio: the other quartos, “raging sea.”

Note return to page 845 3To shut me out!—Pour on; I will endure:] Omitted in the quartos, which just above read, “I will punish sure,” for “I will punish home.”

Note return to page 846 4&lblank; whose frank heart gave all,] The quartos, “gave you all.”

Note return to page 847 5I'll pray, and then I'll sleep.] This and the preceding line are only in the folio.

Note return to page 848 6This pitiless storm,] The quartos, “this pitiless night.” Other variations are of comparatively little import.

Note return to page 849 7Fathom and half,] This speech is not in the quartos.

Note return to page 850 8&lblank; blows the cold wind.] The folio reads incorrectly, as appears on its own authority afterwards, “blow the winds,” and subsequently, “go to thy bed.” The words, “Go to thy cold bed, and warm thee,” occur in the “Taming of the Shrew,” Vol. iii. p. 107. See the note upon them. Lear's next speech stands thus in the folio, “Didst thou give all to thy daughters?”

Note return to page 851 9&lblank; and through flame,] These words are only in the folio, which, however, reads corruptly, sword, instead of “ford” of the quartos.

Note return to page 852 1&lblank; by his porridge;] Pottage in the quartos.

Note return to page 853 2Bless thy five wits?] The five senses were formerly called “the five wits,” as many authorities establish, but perhaps none so clearly as the following passage from the interlude of “The Worlde and the Chylde,” printed by Wynkyn de Worde, in 1522, and introduced into vol. xii. of the last edition of “Dodsley's Old Plays.” I am indebted to Mr. Bruce for directing my attention to it: it occurs on p. 334:— “Age. Of the v. wittes I wolde have knowynge. “Perseveraunce. Forsoth, syr, herynge, seynge, and smellynge, The remenaunte tastynge, and felynge: These ben the v. wittes bodely, And, syr, other v. wittes there ben. “Age. Syr perseveraunce I know not them. “Perseveraunce. Now, repentaunce, I shall you ken. They are the power of the soule: Clere in mynde, there is one, Imagynacyon, and all reason, Understondynge, and compassyon: These belonge unto perseveraunce. “Age. Gramercy, perseveraunce, for your trewe techynge.”

Note return to page 854 3&lblank; star-blasting, and taking!] We have had “taking” in the same sense before in this play, p. 410:— &lblank; “Strike her young bones, You taking airs, with lameness.” “Taking,” in both these instances, means the same as blasting. The preceding interjections, to indicate shuddering with cold, are not in the quartos.

Note return to page 855 4What! have his daughters brought him to this pass?] The folio omits “What!” necessary to the metre; and the quartos omit “have,” (which in the folio is printed has) necessary to the sense.

Note return to page 856 5Pillicock sat on Pillicock-hill:] Mr. Halliwell has pointed out to me, that “Pillicock” is thus mentioned in Ritson's “Gammer Gurton's Garland:”— “Pillycock, Pillycock sat on a hill; If he's not gone, he sits there still.” It is also introduced into the second edition of Mr. Halliwell's “Nursery Rhymes,” p. 159, and it is certainly singular, as he observes, that neither Douce, nor any of the commentators, should have referred to it. He adds, that the meaning of “Pillicock” may be found in MS. Harl. No. 913, fo. 54, of as early a date as the thirteenth century. The Rev. Mr. Barry has referred me to a much later authority, Florio's Italian Dictionary, 1611.

Note return to page 857 6&lblank; keep thy word justly,] The reading of the folio is, “keep thy word's justice,” which the second folio altered to “keep thy word, justice.”

Note return to page 858 7&lblank; sessa; let him trot by.] The quartos, with some other minute variations, read cease for “cessa,” which is printed sesey in the folio. See “The Taming of the Shrew,” Vol. iii. p. 107. It may be doubted whether it is not a mere interjection.

Note return to page 859 8Come; unbutton here.] This is the reading of the folio: the quarto with the publisher's address has only, “Come on,” and the quarto without the publisher's address, “Come on, be true.”

Note return to page 860 9&lblank; he gives the web and the pin,] i. e. the cataract in the eye. See Vol. iii. p. 444. In Mr. Botfield's interesting volume, printed for the Roxburghe Club, “Manners and Household Expenses of England in the thirteenth and fifteenth Centuries,” p. 280, “a webbe and a pynne” is mentioned as a disorder in the eye, to be cured by a receipt there given, and by an error it is stated in a note that “pynne” there means pain.

Note return to page 861 1Saint Withold footed thrice the wold;] In all the old copies, Saint Withold is printed Swithold; and for “wold,” they read old.

Note return to page 862 2And, aroint thee, witch, aroint thee!] i. e. begone, witch. See “Macbeth” in this Vol. p. 103. It appears that Withold was the saint commonly invoked against the night-mare. The quarto without address thus reads part of this quotation by Edgar, “anelthu night Moore, and her nine fold.” The quarto with the address gives it rightly. No original, from which this scrap was probably taken, has been discovered.

Note return to page 863 3&lblank; in the fury of his heart,] One of the quartos reads fruit for “fury.”

Note return to page 864 4&lblank; and stocked, punished, and imprisoned;] So the folio. The quartos read, perhaps rightly, “and stock-punished, and imprisoned.” The folio here commits a decided error in omitting “had,” in the words “who hath had three suits to his back.” The quartos give the passage correctly.

Note return to page 865 5But mice, and rats, and such small deer, Have been Tom's food for seven long year.] This distich (observes Percy) is part of a description given, in the old metrical romance of Sir Bevis, of the hardships suffered by Bevis, when confined for seven years in a dungeon:— “Rattes and myce and such smal dere Was his meate that seven yere.” Sig. F. iij.

Note return to page 866 6Peace, Smulkin!] So spelt in the folio, and Snulbug in the quartos.

Note return to page 867 7Modo he's called and Mahu.] These names of fiends, (as Steevens remarks) Shakespeare derived (with some slight variations) from Bishop Harsnet's “Declaration of egregious Popish Impostures,” 1603.—There we meet with Fliberdigibet, Smolkin, Modu, Maho, &c. It seems probable that “The prince of darkness is a gentleman; Modo he's call'd, and Mahu,” was a quotation from some popular poem or ballad; and, as Reed pointed out, a drinking catch is sung in Sir J. Suckling's “Goblins,” A. iii. sc. 1, (Dodsley's Old Plays, vol. x. p. 122, last edit.) ending thus: “The prince of darkness is a gentleman: Mahu, Mahu, is his name.”

Note return to page 868 8&lblank; with this same learned Theban.] The quartos “with this most learned Theban.”

Note return to page 869 9&lblank; but a provoking merit,] “Cornwall, (says Malone,) means the merit of Edmund, which, being noticed by Gloster, provoked or instigated Edgar to seek his father's death;” but he may refer to Edgar's “merit,” as compared with his father's “badness.”

Note return to page 870 1&lblank; a dearer father] The folio alone reads “a dear father:” our text is that of the quartos, which all modern editors have adopted.

Note return to page 871 2&lblank; The gods reward your kindness!] The quartos have deserve for “reward.”

Note return to page 872 3&lblank; Pray, innocent,] Fools were of old usually called innocents, when they were not professed jesters, but mere idiots; and hence the not unfrequent misapplication of the word, when professed jesters were spoken to or of. Edgar was here addressing himself to Lear's fool, not, strictly speaking, an innocent, but dressed like one.

Note return to page 873 4&lblank; his son a gentleman before him.] This speech, which seems to have been proverbial, is only in the folio.

Note return to page 874 5The foul fiend bites my back.] From hence to Lear's speech, p. 435, ending, “False justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape?” is in all the quarto impressions, but was excluded from the folio.

Note return to page 875 6&lblank; most learned justicer;] The old copies read—justice. The correction was made by Theobald, and it is warranted by “false justicer,” which occurs afterwards.

Note return to page 876 7Come o'er the bourn, Bessy, to me:] This, and what follows from the Fool, are no doubt parts of an old song, which was imitated by W. Birch, in his Dialogue between Elizabeth and England, (printed by W. Pickering without date) which thus commences: “Come over the bourn, Bessy, come over the bourn, Bessy,   Sweet Bessy, come over to me;     And I shall thee take,     And my dear lady make   Before all that ever I see.” It is in the same measure as the addition by the Fool; and in W. Wager's interlude “The longer thou livest, the more Fool thou art,” part of the same song is thus sung by Moros, who may be called the hero:— “Come over the boorne, Besse, My little pretie Besse, Come over the boorne, Besse, to me.” The last is referred to by Steevens, but he was probably not acquainted with Birch's parody to the same tune. See also, “Old ballads, from early printed copies,” among the publications of the Percy Society. 8vo. 1840. The quartos misprint “bourn,” broom.

Note return to page 877 8&lblank; She kicked] “She” is omitted in one of the quartos, (that with the Stationer's address) but found in the others.

Note return to page 878 9&lblank; brach or lym;] For “brach,” see this play, p. 379. “Lym” is printed Him and Hym in all the old copies, folio and quarto; but according to Minsheu, (as referred to by Malone) a lym or lyme, is a blood-hound; Chaucer has it lymer: “tike” is misprinted tight in the folio.

Note return to page 879 1Tom will make them] So the quartos; the folio “will make him.”

Note return to page 880 2Do, de, de, de. See, see!] In the quartos “loudla, doodla,” omitting sese as it stands in the folio; which may either be a repetition of sesey, which we have before had p. 428, or more probably an exclamation by Edgar, directing attention to the supposed flight of the dogs.

Note return to page 881 3Poor Tom, thy horn is dry.] Malone furnishes the following note:—A horn was usually carried about by every Tom of Bedlam, to receive such drink as the charitable might afford him, with whatever scraps of food they might give him. When, therefore, Edgar says, his horn is dry, or empty, I conceive he merely means, in the language of the character he assumes, to supplicate that it may be filled with drink. See a Pleasant Dispute between Coach and Sedan, quarto, 1636: “I have observed when a coach is appendant by two or three hundred pounds a yeere, marke it, the dogges are as leane as rakes; you may tell all their ribbes lying by the fire; and Tom-a-Bedlam may sooner eate his horne, than get it filled with small drinke; and for his old almes of bacon there is no hope in the world.” Malone misquotes the title of the tract, which is “Coach and Sedan, pleasantly Disputing,” &c. In Hausted's “Rival Friends,” 1632, a Tom o' Bedlam is introduced, and Anteros says of him, “Ah! he has a horn like a Tom o' Bedlam.”

Note return to page 882 4&lblank; that makes these hard hearts?] The quartos “that makes this hardness?” This speech is there given as verse.

Note return to page 883 5&lblank; they are Persian attire;] “Attire,” which is wanting in the folio, is found in all the quartos: two lines above, the folio omits “you” after “entertain,” but in neither case is the word absolutely necessary to the sense.

Note return to page 884 6And I'll go to bed at noon.] Not in the quartos.

Note return to page 885 7&lblank; Oppress'd nature sleeps:—] This speech and all that follows it to the end of the scene, is not in the folio, though inserted in every quarto. The folio concludes the scene with the words, “Come, come, away,” assigned to Gloster, after “Give thee quick conduct.”

Note return to page 886 8&lblank; thy broken senses;] The quartos have sinews for “senses,” which was Theobald's improvement.

Note return to page 887 9Seek out the traitor Gloster.] “The villain Gloster” in the quartos.

Note return to page 888 1Bind fast his corky arms.] Dry, withered, husky arms, says Johnson, and Percy adds a passage from Harsnet's “Declaration,” 1603, in which the epithet, “corky,” is applied to an old woman. Hence, it is possible, Shakespeare obtained it, and it has not been pointed out in any other author.

Note return to page 889 2&lblank; I am none.] The quartos, “I am true.”

Note return to page 890 3In his anointed flesh rash boarish fangs:] So the quartos: the folio poorly reads “stick boarish fangs.” Steevens observes, that to “rash,” is the old hunting term for the stroke made by the wild boar with his fangs. In “Richard III.” Vol. v. p. 111, we have this line: “He dreamt the boar had rased off his helm:” “Rased” is there to be taken for the same word as rashed; and in Spenser's “Fairy Queen,” B. v. c. 3, we find the expression “rashing off helms.”

Note return to page 891 4&lblank; as his bare head] “As his lov'd head,” in the quartos, and farther on “lay'd up” for “buoy'd up” of the folio: they also read “steeled fires” for “stelled fires,” and rage for “rain.”

Note return to page 892 5&lblank; that stern time,] “That dearn time” in the quartos, which may have been Shakespeare's word, and it is found also in “Pericles:” dearn is lonely, dreary, melancholy, and sometimes secret.

Note return to page 893 6&lblank; subscrib'd;] “Yielded, submitted to the necessity of the occasion,” says Johnson. In this play, p. 368, we have already had “subscribed” employed in the sense of yielded or surrendered, and such was by no means an uncommon application of the word. The folio reads, by an error of the press, subscribe.

Note return to page 894 7A peasant stand up thus!] The only stage-direction in this part of the scene in the folio is, Kills him, although the servant delivers two lines afterwards. The tearing out and trampling on Gloster's eyes, so minutely described in modern editions, (that of Mr. Knight excepted) may be sufficiently gathered from the dialogue. When Regan kills the servant, we are told in the quartos, “She takes a sword and runs at him behind;” and it seems probable that she snatched it from one of the attendants. She may, however, have seized the weapon which her husband had drawn in vain.

Note return to page 895 8&lblank; enkindle all the sparks &lblank;] So the folio: the quartos, unbridle.

Note return to page 896 9I'll never care what wickedness I do,] From this line inclusive, to the end of the scene, is not in the folio.

Note return to page 897 10Now, heaven help him!] “I will not disguise my conviction (says Coleridge, in his Lit. Rem. vol. ii. p. 191) that in this one scene the tragic in this play has been urged beyond the uttermost mark, and ne plus ultra of the dramatic.” We have supposed (Vol. vi. p. 272,) that “Titus Andronicus” was written soon after Shakespeare joined a theatrical company, and when a taste for horrors was very prevalent. “King Lear” was produced, perhaps, fifteen years afterwards, when audiences had been accustomed to much better and less barbarous representations; yet there is no scene in “Titus Andronicus” so repulsively, and almost wantonly, shocking as this just concluded. It is to be remarked, that had not our great dramatist wished to have the tearing out and trampling upon Gloster's eyes exhibited before the audience, he might easily have narrated the incident.

Note return to page 898 1Stands still in esperance,] For “esperance” of the folio, the quartos absurdly have experience.

Note return to page 899 2Welcome, then,] From these words inclusive, down to “Owes nothing to thy blasts,” is only in the folio.

Note return to page 900 3&lblank; these fourscore years.] The quartos omit “years,” making Gloster interrupt the Old Man before he has completed his sentence. In the Old Man's next speech the folio omits “Alack, sir!”

Note return to page 901 4Our mean secures us;] i. e. as Pope and Warburton explain it, “our middle state secures us.” The “mean” is often used to express a condition neither high nor low. All the old copies read, “Our means secure us;” but it was an easy typographical error.

Note return to page 902 5Then, pr'ythee, get thee gone. If, for my sake,] So the quartos: the folio, defectively as regards metre, gives the whole line as follows: “Get thee away. If for my sake.”

Note return to page 903 6I cannot daub it farther.] Meaning, “I cannot keep up my disguise any longer.” To “daub” was of old used in this sense not unfrequently: we have had it in “Richard III.” Vol. v. p. 423, “So smooth he daub'd his vice with show of virtue.” The quartos misprint “daub,” dance.

