P. 417.-328.-216.

Ham. And that his soul may be as damn'd, and black
As hell, whereto it goes.

This horrid sentiment cannot be too strongly reprobated. There is no passage in our author's writings at which I am so much offended as at this.

P. 422.-332.-223.

Ham.

Such an act,
That blurs the grace and blush of modesty ;
Calls virtue, hypocrite; takes off the rose
From the fair forehead of an innocent love,
And sets a blister there.

I incline to think that Mr. Malone's explanation is the true one.

P. 423.-333.-224.

Ham.
Heaven's face doth glow,
Yea, this solidity and compound mass,
With tristful visage, as against the doom,
Is thought-sick at the act.

I once thought we might read with only the transposition of one line, thus :

Heaven's face doth glow
With tristful visage, as against the doom;
Yea this solidity and compound mass
Is thought-sick at the act.

I am not sure, however, that any change is necessary. I prefer tristful to heated. I now think that there should be no transposition.

P. 424.-334.-226.

Ham. Look here, upon this picture, and on this;
The counterfeit presentment of two brothers.

These pictures should certainly be whole lengths hanging in the queen's closet.

P. 424.-335.-227.

Ham. See, what a grace was seated on this brow :
Hyperion's curls; the front of Jove himself;
An eye like Mars, to threaten and command;
A station like the herald Mercury,
New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill.

Bishop Newton has remarked that this passage may have suggested Raphael's graceful posture in standing:

like Maia's son he stood,

And shook his plumes, that heavenly fragrance fill'd
The circuit wide.
P. L. B. V. 285.

Hic paribus primum nitens Cyllenius alis
Constitit.

P. 428.-338.-231.

En. IV. 253.

Ham.

Nay, but to live

In the rank sweat of an enseam❜d bed;
Stew'd in corruption; honeying, and making love
Over the nasty stye.

I prefer the reading of the quarto 1611, incestuous, as Mr. Steevens has done in his edition. of 1785.

P. 432.-342.-237.

Ham. I must be cruel, only to be kind:
Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.

The Emperor Septimius Severus having put to death forty-one senators, lamented that to be mild it was necessary that he should first be cruel. Gibbon's Roman History, c. v. Vol. I. (p. 124, 1st. edit.)

P. 45.

363.-266.

King. Wherein necessity, of matter beggar'd,
Will nothing stick our person to arraign
In ear and ear,

This expression I do not understand.

P. 461.-364.-268.

Gent.
The rabble call him, lord;
And, as the world were now but to begin,
Antiquity forgot, custom not known,
The ratifiers and props of every word,
They cry, &c.

I think with Mr. Malone that ratifiers and props refer not to the people, but to custom and antiquity. The meaning of word I do not guess. Perhaps it is a corruption.

P. 461.-368.-275.

There's rosemary, that's for remembrance;

P. 463.-369-276.

There's rue for you; and here's some for me:— So in the Winter's Tale :

Reverend sirs,

For you there's rosemary and rue; these keep
Seeming and savour all the winter long;
Grace and remembrance be unto you both,
And welcome to our shearing.

I do not think that Ophelia has so deep a meaning in giving the rue as Mr. Malone supposes.

P. 474.-380.-291.

King.

So that, with ease,

Or with a little shuffling, you may choose
A sword unbated, and, in a pass of practice,
Requite him for your father.

I think Dr. Johnson is right.

P. 481.-387.-301.

1 Clo.

fetch me a stoup of liquor.

Q. What is the meaning of get thee to Yaughan?

Go, get thee to Yaughan, and

P. 492.-397.-316.

Ham. Zounds, show me what thou'lt do:

Woul't weep? woul't fight? woul't fast? woul't tear thyself?
Woul't drink up Esil? eat a crocodile ?
I'll do't.

I cannot determine what is the meaning of Eisel or Esil.

P. -404.-327.

Ham. As England was his faithful tributary;

As love between them like the palm might flourish;

As peace should still her wheaten garland wear,
And stand a comma 'tween their amities;
And many such like as's of great charge.

66

Mr. Boswell in his Life of Dr. Johnson (Vol. II. p. 72, of the quarto edition) tells us that the Doctor, talking of his Notes on Shakespeare, "said, I despise those who do not see that I am right in the passage, where as is repeated, and "asses of great charge introduced. "To be or not to be is disputable." I am afraid I am in the predicament of those who incurred Dr. Johnson's contempt.

That on

P. 503.—406.—329.

Ham. But I am very sorry, good Horatio,
That to Laertes I forgot myself;

For by the image of my cause, I see

The portraiture of his; I'll count his favours.

I think we should read, with Mr. Rowe, court his favour.

P. 506.-408.-333.

Osr. Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him.
Ham. The concernancy, sir? why do we wrap the
gentleman in our more rawer breath?

Osc. Sir?

Hor. Is't not possible to understand in another tongue?
you will do't, sir, really.

This speech I do not understand. The question is, I think, rightly explained by Dr. Johnson; but I know not what to make of you will do't, sir, really.