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.

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. 454-363.-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.

Gent.

P. 461.-364.-268.

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.

King.

P. 474.-380.-291.

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.

1 Clo.

P. 481.-387.-301.

Go, get thee to Yaughan, and

fetch me a stoup of liquor.

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

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. That on "To be or not to be is disputable." I am afraid I am in the predicament of those who incurred Dr. Johnson's contempt.

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.

Rod. Tush, never tell me, I take it much unkindly,
That thou, Iago,—who hast had my purse,

As if the strings were thine,-should'st know of this.
Iago. 'Sblood, but you will not hear me:-

If ever I did dream of such a matter,

Abhor me.

I prefer the reading of the folio, which omits these words. The folio has been followed by Theobald and the edition of 1785.

Iago.

Ibid.

Three great ones of the city,
In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,
Oft capp'd to him.

I prefer the reading of the folio off-capp'd, which has been followed by Theobald and the edition of 1785. I do not think that we are to understand that these great men had often repeated their suit to Othello. I see no reason to suppose that they did not receive their answer, such as it was, on their first application.

P. 538.-442.-378.

And what was he?

Forsooth, a great arithmetician,
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,

A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife.