(If ever I remember to be holy) Eli. Come hither, little kinsman; [Exit Faulc. K. John. [to Hubert on the other fide.] K. John. Good friend, thou haft no cause to say fo yet, But thou shalt have-and creep Time ne'er fo flow, I had a thing to fay-but, let it go: (19) If the mid-night Bell Did with his iron Tongue, and brazen Mouth, Sound Sound on into the drowzy race of Night;] I do not think, that found on gives here that Idea of Solemnity and Horror, which, 'tis plain, our Poet intended to imprefs by this fine Defcription; and which my Emendation conveys. i. e. If it were the ftill part of the Night, or One of the Clock in the Morning, when the Sound of the Bell ftrikes. upon the Ear with most Awe and Terror. And it is very ufual with our ShakeSpeare in other Paffages to express the Horror of a Midnight Bell. So, in Othello; Silence that dreadful Bell, it frights the Isle. what's the Business, That fuch an hideous Trumpet calls to Parley Macbeth. And Sound One unto the drow fie race of night; Had bak'd thy blood and made it heavy-thick, Or if that thou could't fee me without eyes, K. John. Do not I know, thou would'st ? Good Hubert, Hubert, Hubert, throw thine eye And, wherefoe'er this foot of mine doth tread, Hub. And I'll keep him fo, That he shall not offend your Majesty. K. John. Death. Hub. My lord? K. John. A Grave. Hub. He fhall not live. K. John. Enough. I could be merry now. Hubert, I love thee And fometimes, for the more Solemnity, he is used to add the Circum ftance of the particular Hour. The iron Tongue of Midnight hath toll' & twelve. The Bell then beating One. P 2 Midfum. Night's Dream. Hamlet. Well, Well, I'll not fay what I intend for thee: [Returning to the Queen. I'll fend thofe Pow'rs o'er to your Majesty. K. John. For England, Coufin, go. Hubert fhall be your man, t'attend on you With all true duty; On, toward Calais, ho! [Exeunt. SCENE changes to the French Court. Enter King Philip, Lewis, Pandulpho, and Attendants. K. Philip. Swhole Armado of collected fail Is scatter'd and disjoin'd from fellowship. Pand. Courage and comfort, all fhall yet go well. K, Philip. What can go well, when we have run fo ill? Are we not beaten? Is not Angiers loft? Arthur ta'en Pris'ner? diverfe dear friends flain? And bloody England into England gone, O'er-bearing interruption, fpight of France? Lewis. What he hath won, that hath he fortify'd: So hot a speed with fuch advice difpos'd, Such temp'rate order in fo fierce a cause, Doth want example; who hath read, or heard, Of any kindred action like to this? K. Philip. Well could I bear that England had this praise, So we could find fome pattern of our fhame. Enter Conftance. Look, who comes here? a Grave unto a foul, In the vile prison of afflicted breath I pr'ythee, lady, go away with me. Conft. Lo, now, now fee the iffue of your Peace. ftance. Conft. Conft. No, I defie all counfel, all redress, K. Philip. O fair affliction, peace. Conft. No, no, I will not, having breath to cry; Pand. Lady, you utter madness, and not forrow. (20) And fcorns a modeft Invocation.] So Mr. Pope: but I have thought fit to restore the Reading of the old Copies. 'Tis certain, our Author employs this Word, modern, in a great many places, very cramply. But we fhall always understand him, if we but carry this Remark with us; that he generally uses it in the Signification of trifling, infignifi cant, not weighty, of fmall Moment, &c. Thus his Senfe will be always clear to us; as it were, metaphorically, from thofe, who defpife modern Things, and prefer the Antient to them. P 3 How How I may be deliver'd of these woes, K. Philip. Bind up thofe treffes; O, what love I note Conft. To England, if you will. K. Philip. Bind up your hairs. Conft. Yes, that I will; and wherefore will I do it? And will again commit them to their Bonds; And, father Cardinal, I have heard you fay, For fince the birth of Cain, the first male-child, There was not fuch a gracious Creature born. When I fhall meet him in the Court of Heav'n Pand. You hold too heinous a refpect of grief. K. Philip. You are as fond of grief, as of your child. is Conft. |