Puslapio vaizdai
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its water, and a counterfeit stone may very well be said to have a mock-water, that is, false lustre. Or the Host may mean, that notwithstanding all Dr. Caius's vapouring, his courage is counterfeited. In the scene where Prince Henry acquaints Falstaff with the detection of his cowardice, Falstaff says, Dost thou hear, Hal? never call a true piece of gold a counterfeit. The Host's reply to the Doctor's enquiry after the meaning of mock-water, seems to countenance the latter explanation. I am not pleased with the emendation proposed by Dr Farmer, muck-water; still less do I like Mr. Malone's, make-water.

P. 326.-218.-404.

Shal. I have lived fourscore years, and upward;

I think Ritson is right, and that we should read threescore. I do not think Shallow was intended to be represented as in such extreme old age as the present reading would make him.

P. 330.-252.-409.

Shal. We have linger'd about a match between Anne
Page and my cousin Slender, and this day we shall have

our answer.

There is no reason for altering the word linger'd, which is rightly explained by Steevens.

P. 331.-252.-410.

He writes verses, he speaks holiday.

I believe Ritson's is the true explanation of holiday.

P. 335.-255-415.

Fal. Have I caught thee, my heavenly jewel?

Why, now let me die, for I have lived long enough.

I see no profaneness nor indecency in this passage. I do not believe Shakespeare intended

the allusion Mr. Steevens supposes. It seems a natural and common expression of joy. A similar sentiment occurs in Terence:

Proh Jupiter!

Nunc tempus profecto est, cum perpeti me possum interfici,
Ne hoc gaudium contaminet vita ægritudine aliquâ.
EUNUCH. Act III. Sc. v.

I wonder Mr. Steevens did not give us the important information that the words, I have lived long enough, occur again in the 5th Act of Macbeth.

P. 342.-260.-424.

I'll warrant, we'll unkennel the fox :-
Let me stop this way first:-So, now uncape.

Mr. Steevens's retort on Mr. M. Mason is just. I think uncape is the right word.

P. 353.-269.-437.

Fal. As good luck would have it, comes in one mistress
Page; gives intelligence of Ford's approach; and, by
her invention, and Ford's wife's distraction, they con-
vey'd me into a buck-basket.

I am persuaded that Mr. M. Mason's correction is right; we ought to read direction.

P. 354.-269,-438.

But mark the sequel, master Brook: I suffer'd the pangs
of three several deaths.

I incline to prefer the reading of the first quarto.

P. 354.-269.-439.

next, to be compass'd, like a good bilbo, in the circum-
ference of a peck, hilt to point, heel to head.

Falstaff speaks hyperbolically.

Quick.

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he teaches him to hick and to hack, which they'll do fast enough of themselves.

I think Blackstone's explanation of these words is the true one.

P. 359.-273.-444.

Eva. He is a good sprag memory.

I have often heard in Wiltshire, he has a good sprack wit. Sprag is Sir Hugh's corrupt Welsh pronunciation of this word.

P. 363.-277.-449.

1 Serv. Come, come, take it up.

2 Serv. Pray heaven it be not full of the Knight again.

I incline to adopt the reading of the first folio, omitting the article. There seems to me to be a degree of humour in the suppression of the article, which perhaps may be more easily conceived than explained. Had the basket been made heavy by an inanimate substance, as lead, the article would have of course been omitted in this wish; and by the omission of the article the knight appears to be considered merely as a ponderous body. There is an instance of a contemptuous suppression of the article in Otway, where Pierre, who was displeased at Aqualina's admission of Antonio's visits, says to her:

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P. 367-280.-454.

Eva. I spy a great peard under her muffler.

Certainly her muffler.

P. 370.-282.-458.

Ford. I rather will suspect the sun with cold,
Than thee with wantonness.

Cold is surely the true word.

P. 371.-283,-460.

and well you know,

The superstitious idle-headed eld
Receiv'd, and did deliver to our age,

This tale, of Herne the hunter, for a truth.

Eld means old age, i. e. old people.

Mrs. Page.

P. 372.-284.-461.

upon a sudden,

As Falstaff, she, and I, are newly met,

Let them from forth a saw-pit rush at once,
With some diffused song.

I incline to think that Mr. Malone is right.

Fal.

P. 380.-290.-470.

but that my admirable dexterity of wit, my counterfeiting the action of an old woman, deliver'd me, the knave constable had set me i'the stocks, i'the common stocks, for a witch.

I think with Dr. Johnson that Theobald's emendation is reasonable.

P. 384.-294.-475.

Act 5, Scene 1. A Room in the Garter Inn.

Enter Falstaff and Mrs. Quickly.

I would conclude the 4th Act with the scene between Falstaff and Ford, as Theobald does, and begin the 5th Act with Page, Shallow, and Slender in the Park. In representation, it is indeed convenient to begin the 5th Act with Falstaff and Mrs. Quickly, because, as the scene between Fenton and the Host is omitted, no time would otherwise be allowed for the conversation which is supposed to pass between Falstaff and Mrs. Quickly in Falstaff's chamber.

P. 390.-299.-484.

Quick. Fairies, black, grey, green, and white.
You moon-shine revellers, and shades of night,
You orphan-heirs of fixed destiny,
Attend your office, and your quality.

I think Malone has rightly explained heirs. We may easily suppose that Shakespeare did not advert to the maxim, nemo est hæres viventis.

P. 392.-300.-486.

Eva. Where's Bede?-Go you, and where you find a maid
That, ere she sleep, has thrice her prayers said,

Raise up the organs of her fantasy,

Sleep she as sound as careless infancy.

Warburton's emendation appears to me (as to Mr. Steevens) highly plausible; but I think it not improbable that Malone is right.

P. 398.-303.-493.

Mrs. Page. Now, good Sir John, how like you Windsor wives?
See you these, husband? do not these fair yokes
Become the forest better than the town.

I do not well understand why horns should be called yoaks; if they are called yoaks in the sense of marks of servitude, the expression appears to me very harsh. Neither do I see why yoaks should become the forest better than the town, though I can conceive why oaks should. For these reasons I am inclined to retain oaks, understanding the expression as Mr. Steevens has explained it, in which (though there seems to be a harshness in it) I must necessarily acquiesce, as no other meaning recurs to me. I find by Mr. M. Mason's note in the edition of 1793, that he is of the same opinion.

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