Note return to page 904 7Bless thee, good man's son, from the foul fiend!] This is the reading of the folio: the quartos give it, “Bless the good man from the foul fiend!”

Note return to page 905 8Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once;] To the end of this speech is not in the folio. It is corruptly printed in the quartos; thus, “mopping and mowing” stands Mobing and Mohing, as if the names of two other fiends.

Note return to page 906 9That slaves your ordinance,] i. e. that makes a slave of heaven's ordinances. This is the explanation of nearly all the commentators, though Malone inclines somewhat to the reading of the quartos, “That stands your ordinance,” taking stands in the sense of withstands.

Note return to page 907 1What most he should dislike,] The quartos print “dislike” desire. In Goneril's next speech, for “cowish terror” they have “cowish curre,” and for “command” they read coward.

Note return to page 908 2I must change arms at home,] The folio, less intelligibly and forcibly, “I must change names at home.”

Note return to page 909 3O, the difference of man, and man!] A line wanting in the quartos.

Note return to page 910 4My fool usurps my body.] Such is the wording of the folio, and it affords an obvious meaning, quite consistent with the previous part of the speech. The old quartos present a variety of readings: one copy without the Stationer's address, has “My foot usurps my head,” and another, “My fool usurps my bed,” while that with the Stationer's address gives it, “My foot usurps my body.” With this information, the reader will be able to judge for himself as to the fitness of adopting the text of the folio.

Note return to page 911 5I have been worth the whistle.] So the quartos and folio; John Heywood, among his Proverbs, (first printed in 1547) gives the following:—“It is a poor dog that is not worth the whistling.” Boswell states that two of the quartos read whistling; this is a mistake.

Note return to page 912 6I fear your disposition:] From these words, down to Goneril's speech, beginning, “Milk-liver'd man,” is only in the quartos. They differ in some immaterial particulars.

Note return to page 913 7That nature, which contemns its origin, Cannot be border'd certain in itself;] The sense is, (observes Heath) That nature, which is arrived to such a pitch of unnatural degeneracy, as to contemn its origin, cannot from thenceforth be restrained within any certain bounds.

Note return to page 914 8Humanity must perforce prey on itself,] The quartos read corruptly, “Humanly” for “Humanity.”

Note return to page 915 9&lblank; that not know'st,] In the folio the speech ends at “suffering.” From thence to “alack! why does he so?” is therefore only in the quartos.

Note return to page 916 1O vain fool!] What follows these words, until the entrance of the Messenger, and Albany's question, “What news?” is only in the quartos.

Note return to page 917 2&lblank; who, thereat enraged,] The folio prints it “threat-enrag'd,” a striking compound word, which might be right, if the quartos did not contradict it, and if the verse were not thereby injured.

Note return to page 918 3You justicers,] Two of the quartos read “your justices,” a third “you justicers,” and the folio “you justices.” We have had “justicers” before.

Note return to page 919 4May all the building in my fancy pluck Upon my hateful life.] So the folio; but the quartos read, “May all the building on my fancy pluck Upon my hateful life.” The text of the folio is evidently to be preferred; but, probably, on in the quartos is to be understood of, and then the meaning would be clear. On and of were sometimes used almost indifferently: an instance occurs lower down, where Malone, following the folio, 1664, printed “And quit the house of purpose,” instead of “on purpose.”

Note return to page 920 5The news is not so tart.] The quartos have took for “tart.” The folio omits to mark the exit of Goneril, after this speech, but it is noted in the quarto impressions.

Note return to page 921 6Scene iii.] This scene is only in the quartos: it is found in all the editions in that form.

Note return to page 922 7Ay, sir;] The quartos read, I say. The change was made by Theobald.

Note return to page 923 8&lblank; patience and sorrow strove &lblank;] The quartos, for “strove,” have streme. Pope made the correction.

Note return to page 924 9Were like a better May:] The quartos read, with evident corruption, “a better way:” some of the commentators have preferred “a better day,” for which “way” could hardly have been misprinted. Warburton, with some plausibility, recommended “a wetter May.”

Note return to page 925 10And clamour moisten'd:] The compositor, not understanding the construction of the passage, added her after “moisten'd;” but it is an obvious error, running through the quarto impressions.

Note return to page 926 1Else one self mate and mate &lblank;] i. e. the same husband and wife: the quarto with the address reads make for “mate” in the second instance; the quarto without the address prints it rightly, as in our text.

Note return to page 927 2With hoar-docks,] So the quarto without the stationer's address: that with the address has it hor-docks, and the folio prints it hardokes; but it is no doubt the same word. The “hoar-dock,” as Steevens informs us, is the dock with whitish woolly leaves. Some commentators read harlocks, others burdocks and charlocks; but of course the ancient text is to be preserved, if possible.

Note return to page 928 3In the good man's distress!] The folio has “the good man's desires.”

Note return to page 929 4My mourning, and important tears,] So all the quartos: the folio, “importun'd tears,” which may be right; but we have had frequent instances in Shakespeare, in which “important” is used for importunate. See Vol. ii. pp. 169. 203. 348; Vol. iii. pp. 273. 419. 533.

Note return to page 930 5&lblank; with your lord &lblank;] So the folio, and rightly: the quartos misprint it, “with your lady.”

Note return to page 931 6Edmund, I think, is gone,] The quartos read, corruptly, “and now, I think, is gone.”

Note return to page 932 7She gave strange œiliads,] An anglicised French word, œiliade, of rare occurrence. It is however met with, as Steevens pointed out, in R. Greene's “Disputation between a He and a She Coney-catcher,” 1592.

Note return to page 933 8&lblank; take this note:] i. e. Take this knowledge, or information. We have before in this play (p. 417) had the word “note” employed in the same sense.

Note return to page 934 9&lblank; give him this;] Malone supposed that Regan here delivered a ring or some other favour to the Steward, to be conveyed to Edmund.

Note return to page 935 10When shall I come to the top of that same hill?] So the folio, which it is not only needless, but injudicious, to alter to “When shall we come,” &c., as has been done by all modern editors.

Note return to page 936 1Diminish'd to her cock;] i. e. Her cock-boat, often called merely “cock” in old writers.

Note return to page 937 P. 457.&lblank; Diminish'd to her cock.] As is stated in the note, “cock” was often used in old writers for cock-boat: one of the earliest of these is John Drout, in his “Pityfull Historie of ij loving Italians,” 1570, 8vo, “Bicause that surging seas did rise,   and tooke them to their cock.”

Note return to page 938 2O, you mighty gods!] In the quartos we have the words He kneels as a stage direction opposite this line.

Note return to page 939 3From the dread summit] The quartos read summons, and the folio somnet. Farther on, the folio has “enraged sea” for “enridged sea” of the quartos. There can be no doubt as to the fitness of adopting the most ancient, and, in all probability, authentic reading.

Note return to page 940 4&lblank; for coining;] So the quartos: the folio misprints it crying. The meaning is, that Lear, being king, it is his prerogative to coin.

Note return to page 941 5&lblank; like a crow-keeper:] i. e. a person employed to keep crows from corn. See Vol. vi. p. 392.

Note return to page 942 6&lblank; the brown bills.] A bill was a kind of battle-axe, affixed to a long staff; and “brown bills” are often mentioned by old writers.

Note return to page 943 7&lblank; i' the clout:] Lear fancies himself present at a trial of skill in archery: the “clout” was the white mark at which aim was taken. See Vol. vi. p. 418.

Note return to page 944 8Ha! Goneril!—with a white beard!] So the folio: the quarto has, “Ha! Goneril, ha! Regan! they flattered me,” &c.

Note return to page 945 P. 460.&lblank; To say “ay” and “no” to everything I said! “Ay” and “no” too was no good divinity.] Mr. F. A. Twiss has favoured us with a MS. note by his father upon this passage, which did not reach us in time to be noticed in the proper place, but which we insert here, principally on account of the close parallel it supplies. “Both the syntax and the sense are here vicious. A slight change in the punctuation, by joining the two sentences, will restore both. I read thus: To say ‘ay’ and ‘no’ to everything I said ‘ay’ and ‘no’ to was no good divinity.” So Terence, Eun. Act ii. sc. 2. 1. 20, Quidquid dicunt laudo; id rursum si negant, laudo id quoque: negat quis, nego; ait, aio.” We do not adopt this ingenious reading, merely because it seems to us that the mark of admiration cures the defect, and still keeps the sentences divided, as in the old copies: the word “too” is also there spelt as we spell it.

Note return to page 946 9&lblank; consumption;] The quartos have consummation for “consumption,” of the folio. In the preceding line they read sulphury for “sulphurous.”

Note return to page 947 1Let me wipe it first;] “Here, wipe it first,” in the quartos. There are several minor variations in this part of the scene, not requiring separate notice.

Note return to page 948 2&lblank; change places; and,] These explanatory words are only in the folio.

Note return to page 949 3Thou hotly lust'st] In the quartos “Thy blood hotly lusts.”

Note return to page 950 4Through tatter'd clothes small vices to appear;] The quartos read “Through tatter'd rags,” which is pleonastic, as rags are necessarily “tattered;” and when Shakespeare, three lines lower, uses “rags,” he accompanies it by no epithet; but the quartos are clearly right in having “small vices,” which the folio changes to “great vices.”

Note return to page 951 5Plate sin with gold,] This passage, down to “To seal th' accuser's lips,” is not in the quartos. The folio, 1623, and the other folios printed from it, have “Place sins with gold;” but Place was a very easy misprint for “Plate,” and Pope corrected the two errors. Southern, in his copy of the folio, 1685, altered Place to “Plate.”

Note return to page 952 6&lblank; to shoe A troop of horse with felt:] The quartos corruptly read “to shoot a troop of horse with fell.”

Note return to page 953 7Ay, and for laying autumn's dust.] This passage is in all the quartos, but not in the folio. “Good sir,” by which it is followed, is only in the quarto without the stationer's address.

Note return to page 954 8Like a smug bridegroom.] We adopt the wording and regulation of the folio here: the quartos omit “smug,” and print this speech, with many others, as prose.

Note return to page 955 9Which can distinguish sound.] The quartos, “That can distinguish sense.” They have other corruptions in this part of the scene; for instance, the Gentleman's next speech is thus unintelligibly given:— “Near and on speed fort the main descryes, Standst on the hourly thought.”

Note return to page 956 1The bounty and the benison of heaven To boot, and boot!] So the quarto without the stationer's address, and the folio: the other quarto (with the publisher's address) reads thus, nonsensically: —“The bornet and beniz of heaven to save thee.” Above, the quartos read lame by, for “tame to.”

Note return to page 957 2&lblank; che vor'ye, or Ise try whether your costard or my ballow be the harder.] Edgar is affecting a rustic dialect, and the meaning of this sentence is, “I warn you, or I'll try whether your head or my cudgel be the harder.” Balo means a beam, in Norfolk, and “ballow,” a pole, in the North of England. See Holloway's “General Provincial Dictionary,” 8vo, 1838. One of the quartos reads bat, and another battero; perhaps a corruption of the true word, as we find it in the folio.

Note return to page 958 3Upon the British party.] So the quartos: the folio, “Upon the English party.” At the end of the line, the old copies repeat the word “death.”

Note return to page 959 4&lblank; affectionate servant,] After “servant,” the quarto with the publisher's address has this strange continuation, “and for you her owne for venter.” We follow the folio.

Note return to page 960 5&lblank; of woman's will!] Thus the folio: the quartos read, “of woman's wit!” which is most likely wrong.

Note return to page 961 6&lblank; Here, in the sands, Thee I'll rake up,] i. e. cover up. At the end of this speech, modern editors add, “Exit Edgar, dragging out the body;” but it has no warrant in any of the old folios, and the probability is, that Edgar was supposed to bury Oswald on the spot. After he has done so, he addresses Gloster, “Give me your hand,” without any re-entrance being marked in any recent copies of the play. While modern editors insert needless stage-directions, they omit, farther on, one that is necessary, and that is found in every old impression, folio and quarto—“Drum afar off.”

Note return to page 962 7Madam, sleeps still.] According to the folio, the two parts of the Doctor and the Gentleman seem to have been combined, and played by the same actor. In the quartos, they are distinct, and have separate prefixes. We have followed the latter, because the scene was, in all probability, so originally written, and because merely the economy of performers seems to have led to the union of the two characters in the folio.

Note return to page 963 8Th' untun'd and jarring senses,] The quartos, for “jarring” have hurrying.

Note return to page 964 9Ay, madam;] We follow here the quartos without the publisher's address, in giving these two lines to the Doctor, and the next two lines to Kent. The folio gives all four to the Gentleman; but some modern editors (following Malone) have adopted a course consistent with no authority, by giving the two first lines to the Gentleman, and the two next to the Doctor. The folio, besides other small variations, omits “his” in the first line, and “not” in the last, and transposes “Good madam, be by.”

Note return to page 965 1Very well.] These words and the next line are only in the quartos. Music, whether soft or loud, is not mentioned in the old stage-directions, but it is to be understood.

Note return to page 966 2To be expos'd against the warring winds?] The folio reads oppos'd, the quartos expos'd. “Warring winds” of those impressions seems also preferable to “jarring winds” of the folio. The next three lines and a half are only in the quartos, which, however, afterwards read mine injurious dog, for “mine enemy's dog” of the folio.

Note return to page 967 3Where did you die?] So the folio, and two of the quartos: the other quarto, “When did you die?” The difference is not material, but modern editors, who profess most to follow the folio, have here, as in many other instances, deserted it without notice.

Note return to page 968 4No, sir, you must not kneel.] “No, sir,” necessary to the verse, is wanting in the folio, which also has hand for “hands” in the previous line.

Note return to page 969 5&lblank; not an hour more nor less;] The quartos omit these words, and Malone, Steevens, Ritson, and others, decided that they were interpolated by the player. We see no sufficient ground for this belief, and though the insertion of them varies the versification of the passage, it is not complete as the text stands in the quartos. In Lear's state of mind, this broken mode of delivering his thoughts is natural; and when we find “not an hour more nor less,” in a work like the folio of 1623, we have no pretence for rejecting the words as not written by Shakespeare.

Note return to page 970 6&lblank; and yet it is danger To make him even o'er the time he has lost.] This passage is only in the quartos. For “You see is cur'd in him,” the folio reads “You see is kill'd in him.”

Note return to page 971 7Holds it true, sir,] From hence to the end of the scene is wanting in the folio, but is in all the quartos.

Note return to page 972 8That thought abuses you:] This and the next speech are only in the quartos. Lower down the quartos read, “Fear me not” for “fear not,” of the folio, and it does not complete the line, unless we take “familiar” as a word of four syllables, which would not be unprecedented. Goneril's first speech after her entrance is not in the folio.

Note return to page 973 9Forc'd to cry out.] The rest of this speech and Edmund's reply are not in the folio.

Note return to page 974 1&lblank; and particular broils] So the folio: the quartos, ‘door particulars,” which it is impossible to strain to a meaning, unless we suppose door misprinted for in-door. The next speech by Edmund is wanting in the folio, which also makes some minor variations.

Note return to page 975 2Here is the guess of their true strength] The quartos, “Hard is the guess of their great strength.” According to the folio, which text we here adopt, we must suppose that Edmund hands to Albany some paper, containing a statement of “the guess” of the strength of the enemy.

Note return to page 976 3&lblank; as the stung] The quarto with the stationer's address reads corruptly, “as the sting.”

