Ibid.

God grant us patience!

Biron. To hear? or forbear hearing.

I think from the following speech that the

proposed emendation is right.

Arm.

P. 414.-325.-205.

Boy, I do love that country girl, that I

took in the park with the rational hind Costard.

I incline to think we should read irrational, with Tyrwhitt and Farmer. I do not think the passages produced by Mr. Steevens prove that for which they are cited. I do not see why hind, in the passages quoted from Henry the Fourth, does not mean peasant, used as a term of contempt, as when Petruchio calls Grumio, peasant

swain.

P. 418.-328.-211.

A man of sovereign parts he is esteem'd. I heartily dissent from Mr. Malone. I think the reading of the folio is right.

P. 424.-333,4.-218.

Dum. Sir, I pray you, a word: What lady is that same?
Boyet. The heir of Alençon, Rosaline her name.

Malone is certainly right.

P. 425.-334.-219.

Long. Pray you, sir, whose daughter ?

Boyet. Her mother's, I have heard.
Long. God's blessing on your beard!
Boyet. Good sir, be not offended.

I think no such meaning as Dr. Johnson supposes was intended.

P. 431.-348.-226.

Moth.
These are complements, these are
humours; these betray nice wenches that would be
betray'd without these; and make them men of note,
(do you note, men?) that most are affected to these.

I think this is rightly explained by Malone. There is no need of Theobald's correction.

P. 432.-349.-228.

Arm. I say, lead is slow.

Moth.

You are too swift, sir, to say so:

Is that lead slow which is fir'd from a gun ?

I think Malone's is the right explanation of

You are too swift, sir, to say so.

Prin.

P. 445.-358.-244.

Nay, never paint me now;

Where fair is not, praise cannot mend the brow.

Here, good my glass, take this for telling true.

[giving him money.

Fair payment for foul words is more than due.

Mr. Steevens is certainly right.

P. 446.-359.-245.

When for fame's sake, for praise, an outward part,
We bend to that the working of the heart.

"Upon this couplet is this wonderful note, "which I need not tell you is by Warburton:

THE HARMONY OF THE MEASURE, THE EASINESS OF THE EXPRESSION, AND THE GOOD SENSE IN "THE THOUGHT, ALL CONCUR TO RECOMMEND THESE TWO LINES TO THE READER'S NOTICE." "The lines will, I doubt not, strike you, and every "man of common sense, as utterly destitute of

66

every quality this Apostolical alchymist recom"mends: who in his dream tries to convert the very dirt of Shakespeare into gold. The preser"vation of such nonsensical comments much ar"raigns the taste of his variorum editors."

HERON'S Letters of Literature, p. 108.

P. 448.-360.-248.

More fairer than fair, beautiful than beauteous, truer
than truth itself, have commiseration on thy heroical
vassal.

The double comparison is not very uncommon in Shakespeare. So in the Tempest, Nor that I am more better.

P. 456.-366.-257.

Hol. The deer was, as you know, in sanguis, blood.
I think Steevens is right.

P. 459.-367.-261.

And such barren plants are set before us, that we
thankful should be

(Which we of taste and feeling are) for those parts that
do fructify in us more than he.

I think Mr. Tyrwhitt is right.

P. 462.-370.-265.

Jaq. God give you good morrow, master person.
Hol. Master person, quasi pers-on. And if one should
be pierced, which is the one?

I think we should read master parson, quasi person.

P. 463.-371.-265.

Fauste, precor gelida quando pecus omne sub umbra
Ruminat, and so forth.

Some of the editors seem dreadfully alarmed lest the reader should think Shakespeare more learned than they choose he should be.

P. 468.-374.-271.

Hol. I do dine to-day at the father's of a certain pupil
of mine; where if, before repast, it shall please you to
Gratify the table with a grace, &c.

Before repast is intelligible. Being repast I do not at all understand.

O most profane coxcomb! [aside.

Dum. By heaven, the wonder of a mortal eye!

Biron. By earth, she is but corporal; there you lie. [aside.

I incline to think that Theobald's emendation

is right.

P. 476.-380.-280.

What will Biron say, when that he shall hear
A faith infring'd, which such a zeal did swear.

Mr. Malone can have no ear.

P. 477.-381.-281.

O me, with what strict patience have I sat,
To see a king transformed to a gnat.

I think gnat is the true reading.

P. 478.-381.-283.

I am betray'd, by keeping company
With moon-like men, of strange inconstancy.

As these words may have the meaning assigned them by Dr. Johnson, no change is necessary : but Mr. Mason's emendation is extremely ingenious, and perhaps is the true reading.

P. 486.-388-293.

A lover's ear will hear the lowest sound,
When the suspicious head of theft is stopp'd.

Warburton is right.

P. 492.-393.-302.

His general behaviour vain, ridiculous, und thrasonical.

I agree that Shakespeare's use of the word thrasonical does not prove that he had read

Terence.

P. 494.-303.

Hol.

This is abhominable, (which he would

call abominable,) it insinuateth me of insanie.

I rather incline to admit Dr. Farmer's correc

tion. Sed Q.

Arm.

P. 497.-396.-308.

I do beseech thee, remember thy

courtesy:-I beseech thee, apparel thy head.

I think the words are clearly addressed to Holofernes. Either way the negative appears to

me necessary.

P. 512.-409.-328.

Ros. Well, better wits have worn plain statute-caps.

I think Steevens's is the true explanation.

P. 514.-410.-330.

Boyet. Fair ladies, mask'd, are roses in their bud:
Dismask'd, their damask sweet commixture shown,
Are angels vailing clouds, or roses blown.

I incline to think Dr. Johnson's the best of the interpretations offered.

P. 520.-414.-339.

Taffata phrases, silken terms precise,
Three-pil'd hyperboles, spruce affectation,
Figures pedantical; these summer-flies
Have blown me full of maggot ostentation.

The whole of this verse, and the correspondent rhyme, show that we should read affectation. I pity Mr. Malone's want of ear. He would, in return, pity my ignorance of Shakespeare's versification.

Р. 542.-431.-367-8.

Prin. We have receiv'd your letters, full of love;
Your favours, the ambassadors of love ;
And, in our maiden council, rated them
At courtship, pleasant jest, and courtesy,
As bombast, and as lining to the time:
But more devout than this, in our respects,
Have we not been.

I think Sir Thomas Hanmer's reading is right.

P. 544.-432.-369.

If frosts, and fasts, hard lodging, and thin weeds,
Nip not the gaudy blossoms of your love,
But that it bear this trial, and last love;