dread of it is peculiar to man," or perhaps, that we are inconfiftent with ourselves when we fo much dread that which we carelefly inflict on other creatures, that feel the pain as acutely as we. JOHN. P. 281. 1. 10. - follies dotb emmew. Ibid.] And follies doth emmcw As faulcon doth the forl.] Qu. faulconer. JOHN. GRAY. L. 12. His filth within being caft.] To cast a pond, is to empty it of mud. Mr. Upton reads, His pond within being caft he would appear JOHN. L. 14. The princely Angelo -princely guards.] The ftupid Editors mistaking guards for fatellites, (whereas it here fignifies lace) altered priestly, in both places, to princely. Whereas Shakespear wrote it prieftly, as appears from the words themfelves, 'tis the cunning livery of hell, The damned'ft body to invest and cover In the first place we fee that guards here fignifies lace, as referring to livery, and as having no fense in the fignification of fatellites. Now prieftly guards means fanctity, which is the fenfe required. But princely_guards means nothing but rich lace, which is a fense the paffage will not bear. Angelo, indeed, as Deputy, might be called the princely Angelo: but not in this place, where the immediately preceding words of, "This outward-fainted Deputy, demand the reading I have here restored. WARB. Ibid.] The firft Folio has, in both places, prenzie, from which the other folios made princely, and every editor may make what he can. JOHN. L. 21.] For this rank offence, Hanmer. In other edit. from. JOHN. P. 282. 1. 1. When be would force it.] Put it in force. WARE. L. 4. If it were damnable, &c.] Shakespear fhews his knowledge of human nature in the conduct of Claudio. When Ifabella first tells him of Angelo's propofal he answers with honeft indignation, agreeably to his fettled prin ciples, "thou shalt not do't." But the love of life being permitted to operate, foon furnishes him with sophistical arguments, he believes it cannot be very dangerous to the foul, fince Angelo, who is so wife, will venture it. JOHN. L. 13. - delighted fpirit.] i. e. the spirit accustomed here to ease and delights. This was properly urged as an aggravation to the sharpness of the torments spoken of. The Oxford Editor not apprehending this, alters it to dilated. As if, because the spirit in the body is faid to be imprisoned, it was crowded together likewife; and fo, by death, not only fet free, but expanded too; which, if true, would make it the lefs fenfible of pain. WARB. Ibid.] This reading may perhaps ftand, but many attempts have been made to correct it. The most plausible is that which fubftitutes the benighted spirit, alluding to the darknefs always fuppofed in the place of future punishment. Perhaps we may read, with Mr. Upton, the delinquent fpirit, a word easily changed to delighted by a bad copier, or unfkilful reader. JOHN. Ibid.] Delighted Spirit is extremely beautiful, as it carries on the fine Antithefis between the joys of Life and the horrors of Death. Mr. Upton's change to delinquent, lofes the whole spirit of the Poet's original fentiment. SEWARD.* L. 19. lawless and uncertain thoughts.] Conjecture fent out to wander without any certain direction, and ranging through all poffibilities of pain. JOHNS. L. 21. The wearieft, &c.] See the infamous wish of Mecenas, recorded by Seneca, 101 Ep. Debilem facito manu, Vita dum fupereft, bene eft, &c. WARB.* P. 283. 1. 1. It's not a kind of Incest.—] In Ifabella's declamation there is fomething forced and far-fetched. But her indign tion cannot be thought violent when we confider her not only as a virgin but as a nun. JOHN. L. 12. but a trade.] A cuftom; a practice; an eftablished habit. So we fay of a man much addicted to any thing, be makes a trade of it. JOHN. P. 284. 1. 1. Do not fatisfie your refolution with hopes that are fallible.] A condemned man, whom his confeffor had brought to bear death with decency and refolution, began anew to entertain hopes of life. This occafioned the advice in the words above. But how did thefe hopes fatisfie his refolution? or what harm was there, if they did? We must certainly read, Do not falfifie your refolution with hopes that are fallible. And then it i ecomes a reafonable admonition. For hopes of life, by drawing him back into the world, would naturally elud. or weaken the virtue of that refolution, which was raised only on motives of religion. And this his confeffor had reafon to warn him of. The term falfifie is taken from fencing, and fignifies the pretending to aim a ftroke in order to draw the adversary off his guard. So Fairfax. Now ftrikes he out, and now he falfifieth. WARB. & CAPELL. L. 6. Hold you there.] Continue in that refolution. JонN. P. 286. 1. 10. Only refer yourself to this, advantage.] This is fcarcely to be reconciled with any eftablished mode of speech. We may read, only referve yourfelf to, or only reserve to yourfelf this advantage. JOHN. L. 18. the corrupt Deputy fealed.] To fcale the Deputy, may be, to reach him notwithstanding the elevation of his place; or it may be, "to ftrip him and difcover his nakednefs, though armed and concealed by the investments of authority. JOHN. P. 287. 