Count.

P. 41.-383-230.

I'll stay at home,

And pray God's blessing into thy attempt.

I think with Mr. Steevens.

P. 42.-384.-231.

King. Farewell, young lord, these warlike principles
Do not throw from you:-and you, my lord, farewell:-
Share the advice betwixt you.

I incline to agree with Mr. Tyrwhitt.

King.

Ibid.-232.

Farewell, young lords;

Whether I live or die, be you the sons
Of worthy Frenchmen: let higher Italy
(Those 'bated, that inherit but the fall
Of the last monarchy,) see, that you come
Not to woo honour but to wed it.

This passage I do not yet understand.

P. 44.-386.-235.

. Bert. I grow to you, and our parting is a tortured body.

As I cannot discover the meaning of this passage, as it stands at present, I incline to admit Dr. Johnson's reading. So I once thought. I now think the old reading, as explained by Malone and M. Mason, though harsh, perhaps is right.

P. 45.-380.-236..

Par. Use a more spacious ceremony to the noble lords;
you
have restrain'd yourself within the list of too cold an
adieu: be more expressive to them; for they wear
themselves in the cap of the time, there do muster true
gait, eat, speak, and move under the influence of the
most received star; and though the devil lead the mea-
sure, such are to be follow'd.

I incline to Dr. Johnson's reading, for the same reason as in the last instance.

Laf.

P. 46.-387.-238.

I would, you

Had kneel'd, my lord, to ask me mercy; and
That, at my bidding, you could so stand up.
King. I would I had; so I had broke thy pate,
And ask'd thee mercy for❜t.

Laf.

Good faith, across :

But, my good lord, 'tis thus.

Mr. Davies's explanation of across is right. Mr. Malone's note, in which Mr. Davies's explanation is contained, is omitted in the edition

of 1793.

Laf.

P. 47.-388.-239.

I have spoke

With one, that, in her sex, her years, profession,
Wisdom, and constancy, hath amaz'd me more
Than I dare blame my weakness.

I think Mr. M. Mason's is the true interpretation.

P. 50.-390.-243.

King. Art thou so confident? Within what space
Hop'st thou my cure?

Hel.

The greatest grace lending grace,

Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring

Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring.

As the verse has a syllable too much if grace be repeated, I think we should reject the first grace, and read, The greatest lending grace.

P. 51.-391-244.

King. Upon thy certainty and confidence,
What dar'st thou venture?

Hel.

Tax of impudence,

A strumpet's boldness, a divulged shame,—
Traduc'd by odious ballads; my maiden's name
Sear'd otherwise; no worse of worst extended,
With vilest torture let my life be ended.

This passage, as it stands at present, I do not

understand. Mr. Steevens's explanation seems very hard and far-fetched. I incline, at present, to read with Dr. Johnson, to worst of worst extended. I am not enlightened by Henley's

note.

P. 52.-392.—245.

King. Methinks, in thee some blessed spirit doth speak :
His powerful sound, within an organ weak.

The meaning is, His powerful sound, being within a weak organ.

Ibid.-245.

Thy life is dear; for all that life can rate
Worth name of life, in thee hath estimate;
Youth, beauty, wisdom, courage, virtue, all
That happiness and prime can happy call.

(If prime be the true word) it is certainly used here as a substantive: its meaning in this place, I cannot take on me to determine.

Ibid.-246.

Sweet practiser, thy physick I will try;
That ministers thine own death, if I die.
Hel. If I break time, or flinch in property
Of what I spoke, unpitied let me die.
with Malone.

I

agree

P. 60.—399.—257.

Hel. To each of you one fair and virtuous mistress Fall, when love please!-marry, to each, but one! This is rightly explained by Mason.

P. 61.-399.-258.

Hel. The blushes in my cheeks thus whisper me,
We blush, that thou should'st choose; but, be refus'd,
Let the white death sit on thy cheek for ever ;
We'll ne'er come there again.

I incline to think that Malone is right.

P. 64.-402.-261.

King. Where great additions swell, and virtue none,
It is a dropsied honour: good alone

Is good, without a name.

Mr. Malone appears to be clearly right.

P. 77.-413.-277.

Laf. Farewell, monsieur: I have spoken better of you,
than you have or will deserve at my hand; but we must
do good against evil.

I incline to think with Malone, that some word has dropt out here; if not, the word to must be omitted (as it is in some former editions), and then the passage, though inaccurate, will be intelligible.

Count.

P. 84.-418.-285.

Parolles, was't not?

1 Gent. Ay, my good lady, he.

Count. A very tainted fellow, and full of wickedness.
My son corrupts a well-derived nature

With his inducement.

I do not understand the meaning of the word inducement in this passage: perhaps it means through his enticement.

I do not understand the meaning of holds. I wish to substitute Hanmer's word, hoves, but omitting the negative, which Hanmer has added. I would then adopt Warburton's explanation. I do not see how holds can convey that meaning. P. 85.-419.-286.

Hel.

O you leaden messengers,
That ride upon the violent speed of fire,
Fly with false aim; move the still-piecing air,
That sings with piercing, do not touch my lord!

Still-piecing is, I think the right word. There is the same idea in the 5th chapter of the Wisdom of Solomon, v. xii. "Or like as when an arrow "is shot at a mark, it parteth the air, which im"mediately cometh together again, so that a man "cannot know where it went through."

Dia.

P. 92.-425.-294.

Alas, poor lady!

'Tis a hard bondage, to become the wife

Of a detesting lord.

Wid. A right good creature: wheresoe'er she is,
Her heart weighs sadly.

Mr. Malone's emendation is surely right.

P. 93.-425.-295.

Dia. 'Tis pity he is not honest: Yond's that same knave,
That leads him to these places; were I his lady,

I'd poison that vile rascal.

I agree with Mr. Steevens that there is no need of Theobald's emendation.

1 Sold. Demand of him, of what strength they are a-foot.
What say you to that?

Par. By my troth, sir, if I were to live this present
hour, I will tell true.

I think we should insert but.

P. 120. 448.-330.

And say, a soldier, Dian, told thee this,

Men are to mell with, boys are not to kiss.

I

I incline to read but to kiss, with Theobald.

P. 135.-459.-349.

Par. Good monsieur Lavatch, give my lord Lafeu this
letter: I have ere now, sir, been better known to you,
when I have held familiarity with fresher clothes; but I
am now, sir, muddied in fortune's moat, and smell some-
what strong of her strong displeasure.