BIRON. DUM. In reafon nothing. BIRON. Fit in his place and time. Something then in rhyme. LONG. Biron is like an envious sneaping froft,1 Before the birds have any cause to fing? Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows; fneaping froft,] So fneaping winds in The Winter's Tale: To fneap is to check, to rebuke. Thus also, Falstaff, in King Henry IV. P. II: “I will not undergo this neap, without reply." STEEVENS. 2 Why Should I joy in an abortive birth? At Christmas I no more defire a rose, Than wifh a fnow in May's new-fangled fhows; But like of each thing, that in feafon grows.] As the greatest part of this fcene (both what precedes and follows) is ftrictly in rhymes, either fucceffive, alternate, or triple, I am perfuaded, that the copyifts have made a flip here. For by making a triplet of the three laft lines quoted, birth in the clofe of the first line is quite deftitute of any rhyme to it. Befides, what a displeafing identity of found recurs in the middle and clofe of this verfe? "Than with a Snow in May's new-fangled Shows;" Again, new-fangled Shows feems to have very little propriety. The flowers are not new-fangled; but the earth is new-fangled by the profufion and variety of the flowers, that spring on its bofom in May. I have therefore ventured to fubftitute earth, in the close of the third line, which reftores the alternate measure. It was very eafy for a negligent tranfcriber to be deceived by the rhyme immediately preceding; fo mistake the concluding word in the fequent line, and corrupt it into one that would chime with the other. THEOBALD. I rather fufpect a line to have been loft after an abortive birth." So you, to ftudy now it is too late, Climb o'er the houfe 3 to unlock the little gate. And, though I have for barbarism spoke more, And bide the penance of each three years' day. For an in that line the old copies have any. Corrected by Mr. Pope. MALONE. By thefe Shows the poet means Maygames, at which a snow would be very unwelcome and unexpected. It is only a periphrafis for May. T. WARTON. I have no doubt that the more obvious interpretation is the true one. So, in Chaucer's Knightes Tale: "And fresher than May with floures new—. So alfo, in our poet's King Richard II: "She came adorned hither, like fweet May." i. e. as the ground is in that month enamelled by the gay diversity of flowers which the spring produces. Again, in The Deftruction of Troy, 1619: "At the entry of the month of May, when the earth is attired and adorned with diverse flowers," &c. MALONE. I concur with Mr. Warton; for with what propriety can the flowers which every year produces with the fame identical shape and colours, be called-new-fangled? The fports of May might be annually diverfified, but its natural productions would be invariably the fame. STEEVENS. 3 Climb o'er the houfe &c.] This is the reading of the quarto, 1598, and much preferable to that of the folio: "That were to climb o'er the house to unlock the gate." MALONE. fit you out] This may mean, hold you out, continue refractory. But I fufpect, we should read-set you out. MALONE. To fit out, is a term from the card-table. Thus, Bishop Sanderfon : "They are glad, rather than fit out, to play very small game." Give me the paper, let me read the fame; KING. How well this yielding rescues thee from fhame! BIRON. [Reads.] Item, That no woman shall come within a mile of my court. And hath this been proclaim'd? LONG. BIRON. Let's fee the penalty. Four days ago. [Reads.]-On pain of lofing her tongue.— LONG. Marry, that did I. Who devis'd this ?5 BIRON. Sweet lord, and why? LONG. To fright them hence with that dread penalty. BIRON. A dangerous law against gentility. The person who cuts out at a rubber of whift, is still said to fit out; i. e. to be no longer engaged in the party. STEEVENS. Who devis'd this ?] The old copies read-this penalty. I have omitted this needlefs repetition of the word penalty, because it deftroys the measure. STEEVENS. A dangerous law against gentility!] I have ventured to prefix the name of Biron to this line, it being evident, for two reafons, that it, by fome accident or other, flipt out of the printed books. In the firft place, Longaville confeffes, he had devised the penalty: and why he fhould immediately arraign it as a dangerous law, feems to be very inconfiftent. In the next place, it is much more natural for Biron to make this reflection, who is cavilling at every thing; and then for him to pursue his reading over the remaining articles.-As to the word gentility, here, it does not fignify that rank of people called, gentry; but what the French exprefs by, gentileffè, i. e. elegantia, urbanitas. And then the meaning is this: Such a law for banishing women from the court, is dangerous, or injurious, to politeness, urbanity, and the more refined pleasures of life. For men without women would turn brutal, and favage, in their natures and behaviour. THEOBALD. [Reads.] Item, If any man be seen to talk with a woman within the term of three years, he shall endure fuch publick fhame as the rest of the court can possibly devife. This article, my liege, yourself must break; For, well you know, here comes in embassy The French King's daughter, with yourself to fpeak, A maid of grace, and cómplete majesty,— About furrender-up of Aquitain To her decrepit, fick, and bed-rid father: Therefore this article is made in vain, Or vainly comes the admired princess hither. KING. What fay you, lords? why, this was quite forgot. BIRON. So ftudy evermore is overshot ; KING. We muft, of force, dispense with this de cree; She muft lie here 7 on mere neceffity. BIRON. Neceffity will make us all forfworn Three thousand times within this three years' space: For every man with his affects is born; Not by might mafter'd, but by special grace: lie here-] Means refide here, in the same sense as an ambaffador is faid to lie leiger. See Beaumont and Fletcher's Love's Cure, or the Martial Maid, A& II. fc. ii: "Or did the cold Mufcovite beget thee, "That lay here leiger, in the last great frost?" Again, in Sir Henry Wotton's Definition: "An ambaffador is an honeft man fent to lie (i. e. refide) abroad for the good of his country." REED. If I break faith, this word fhall speak for me, So to the laws at large I write my name : [Subfcribes. And he, that breaks them in the leaft degree, Stands in attainder of eternal fhame: Suggestions are to others, as to me; But, I believe, although I seem so loth, I am the last that will last keep his oath. But is there no quick recreation' granted? KING. Ay, that there is: our court, you know, is haunted With a refined traveller of Spain ; A man in all the world's new fashion planted, 8 Not by might master'd, but by special grace:] Biron, amidst his extravagancies, fpeaks with great juftness against the folly of vows. They are made without fufficient regard to the variations of life, and are therefore broken by fome unforeseen neceffity. They proceed commonly from a prefumptuous confidence, and a falfe eftimate of human power. JOHNSON. 9 Suggestions-] Temptations. JOHNSON. So, in King Henry IV. P. I: I "And these led on by your fuggeftion." STEEVENS. quick recreation—] Lively sport, spritely diversion. So, in Antony and Cleopatra: the quick comedians Extemporally will ftage us." STEEVENS. 2 A man of complements, whom right and wrong JOHNSON. Have chofe as umpire of their mutiny:] As very bad a play as this is, it was certainly Shakspeare's, as appears by many fine mafter-strokes scattered up and down. An exceffive complaisance |