ページの画像
PDF
ePub

fond to rule alone," for too fond of ruling. Shylock means to censure the gaoler's facility, in being so ready and willing to comply with the prisoner's request.

P. 214.-66.-484.

Ant. The duke cannot deny the course of law;
For the commodity that strangers have

With us in Venice, if it be denied,

Will much impeach the justice of the state;
Since that the trade and profit of the city
Consisteth of all nations.

This passage (which had much perplexed me) may be rightly explained by Mr. Malone; but I do not yet understand the construction.

Por.

P. 217.-68.-488.

What notes and garments he doth give thee, Bring them, I pray thee, with imagin'd speed.

Imagin'd speed means, I think, with speed that may he more easily imagined than expressed,with all imaginable speed. The expression, so understood, is, I admit, licentious. I cannot think Mr. Steevens's is the true explanation.

P. 217.-68.-488.

Unto the tranect, to the common ferry

Which trades to Venice.

I incline to read traject, with the modern editors.

P. 219.-70.-490.

Laun. Truly then I fear you are damn'd both by father
and mother.

I do not suspect that for has been inadvertently omitted.

P. 221.-72.-493.

Lor. Goodly lord, what a wit-snapper are you!

Mr. Tyrwhitt is certainly right. I wonder the editors continue so manifest an error.

P. 221.-72.-494.

Lor. O dear discretion, how his words are suited!
The fool hath planted in his memory

An army of good words.

I think Mr. M. Mason is clearly right.

P 225.-75.-499.

And others, when the bag-pipe sings i'the nose,
Cannot contain their urine; For affection,
Mistress of passion, sways it to the mood
Of what it likes, or loaths.

For affection is, I think, rightly explained by Mr. Malone. In the next line I incline to read masterless passion, with Mr. Rowe, &c.

I have always considered this as a very difficult passage.

P. 227-76.-501.

As there is no firm reason to be render'd,
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig;

Why he, a harmless necessary cat;
Why he, a swollen bag-pipe.

I think woollen bag-pipe is the true reading; it seems to me to be rightly explained by Mr. R. G. Robinson in the edition of 1793.

[blocks in formation]

Though justice be thy plea, consider this,―

That, in the course of justice, none of us

Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;

And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.

Blackstone thinks it is out of character that Portia should refer the Jew to the Christian doctrine of salvation, and the Lord's Prayer; but besides that, it is supposed that the Lord's Prayer consists of expressions in use among the Jews, their Scriptures abound with passages

G

recommending mercy, particularly Ecclus xxviii. ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

The foregoing observation was suggested by a friend, and his assertion respecting the Lord's Prayer and the Jewish Scriptures is certainly true; but yet I cannot help thinking that so direct a reference to the Lord's Prayer was more likely to irritate than conciliate the Jew.

[blocks in formation]

Stood Dido with a willow in her hand
Upon the wild sea-banks, and wav'd her love
To come again to Carthage.

I do not think this conclusive evidence that Shakespeare was no reader of the classics.

Jes.

Did young

P. 246.-92.-524.

And in such a night,

Lorenzo swear he lov'd her well.

I cannot help expressing my admiration of Mr. Malone's ears.

P. 256.-200.-538.

Por. If you had known the virtue of the ring,
Or half her worthiness that gave the ring,
Or your own honour to contain the ring,

You would not then have parted with the ring.

I think we should read retain with the modern editors.

[blocks in formation]

Orl. As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion
bequeathed me: By will, but a poor thousand crowns;
and, as thou say'st, charged my brother, on his blessing,
to breed me well: and there begins my sadness.

This is a very awkward sentence; the construction of it has puzzled me much. I now believe that we should understand the words it was to be repeated before the word charged; it was bequeathed me by will, but a poor thousand crowns, and it was charged my brother (likewise by the will) to breed me well.

P. 281.-120.-7.

Orl. Marry, sir, I am helping you to mar that which
God made, a poor unworthy brother of yours, with
idleness.

Oliv. Marry, sir, be better employ'd, and be naught
awhile.

I think Mr. Steevens is right.

P. 282.-121.-9.

Oliv. Know you where you are, sir?

Orl. O, sir, very well: here in your orchard.

Oliv, Know you before whom, sir?

Orl. Ay, better than him I am before knows me.

t

Mr. Malone's scrupulous reverence for the old copies is admirable. This note shews his own fallibility, for the line quoted is not in Macbeth, but is spoken by Camillo to Polirenes in the

Winter's Tale. This error is corrected in the Appendix, which I had not observed when this note was written.

-P. 283.-121.-9.

I have as much of my father in me, as you; albeit, I
confess, your coming before

reverence.

me is nearer to his

I think there is no occasion for the emendation proposed by Warburton.

P. 289.-127.-17.

Cel. Pr'ythee, who is't that thou mean'st ?

Touch. One that old Frederick, your father, loves.
Cel. My father's love is enough to honour him.

I think Theobald is right.

P. 290.-128.-19.

Le Beau. Fair princess, you have lost much good sport.
Cel. Sport? Of what colour?

Le Beau. What colour, madam? How shall I answer you?
Ros. As wit and fortune will.

Touch. Or as the destinies decree.

Cel. Well said; that was laid on with a trowel.

Laid on with a trowel I believe means laid on thick.

Cel.

P. 304.-141.-36.

Now go we in content,

To liberty, and not to banishment.

I think the transposition made by the editor of the 2d folio is necessary, and that content is not an adjective.

P. 307.-145.—41.

Thus most invectively he pierceth through
The body of the country, city, court,

Yea, and of this our life.

I would read, with former editors, the body of the country. Country, in the passage quoted from Twelfth Night, is certainly used as a

« 前へ次へ »