Ros. Much, in the letters; nothing, in the praise. Ros. 'Ware pencils! How? let me not die your My red dominical, my golden letter: O, that your face were not fo full of O's! рох KATH. A pox of that jeft! and befhrew all fhrows!? 'Ware pencils!] The former editions read: 66 Were pencils" Sir T. Hanmer here rightly restored: "Ware pencils". Rofaline, a black beauty, reproaches the fair Katharine for painting. JOHNSON. Johnfon mistakes the meaning of this fentence; it is not a reproach, but a cautionary threat. Rofaline fays that Biron had drawn her picture in his letter; and afterwards playing on the word letter, Katharine compares her to a text B. Rofaline in reply advifes her to beware of pencils, that is of drawing likeneffes, left fhe fhould retaliate; which the afterwards does, by comparing her to a red dominical letter, and calling her marks of the finall pox oes. M. MASON. - fo full of O's!] Shak fpeare talks of " fiery O's and eyes of light," in A Midfummer-Night's Dream. STEEVENS. 9 Pox of that jeft! and befbrew all brows!]" Pox of that jeft!" Mr. Theobald is fcandalized at this language from a princess. But there needs no alarm-the small pax only is alluded to; with which it feems, Katharine was pitted; or, as it is quaintly expreffed, "her face was full of O's." Davifon has a canzonet on his lady's fickneffe of the poxe: and Dr. Donne writes to his fifter" at my return from Kent, I found Pegge had the Poxe-I humbly thank God, it hath not much disfigured her." FARMER. A pox of that jeft! &c.] This line which in the old copies is given to the princefs, Mr. Theobald rightly attributed to Katharine. The metre, as well as the mode of expreffion, fhew that-—“ I befhrew," the reading of these copies, was a mistake of the transcriber. MALONE. PRIN. But what was fent to you from fair Du main ?2 KATH. Madam, this glove. PRIN. Did he not send you twain? KATH. Yes, madam; and moreover, Some thousand verses of a faithful lover: A huge tranflation of hypocrify. Vilely compil'd, profound fimplicity. MAR. This, and these pearls, to me fent Longaville; The letter is too long by half a mile. PRIN. I think no less; Doft thou not wifh in heart, The chain were longer, and the letter fhort? MAR. Ay, or I would thefe hands might never part. PRIN. We are wife girls, to mock our lovers so. Ros. They are worfe fools, to purchase mocking fo. That fame Birón I'll torture ere I go. O, that I knew he were but in by the week!' 2 But what was fent to you from fair Dumain?] The old copies, after But infert Katharine. We fhould therefore read: 3 But, Katharine, what was fent you from Dumain ?” RITSON. in by the week!] This I fuppofe to be an expreffion taken from hiring fervants or artificers; meaning, I wish I was as fure of his fervice for any time limited, as if I had hired him. The expreffion was a common one. So, in Vittoria Corombona, 1612: "What, are you in by the week? So; I will try now whether thy wit be close prifoner." Again, in the Wit of a Woman, 1604: "Since I am in by the week, let me look to the year." And wait the season, and obferve the times, wholly to my behefts;] The quarto, 1598, and the first folio, read to my device. The emendation, which the rhyme confirms, was made by the editor of the fecond folio, and is one of the very few corrections of any value to be found in that copy. MALONE. Mr. Malone, however, admits three other corrections from the fecond folio, in this very fheet. STEEVENS. And make him proud to make me proud that jefts!] The meaning of this obfcure line feems to be, I would make him proud to flatter "me who make a mock of his flattery. Edinburgh Magazine for Nov. 1786. STEEVENS. 3 So portent-like, &c.] In former copies : So pertaunt-like, would I o'er-fway his ftate, That he should be my fool, and I his fate. In old farces, to show the inevitable approaches of death and deftiny, the Fool of the farce is made to employ all his ftratagems to avoid Death or Fate; which very ftratagems, as they are ordered, bring the Fool, at every turn, into the very jaws of Fate. this Shakspeare alludes again in Measure for Measure: - merely thou art Death's Fool; "For him thou labour'ft by thy flight to fhun, "And yet run'ft towards him ftill To It is plain from all this, that the nonfenfe of pertaunt-like, fhould be read, portent-like, i. e. I would be his fate or destiny, and, like a portent, hang over, and influence his fortunes. For portents were not only thought to forebode, but to influence. So the Latins called a perfon destined to bring mifchief, fatale portentum. WARBURTON. The emendation appeared first in the Oxford edition. MALONE. Until fome proof be brought of the existence of fuch characters as Death and the Fool, in old farces, (for the mere affertion of Dr. Warburton is not to be relied on,) this paffage must be literally underftood, independently of any particular allufion. The old reading might probably mean-fo fcoffingly would I o'erfway," &c. The initial letter in Stowe, mentioned by Mr. Reed in Measure for Measure, here cited, has been altogether mifunderstood. It is only 6 PRIN. None are so surely caught, when they are catch'd, As wit turn'd fool: folly, in wisdom hatch'd, Hath wisdom's warrant, and the help of fchool; And wit's own grace to grace a learned fool. Ros. The blood of youth burns not with such excefs, As gravity's revolt to wantonnefs." MAR. Folly in fools bears not so strong a note, As foolery in the wife, when wit doth dote; Since all the power thereof it doth apply, To prove, by wit, worth in fimplicity. Enter BOYET. PRIN. Here comes Boyet, and mirth is in his face. BOYET. O, I am stabb'd with laughter! Where's her grace? PRIN. Thy news, Boyet? BOYET. Prepare, madam, prepare! Arm, wenches, arm! encounters mounted are Mufter your wits; ftand in your own defence; a copy from an older letter which formed part of a Death's Dance, in which Death and the Fool were always reprefented. I have feveral of thefe alphabets. DOUCE. 6 None are fo, &c.] Thefe are obfervations worthy of a man who has furveyed human nature with the closest attention. JOHNSON. 7 to wantonnefs.] The quarto, 1598, and the first folio have -to wantons be. For this emendation we are likewife indebted to the fecond folio. MALONE. PRIN. Saint Dennis to faint Cupid! What are they, That charge their breath against us? fay, fcout, fay. BOTET. Under the cool fhade of a fycamore, That well by heart hath conn'd his embaffage : I fhould have fear'd her, had he been a devil. Making the bold wag by their praises bolder. 'One rubb'd his elbow, thus; and fleer'd, and swore, A better speech was never spoke before: 8 Saint Dennis, to faint Cupid!]The princefs of France invokes, with too much levity, the patron of her country, to oppose his power to that of Cupid. JOHNSON. Johnfon cenfures the Princefs for invoking with fo much levity the patron of her country, to oppofe his power to that of Cupid; but that was not her intention. Being determined to engage the King and his followers, the gives for the word of battle St. Dennis, as the King, when he was determined to attack her, had given for the word of battle St. Cupid: 64 Saint Cupid then, and foldiers to the field." M. MASON. |