I cannot think that Shakespeare meant to represent Coriolanus as his own eulogist, for the reason assigned by Mr. M. Mason, and therefore. I think Dr. Johnson's explanation cannot be right.

P. 481.-278.-198.
So our virtues

Lie in the interpretation of the time:
And power, unto itself most commendable,
Hath not a tomb so evident as a chair

To extol what it hath done.

One fire drives out one fire; one nail, one nail; Rights by rights fouler, strengths by strengths, do fail. These passages I do not understand.

P. 485.-282.-204.

Com. So that all hope is vain,

Unless his noble mother, and his wife;
Who, as I hear, mean to solicit him
For mercy to his country:

I believe Malone is right.

The book of his good acts, whence men have read
His fame unparallel'd, haply, amplified;

For I have ever verify'd my friends,

(Of whom he's chief,) with all the size that verity
Would without lapsing suffer.

I think this is rightly explained by Malone.

Men.

I

P. 493.-285.-212.

say to you, as I was said to, Away! [Exit.

1 Guard. A noble fellow, I warrant him.

2 Guard. The worthy fellow is our general: he is the
rock, the oak not to be wind-shaken.

I think the sense would be improved by reading worthier.

Vol.

P. 496.-289.-216.

Do you know this lady?

Cor. The noble sister of Publicola,

The moon of Rome; chaste as the icicle,
That's curded by the frost from purest snow,

And hangs on Dian's temple: dear Valeria!

I do not see why we may not read curdled with Mr. Pope and the subsequent editors; the reading of the old copy is curdied, and an might by an easy and common errror be inserted by the printer for an l.

Vol.

P. 496.-290.-217.

This is a poor epitome of yours,

Which by the interpretation of full time

May show like all yourself.

I think with Malone that there is no reason to suspect a corruption here.

Were you in my stead, say, would you have heard
A mother less? or granted less, Aufidius?

I continue to read with the modern editors, for the reason assigned by Mr. Steevens.

P. 502.-295.-224.

The Ladies make signs to Coriolanus.

Cor. Ay, by and by; [To Volumnia, Virgilia, &c.
But we will drink together; and you shall bear
A better witness back than words, which we,
On like conditions, will have counter-seal'd.

I think drink is the right reading.

Cor.

P. 509.-302.-233.

Hear'st thou, Mars?

Auf. Name not the god, thou boy of tears,-
Cor.

Auf. No more.

Ha!

I think Mr. Tyrwhitt is right.

Mar. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave,
what trade?

2 Cit. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me:
yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you.

Mar. What meanest thou by that? Mend me, thou
saucy fellow ?

I think both these speeches should be given to the same person; I do not perceive that it signifies whether they are given to Flavius or Marullus.

P. 9.-313.-249.

Bru. Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires;
I'll leave you.

Cas. Brutus, I do observe you now of late :
I have not from your eyes that gentleness,
And show of love, as I was wont to have.

I do not suspect any corruption here.

P. 14.-318.-255.

Cas. O! you and I have heard our fathers say,
There was a Brutus once, that would have brook'd
The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome,
As easily as a king.

I think eternal is the right reading.

P. 21.-324.-263.

Casca. Against the Capitol I met a lion,
Who glar'd upon me, and went surly by,
Without annoying me.

I say with Mr. Steevens glar'd is certainly the right word. Mr. Malone's phlegmatic note well deserv'd to be perstringed in the manner Mr. Steevens has done it in his second note on this passage in the edition of 1793.

Cas.

P. 25.-328.-269.

For now, this fearful night,

There is no stir, or walking in the streets;

And the complexion of the element,

Is favour'd, like the work we have in hand,
Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible.

I think we may read either is favour'd, or in favours.

Bru.

P. 28.-331.-273.

But 'tis a common proof,
That lowliness is young ambition's ladder,
Whereto the climber-upward turns his face:
But when he once attains the utmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend.

Mr. M. Mason is right.

Brutus

P. 29.-332.-274.

opens the Letter, and reads.

Brutus, thou sleep'st; awake, and see thyself.
Shall Rome, &c. Speak, strike, redress!
Brutus, thou sleep'st; awake,-

The &c. is neither in Theobald's edition, in Johnson's and Steevens's of 1785, nor in Malone's, in all of which, after the word Rome, there is a break-which I think is right. There is no note to inform us why the &c. was inserted in the edition of 1793.