Note return to page 977 4And hardly shall I carry out my side,] To carry out a side was an old idiomatic expression for success, probably derived from playing games in which different sides were taken. In one of the “Paston Letters,” (Vol. iv. p. 155,) quoted by Steevens, we read “Heydon's son hath borne out his side stoutly here.” In “The Maid's Tragedy,” (Beaumont and Fletcher, by Dyce, vol. i. p. 343) Dula refuses the aid of Aspatia, saying, “She will pluck down a side,” meaning, that if they were to be partners, Aspatia would lose the game. To pluck down a side was, therefore, the reverse of carrying out a side. Edmund observes, in effect, that he should hardly be able to win the game he was playing, while the husband of Goneril was living.

Note return to page 978 5&lblank; and exeunt.] So the folio: the stage direction of the quartos is more expressive of the scene: “Alarum. Enter the powers of France over the stage, Cordelia with her father in her hand.” The battle between the powers of Lear and his enemies is supposed to be fought in this scene, in the interval between the exit and re-entrance of Edgar.

Note return to page 979 6&lblank; the shadow of this tree] The quartos have bush for “tree” of the folio. A bush would hardly afford sufficient “shadow.”

Note return to page 980 7And that's true too.] These words are only in the folio.

Note return to page 981 8&lblank; first be known] The quartos “best be known.”

Note return to page 982 9The goujeers shall devour them,] The allusion here probably is to the morbus gallicus or goujeres, misprinted “good years” in the folio, and only expressed by the word “good” in the quartos. There was a common exclamation of the time, which occurs in “Much Ado about Nothing,” Vol. ii. p. 198, “What the good year, my lord,” which seems to have been sometimes mistaken by the commentators for an allusion to the “goujeers” or goujeres: thus, when Golding, in his translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses, renders “Perfeci quid enim toties per jurgia?” “What a good year have I won by scolding erst?” Steevens maintains that Golding fell into an error by not printing “good year” goujeer. Farmer accuses Florio of a similar blunder, in rendering malanno a good year: the fact is, that he translates it properly an ill year, in both editions of his Italian Dictionary, in 1598, and 1611, without mentioning good year at all.

Note return to page 983 10I cannot draw a cart,] This speech is wanting in the folio.

Note return to page 984 1&lblank; and appointed guard;] These words are not in the folio, nor in the quarto with the publisher's address: they are in the other quartos.

Note return to page 985 2&lblank; the common bosom] One quarto reads “the coren bosom,” and the others “the common blossoms.” Our text is that of the folio, and the allusion to the disposition of the people at large is obvious.

Note return to page 986 3&lblank; At this time,] From these words to the end of the speech is not in the folio, but in the three quartos.

Note return to page 987 4&lblank; our pleasure might] “Our pleasure should” in the quartos.

Note return to page 988 5The which immediacy] Such is the word in the folio: the quartos read immediate. In Goneril's next speech, the folio has “addition” for advancement of the quartos.

Note return to page 989 6&lblank; the walls are thine:] A metaphorical phrase, signifying, to surrender, like a town. This line is not in the quartos.

Note return to page 990 7&lblank; my title thine.] “My title good,” quartos, where the line is given to Edmund. Two lines lower, for “thy arrest,” the quartos have “thine attaint.”

Note return to page 991 8An interlude!] This exclamation is only in the folio. The necessary words, “let the trumpet sound,” are also from that impression. In the next line, for head of the quartos, the folio has “person.”

Note return to page 992 9&lblank; I'll ne'er trust poison.] So the quartos: the folio, medicine; and three lines higher, “make it on thy heart.”

Note return to page 993 10A herald, ho! a herald!] Only in the quartos.

Note return to page 994 1Sound, trumpet.] This command is not in the folio.

Note return to page 995 2&lblank; within the lists of the army,] The quartos, “within the host,” &c.

Note return to page 996 3Yet am I noble, as the adversary I come to cope withal.] So the folio, but omitting “withal:” one quarto (that with the stationer's address) reads, “Yet are I move 't, Where is the adversary I come to cope withal?” and the others leave out “Yet are I move 't.”

Note return to page 997 4&lblank; my privilege,] These words are only in the folio.

Note return to page 998 5Despite thy victor sword,] The folio has Despise for “Despite.”

Note return to page 999 6&lblank; below thy foot,] The quartos, “beneath thy feet;” and two lines earlier, “conspicuate 'gainst,” for “conspirant 'gainst.”

Note return to page 1000 7And that thy tongue some 'say &lblank;] The quartos read being for “tongue” of the folio. “'Say” is assay, i. e. sample or taste.

Note return to page 1001 8By rule of knighthood,] “Right of knighthood” in the quartos.

Note return to page 1002 9But cozen'd and beguil'd.] In this speech the quartos and folio differ: the former have “mere” (omitted in the folio) and “arms” for war.

Note return to page 1003 1Hold, sir!] Only in the folio. In the next line it has “name,” for thing of the quartos.

Note return to page 1004 2Who can arraign me for't?] The quartos, “Who shall,” &c. In the next line, one of the quartos (that without the address) has Monster, for “Most monstrous!” of the other quartos and folio.

Note return to page 1005 3Ask me not what I know.] Albany again appeals to Goneril whether she knows the paper, and in all the quartos the answer is assigned to her, who then goes out. The folio, having erroneously fixed her exit earlier, transfers “Ask me not what I know” to Edmund.

Note return to page 1006 4&lblank; and of our pleasant vices Make instruments to plague us:] The quartos read virtues for “vices,” and scourge for “plague.”

Note return to page 1007 5Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true;] In the quartos, “Thou hast spoken truth;” and in the next line, for “full circle” of the folio, they have “full circled.” In all the old copies the scene is ill printed, and no one text can be followed at all implicitly.

Note return to page 1008 6That with the pain of death we'd hourly die,] So the quartos, excepting that for “we'd,” would is printed: the folio reads, “That we the pain of death would hourly die.” Lower down the folio reads “our pilgrimage.”

Note return to page 1009 7This would have seem'd a period] From hence, until the entrance of the Gentleman, is not in the folio.

Note return to page 1010 8&lblank; threw me on my father;] So every quarto; but some modern editors read, “threw him on my father,” without assigning any reason for the unauthorised change. We adhere to the old text, admitting, however, that it is more likely that Kent, in grief, should have thrown himself upon Gloster, than that, in his awkward violence, he should have thrown Edgar upon his father's body.

Note return to page 1011 9Speak, man.] Only in the folio.

Note return to page 1012 10Who dead? speak, man.] We follow the folio: the quartos read thus:— “Gent. It's hot, it smokes: it came from the heart of,— Alb. Who, man? speak.” In the next line but one, “she hath confess'd it” of the quarto seems more proper, than “she confesses it” of the folio.

Note return to page 1013 1This judgment] The quartos “This justice of the heavens.”

Note return to page 1014 2Enter Kent.] In the folio the entrance of Kent is marked too early, and Edgar's speech, “Here comes Kent,” is erroneously placed before “Produce the bodies,” &c. The folio also places the bringing out of the bodies of Goneril and Regan too early. The quartos are right in this respect.

Note return to page 1015 3O! it is he.] The folio “O! is this he?”

Note return to page 1016 4Give it the captain.] Steevens says that the quartos read, &lblank; “Take my sword, the captain Give it the captain.” Only one quarto so reads: the others (without the publisher's address) have the same text as the folio. One quarto omits the words “That she fordid herself” at the close of Edmund's next speech; but all assign “Haste thee for thy life,” to Albany, and not to Edgar as in the folio: Edgar was the person dispatched, and the words are, therefore, addressed to him.

Note return to page 1017 5Is this the promis'd end?] i. e. “the promis'd end” of the world, according to the interpretation of Monck Mason, in which Steevens and Malone concur. Consistently with this notion, Edgar returns “Or image of that horror?” namely doomsday.

Note return to page 1018 6&lblank; murderers, traitors all!] So the folio: the quartos “murderous traitors all.”

Note return to page 1019 7I would have made them skip:] This is the reading of the quartos: the folio has him for “them.”

Note return to page 1020 8&lblank; she lov'd and hated,] The quartos “she lov'd or hated.” The meaning of this passage, says Monck Mason, appears to me to be this: If Fortune, to display the plenitude of her power, should brag of two persons, one of whom she had highly elevated, and the other she had wofully depressed, we now behold the latter.

Note return to page 1021 9This is a dull sight.] Words found only in the folio.

Note return to page 1022 1&lblank; your first of difference] The quartos, obviously corruptly, “your life of difference.”

Note return to page 1023 2&lblank; have fordone themselves;] This is probably the true reading, and from the folio. We have before been told in this scene that Goneril “fordid herself,” or destroyed herself. One of the quartos has “fordoome themselves,” the other quartos print it fordoom'd. Nevertheless, only Goneril had, in fact, “fordone” herself.

Note return to page 1024 3He knows not what he says;] Thus the folio: the quartos sees.

Note return to page 1025 4&lblank; to this great decay] Meaning Lear. The quartos omit “great.”

Note return to page 1026 5And my poor fool is hang'd!] It has been disputed whether, in these words, Lear refers to Cordelia or to his fool, of whom, in the two last acts, we have heard nothing. Sir Joshua Reynolds was of opinion that Shakespeare thus meant to inform the audience of the fate of the Fool; but it may be urged that, as Cordelia had been hanged, the poet would probably have chosen some other death for the Fool, in order to render the matter quite clear, supposing Lear to have allowed his thoughts to wander from his daughter, lying dead before him. On the other hand, if Shakespeare did not mean to revert to the Fool, he has certainly omitted to account for a prominent and important character.

Note return to page 1027 6Do you see this? &c.] This line and the following hemistich are not in the quartos. After “thank you, sir,” they have only the interjection O! five times repeated.

Note return to page 1028 7Break, heart; &c.] This line is in the quartos erroneously given to Lear, whose death is not there marked in the stage directions.

Note return to page 1029 8Rule in this realm,] “Rule in this kingdom” in the quartos; and for “gor'd state” one of them (that without the address) has “good state.”

Note return to page 1030 9My master calls me, I must not say, no:] So the folio: the quartos “My master calls, and I must not say no.” The second folio here adds Dies, as a stage-direction in the margin, but there is nothing in the older editions to warrant its introduction.

Note return to page 1031 10The weight of this sad time &lblank;] In the folio this speech is mistakenly assigned to Edgar. All the quartos concur in giving it to Albany.

Note return to page 1032 “The Tragœdy of Othello, The Moore of Venice. As it hath beene diuerse times acted at the Globe, and at the Black-Friers, by his Maiesties Seruants. Written by William Shakespeare. London, Printed by N. O. for Thomas Walkley, and are to be sold at his shop, at the Eagle and Child, in Brittans Bursse. 1622.” 4to. 48 leaves, irregularly paged. “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice,” occupies thirty pages in the folio of 1623; viz. from p. 310 to p. 339 inclusive, in the division of “Tragedies:” it is there, as in the three later folios, divided into Acts and Scenes, and on the last page is a list of the characters, headed, “The Names of the Actors.”

Note return to page 1033 1Tush! never tell me,] The folio, 1623, omits the interjection, “Tush,” as well as “'Sblood” three lines lower down. If the Master of the Revels expunged the latter, he did not erase the former; and as both were probably written by Shakespeare, we cannot make up our minds to leave out any word, however trifling, that may have come from his pen.

Note return to page 1034 2Oft capp'd to him;] So the quartos: the folio, “Off capp'd to him.”

Note return to page 1035 3And, in conclusion,] These words, which no doubt were Shakespeare's, are omitted in the folio, 1623. We regulate the lines as in the quarto, 1622: the quarto, 1630, is like the folio in this respect.

Note return to page 1036 4A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;] It appears by a subsequent part of the play (A. iv. sc. 1) that the belief was that Cassio was about to be married to Bianca. This line has occasioned a good deal of controversy, and various conjectures have been hazarded. Tyrwhitt would read life for “wife;” and Mr. Petrie of Edinburgh suggests to me, that “wife” may have been misprinted for guise, which, I must own, is not a very probable conjecture. The text is most likely right.

Note return to page 1037 5&lblank; unless the bookish theoric, Wherein the toged consuls &lblank;] “Theoric” is the same as theory, and the word was not uncommonly so used. The folio misprints “toged” of the quarto, 1622, tongued, as in “Coriolanus,” Vol. vi. p. 190, it had misprinted “toga,” tongue. “Toged,” of course, refers to the toga, or robe, which the consuls, or councillors, of Venice wore.

Note return to page 1038 6Christian and heathen,] So the quarto, 1622: the folio, Christen'd, in which error it is followed by the quarto, 1630. Both the latter are as evidently right in reading “be be-lee'd,” instead of “be led.”

Note return to page 1039 7And I, (God bless the mark!) his Moor-ship's ancient.] The Master of the Revels having perhaps objected to the exclamation, “God bless the mark!” the line was left imperfect in the folio, where it stands. “And I (bless the mark) has Moorship's ancient.” The quarto, 1630, interpolated “Sir,” to complete the measure. The quarto, 1622, has “(God bless the mark!)” but misprints “Moor-ship's,” Worship's.

Note return to page 1040 8Not by the old gradation,] This is the reading of the quartos, 1622 and 1630: “And not by old gradation,” are the words of the folio.

Note return to page 1041 9&lblank; am affin'd] The quarto, 1622, has assign'd. For “affin'd,” (the reading of the folio, and of the quarto, 1630) see Vol. vi. p. 28.

Note return to page 1042 1For daws to peck at:] So the folio: the quarto, doves: the quarto, 1630, like the folio, has “daws.”

Note return to page 1043 2What a full fortune &lblank;] The folio misprints “full,” fall; but both the quartos read “full,” and in “Cymbeline” we have the expression “full fortune,” and in “Antony and Cleopatra” “full fortun'd.”

Note return to page 1044 3Yet throw such changes &lblank;] The folio has chances: the quartos, 1622 and 1630, “changes,” which in all probability is the true reading.

Note return to page 1045 4Are your doors lock'd?] The quarto, 1630, is like the folio here: the quarto, 1622, reads, “Are all doore lockts?” and not, as Steevens states, “Are all doors lock'd?”

Note return to page 1046 5The worse welcome:] In the folio only, “The worser welcome.”

Note return to page 1047 6Upon malicious bravery] So the quartos, 1622 and 1630: the folio has knavery. In Brabantio's next speech, the folio has spirits for “spirit.”

Note return to page 1048 7If't be your pleasure,] The portion of Roderigo's speech, from these words inclusive, down to “straight satisfy yourself,” is not in the quarto, 1622, but it is in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630.

Note return to page 1049 8For thus deluding you.] We follow the folio, and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, has “For this delusion.”

Note return to page 1050 9&lblank; nor wholesome to my place,] The quarto, 1622, alone “to my pate.”

Note return to page 1051 1To be produc'd &lblank;] So the quartos, 1622 and 1630. The folio, to the injury of the verse, reads, “To be producted.”

Note return to page 1052 2&lblank; as I do hell pains,] The folio has apines for “pains.”

Note return to page 1053 3Lead to the Sagittary the raised search;] The “Sagittary” (spelt Sagittar in the quarto, 1622) was the name of the house in which Othello resided.

Note return to page 1054 4O! thou deceiv'st me] As it were addressing his daughter: the folio, poorly, “O! she deceives me.”

Note return to page 1055 5Yes, sir; I have, indeed.] So the folio, and quarto, 1630, completing the line: the quarto, 1622, has merely, “I have, sir.”

Note return to page 1056 6O, that you had had her!] The folio, “O, would you had had her.”

Note return to page 1057 7Pray you, lead on.] The quarto, 1622, “Pray lead me on.”

Note return to page 1058 8&lblank; officers of night.] So the quarto: the folio has might for “night,” probably a misprint. Malone showed from Lewkenor's “Commonwealth of Venice,” 1599, that “officers of night” were employed in that city.

Note return to page 1059 9&lblank; But, I pray, sir, Are you fast married? for, be sure of this,] The folio reads “But, I pray you, sir, Are you fast married? Be assured of this.” Our text is that of the quartos, 1622 and 1630.

Note return to page 1060 1&lblank; what restraint or grievance] So the folio, and probably rightly, instead of “and grievance” of the quartos.

Note return to page 1061 2&lblank; 'Tis yet to know, Which, when I know that boasting is an honour, I shall promulgate:] The quarto, 1622, omits the words “Which when I know,” but they are in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630.

Note return to page 1062 3From men of royal siege; and my demerits] Both the quartos read “From men of royal height.” “Siege” means seat, or throne, and is certainly preferable. “Demerits” was constantly used for merits by authors of the time. We have already had it in that sense in “Coriolanus,” Vol. vi. p. 150.

Note return to page 1063 4&lblank; sequent messengers] The folio and the quarto, 1630, read “sequent,” the quarto, 1622, frequent.

Note return to page 1064 5The senate hath sent above three several quests,] We print “above” (instead of about of the folio,) on the authority, not merely of the quarto, 1622, but of that of 1630, which was not a mere reprint of a former edition. A “quest” necessarily searches in various directions, and the word about may therefore be considered surplusage. Cassio means that more than “three several quests” have been sent in search of Othello.

Note return to page 1065 6&lblank; a land carack;] A carack, or carick, says Malone, was denominated from the Spanish word, caraca, which signifies a vessel of great bulk, constructed to carry a heavy burthen. The Spanish caraca, Minsheu thinks, may have been formed from the Italian carico, a lading, or freight.

Note return to page 1066 7Have with you.] So the folio; and the quarto, 1630, “Ha, with you:” the quarto, 1622, corruptly “Ha, with who.”

Note return to page 1067 8If she in chains of magic were not bound,] This line is only in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630.

Note return to page 1068 9The wealthy curled darlings] So both the quartos: the folio dearling, in the singular.

Note return to page 1069 1Judge me the world, if 'tis not gross in sense,] This and the five following lines are in the folio and in the quarto 1630, but not in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1070 2That weaken motion.] Sir T. Hanmer, in opposition to the folio and quarto, 1630, substituted waken for “weaken.” The sense of the old reading seems perfectly intelligible. Theobald's suggestion of “weaken notion,” would be preferable, if any change were required.

Note return to page 1071 3To bear me to him?] “To bear” is in both the quartos: the folio, “To bring.” In the first line of the speech the folio omits “I.”

Note return to page 1072 4&lblank; where they aim reports,] So both the quartos (excepting that that of 1622 misprints “aim” aim'd), but the folio reads “the aim reports.” Johnson says truly, that the sense of “they aim reports” is sufficiently easy and commodious, where men report not by certain knowledge, but by aim and conjecture. This is an instance in which the quarto, 1630, corrects both the previous impressions. Farther on both the quartos read, “Now, the business?” and not “Now, what's the business?” as in the folio.

Note return to page 1073 5By signior Angelo.] These words are in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630; but not in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1074 6For that it stands not in such warlike brace,] This and the six next lines are only in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630. The latter has “Who altogether lacks,” &c. for “But altogether lacks,” &c.

Note return to page 1075 7Have there injointed them] The quarto, 1622, has not “them,” and it does not seem absolutely required by the sense, and is injurious to the verse; but as it is found in the quarto, 1630, as well as in the folio, we insert it. The next line is omitted in the quarto, 1622, but is found in the other copies.

Note return to page 1076 8And prays you to believe him] The Rev. H. Barry plausibly suggests to me, that we ought to read relieve for “believe.” Lower down we follow the folio and quarto, 1630, instead of the line “Write from us; wish him post, post-haste despatch,” as it stands in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1077 9Take hold of me;] The quarto, 1630, “Take hold of me,” and the quarto, 1622, “Take any hold of me.” The folio, “Take hold on me.”

Note return to page 1078 1(Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense)] This parenthesis is wanting in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1079 2After its own sense; yea, though our proper son] This is the reading of the quarto, 1630, which has “its” as in the quarto, 1622, and “yea” as in the folio. “After its own sense,” is after the very sense of the “bitter letter” of the “book of law.” The folio has “After your own sense.”

Note return to page 1080 3the set phrase of peace] So the two quartos: the folio for “set” has soft, in all probability a corruption.

Note return to page 1081 3Till now, some nine moons wasted,] We adopt here the punctuation of the quarto, 1622, and of the folio, 1623, merely as a guide to what may be the true mode of reading the passage.

Note return to page 1082 4It is a judgment maim'd,] The folio has main'd, by an error of the press.

Note return to page 1083 5&lblank; you prefer against him.] Our reading of this speech is that of the quarto, 1630, and not of the folio, 1623, where it is strangely made part of what Brabantio says, and where the second line is thus misprinted:— “Without more wider and more over test.” The only change we make in the reading of the quarto 1630 is “seeming” for seemings. The quarto, 1622, supports the quarto, 1630, excepting that it misprints “vouch” youth. The folio, 1632, corrects the blunder of the folio, 1623, in assigning the speech to Brabantio.

Note return to page 1084 6The trust, the office, I do hold of you,] This necessary line is not in the quarto, 1622, but is in that of 1630, as well as in the folio.

Note return to page 1085 7&lblank; as truly] “As faithful” in the quarto, 1622, only, and it omits the next line.

Note return to page 1086 8&lblank; the battles, sieges, fortunes,] So the quartos, 1622 and 1630: the folio, “battle, sieges, fortune.”

Note return to page 1087 9Of moving accidents, by flood, and field;] So the folio and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, has “Of moving accident of flood, and field.” The difference is trifling, and either reading may be right.

Note return to page 1088 10And portance in my travel's history:] This is the reading of the quarto, 1630, and no doubt the true text. The quarto, 1622, has, “And with it all my travel's history:” and the folio, “And portance in my traveller's history.” We have here an illustration of the value of the quarto of 1630. “Portance” is deportment or carriage, a word which Shakespeare uses in the same sense in “Coriolanus,” Vol. vi. p. 194. As Steevens showed, it also occurs in Spenser's “Fairy Queen,” b. ii. c. 3.

Note return to page 1089 1&lblank; and deserts idle,] So all the old copies, anterior to the folio, 1632, where wild is substituted for “idle.” It was reprinted wild in the folios of 1664 and 1685. The next line stands thus imperfectly in the folio, 1623, but it is corrected in the later folio impressions:— “Rough quarries, rocks, hills whose head touch heaven.” Both the quartos have it rightly.

Note return to page 1090 2Do grow beneath their shoulders. This to hear,] The folio, 1623, omits “Do,” and reads “These things to hear.” Our text is that of the quarto, 1622, (the quarto, 1630, “These to hear”) but some modern editors have made up a line, if such it may be called, out of the folio and quartos, by printing, “Do grow beneath their shoulders. These things to hear.” At all events, the folio, 1623, makes both sense and metre of the passage:— “Grew beneath their shoulders. These things to hear.”

Note return to page 1091 3&lblank; would draw her thence;] Hence, in the folio only.

Note return to page 1092 4But not intentively:] i. e. coherently, or, more strictly, attentively; for so the word “intentively” was used by authors of Shakespeare's time. Thus, in the novel of “Apollonius, Prince of Tyre,” (the foundation of “Pericles,”) sign. H 2, we read, “And long time he stood amazed, with his eyes intentively fixed on the ground.” We now use intently for “intentively.” “Intentively” is the reading of the quartos, 1622 and 1630: the folio, 1623, has instinctively, and the folio, 1632, distinctively, which was retained in the two later impressions.

Note return to page 1093 5&lblank; a world of sighs:] The folio has kisses for “sighs” of the quartos, 1622 and 1630; an extraordinary variation. It stood “kisses” in the later folios, and Southern, in his copy of that of 1685, altered it in manuscript to thanks. Two lines above, the quarto, 1622, has distressed for “distressful” of the folio, 1623, and the quarto, 1630.

Note return to page 1094 6&lblank; Upon this hint, I spake:] No doubt the folio, 1623, here gives the true word, “hint,” and not heat, as it is misprinted in the quartos. Nevertheless, as our notes will show, the whole speech is very incorrectly printed in the folio; and, for the sake of a proper estimate of that edition, the errors ought to be pointed out.

Note return to page 1095 7Destruction on my head,] The quartos “Destruction light on me,” and Shakespeare may have meant the repetition of the word “light.”

Note return to page 1096 8&lblank; you are the lord of duty;] The quarto, 1622, only, “you are lord of all my duty.”

Note return to page 1097 9Which, but thou hast already, with all my heart] This line is in the folio, 1623, and quarto, 1630, but not in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1098 1Which, as a grise, or step, may help these lovers Into your favour.] The words “Into your favour” are in both quartos, but not in the folio. The word “grise” is explained by “step” which follows it. Respecting the previous use of “grise” by Shakespeare, see Vol. iii. p. 377, and Vol. vi. p. 559.

Note return to page 1099 2&lblank; to draw more mischief on.] “More mischief,” in both the quartos: in the folio, “new mischief.”

Note return to page 1100 3&lblank; was pierced through the ear:] This is the reading of all the old copies, and Warburton suggested that “we” ought to read pieced for “pierced;” but “pierced,” as Malone remarked, means penetrated or reached; and in Marlowe's “Tamburlaine,” 1590, we have the expression, “my heart to be with gladness pierc'd.” [Subnote: P. 518.—Correct note 3 by omitting the marks of quotation between which the word “we” is erroneously included.]

Note return to page 1101 4Beseech you, now to the affairs of state.] So the two quartos of 1622 and 1630: the folio, prosaically, “I humbly beseech you, proceed to the affairs of the state.”

Note return to page 1102 5&lblank; yet opinion, a sovereign mistress of effects,] So the quartos; the printer of the folio, 1623, caught more from the line below, and inserted it also before “sovereign.”

Note return to page 1103 6&lblank; and boisterous expedition.] As this speech is the only one in this part of the scene printed as prose, it may be doubted, especially from the rhythm of some of the passages, whether it was not originally verse. It would not be difficult, as the Rev. Mr. Barry observes, to render it metrical.

Note return to page 1104 7&lblank; steel couch of war] The folio, 1623, has “coach of war,” and so it remained in the later folios, but Southern corrected his copy of 1685 to couch. In the quartos it is printed cooch.

Note return to page 1105 8&lblank; I do agnize] i. e. acknowledge or recognize.

Note return to page 1106 9&lblank; and do undertake] The quarto, 1622, only, “and would undertake.”

Note return to page 1107 1&lblank; If you please, Be't at her father's.] The folio omits “If you please,” found in both quartos, and has only “Why, at her father's.”

Note return to page 1108 2Nor I; I would not there reside,] So the quartos, though some modern editors print “I would not there reside,” as if such were the reading of the folio, which in fact has, “Nor would I there reside.”

Note return to page 1109 3To my unfolding lend your prosperous ear:] This is the line in the folio: the compositor of the quarto printed it “a gracious ear,” repeating carelessly the word he saw in the line preceding. In the next line but one we read “T' assist my simpleness,” on the authority of the folio, and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, has it “And if my simpleness &lblank;.”

Note return to page 1110 4What would you, Desdemona?] The quarto, 1622, alone reads, “What would you? speak,” which certainly accords better with the metre.

Note return to page 1111 5&lblank; and storm of fortunes] The quarto, 1622, alone reads, “scorn of fortunes,” which may be preferable.

Note return to page 1112 6Even to the very quality] Thus the folio, and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, “Even to the utmost pleasure.”

Note return to page 1113 7&lblank; for which I love him,] The folio alone, “for why I love him.”

Note return to page 1114 8Your voices, lords: 'beseech you, let her will Have a free way.] For this passage, in both the quartos, the folio has, poorly, “Let her have your voice;” the next words, “Vouch with me, heaven,” are in the folio and in the quarto, 1630, and not in that of 1622.

Note return to page 1115 9In my defunct and proper satisfaction;] This passage (so printed in every old copy) has occasioned much dispute and long notes: it seems to us that nothing can 'be clearer, allowing only a little latitude of expression. Othello refers to his age, elsewhere several times alluded to, and “in my defunct and proper satisfaction” is merely, “in my own dead satisfaction” or gratification, the youthful passions, or “young affects,” being comparatively “defunct” in him. For the sense, though not for the harmony of the verse, it ought to have run, “for my proper and defunct satisfaction,” and had it so run, we doubt if so much ink would have been spilt and wasted upon it. It requires no proof that “proper” was often used for own: in this very scene (p. 512) the Duke says, “yea, though our proper son,” &c. Mr. Amyot fully concurs with me.

Note return to page 1116 1&lblank; and bounteous to her mind:] The quarto, 1622, alone reads, “of her mind.”

Note return to page 1117 2For she is with me.] i. e. Because she is with me. The folio substitutes When for “For” of both the quartos.

Note return to page 1118 3&lblank; and active instruments,] Our text is from the quarto, 1622, confirmed by that of the quarto, 1630, the editor of the latter refusing to adopt (if, indeed, he saw it) the reading of the folio, 1623, where seel is printed for “foil,” offic'd for “active,” and instrument for “instruments.”

Note return to page 1119 4Make head against my reputation!] So the quarto, 1622, and the quarto, 1630: the folio, estimation.

Note return to page 1120 5Des. To night, my lord?] We here follow the two quartos: the folio omits these words, (which must originally have been written by Shakespeare, even supposing he afterwards expunged them) and gives “you must hence to-night,” (printing away for “hence”) to a Senator. It is surely very natural that Desdemona should express surprise at the suddenness of the command, and our persuasion is, that the words were left out in the folio by accident. If, however, we exclude such passages from the text, on the mere conjecture that Shakespeare directed their omission, what excuse can we have for inserting various long speeches, found in many of the quarto editions of his plays, not one line of which is transferred to the folio, and which it is much more probable the author rejected? We are anxious to preserve all that Shakespeare wrote.

Note return to page 1121 6At nine i' the morning] The quarto, 1622, “At ten i' the morning:” the quarto, 1630, and the folio as our text. The same reason has induced us to adopt “As doth import you” below, instead of “As doth concern you.”

Note return to page 1122 7Please your grace, my ancient;] The quarto, 1630, agrees with the folio in reading “import you,” but it omits “So,” found in the folio before “Please your grace,” as injurious to the metre.

Note return to page 1123 8&lblank; if thou hast eyes to see;] The quarto, 1622, alone reads, “have a quick eye to see.”

Note return to page 1124 9And bring her after] So both the quartos: the folio, “and bring them after?” Two lines lower, the quartos have “matters” for matter of the folio, with some other changes of little moment.

Note return to page 1125 1O villainous!] This exclamation is not in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1126 2Our bodies are gardens.] The folio alone, “Our bodies are our gardens.”

Note return to page 1127 3If the balance of our lives] So the quartos: the folio has brain for “balance,” and Southern, in his copy of the fourth folio, (the error having descended through the folios of 1632 and 1664) has judiciously altered brain to beam, for which, (as indeed Steevens conjectured,) it was in all probability a misprint. However, as the quarto authorities give “balance,” we need resort to no speculative emendation. Modern editors have adopted “balance” into their text, as if it were the reading of the folio; and later in this speech they print “our” for or, thus silently avoiding another corruption of the folio.