1. 3. — baftard.] A kind of fweet wine then much in vogue. From the Italian, Bastardo. WARB. L. 5. fince of tevo ufuries, &c.] Here a fatire on ufury turns abruptly to a fatire on the perfon of the ufurer, without any kind of preparation. We may be affured then, that a line or two, at least, have been loft. The fubject of which we may eafily difcover, a comparison between the two ufurers; as, before, between the two ufuries. So that for the future the paffage should be read with the asterisks thus-by order of law. *** a furr'd gown, æc. WARB. Ibid.] Sir Thomas Hanmer corrected this with lefs pomp, thus "fince of two Ufurers the merrieft was put down, and the worfer allowed, by order of law, a furr'd gown, &c. His punctuation is right, but the alteration, fmall as it is, appears more than was wanted. Ufury may be used by an easy licence for the Profeffors of Ufury. JOHNS. L. II. -father.] This word fhould be expunged. JOHN. L. 23. The old editions have, I drink, I eat away myself, and live.] Ihis is one very excellent Inftance of the Sagacity of our Editors, and it were to be wifhed heartily, they would have obliged us with their phyfical Solution, how a Man can eat away himself and live. Mr. Bishop gave me that most certain Emendation, which I have fu ftituted in the Room of the former foolish reading; by the help whereof, we have this eaty tenfe; that the Clown fed himself, and put cloaths on his Back, by exercifing the vile Trade of a Bawd. THEOB. P. 288. 1. 8. That we were all, as fome would feem to be, Free from all faults, as faults from ferming free !] i. e. as faults are deftitute of all comlinefs or feeming. The first of thefe lines refers to the Deputy's fanctified hypocrify; the fecond, to the Clown's beatly occupation. But the latter part is thus ill expreffed for the fake of the rhime. WARB. Sir T. Hanmer reads, Free from all faults, as from fa lts feeming free. The interpretation of Dr. Warburton is deftitute of authority; though seemly is decent or comely, I know not that seeming is ever used for comeliness. The fenfe is likewife trifling, and the expreffion harfh. To wish " that men were as free from faults, as faults are free from comeliness [inftead of void of comeliness]" is a very poor conceit. I once thought it fhould be read, O that all were, as all would feem to be, Free from all faults, or from falfe feeming free. So in this play, O place, O power how doft thou Wrench awe from fools and tie the wiser fouls To thy falfe feeming. But I now believe that a lefs alteration will ferve the turn. Free from all faults, or faults from feeming free; "that men were really good, or that their faults were known," that men were free from faults, or faults from hypocrify. So Ifabella calls Angelo's hypocrify, feeming, feeming JOHNS. Ibid.] The meaning feems to be this; "Would we all were as faultless in reality, as (some men would feem to be) from their outward appearance.' ANON.* L. 10. His neck will come to your waist, a cord, Sir.] That is, his neck will be tied like your waift with a rope. The Friars of the Francifcan order, perhaps of others, wear a hempen cord for a girdle. Thus Buchanan, Fac gemant fuis Variata terga funibus. JOHN. L. 15. Pigmalion's images, newly made woman.] i. e. come out cured from a falivation. WARB. Ibid.] I fuppofe the meaning of this very affected cant is, Are there no fresh women, no maidenheads, to be had now? For Pigmalion's ftatue newly made woman, was certainly a pure virgin. REVISAL.* L. 17. what fay'ft thou to this tune, matter and method? is't not drown'd in the last rain?] This ftrange nonfenfe fhould be thus corrected, "It's not down i'th' last reign," i. e. these are feverities unknown to the old Duke's time. And this is to the purpose. WARB. Ibid.] Though it may be difficult to explain all that Lucio fays in this fcene; Mr Warburton has had the luck to make matters harder than he found them. Lucio fays, "how now, noble Pompey? What at the wheels of Cæfar? &c.— What reply? ha? What sayeft thou to this tune, matter, and method? [i. e. what answer have you to make me?] Is it [his reply or anfwer] not drown'd in the laft rain?" A proverbial phrafe, to exprefs a thing which is loft. CANONS.* Ibid.] Dr. Warburton's emendation is ingenious, but I know not whether the fenfe may not be restored with lefs change. Let us confider it. Lucio, a prating fop, meets his old friend going to prifon, and pours out upon him his impertinent interrogatories, to which, when the poor fellow makes no answer, he adds, What reply? ha? what fay ft thou to this? tune, matter, and method,-is't not ? drowned ith' laft rain? ba? what fayft thou, trot? &c.] It is a common phrase used in low raillery of a man creft-fallen and dejected, that he looks like a drown'd puppy. Lucio, therefore, afks him whether he was drowned in the laft rain, and therefore cannot speak. JOHN. |