Itself was all my treason; that I suffer'd, The offence which cost me so dear, was only your caprice. My sufferings have been all my crime. JOHNSON. The reading of the old copies, though corrupt, is generally nearer to the truth than that of the later editions, which, for the most part, adopt the orthography of their respective ages. An instance occurs in the play of Cymbeline, in the last scene. Belarius says to the king : Your pleasure was my near offence, my punish ment Itself, and all my treason. Dr. Johnson would read dear offence. In the folio it is neere; which plainly points out to us the true reading, meere, as the word was then spelt. TYRWHITT. 782. Thou weep'st, and speak'st.] "Thy tears give testimony to the sincerity of thy relation; and I have the less reason to be incredulous, because the actions which you have done within my knowledge are more incredible than the story which you relate." The king reasons very justly. JOHNSON. may you be,] The old copy reads-pray 804. you be. STEEVENS. 813. When you were so indeed.] The folio gives, When we were so, indeed. If this be right, we must read : Imo. I, you brothers. Arv. When we were so, indeed. JOHNSON. --fierce abridgment] Fierce, is vehement, 829. rapid. So, in Timon of Athens: JOHNSON. "Oh, the fierce wretchedness that glory brings!" STEEVENS. 830. Will serve our long-] So the first folio. Later editors have omitted our, for the sake of the metre, I suppose, but unnecessarily; as interrogatory is used by Shakspere as a word of five syllables. See the Merchant of Venice, near the end, where in the old edition it is written intergatory. TYRWHITT. Mr. Reed thinks this word was generally used as one of five syllables in our author's time. So, in Novella, by Brome, act ii. scene 1. 66 -Then you must answer "To these intergatories." 874. sprightly shews] Are ghostly appear ances. STEEVENS, 878. Make no collection of it:] A collection is a corollary, a consequence deduced from premises. So, in Sir John Davies's poem on The Immortality of the Soul: "When she, from sundry arts, one skill doth draw; "Gath'ring from divers fights, one act of war; "From many cases like, one rule of law: "These her collections, not the senses are." STEEVENS. 908. My peace we will begin :-] I think it better to read: By peace we will begin. 913. On whom Heaven's justice] reads: JOHNSON. The old copy Whom Heavens, in justice, both on her and hers MALONE. THE END. |