Note return to page 1128 4&lblank; to be a sect,] i. e. says Steevens, a cutting.

Note return to page 1129 5&lblank; I profess me thy friend,] The folio, in opposition to both quartos, reads “I have professed” &c.

Note return to page 1130 6&lblank; defeat thy favour &lblank;] “Defeat thy favour” means, alter thy appearance, or more strictly, undo thy countenance: we have repeatedly had “favour” used in this sense. See Vol. iii. p. 361, and Vol. iv. pp. 188. 294. “Defeat” occurs in “All's Well that Ends Well,” Vol. iii. p. 243, in the sense of to free or disembarrass: etymologically it means to undo, and in this latter sense we meet with it again in Act iv. sc. 2, of this play. Minsheu, in his Dictionary, 1617, translates disfacere, “to undo, to mar, to unmake, to defeat.”

Note return to page 1131 7&lblank; nor he his to her:] The quarto, 1622, alone reads, “nor he to her.”

Note return to page 1132 8as bitter as coloquintida.] Steevens tells us that the quarto, 1622, reads, “as acerb as coloquintida:” it reads, in fact, “as acerb as the coloquintida;” but the folio, and the quarto, 1630, agree in our text. The words which follow, “She must change for youth,” are in the folio, 1623, and in the quarto, 1630, but not in the quarto, 1622. There are also some minor variations.

Note return to page 1133 9She must have change, she must:] This reiteration of what Iago has before said, is in both the quartos, though not in the folio.

Note return to page 1134 1&lblank; an erring barbarian] “Erring” is of course to be taken as wandering.

Note return to page 1135 2&lblank; if I depend on the issue?] These words are in the folio and quarto, 1630, but not in that of 1622.

Note return to page 1136 3&lblank; and I re-tell thee &lblank;] The quartos have it, merely “and I tell thee,” with some loss of force.

Note return to page 1137 4Traverse;] This, says Steevens truly, was an ancient military word of command.

Note return to page 1138 5Do you hear, Roderigo?] Here, with the words, “I'll sell all my land,” according to the folio, Roderigo makes his exit, and Iago begins his soliloquy, “Thus do I ever,” &c. The quarto, 1622, prolongs the dialogue a little, as in our text; but that of 1630 omits Iago's observation, “Go to; farewell: put money enough in your purse.”

Note return to page 1139 6He has done my office:] The folio, 1623, misreads absurdly, “She has done my office.”

Note return to page 1140 7Yet I,] Both the quartos have “Yet I,” the folio, “But I.”

Note return to page 1141 8&lblank; and to plume up my will;] The quarto, 1622, only, “And to make up my will.”

Note return to page 1142 9The Moor is of a free and open nature,] This is the line in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630: in the earlier quarto it is, “The Moor a free and open nature too.”

Note return to page 1143 1Enter Montano &lblank;] Steevens makes a doubt what rank Montano held in Cyprus. Here in the stage-direction of both the quartos, he is called “Governor of Cyprus,” as well as in the list at the end of the tragedy in the folio.

Note return to page 1144 2I cannot, 'twixt the heaven and the main,] This reading is supported, not only by the folio, but (as none of the commentators remarked) by the quarto, 1630, in the preparation and printing of which considerable pains seem to have been taken. Malone, merely on the authority of the quarto, 1622, would read haven for “heaven.” “The main” was the sea, and the haven must have joined or been connected with “the main,” so that “'twixt the haven and the main” would have little or no meaning.

Note return to page 1145 3&lblank; when mountains melt on them,] This is the reading of the folio, and of the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, has “when the huge mountain melt.”

Note return to page 1146 4&lblank; the foaming shore,] So the folio, and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, has banning for “foaming;” probably a mere misprint. In the next line the folio has “chidden billow,” for “chiding billow” of the quartos. Southern corrected main to “mane” in the next line.

Note return to page 1147 5It is impossible to bear it out.] Perhaps the reading of the quarto, 1622, may be preferable, “they bear it out,” for they should bear it out; but that of the folio is seconded by the quarto, 1630.

Note return to page 1148 6News, lads!] So the folio, and the quarto, 1630: the earlier quarto, “News, lords.”

Note return to page 1149 7&lblank; a noble ship of Venice] The quarto, 1622, alone reads, “Another ship.”

Note return to page 1150 8A Veronesé, Michael Cassio.] In the two quartos, it is printed, “A Veronessa,” and in the folio, “A Verennessa.” Our punctuation is that of all the old copies, which make the third Gentleman call Cassio a Veronesé, when in fact he was a Florentine. Malone would have “A Veronesé” apply to the ship, as if it belonged to, and had been fitted out by, Verona, an inland town, the property of the state of Venice. The third Gentleman has already said that the ship was “of Venice,” and it is not likely that he would assert just afterwards that she was “A Veronesé:” it seems much more probable that he would by mistake call Cassio “a Veronesé.”

Note return to page 1151 9An indistinct regard.] This hemistich and the preceding line are in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630, but not in that of 1622.

Note return to page 1152 1Of more arrivance.] So the two quartos: the folio arrivancie, probably a mere misprint.

Note return to page 1153 2Thanks you, the valiant of the warlike isle,] Here we adopt the text of the folio, because both the quartos appear to be wrong: that of 1622 has it, “Thanks to the valiant of this worthy isle;” and that of 1630, omits worthy. Very possibly, the true reading may be what Malone has given, “Thanks to the valiant of this warlike isle;” but no ancient authority so gives it, and the reading of the folio is at least unobjectionable. In the next line, both the quartos read tamely, “and let the heavens.”

Note return to page 1154 3&lblank; not surfeited to death,] The meaning seems to be that Cassio's hopes are not destroyed by constant repetition and disappointment. This passage has occasioned much dispute.

Note return to page 1155 4One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens,] The quarto, 1622, omits the words “quirks of.”

Note return to page 1156 5Does bear all excellency.] The folio reads, “Does tire the ingeniuer,” which has been taken for inginer, though if that were the true word, we cannot tell why the compositor should have put so many letters into it. Our text is that, not only of the quarto, 1622, but of the quarto, 1630, which sometimes agrees with the folio, sometimes with the quarto, 1622, and now and then with neither.

Note return to page 1157 6Traitors ensteep'd to clog] The quarto, 1622, by a mere misprint, no doubt, has enscerp'd for “ensteep'd:” both quartos have “clog” for enclog of the folio. Two lines lower, the quarto, 1622, has “common natures” for “mortal natures.”

Note return to page 1158 7Make love's quick pants in Desdemona's arms,] So the folio: the quartos, “And swiftly come to Desdemona's arms.” In the next line but one, “And bring all Cyprus comfort” is only in the quartos, but evidently necessary for the verse ending with “O, behold!”

Note return to page 1159 8What tidings can you tell me of my lord?] The folio omits “me,” necessary to the measure, and found in every older copy. It was added in the folio, 1632.

Note return to page 1160 9They give their greeting] The quartos agree in “their:”the folio, this. Boswell tells us that “the quarto” has this: it is a mistake, but some modern editors, without reference to the folio, seem to have taken his word for it, and have printed “their,” as if such were the reading of the folio.

Note return to page 1161 1See for the news.] Thus the folio, and the quarto, 1630: the earlier quarto “So speaks this voice.”

Note return to page 1162 2In faith, too much;] The quarto, 1622, only, “I know too much;” and it gives the next line, in opposition to the other authorities, “I find it, for when I ha' list to sleep.” The folio has “leave to sleep.”

Note return to page 1163 3O, fie upon thee, slanderer!] In the folio and quarto, 1630, this speech is assigned to Desdemona: in a hand-writing of the time, it is given to Emilia in the Duke of Devonshire's copy of the quarto, 1622, the prefix being wanting as the play was first printed.

Note return to page 1164 4&lblank; her blackness fit.] The quarto, 1622, only reads hit for “fit.” In Iago's next speech, the same edition has “to a hair” for “to an heir.”

Note return to page 1165 5&lblank; old fond paradoxes,] “Fond” (i. e. foolish) is in no copy but the folio. “Fond” generally occurs in this sense.

Note return to page 1166 6See suitors following, and not look behind;] This line is wanting only in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1167 7He takes her by the palm:] In a hand-writing of the time, in the Duke of Devonshire's copy of the quarto, 1622, we read opposite this speech, “Aside, to him selfe.” We follow the text of the folio, which does not vary from that of the quarto, 1630, excepting in the words “gyve thee” for catch you. The quarto, 1622, has the same, and one or two other immaterial variations.

Note return to page 1168 8&lblank; come such calms,] The quartos have calmness. In Othello's next speech, the quarto, 1622, alone has “sweet power.”

Note return to page 1169 9How does my old acquaintance of this isle? &lblank;] So the folio and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, “How do our old acquaintance of the isle?”

Note return to page 1170 1Come hither.] So the quartos, 1622, and 1630: the folio “Come thither.” Roderigo, in his foolish haste, was probably starting off to meet Iago, before Iago was himself gone, when he was impatiently recalled by “Come hither.” Iago had already told him to meet him at the harbour, so that the repetition “Come thither” was needless. Afterwards Iago changes his mind, and tells Roderigo to meet him at the citadel.

Note return to page 1171 2&lblank; the court of guard:] i. e. the place where the guard was mustered. According to Harl. MS. No. 581, an order was made by Parliament on Oct. 22, 1642, for the erection of houses for “Courts of Guard,” together with posts, bars, and chains, in the parish of St. Margaret, Westminster.

Note return to page 1172 3&lblank; and will she love him still for prating?] So both the quartos: the folio, incoherently, “To love him still for prating.”

Note return to page 1173 4&lblank; again to inflame it,] So the quarto, 1622, and no doubt rightly: the folio, and the quarto, 1630, read, “a game to inflame it.”

Note return to page 1174 5&lblank; who stands so eminently] The two quartos have “eminently,” the folio eminent.

Note return to page 1175 6&lblank; and humane seeming,] The quarto, 1622, alone reads “hand-seeming.

Note return to page 1176 7&lblank; why, none; why, none:] These words are only in the folio: the quarto, 1622, just above reads, “his salt and hidden affections.” Both quartos have “a subtle slippery knave” for “a slipper and subtle knave” of the folio.

Note return to page 1177 8&lblank; Bless'd pudding!] Not in either quarto. At the end of the speech “didst not mark that?” is in the quarto, 1630, as well as in the folio, but not in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1178 9&lblank; an index and obscure prologue &lblank;] Respecting “index,” see this Vol. p. 287. The quarto, 1622, omits “obscure;” and “villainous thoughts” lower down.

Note return to page 1179 1&lblank; when these mutualities] The folio misprints it mutabilities, and in Iago's next speech it omits “with his truncheon.”

Note return to page 1180 2&lblank; the lustful Moor &lblank;] So both the quartos: the folio, lusty.

Note return to page 1181 3Till I am even'd with him, &lblank;] “Even'd” is the reading of the folio and of the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, even.

Note return to page 1182 4If this poor trash of Venice, whom I trace] That this reading of the folio is right we have the evidence of the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, has crush for “trace.” Warburton, with some plausibility, would alter “trash” to brach, which means (see Vol. iii. p. 108; Vol. iv. p. 288; Vol. vi. p. 44) a dog, but as we find “trash” in two of the old copies (not printed from each other) we may presume that it is to be taken to refer to the worthlessness of Roderigo. “Trace” seems used to indicate some species of confinement (like a trace applied to horses) in order to keep back a dog which was too quick in hunting. Malone substituted trash for “trace” without any authority, though it is to be admitted that, according to some examples which he produces, it has a not very dissimilar meaning.

Note return to page 1183 5&lblank; in the rank garb, &lblank;] So both the quartos: the folio, “the right garb.”

Note return to page 1184 6Enter a Herald, &lblank;] He is called “Othello's Herald” in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630.

Note return to page 1185 7&lblank; his addiction leads him, &lblank;] The quarto, 1622, “his mind leads him.” In the next line both the quartos have “nuptials” for nuptial of the folio.

Note return to page 1186 8&lblank; of feasting, &lblank;] These words are wanting in the two quartos.

Note return to page 1187 9&lblank; a parley of provocation.] The folio alone has “parley to provocation.”

Note return to page 1188 1&lblank; is it not an alarum to love?] The quartos put it affirmatively, “'tis an alarum to love.”

Note return to page 1189 2Three lads of Cyprus, &lblank;] Thus both the quartos: the folio, no doubt by a misprint, “Three else of Cyprus.”

Note return to page 1190 3&lblank; they have given me a rouse already.] Respecting the word, “rouse,” see this Vol. p. 207, note 4.

Note return to page 1191 4A life's but a span;] Thus both the quartos. The folio reads— “Oh man's life's but a span.”

Note return to page 1192 5&lblank; so exquisite in his drinking?] In the folio, and in the quarto, 1630, the word is “exquisite:” in the quarto, 1622, expert.

Note return to page 1193 6King Stephen was a worthy peer,] The ballad from which these two stanzas are quoted is to be found entire in Percy's Reliques, vol. i. p. 208, edit. 1812. In Camden's Remains, is a story respecting the breeches of William Rufus, but there the king complained, not that his breeches were “all too dear,” but that they did not cost enough. Camden quotes Robert of Gloucester. Steevens refers to a passage in Green's “Quip for an upstart Courtier,” 1592, where it is said that King Stephen wore a pair of cloth breeches, and “thought them passing costly:” no doubt Shakespeare and Greene referred to the same ballad authority. The folio and quarto, 1630, read, “and a worthy peer;” but the quarto, 1622, and the original ballad, as our text.

Note return to page 1194 7He'll watch the horologe a double set,] “Horologe” was not an uncommon word for a clock in the time of Shakespeare: to watch it “a double set,” probably means to keep awake while the hands went twice round.

Note return to page 1195 8Prizes the virtue &lblank;] The reading of the folio is here clearly to be adopted instead of that of the two quartos, which have Praises for “Prizes.”

Note return to page 1196 9Cry within,—Help! help!] This stage-direction is only in the quartos.

Note return to page 1197 1&lblank; a wicker bottle.] So both the quartos: the folio “a twiggen bottle.” The meaning is the same, a bottle made of twigs.

Note return to page 1198 2Diablo,] An exclamation employed by other dramatists. Monck Mason and Steevens observe, that “it is a mere contraction of Diavolo, the Italian word for the devil.” We know not why we should go to the Italian, when Diablo is the ordinary Spanish word.

Note return to page 1199 3God's will!] Fie, fie! in the folio; and below it omits “Zounds!”

Note return to page 1200 4&lblank; I am hurt to the death.] We here have a different kind of proof of the value of the quarto, 1630: the folio, 1623, adds, by obvious error, “He dies,” printing the two words in the ordinary type, and some modern editors have, therefore, considered them part of the text. They were, in fact, nothing more than a printer's blunder, which the editor of the folio, 1632, corrected by making Montano say, “I am hurt, but not to the death.” The true stage-direction, for which “He dies” was, no doubt, intended, is found in the quarto, 1630, “He faints,” and that we have inserted.

Note return to page 1201 5Have you forgot all sense of place and duty?] Every old copy has a transposition here, which Sir T. Hanmer corrected: they read “Have you forgot all place of sense and duty?”

Note return to page 1202 6&lblank; to carve for his own rage,] Our reading is that of the folio, 1623, confirmed by that of the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1632, alone has “to carve forth his own rage.”

Note return to page 1203 7How came it, Michael, you were thus forgot?] The commentators take no notice of a material variation here between the two quartos and the folio, the latter only reading, “How comes it, Michael, you are thus forgot?” Othello is of course referring to what has past, and ought to speak in the past tense.

