Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

claim to the whores, as members of his occupa tion, and, in virtue of their painting, would enroll his own fraternity in the mystery of painters; so the former equally lays claim to the thieves, as members of his occupation, and, in their right, endeavours to rank his brethren, the hang. men, under the mystery of fitters of apparel, or tailors. The reading of the old editions is therefore undoubtedly right; except that the last speech, which makes part of the Hangman's argument, is, by mistake, as the reader's own sagacity will readily perceive, given to the Clown or Bawd. I suppose, therefore the poet gave us the whole thus:

Abhor. Sir, it is a mystery.

Clown. Proof.

Abhor. Every true man's apparel fits your thief: if it be too little for your thief, your true man thinks it big enough: if it be too big for your thief, your thief thinks it little enough; so every true man's apparel fits your thief.

[ocr errors]

I must do Dr. Warburton the justice to acknowledge, that he hath rightly apprehended, and explained the force of the Hangman's argument. HEATH.

There can be no doubt but the word Clown, prefixed to the last sentence, If it be too little, àc. should be struck out. It makes part of Abhor son's argument, who has undertaken to prove that hanging was a mystery, and convinces the Clown of it by this very speech. M. MASON.

P. 149, 1. 8. True man, in the language of ancient times, is always placed in opposition to thief. * STEEVENS?

[ocr errors]

Mr. Steevens seems to be mistaken in his assertion that true man in ancient times was always

[ocr errors]

placed in opposition to thief. At least in the book of Genesis, there is one instance to the contrary, ch. xiii. v. 11: ,,We are all one man's sons, we are all true men; thy servants are no spies." HENLEY.

P. 149, 1. 24. you shall find me yare: i, handy, nimble in the execution of my office.

STEEVENS.

P. 149, 1. 25. - a good turn.] i. e. a turn off the ladder. He quibbles on the phrase according to its common acceptation. FARMER.

P. 150, first 1 starkly Stiffly. These two lines afford a very pleasing image. JOHNSON. P. 150, 1. 18. They will then, -] Perhaps she will then. SIR J. HAWKINS.

The Duke expects Isabella and Mariana. little afterward he says:

[blocks in formation]

P, 150, 1. 23. Stroke is here put for the stroke of a pen or a line. JOHNSON.

J

P. 150, 1. 26. To qualify] To temper, to moderate, as we say wine is qualified with water.

[ocr errors]

P. 150, 1.26.

JOHNSON.

were he meal'd] Were he Sprinkled; were he defiled.

Mealed is mingled, compounded; from the

[blocks in formation]

- B. 151, first 1. That wounds the unsisting postern with these strokes.] The line is irregular, and the old reading, unresisting postern, so strange an expression, that twant of measure, and want of sense, might justly raise suspicion of an error; yet none of the latter editors seem to have supposed the place faulty, except Sir Thomas Hanmer. who reads:

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

The three folios have it, ་ ་ ་ unsisting postern

[ocr errors]

Vand

out of which Mr. Rowe made unresisting, the rest followed him. Sir Thomas Hanmer seems to have supposed unresisting the word in the copies, from which he plausibly enough extracted unresting; but he grounded his emendation.o the very syllable that wants authority. What can be made of unsisting I know not; the best that occurs to me is unfeeling. JOHNSON.

[ocr errors]

Unsisting may signify,,never at rest," always Opening BLACKSTONE.

[ocr errors]

I should think we might safely read:

[ocr errors]

list'ning postern, or unshifting postern. The measure requires it,shand the sense remains ulinjured.

Mr. M. Mason would read unlisting, which means regarding. I have, however, inserted Sir William Blackstone's emendation in the text. STEÉVENG

--

P. 151. l. 15. the siege of justice, jo inada seat of justice. Siege, French. STEEVENS. 196 P. 151. 1. 1927. The Provost has just decla red a fixed opinion that the execution, wilk zmot be countermanded, and yet, upon the first appear ance of the Messenger, he immediately guesses that his errand is to bring Claudio's pardon. It is evident, I think, that the names of the speak ers are misplaced, If we suppose the Provast to say essa

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

1

This is his Lordship's man, it is very natural for the Duke to subjoin, And here comes Claudio's pardons The Duke might believe, upon very reasonable grounds, that Angelo had now sent the pardon.: It appears that he did so, from what he says

to himself, while the Provost is reading the

letter:

[ocr errors]

This is his pardon; purchas❜d by such sin ̧315ə SOTYRWHITT) When, immediately after the Duke had hinted his expectation of a pardon, the Provost sees the Messenger, he supposes the Duke to have known something, and changes his mind. Either reading may serve equally well, JOHNSON. o tiga ad 8) P. 152,1. zu putting on:] i. e. spur, incite ment. STEEVENS. AJ PRA

P. 152, 1. 19.

a prisoner nine years old.]

i. e. That has been confined these nine years. I

[ocr errors]

[ocr errors][merged small]

P. 152, last 1 sdesperately mortal.] This expression is obscure. Sir Thomas Hanmer reads, mortally desperate. Mortally in low conversation used in this sense, but I know not whether it was ever written.I am inclined to believes that desperately mortal means desperately mischievous. Or desperately mortal may méan3 a man likely to die in a desperate state without reflection or repentance. JOHNSON, C

[ocr errors]

I

The word is often used by Shakspeare in the sense first affixed to it by Dr. Johnson, which I believe to be the true one. So, in Othello: 3296 And you,'ye mortal engines, etc.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

MALONE!

As our author, in The Tempest, seems to have written,,harmonious charmingly," instead of,,har moniously charming, he may, in the present instance, have given us,,desperately mortal for ,,mortally desperate; vi è. desperate in the extremédiucrslu low provincial language; Mortal sick, mortal bad, F mortal poor, is phravé619 logy of frequent occurrence STEEVENS.2789996 31

[ocr errors]

P. 153, 1. 12. in the boldness of my cun ning] i. e. in confidence of my sagacity.

STEEVENS.

P. 153. 1. 54. and tie the beard;] The Revisal recommends Mr. Simpson's emendation, DIE the beard, but the present reading may stand. Perhaps it was usual to tie up the beard before decollation, Sir T. More is said to have been ludicrously careful about this ornament of his face. It should, however, be remembered, that it was also the custom to die beards. STEEVENS.

A beard tied would give a very new air to that face, which had never been seen but with the beard loose, long, and squalid. JOHNSON.

P. 153, last 1. it was, the desire of the pe nitent to be so bared before his death:]. These words relate to what has just preceded - shave the head! The modern editions following the fourth folio, read to be so barb'd; but the old copy is certainly right. So, in All's well that ends well:,,I would the cutting of my garments" would serve the turn, or the baring of my beard, and to say it was in stratagem."

P. 154, first 1. Mathieu, in his

MALONE.

the course is common.] P. Heroyke Life and deplorable Death of Henry the Fourth, of France, says, that Ravaillac, in the midst of his tortures, lifted up his head and shook a spark of fire from his beard. REED.

P. 154, 1. 30. We should read ing to the letter in

P. 155, 1. 7.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

the Duke point

his hand. WARBURTON

in our house of profession:]

i. e. in my late mistress's house, which was a professed, a notorious bawdy-house. MALONE.

« ElőzőTovább »