Page 306. VALENTINE........ The town's my stock, tavern's my standing house,, That is, in taverns. We should read taverns in the plural, not tavern's. Your very thoughts are hinds that work on nothing, So full of dirt as this? 'Tis true, I shifted; The point of interrogation after the word this, in the third line, was introduced by the last Editors, and should be struck out, as it destroys the sense; and the following part of the line should run thus-- 'Tis true, I'd shift it. Which is the reading of the second folio; and, instead of are my acquaintance graziers, I should read, were my acquaintance graziers. With these alterations, the sense of the passage is clear. Valentine means to say, that his uncle's thoughts were merely slaves, employed constantly on the meanest subjects. Were my ways, says he, so full of dirt, were my acquaintance graziers, I would change my plan; but my friends are of a different stamp, and make it equal whether their own uses, or my necessities, be first served. Page 307. VALENTINE........ Not examining How much, or what's done for them—it is wicked. I believe Valentine means to say, that it is wickedness to examine how far you bounty to those who are worthy of it. extend your One without substance of herself; that woman- It is very difficult to discover the real meaning of this passage. Sympson's conjectures, and arbitrary emendations, are such as cannot be adopted; nor can I approve of the explanation offered by the last Editors; though I am not thoroughly satisfied with that which I myself propose. I think it possible, however, that by one without substance of herself, Valentine may mean, one without selfsufficiency. And that, by the following line, he may mean a woman with strong desires, but with virtue not to indulge them. These are the only difficult parts of the passage; which, in my opinion, should be pointed thus-- One without substance of herself:-that woman, Tho' she be young, forgetting it; tho' fair, Making her glass the eyes of honest men, Not her own admiration. P It must be confessed, that our Poets have en deavoured to make their Valentine so exceedingly witty, that he is very frequently obscure, and some times totally unintelligible. Page 315. VALENTINE...... Do you know what it is to wooe a widow? HAIRBRAIN.................................................... Why, to lie with her, and to enjoy her wealth. ་་% This answer, and the succeeding lines, shew that we ought to read-- Do you know what it is to wed a widow? Not to wooe her. In his next speech, Valen tine says It is To wed a widow mainly to be doubted, Whether the state you have be yours or no. vg Page 316. VALENTINE........ 9 March off a main! within an inch of a fircug, a ti Turn me on the toe like a weather-cock. As there is no such word as fircug, I think Theobald is right in reading firelock. We are to suppose the firelock ready to be discharged. The weather-cock refers to the turning on the toe, not to the firelock. Page 319. VALENTINE. With one faith, one content, one bed; Aged, she makes the wife, preserves the fame and issue, &c. The only difficulty of this passage, lies in the word aged, which destroys the sense, and is incapable of explanation. If we read one good, as Se ward proposes, it weakens the expression. Perhaps we should read-- Egad! she makes the wife, &c. Which differs but little from aged. Page 324. LANCE........ This gentleman's your brother; your hopeful brother; (For there's no hope of you), use him thereafter. That is, use him accordingly. Page 327. LANCE........ And would you have him follow these chimeras ? The former editions read, these megeras, which is wrong; but I believe the true reading to be, these vagaries; which is nearer to the old reading, and more in Lance's style. Page 329. LANCE........I have seen T This fellow; there's a wealthy widow hard by. VALENTINE........Yes, marry is there LANCE........I think he is her servant; I am cozened if-after her! I am sure on't,mon The Editors say, that they have pointed this last line in such a manner, as to make it convey much humour. I wish they had explained it, for to me it conveys neither humour, or meaning. I should read it thus-- I'm cozened if not after her, Lance is endeavouring to recollect the servant. He says, that he has seen the fellow; that there is a wealthy widow hard by, that he is cozened if he has not seen him after her; that is, follow her as her servant; and, on further recollection, declares he is sure of it. Page 330. FRANSISCO. I am gladder of all, sir. We should read-- I am gladdest of all, sir. He had said before, that he was glad; then that he was gladder; and now he comes to the superlative degree of comparison. Page 330. BELLAMORE........She will Begone within this hour, either now, Val. This passage requires no alteration, except the insertion of a break at the end of it, Bellamore meaning to say, Either now, Val, or never; but he is interrupted by the impatience of Fountaine and Hairbrain. So, in the Mad Lover, page 253, Cleanthe says-- "Oh, holy mother, now or never. Page 332. SHORTHOSE......... As if I were a running frippery. The same expression occurs in Massinger's City Madam; where, when Master Luke enters laden with shoes, garters, roses, &c. Goldwire says-- Here he comes, sweating all over to |