Note return to page 1204 8Worthy Montano,] Montano, we may presume, had by this time somewhat recovered from his faintness.

Note return to page 1205 9&lblank; my best judgment collied,] So the folio: the quarto-reading cool'd seems decidedly wrong, and in order to make some sense of “collied,” it is taken to mean discoloured, blackened, and so far disfigured: in “Midsummer Night's Dream,” Vol. ii. p. 396, we have had “collied night” for black night. It has been suggested that “collied” was a misprint for quelled, and we own that it appears very possible. The verbs to colly and to collar, which are synonymous, and mean to blacken, as with coal-dust, are used in various parts of the North and West of England. See Holloway's General Provincial Dictionary, 8vo. 1838, where both words are found.

Note return to page 1206 1&lblank; on the court and guard of safety!] We give here the text of every old copy, which is quite intelligible, although we admit the plausibility of Malone's suggestion, that we ought to read, “on the court of guard and safety.” The “court of guard,” as we have before seen, (p. 535) was a technical expression in the art of war.

Note return to page 1207 2Iago, who began it?] In the two quartos, “it” perhaps accidentally dropped out at the end of the verse: the folio reads, “who began't.” As Malone observed, to make out the line it is necessary here, as in some other places, to read “monstrous” as a trisyllable.

Note return to page 1208 3&lblank; if partially affin'd, or leagued in office,] For the sense of “affin'd,” see p. 499, and Vol. vi. p. 28. The old copies all read “league in office.”

Note return to page 1209 4&lblank; can I not report:] The folio alone, “cannot I report.”

Note return to page 1210 5What's the matter?] The folio, in opposition to the two quartos, inserts “dear” after “matter,” to the injury of the line. In the next line it omits “now,” necessary to the metre, and found in both the quartos. It however regulates the lines differently.

Note return to page 1211 6Lead him off.] Malone was “persuaded” that these words were a stage-direction: they are in all the old copies as part of the text, and there is no sufficient reason for not continuing them there.

Note return to page 1212 7&lblank; reputation! O!] This third “reputation,” and the following interjection, are from the folio.

Note return to page 1213 8&lblank; there is more offence in that,] So both the quartos: the folio, “there is more sense in that.”

Note return to page 1214 9&lblank; with so light,] The folio alone has slight.

Note return to page 1215 1Drunk?] From this word down to “one's own shadow” is in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630, but not in the first quarto.

Note return to page 1216 2&lblank; pleasure,] The folio, pleasance, with some other variations of comparatively little importance.

Note return to page 1217 3This broken joint,] This brawl, only in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1218 4Probal &lblank;] Thus all the old editions. There may be (says Steevens) such a contraction of the word probable, but I have not met with it in any other book.

Note return to page 1219 5They do suggest &lblank;] i. e. tempt. We have already had the word so frequently in this sense, that it is not necessary to refer to particular passages. To “put on,” in the previous line, means to instigate.

Note return to page 1220 6That she repeals him &lblank;] i.e. recalls him; its etymological sense. To “repeal” a statute is to recall it.

Note return to page 1221 7That shall enmesh them all.] The folio, for “enmesh,” has en-mash; but the sense corrects the misprint.

Note return to page 1222 8&lblank; and so with no money at all, and a little more wit, return again to Venice.] All modern editors omit “again,” with a view, we suppose, of correcting a pleonasm by Shakespeare. In the quarto, 1622, the passage runs as follows:—“I shall have so much experience for my pains as that comes to, and no money at all, and with that wit return to Venice.”

Note return to page 1223 9By the mass, 'tis morning;] The folio has In troth for “By the mass.” Perhaps the Master of the Revels considered it an oath, though sometimes we find it used, and sometimes erased, in the folio.

Note return to page 1224 1Myself, the while,] All the old copies read, “a while,” but Theobald's slight alteration was at least judicious, if not necessary.

Note return to page 1225 2called wind instruments?] The folio alone omits “called.”

Note return to page 1226 3for love's sake,] So the folio, 1623, and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, “of all loves,” which unquestionably was an expression of the time, and it is used by Shakespeare in “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” A. ii. sc. 2.

Note return to page 1227 4&lblank; into air;] These words are not in the quarto, 1622, but in the other old authorities.

Note return to page 1228 5Do, good my friend.] These words are in both quartos, but were left out in the folio. The speeches which immediately follow are somewhat differently regulated in the old copies.

Note return to page 1229 6&lblank; I never knew A Florentine more kind and honest.] Cassio does not mean to call Iago a Florentine, because he was a Venetian, as is evident from several parts of this tragedy, but merely to say that he, Cassio, never knew even one of his own countrymen more kind and honest.

Note return to page 1230 7&lblank; all will soon be well.] “All will sure be well,” in the folio only.

Note return to page 1231 8To take the safest occasion by the front,] This line is excluded from the folio, but is found in the two quartos.

Note return to page 1232 9With Desdemona alone.] The folio here, as in some other places, perhaps for the sake of the verse, prints the name Desdemon. The abbreviation is, in fact, not at all necessary here, for one vowel melts into another, and the line can hardly be read otherwise than in the time of ten syllables. Elsewhere the case is sometimes different in this respect, but Desdemon seems never absolutely required by the measure.

Note return to page 1233 1I am much bound to you.] This speech is wanting in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1234 2&lblank; to the state;] The folio alone reads “to the Senate.”

Note return to page 1235 3As if the case were his:] So the quartos: the folio has warrant for “know,” and cause for “case.” In Desdemona's next speech, the folio alone reads “I know't, I thank you.”

Note return to page 1236 4Well, do your discretion.] Malone and Steevens, “for the sake of the measure,” inserted another monosyllable here, “Well, well, do your discretion.” Every old copy is without it, and surely we have no pretence for attempting to amend Shakespeare's versification. It is quite out of the province of a commentator, to say nothing of the boldness of the undertaking. Besides, the insertion of a monosyllable would not be sufficient, according to the reading of the two quartos, which have “for mine own purpose,” and not purposes, as in the folio.

Note return to page 1237 5&lblank; would steal away] “Sneak away,” in the quarto, 1622, only.

Note return to page 1238 6To suffer with him:] The reading of the folio and of the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, “I suffer with him.”

Note return to page 1239 7On Tuesday noon,] Both quartos have “On Tuesday morn,” which must be an error, as “Tuesday morn” is mentioned in the preceding line. Lower down in this speech every old copy reads “Out of her best,” a characteristic peculiarity, and a personification of “the wars,” which Shakespeare often treats as a substantive in the singular.

Note return to page 1240 8&lblank; so mammering on.] This is the word in the folio and quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, has muttering.

Note return to page 1241 9Trust me,] The quarto, 1622, “By'r Lady.

Note return to page 1242 1&lblank; to do a peculiar profit] Malone here omits “a,” probably “for the sake of the measure;” as if the line, as it stands in the ancient text, could not be easily read in the time of ten syllables.

Note return to page 1243 2&lblank; and difficult weight,] The quarto, 1622, alone has difficulty for “difficult weight.” Lower down the folio misprints he for “you,” in “when you woo'd my lady,” which makes nonsense of the passage.

Note return to page 1244 3By heaven, he echoes me,] Thus the quarto, 1622: the folio, tamely and poorly, (perhaps in compliance with the correction of the Master of the Revels) “Alas! he echoes me;” and the quarto, 1630, “Why dost thou echo me?” The quarto, 1622, has also consistently, “his thought,” in the next line. Lower down, the folio misprints “In my whole course of wooing,” (as it is given in both quartos) “Of my whole course,” &c.

Note return to page 1245 4Some horrible conceit.] The quarto, 1622, alone reads “horrible counsel.”

Note return to page 1246 5They are close delations,] The word denotements stands in the quarto 1622, for “delations” of the folio and of the quarto, 1630. “Delations” are accusations or informations, and in this sense Ben Jonson uses the verb to delate in his “Volpone,” Act ii. sc. 3, “Yet, if I do it not, they may delate My slackness to my patron.” The second folio misprints “close” cold, in the same line.

Note return to page 1247 6I dare be sworn,] The quarto, 1622, “I dare presume.”

Note return to page 1248 7I am not bound to that all slaves are free to.] The folio misprints the line thus corruptly: “I am not bound to that: All slaves are free.” The two quartos agree in our text. Modern editors, in various places, in this scene and others, adopt the reading of the folio, 1623, when it suits them, and abandon it when they find it convenient to follow the wording of the quartos, but without notice in either case; so that no accurate judgment can from thence be formed of the real state of the text in any of the editions.

Note return to page 1249 8Keep leets, and law-days,] Steevens has the following note, “Leets and law-days, are synonymous terms: “Leet (says Jacob, in his Law Dictionary) is otherwise called a law-day.” They are there explained to be courts, or meetings of the hundred, “to certify the king of the good manners, and government, of the inhabitants,” and to inquire of all offences that are not capital. The poet's meaning will now be plain: ‘who has a breast so little apt to form ill opinions of others, but that foul suspicion will sometimes mix with his fairest and most candid thoughts, and erect a court in his mind, to inquire of the offences apprehended?’

Note return to page 1250 9&lblank; and oft my jealousy] So both the quartos: the folio of for “oft,” probably a typographical error.

Note return to page 1251 1&lblank; that your wisdom yet,] The follo omits “yet,” found in the quarto, 1630, and completing the line: it had probably dropped out at the end of the verse. The quarto, 1622, “I entreat you, then.” In the next line it has conjects for “conceits” of the folio, and quarto, 1630.

Note return to page 1252 2&lblank; honesty, or wisdom,] The folio alone has “honesty and wisdom.” For Othello's next speech, “What dost thou mean?” the quarto, 1622, has only the exclamation “Zounds!”

Note return to page 1253 3By heaven, I'll know thy thoughts.] The folio and quarto, 1630, omit “By heaven;” the Master of the Revels had, no doubt, here also corrected the manuscripts from which they were printed. The quarto, 1622, contains the words.

Note return to page 1254 4&lblank; which doth make The meat it feeds on:] The old copies, including the second quarto, have “which doth mock,” &c.; Sir Thomas Hanmer substituted “make,” and that reading has since been generally adopted; though Warburton would justify mock, on the ground that it is to be taken in the sense of loath, which Johnson denies. Mock was of old spelt with a final e, and so it is printed in the two quartos and in the folio, and nothing could be much easier than for a compositor to misread “make” mocke. The sense seems indisputably to require “make,” viz. that jealousy creates food for itself; and so strongly did Southern feel this, that in his copy of the fourth folio (the property of Mr. Holgate) he has altered mock to “make,” in his own hand-writing. We have little difficulty, therefore, in treating mocke as a mere error of the press. It is to be observed, that the quarto, 1630, reads “It is a green-ey'd monster,” contrary to the two other ancient authorities, and Southern concurred in this change of the text; but as the alteration does not to us appear necessary, nor even judicious, we adhere to the words of the first quarto and first folio.

Note return to page 1255 5&lblank; yet strongly loves!] So the two quartos: the folio “yet soundly loves,” and not “yet fondly loves,” as some modern editors inform us. Soundly may be a misprint for “fondly,” but every copy of the folio, 1623, we have seen has soundly, and moreover, it is so reprinted in every later folio.

Note return to page 1256 6Is once to be resolv'd.] The folio reads merely, “Is to be resolv'd,” with much loss of force and meaning.

Note return to page 1257 7To such exsufflicate and blown surmises,] The meaning of “exsufflicate” is more obvious than its etymology; and if we had any difficulty, it would be removed, perhaps, by the additional epithet “blown,” (blow'd in the folio). “Exsufflicate” is one of the words, the origin of which must not be traced with too much lexicographical curiosity.

Note return to page 1258 8&lblank; and dances well;] The line is clearly incomplete as it stands in the folio, without “well,” which is found in both the quarto impressions. Southern's ear was so sensible of the deficiency, that he added the word in manuscript in his copy of the folio, 1685. His emendations appear to have been merely conjectural, but they are generally happy.

Note return to page 1259 9I am glad of it;] So both the quartos: the folio, “I am glad of this.”

Note return to page 1260 1Is, not to leave't undone, but keep't unknown.] So the folio, and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, has leave and keep, and in the preceding line it omits “not.”

Note return to page 1261 2To seal her father's eyes up,] To seel up was certainly a term of falconry, as Steevens informs us; but the ordinary word seal seems here only intended, and in the two quartos it is so spelt.

Note return to page 1262 3As my thoughts aim not at.] This is the reading of both quartos: the folio, “Which my thoughts aim'd not.” The quarto, 1622, has “trusty friend,” for “worthy friend” of the folio, and quarto, 1630.

Note return to page 1263 4And happily repent.] “Happily” here, of course, means perhaps, and ought properly to have been spelt haply; but a word of three syllables was required by the line. The second “farewell” is from the folio.

Note return to page 1264 5My lord, I would, I might entreat your honour] In the quarto, 1622, this line is erroneously made the conclusion of Othello's speech.

Note return to page 1265 6Although 'tis fit &lblank;] So the folio: the quarto, 1622, “Tho' it be fit;” and the quarto, 1630, “And though 'tis fit.” In the next line but one the folio omits the necessary word “hold.”

Note return to page 1266 7&lblank; if I do prove her haggard,] A “haggard” is a wild, and, as Johnson truly says, an unreclaimed hawk. See Vol. ii. p. 224, and Vol. iii. p. 375. Mr. Bruce has referred me to the following apposite passage in Sir T. Browne's Religio Medici, sect. 10:—“Thus I teach my haggard and unreclaimed reason to stoop to the lure of faith.” In the preceding line the folio misprints quantities for “qualities.”

Note return to page 1267 8Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings,] “Jesses,” Hanmer tells us, were short straps of leather tied about the foot of a hawk, by which she was held on the fist.

Note return to page 1268 9I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind, To prey at fortune.] The falconers, Johnson observes, always let fly the hawk against the wind; if she flies with the wind behind her, she seldom returns. If, therefore, a hawk was for any reason to be dismissed, she was let down the wind, and from that time shifted for herself, and preyed at fortune.

Note return to page 1269 1Desdemona comes:] Our text, here and in the next line, is that of both the quartos: the folio has, “Look where she comes: If she be false, heaven mock'd itself. [Notes and Emendations to the 1632 Folio]11Q1090” This is evidenlty wrong. Afterwards, in the question, “Why is your speech so faint?” we also follow the quartos: the folio gives it, “Why do you speak so faintly?” another reading injurious to the measure.

Note return to page 1270 2[Lets fall her Napkin.] We take this necessary stage-direction from a manuscript note in a hand-writing of the time, in the Duke of Devonshire's copy of the quarto, 1622. It is wanting in all the old editions.

Note return to page 1271 3I'll have the work ta'en out,] “Ta'en out,” in the phraseology of the time, meant copied out, not picked out. So in Middleton's “Women beware Women,” “She intends To take out other works in a new sampler;” a passage which the Rev. Mr. Dyce (Middleton's Works, vol. iv. p. 520) has not thought it necessary to illustrate, recollecting, perhaps, this line in “Othello.” The expression occurs again afterwards.

Note return to page 1272 4I nothing, but to please his fantasy.] Thus the folio, and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, reads, “I nothing know, but for his fantasy.”

Note return to page 1273 5A thing for me?] The folio alone makes the line of twelve syllables, by reading, “You have a thing for me? It is a common thing.”

Note return to page 1274 6No, 'faith:] The Master of the Revels seems to have been capriciously scrupulous in this play: here, according to the folio, “'faith” was erased as an oath, and this is not the first time the circumstance has occured: just before in this scene Desdemona was not allowed to say, “'Faith, that's with watching,” but, “Why, that's with watching.” The manuscript from which the quarto, 1630, was printed must have been similarly castigated.

Note return to page 1275 7Be not acknown on't;] So the folio: the quarto, 1630, has the word “acknown” also, but with the addition of “you,” “Be not you acknown on't.” The quarto, 1622, reads, “Be not you known on't.” The meaning of course is, “Be not acquainted with it—know nothing about it.”

Note return to page 1276 8The Moor already changes with my poison:] This line, which is in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630, is not in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1277 9&lblank; act upon the blood,] The quarto, 1622, alone reads art for “act,” and in the next line, minds for “mines.”

Note return to page 1278 1&lblank; nor mandragora,] The “mandragora,” or mandrake, has a soporific quality, and the ancients, says Steevens, used it when they wanted an opiate of the most powerful kind.

Note return to page 1279 2&lblank; to me?] This expressive repetition, “to me?” is in the two quartos, but not in the folio. In the previous line, “ow'dst” is ownedst, a sense of the verb “owe” of which we have had so many previous examples, that it is unnecessary here to refer to them.

Note return to page 1280 3I slept the next night well, was free and merry;] So the perfect line stands in the quartos of 1622 and 1630: the folio thrusts the words fed well into the middle of it. “I slept the next night well, fed well, was free and merry,” a strange corruption, for which it is difficult to account, but continued in the later folios. In the first line of this speech the folio, 1623, has in for “of,” “What sense had I in her stolen hours of lust;” but, as we have several times remarked, the use of prepositions in the time of Shakespeare was much more arbitrary than at present. Both the quartos have “of.”

Note return to page 1281 4Farewell the plumed troop,] Thus the quartos, 1622 and 1630: the folio “plumed troops.”

Note return to page 1282 5&lblank; whose rude throats] The two quartos read “wide throats,” which may possibly be considered the better epithet; and in the next line great for “dread:” great is of course not to be preferred, and we follow the folio in both places.

Note return to page 1283 6&lblank; of mine eternal soul;] The folio has “mine,” the quarto, 1630, my: the quarto, 1622, “man's eternal soul.” Boswell says, that a quarto (he does not give the date of it) in the next line but one reads, “Than answer man's wak'd wrath.” This is probably a mistake, as no quarto we have ever seen has such a variation from the received text.

Note return to page 1284 7&lblank; O heaven defend me!] The folio poorly substitutes “forgive me” for “defend me,” of both the quartos. Three lines lower, it misprints lov'st for “liv'st,” which last is equally authorized.

Note return to page 1285 8By the world,] This speech is not in the quarto, 1622: our text is that of the quarto, 1630, which agrees with the folio, excepting that the former corrects an error of the latter by reading “her name” for “my name.”

Note return to page 1286 9I see, sir, you are eaten up with passion:] The folio omits “sir,” necessary to the regular construction of the line. Two lines lower it reads, “nay, and I will,” obviously a syllable too much.

Note return to page 1287 1Would you the supervision &lblank;] The quarto, 1622, has “the supervisor,” the two other authorities “the supervision.”

Note return to page 1288 2&lblank; you may have it.] The folio alone, “you might have it.”

Note return to page 1289 3Let us be wary,] So the folio and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, “Let us be merry.”

Note return to page 1290 4&lblank; then, laid his leg] Thus all old copies: but some modern editors, following no ancient text, and giving no notice of the change they introduced, print “lay his leg,” as if to accommodate those words to the corrupt reading of the folio, which prints the passage as follows:— “Laid his leg o'er my thigh, And sigh, and kiss; and then cry, ‘Cursed fate, That gave thee to the Moor.’” The folio also omits “then” before “laid his leg,” and “and” two lines earlier, in both instances without regard to the measure.

Note return to page 1291 5'Tis a shrewd doubt, though it be but a dream.] The commentators have disputed whether this line belong to Iago or Othello, as in the quarto, 1622, it is given to the former, and in the folio to the latter. In such cases a third contemporary authority is of much value, but nobody seems to have thought of referring to the quarto, 1630, or they would have found that it confirms the distribution of the folio.

Note return to page 1292 6&lblank; or any that was hers,] The folio and the two quartos read, “it was hers,” and Malone altered it to “that was her's:” no doubt in the manuscript “that” was written yt, a common abbreviation, which the compositor misread yt: it was then often spelt yt. The editor of the second folio printed “if 'twas her's,” and Steevens admitted that Malone's correction was better than the alteration in the second folio.

Note return to page 1293 7Now do I see 'tis true.] The quarto, 1622, alone reads “time” for “true.”

Note return to page 1294 8&lblank; from thy hollow cell!] The two quartos concur in this reading; the folio “from the hollow hell.”

Note return to page 1295 9Pray, be content.] The folio alone reads, “Yet be content;” and in the next speech of Iago it omits “perhaps,” required by the measure, and found in the two quartos.

Note return to page 1296 1Never,] What follows, to the words “Now by yond' marble heaven,” inclusive, is in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630; but not in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1297 2Ne'er feels retiring ebb,] The folio (where alone, Malone tells us, this passage is found, never having examined the quarto, 1630) has it, “Ne'er keeps retiring ebb.” Pope altered keeps to “feels.” This conjecture was a happy one, as is proved by the quarto, 1630, which has exactly the same word, “Ne'er feels retiring ebb.” The later folios all repeat “keeps,” but Southern altered the word, in his copy of the edition of 1685, to knows.

Note return to page 1298 3The execution,] The quarto, 1622, alone reads, “The excellency.”

Note return to page 1299 4What bloody work soe'er.] The folio, regardless of the measure, reads “What bloody business ever,” and lower down it repeats damn her, to the injury of the line, but, perhaps, with greater emphasis.

Note return to page 1300 5He is a soldier; &c.] In the quarto, 1622, this speech is made part of Desdemona's question.

Note return to page 1301 6Can any thing be made of this?] This and the preceding speech are not in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1302 7&lblank; he lies here, or] These words are only in the folio: there are other smaller variations in this part of the scene.

Note return to page 1303 8&lblank; cruzadoes;] A Portuguese coin, so called from the cross stamped upon it. Our text of the preceding line is that of the folio: the quartos have it, “Believe me, I had rather lose my purse.”

Note return to page 1304 9It yet has felt no age,] The folio omits “yet” to the injury of the line.

Note return to page 1305 1&lblank; fasting and praying,] Our reading is that of the two quartos: the folio prayer.

Note return to page 1306 2&lblank; and sullen rheum] “Sullen” is the epithet in both the quartos: the folio changes it to sorry.

Note return to page 1307 3She was a charmer,] i. e. an enchantress or compounder of charms, a word in frequent use in Shakespeare's age.

Note return to page 1308 4&lblank; but if she lost it,] In the quarto, 1622, between p. 56, and p. 57, (for both it and the quarto, 1630, are paged, a rather unusual circumstance,) this line is accidentally repeated.

Note return to page 1309 5&lblank; would have me wive,] The folio, only, has wiv'd for “wive:” lower down it has “to lose 't.” Two lines above for “loathed” of the folio and quarto, 1630, the quarto, 1622, has loathly.

Note return to page 1310 6The sun to course] The word in the folio and quarto, 1630: the quarto 1622, “The sun to make.”

Note return to page 1311 7Conserv'd of maidens' hearts.] The quarto, 1622, alone, “with the skilful conserves of maidens' hearts.”

Note return to page 1312 8Why, so I can, sir;] The folio alone omits “sir.” In Othello's next speech, the folio has the for “that” of the two quartos.

Note return to page 1313 9The handkerchief, &lblank;] This iteration by Othello, and “I pray, talk me of Cassio,” preceding it, are only in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1314 1Away!] In the quarto, 1622, Othello makes his exit with “Zounds!” to which probably the Master of the Revels objected, as well as to “In faith” in the preceding line, which is altered in the folio to “In sooth.” The quarto, 1630, agrees with the folio in these respects.

Note return to page 1315 2&lblank; with all the office of my heart,] In the quarto, 1622, only, “with all the duty of my heart.”

Note return to page 1316 3And shut myself up in some other course, To fortune's alms.] So the folio and quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, has shoot for “shut.” Possibly there is some corruption, and that we ought to read, “And set myself upon some other course, To fortune's alms.” As, however, a meaning can, without much difficulty, be extracted from the old text, we do not vary from it.

Note return to page 1317 4&lblank; and can he be angry?] The folio, “and is he angry?” inconsistently with the first words of the speech, and with the measure of the line. All modern editors have therefore preferred the text of the quartos, even those who have most contended for the excellence of the folio, 1623. It is fit, however, to give notice of the variation.

Note return to page 1318 5&lblank; for such observances] “For such observancy” in the folio.

Note return to page 1319 6What make you from home?] A Saxon idiom which Malone destroyed by printing makes.

Note return to page 1320 7I'faith, sweet love,] The Master of the Revels here again objected to “I'faith,” and altered it in the MS. from which the folio was printed to Indeed.

Note return to page 1321 8&lblank; a more continuate time,] The quarto, 1622, alone reads “convenienttime.”

Note return to page 1322 9I know not, sweet: I found it in my chamber,] So the quartos, and so the verse requires, the folio “I know not, neither,” &c.

Note return to page 1323 1Why, I pray you?] This question and the answer to it are wanting in the quarto, 1622. The dialogue is not consecutive without them.

Note return to page 1324 2&lblank; o'er the infected house,] The folio alone has “infectious house.”

Note return to page 1325 3Convinced or supplied them,] i. e. overcome or satisfied them. This is an ordinary sense of “convince” (as in “Macbeth,” p. 118.) and we cannot find the difficulty of the passage which puzzled some of the commentators.

Note return to page 1326 4&lblank; confessions,—handkerchief. &lblank;] Here ends the speech in the quarto, 1622, and a stage-direction is added, “he falls down.” The text is continued in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630.

Note return to page 1327 5No, forbear.] These words, necessary to the completion of the preceding hemistich, are not in the folio: we derive them from the quartos. Lower down the folio reads, tamely, “I mock you not, by heaven.”

Note return to page 1328 6Confine yourself but in a patient list.] i. e. in a patient limit or boundary.

Note return to page 1329 7&lblank; o'erwhelmed with your grief,] So the folio, and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, “ere while mad with your grief;” probably a typographical error. In the next line, the quarto, 1622, has “unsuiting,” the quarto, 1630, unfitting, and the folio, resulting. Lower down, the folio reads, “Do but encave yourself,” injuriously as regards the metre.

Note return to page 1330 8&lblank; cannot refrain] The folio misprints it restrain. Just below, it has conserve for “construe”. It also omits “now” in the question, “How do you now, lieutenant?”

Note return to page 1331 9&lblank; in Bianca's power,] The letter d having been turned in the folio, “power” there became dower: the quartos both have “power.”

Note return to page 1332 1&lblank; a customer?] So, in “All's Well that Ends Well,” Vol. iii. p. 312, “I think thee now some common customer.”

Note return to page 1333 2Iago beckons me:] i. e. made signs to Othello: the folio, which is ill printed in this part of the scene, alone has, “Iago becomes me.”

Note return to page 1334 3&lblank; by this hand,] As these words are not in the folio, we may imagine, perhaps, that the Master of the Revels carried his scruples, with regard to oaths, to a more than usual excess in this instance.

Note return to page 1335 4&lblank; so hales, and pulls me:] The folio has shakes for “hales.”

Note return to page 1336 5[Exit Cassio.] Cassio's exit, though mentioned in the two quartos, is omitted in the folio.

Note return to page 1337 6Yours, by this hand:] This answer is only in the folio: and it shows that the Master of the Revels (if, indeed, he interfered in the matter) was either very careless or very capricious in the discharge of his duty.

Note return to page 1338 7O! a thousand thousand times:] In the folio, this vast accumulation is made a poor repetition, “a thousand, a thousand times.” Our text is that of both quartos.

Note return to page 1339 8Something from Venice, sure. 'Tis Lodovico, Come from the duke; and, see, your wife is with him.] The folio, for these lines in the two quartos, has the following imperfect verses:— “I warrant, something from Venice: 'Tis Lodovico this, comes from the duke. See, your wife's with him.”

Note return to page 1340 9To atone them,] i. e. to reconcile them, or at one them. We have had many previous instances of the use of this word. See Vol. iii. p. 96; Vol. iv. p. 118; Vol. v. p. 364; Vol. vi. pp. 240. 589.

Note return to page 1341 1By my troth, I am glad on't.] The reading of the folio is, “Trust me, I am glad on't.” Other variations hardly seem to require notice.

Note return to page 1342 2Each drop she falls &lblank;] To fall is here a verb active, as in “Richard II.” See Vol. iv. p. 181, where other instances are pointed out.

Note return to page 1343 3I am commanded home.] The quarto, 1622, “I am commanded here.” As Steevens expressed a doubt, whether the folio was right in reading “home,” it may be mentioned, that it is fully confirmed by the quarto, 1630.

Note return to page 1344 4This the noble nature] Thus both the quartos: the folio, “Is this the nature.” As far as a ten-syllable verse is concerned, “noble” is certainly too much; but instances of lines of twelve syllables have been numerous, and the epithet is an important addition to the sense.

Note return to page 1345 5&lblank; the purest of their wives] “The purest of her sex,” is the reading of the quarto, 1622, only.

Note return to page 1346 6But not the words.] So the two quartos: the folio omits the hemistich.

Note return to page 1347 7Am I the occasion of these tears,] The folio alone has motive for “occasion.” At the end of the speech, the quarto, 1622, has left in both instances for “lost.” Both the quartos have “Why,” which completes the metre.

Note return to page 1348 8&lblank; had he rain'd] So the quarto, 1630, correcting the misprint of the quarto, 1622, “had he ruin'd.” The folio has it, “had they rain'd.” Three lines lower the word “utmost” is only in the folio.

Note return to page 1349 9A fixed figure, for the time of scorn To point his slow unmoving finger at,] This is the reading of the two quartos, excepting that the earliest has fingers for “finger.” The folio has, “The fixed figure,” and “and moving,” for “unmoving.” It may be very reasonably doubted, whether the text is not more or less corrupt in all the old copies, and it has been suggested, among other changes, that we ought to read, “hand of scorn,” instead of “time of scorn;” but such an alteration is not supported by any ancient authority.

Note return to page 1350 1Ay, there, look grim as hell!] The old copies have here for “there,” but “there” seems fully warranted by what precedes, “turn thy complexion there;” and it was probably an error of the press.

Note return to page 1351 2O thou weed] The quartos “O thou black weed,” and in the next line, Why for “Who,” together with some minor changes.

Note return to page 1352 3Committed!—O, thou public commoner!] This and the three next lines are wanting in the quarto, 1622, but are in the quarto, 1630, and in the folio.

Note return to page 1353 4Impudent strumpet!] These words, almost necessary to the sense, with reference to Desdemona's assertion, “By heaven you do me wrong,” and required by the metre, are in both quartos, but not in the folio. Modern editions take no notice of them.

Note return to page 1354 5From any other,] The quarto, 1622, alone has “From any hated,” &c. There are some other variations here between the old copies, but the folio and the quatro, 1630, agree, and that text we have adopted.

Note return to page 1355 6Who is thy lord?] This question and answer are not in the quarto, 1622. Just above, “'Faith” was allowed to stand in the folio.

Note return to page 1356 7&lblank; on my least misuse?] So the folio and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, alone has “on my greatest abuse. [Notes and Emendations to the 1632 Folio]11Q1099”

Note return to page 1357 8&lblank; upon his callat.] For an explanation of this term of female abuse, see Vol. iii. p. 466, and Vol. v. pp. 124. 262.

Note return to page 1358 9&lblank; some most villainous knave,] The quarto, 1622, reads “outrageous knave.”

Note return to page 1359 1&lblank; such companions] We have had previous instances of the use of the word “companion” in a derogatory sense. See Vol. vi. p. 230. The folio (differing from the quartos) afterwards has consistently “rascals” and “them.”

Note return to page 1360 2O good Iago!] The folio alone has “Alas, Iago!”

Note return to page 1361 3&lblank; Here I kneel:—] These words and to the end of the speech, are not contained in the quarto, 1622, but they are in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630. The quarto, 1622, was evidently printed from a less perfect manuscript than the folio, and the folio, in many places, from a less perfect manuscript than the quarto, 1630. Thus in this speech the folio reads corruptly, “Delighted them or any other form,” which the quarto, 1630, corrects.

Note return to page 1362 4And he does chide with you.] These words are in both quartos, but not in the folio.

Note return to page 1363 5The messengers of Venice stay the meat:] Our text is that of the folio; the two other old copies conflict: the quarto, 1622, reads, “And the great messengers of Venice stay;” while the quarto, 1630, has it, “The meat great messengers of Venice stay.” It seems clear, therefore, that the words, “the meat” formed part of the line.

Note return to page 1364 6'Faith, I have heard too much;] Here we meet with an extraordinary variation in copies of the first folio: that belonging to the Duke of Devonshire repeats, at the top of the page, “And hell gnaw his bones,” and then proceeds, “Performances are no kin together,” so as to make the text quite unintelligible.

Note return to page 1365 7and acquaintance;] The quarto, 1622, alone, acquittance.

Note return to page 1366 8&lblank; especial commission] The quarto, 1622, alone has command for “commision.” Other variations in this part of the scene, such as “within” for in, &c. are scarcely worth separate notice.

Note return to page 1367 9He sups to-night with a harlotry,] The quarto, 1622, has harlot, and the two other old copies “harlotry:” Shakespeare uses “harlotry” in “Henry IV. Part I.” Vol. iv. p. 286, and in “Romeo and Juliet,” Vol. vi. p. 467.

Note return to page 1368 1&lblank; Good father!] Thus the folio, and the quarto, 1630. The quarto, 1622, reads “Good faith!” Two lines above, the folio omits “in them.”

Note return to page 1369 2&lblank; I have much to do,] In the quarto, 1622, these words and all that follows them, including the song, “down to Desdemona's question, “Hark! who is it that knocks?” are not in the quarto, 1622, but in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630.

Note return to page 1370 3The poor soul sat sighing] Singing in the folio, (the Duke of Devonshire's copy has it sining,) but the original ballad, inserted in Percy's Reliques, i. p. 212, (edit. 1812,) has “sighing,” and such is the reading of the quarto, 1630. Several old songs are extant, of which the burden is “willow, willow, willow:” one of these, by old John Heywood, each stanza ending, “For all the green willow is my garland,” is contained in a very valuable manuscript of the time, in the possession of Mr. B. H. Bright. Like the original ballad in Percy's Reliques, it is the lamentation of a man for a woman's infidelity.

Note return to page 1371 4I have heard it said so.—] This, as well as the following speech, is omitted in the quarto, 1622, but they are found in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630.

Note return to page 1372 5&lblank; why, who would not] The quarto, 1622, “Od's pity, who would not,” &c.

Note return to page 1373 6But, I do think,] These words and all the rest of the speech are wanting in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1374 7&lblank; Heaven me such uses send,] The quarto, 1622, reads, “God me such usage send.” We follow the folio, and the quarto, 1630. In the preceding line the folio, 1632, has “their ills instruct us to,” but no change of the more ancient text seems at all required.

Note return to page 1375 8&lblank; take thy stand.] The quarto, 1622, “take thy sword.” The folio alone has bark for “bulk” in the first line of the scene.

Note return to page 1376 9&lblank; this young quat &lblank;] The word “quat” of the folio, and quarto, 1630, is printed gnat in the quarto, 1622; but no doubt “quat” is the true reading: it means a pimple, and it is met with in Webster's “Devil's Law Case,” 1623; but the Rev. Mr. Dyce does not explain it farther, than by quoting this passage from “Othello,” (Webster's Works, vol. ii. p. 36.) The word “quat” also occurs in Dekker's “Gull's Horn Book,” 1609, referred to by Steevens, with the epithet “young” prefixed to it, as in Shakespeare and Webster—“Whether he be a young quat of the first yeare's revenew, or some austere and sullen-fac'd steward,” &c.

Note return to page 1377 1Every way makes my game:] The quartos have game for “gain” of the folio.

Note return to page 1378 2Be't so; I hear him coming.] The folio alone has “But so, I heard,” &c.

Note return to page 1379 3Light, ho!] In the folio alone, “Help, ho!” Just above, in Cassio's last speech, the quarto, 1622, has think'st for “know'st.”

Note return to page 1380 4And your unblest fate hies:] “And your fate hies apace,” quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1381 5It is a heavy night:] The folio, only, to the injury, at least, of the metre, “'Tis heavy night.” Just above it has voice for “cry” of the quartos.

Note return to page 1382 6O inhuman dog! &lblank;] The modern stage-direction here is Dies, but it is evident, from what is said on p. 628, that Roderigo does not die immediately. The only stage-direction in any of the old copies is Thrusts him in, in the quarto, 1630, when Iago stabs Roderigo. The quartos add “O! O! O!” to this line.

Note return to page 1383 7To bear him easily hence!] This speech is wanting in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1384 8To be a party in this injury.] So the folio: the quarto, 1622, reads, “To bear a part in this;” the quarto, 1630, “To bear a part in this injury.”

Note return to page 1385 9O! that's well said;] Another out of many examples to show that “well said” was often of old used for “well done.” See Vol. iii. p. 39; Vol. iv. p. 330; Vol. vi. p. 337.

Note return to page 1386 1Stay you, good gentlemen.] Gentlewoman is the quarto reading; and in the next line, gestures for “gastness.”

Note return to page 1387 2Nay, an you stir:] Thus the quartos, addressed to Bianca: the folio, “Nay, if you stare.” Below, the folio alone reads, “and Roderigo quite dead.”

Note return to page 1388 3&lblank; it is the cause, my soul, &lblank;] Othello enters reasoning with himself on his justification for killing Desdemona, viz., her infidelity; and he refuses to name it to the stars, because they are “chaste:” hence the peculiar propriety of the epithet, for which Steevens informs us there is “no classical authority.”

Note return to page 1389 4Put out the light, and then—put out the light?] Warburton recommended this mode of pointing the line, excepting that he placed a mark of admiration after “put out the light!” It seems rather a question which Othello asks himself, when the reflection comes across him. Some of the commentators have contented that the old pointing is right—“Put out the light, and then put out the light;” alleging that Warburton's change “gave a spirit to the passage which was not intended;” but what right have we to say that Shakespeare did not intend to give the line all the spirit of which it was susceptible? The punctuation we have adopted is in accordance with what immediately follows.

Note return to page 1390 5&lblank; but once put out thy light,] Thus the folio: the quartos merely, “but once put out thine.” The folio, and the quarto, 1630, both read “cunning'st” in the next line, and not cunning, as in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1391 6That can thy light relume.] “Relume” is the word in the folio: in the quarto, 1622, it is return; and in the quarto, 1630, relumine. Two lines lower the folio reads, “I'll smell thee on the tree.”

Note return to page 1392 7&lblank; but yet, I hope, I hope,] The quartos both omit the repetition of “I hope,” which is necessary to the line: lower down, the folio omits “Yes” before “presently,” which is equally necessary, and is found in the quartos.

Note return to page 1393 8That he hath—us'd thee.] So the folio, and the quarto, 1630: the quarto, 1622, “That he hath—ud's death!”

Note return to page 1394 9There is not pause.] This speech is not found in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1395 1O Lord, Lord, Lord!] These exclamations are only in the quarto, 1622.

Note return to page 1396 2So, so.] It has been supposed that with these words, Othello, after having stifled or smothered Desdemona, (for the stage-direction in the old copies is varied) stabs her, in order to put an end to her sufferings. This may be so, but the quartos and folios say nothing about it; and the argument of Steevens, that Desdemona was more likely to speak afterwards, when she had been stabbed as well as smothered, seems a little extraordinary.

Note return to page 1397 3The noise was high.] Both the quartos have, “The noise was here.” In the last line of the speech, they have “Should yawn” for “Did yawn” of the folio.

Note return to page 1398 4that was my lady's voice:] The quarto, 1622, only, “it is my lady's voice.” Lower down, the folio has, “You hear her say,” for “You heard her say;” and “the truth” for “a truth” of the quartos.

Note return to page 1399 5Ay, with Cassio. Nay, had she been true,] So the line stands in the quartos, 1622 and 1630: the folio, to the injury of the metre, omits “Nay,” and modern editors, deserting all the old impressions as regards the versification, have regulated the passage differently. In Othello's next speech, the folio reads, “that told me on her first,” not so given in any other copy.

Note return to page 1400 6What needs this iteration,] The folio alone has iterance: no such word has been pointed out in any other author.

Note return to page 1401 7O mistress! villainy hath made mocks with love.] This, and the speech by Othello which follows it, are not in the quarto, 1622, but in the folio, and in the quarto, 1630. The quarto, 1630, corrects the folio, by reading, “My husband say, that she was false.”

Note return to page 1402 8&lblank; half the power &lblank;] The folio alone, “half that power.”

Note return to page 1403 9My mistress here lies murdered in her bed.] A line not in the quarto, 1622, but in both the other old authorities.

Note return to page 1404 10&lblank; shows terrible and grim.] The folio alone has horrible for “terrible.”

Note return to page 1405 1And fall to reprobation.] Here also the folio is singular in reading reprobance for “reprobation.” Like iterance, p. 621, we have no other authority for the word reprobance.

Note return to page 1406 2'Twill out, 'twill out:—I hold my peace, sir? no;] So the quarto, 1630; the folio, imperfectly as regards metre, “'Twill out, 'twill out: I peace?”

Note return to page 1407 3No,I will speak as liberal as the north.] Our reading is here that of the folio: the quartos differ from each other, as well as from the folio, but that of 1630 substantially supports the folio: it is, “I'll be in speaking liberal as the north.” while the line in the quarto, 1622, runs thus: “I'll be in speaking liberal as the air.” This instance among others, may serve to show that all three copies were printed from different manuscripts.

Note return to page 1408 4Do with so good a woman?] “Do with so good a wife,” only in the folio.

Note return to page 1409 5Iago stabs Emilia, then runs out.] The old stage-direction in the quartos is (for there is none in the folio), “The Moor runs at Iago: Iago kills his wife,” but his exit is not marked until after Emilia's next speech. It appears afterwards that Montano disarms Othello.

Note return to page 1410 6&lblank; Precious villain!] This is a place where the quarto, 1630, affords a different and an inferior reading to the two older editions: it has “pernicious villain.” At all events, pernicious does not suit the measure.

Note return to page 1411 7Which I have here recover'd from the Moor.] This line shows that Othello had “run at Iago,” according to the old stage-direction of the quartos, and that Montano, interposing, had “recovered” his sword of him. “Here” in this line is omitted in the folio only.

Note return to page 1412 8&lblank; Willow, willow, willow. &lblank;] These words and the preceding part of the speech, are not in the quarto, 1622. In the last line of it, the folio reads “Alas! I die,” instead of “I die—I die,” of the quartos.

Note return to page 1413 9&lblank; and speak to me,] The folio alone, “and speak with me.”

Note return to page 1414 1Now, how dost thou look now? O ill-starr'd wench!] This and the six previous lines are not in the quarto, 1622, but are in the folio and quarto, 1630: the latter, however, omits “Now,” in this line.

Note return to page 1415 2Even like thy chastity.—O, cursed slave!] So the two quartos: the folio repeats “cursed,” to the detriment of the metre.

Note return to page 1416 3O Desdemona, Desdemona! dead? O! O! O!] Our reading is here that of both the quartos; the folio has the line thus, with an injurious, though by no means unprecedented abridgment of the name:— “O Desdemon? dead? Desdemon! dead? O! O!”

Note return to page 1417 4Enter Lodovico, Montano, Cassio,] The stage-direction of the quartos, informs us that Cassio was “carried in a chair,” but as the words are not in the folio, we may infer that the practice of our old stage in this respect was not uniform. In modern times Cassio walks in lame, and supported, with the handkerchief about his leg.

Note return to page 1418 5&lblank; towards his feet;] To see (observes Johnson) if, according to the common opinion, his feet were cloven.

Note return to page 1419 6&lblank; of a damned slave,] The folio reads “of a cursed slave,” in opposition to the two other authorities.

Note return to page 1420 7&lblank; I ask you pardon.] The folio alone has “I ask your pardon,” and in this part of the scene there are some other trifling variations not requiring especial notice, and not at all affecting the sense.

Note return to page 1421 8&lblank; in the interim] “Interim” is the word in the folio and in the quarto, 1630: it is nick in the quarto, 1622. In the next line the folio reads, “O thou pernitious caitiff!”

Note return to page 1422 9And he himself confess'd, but even now,] The folio and quarto, 1630, read “confess'd it but even now,” and the quarto, 1622, “confess'd it even now.” The sense clearly requires the omission of it.

Note return to page 1423 1&lblank; Come; bring him away.] The folio omits “him,” found in the other old copies.

Note return to page 1424 2Speak of me as I am;] Thus the folio and quarto, 1630: the earlier quarto, “Speak of them as they are.”

Note return to page 1425 3Like the base Indian, threw a pearl away,] The folio has Iudean, and the quarto, 1622, Indian, and to these authorities the commentators referred; but they left unnoticed the quarto, 1630, which, like the earlier quarto, has Indian. Theobald, Warburton, and Malone, are at variance whether the quarto, 1666, reads Judean or Indian, but there can be no doubt that Indian is there the word. The meaning is very clear, the allusion obscure; and the probability is that Shakespeare referred to some known fable of the time, now lost. Theobald contended for a reference to the story of Herod and Mariamne. It was formerly thought that the balance of the old texts was equal, the folio being Iudean, and the quarto, 1622, Indian, and it is somewhat surprising that in a question of the kind, no resort was ever had to the other contemporary authority, differing in many places from the folio, 1623, and from the quarto, 1622, and printed from some separate manuscript. Had Iudean of the folio, 1623, been right, the word would hardly have been printed Indian, in the quarto, 1630, supposing the editor to have referred to the folio.

Note return to page 1426 4Their medicinal gum.] Here again the quarto, 1630, comes to our aid, the folio reading medicinable, and the quarto, 1622, “medicinal:” the quarto, 1630, has “medicinal.”

Note return to page 1427 5Look on the tragic loading of this bed;] Here the text of the folio is evidently preferable to that of the two quartos, which have lodging for “loading:” below also we adopt from it “succeed on you” instead of “succeed to you.”

Note return to page 1428 6[Exeunt.] It appears from Mr. P. Cunningham's “Extracts from the Accounts of the Revels at Court,” (printed for the Shakespeare Society) p. 203, that a play, called “The Moor of Venis,” no doubt, “Othello,” was acted at Whitehall on Nov. 1, 1604. The tragedy seems to have been always so popular as to remain what is termed “a stock piece;” and it was performed again before King Charles and his Queen at Hampton Court on Dec. 8, 1636. Ibid. Introd. p. xxv.

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