69 Vice's dagger-] By vice here the poet means that droll character in the old plays (which I have several times mentioned in the course of these notes) equipped with asses ears and a wooden dagger. It was very satirical in Falstaff to compare Shallow's activity and impertinence to such a machine as a wooden dagger in the hands and management of a buffoon.

THEOBALD.

79 Turning your books to graves,] For graves Dr. Warburton very plausibly reads glaves, and is followed by Sir Thomas Hanmer.

71

JOHNSON.

7 My brother-general, the commonwealth, &c.] The sense is this, "My brother general, the common"wealth, which ought to distribute its benefits

equally, is become an enemy to those of his own "house, to brothers born, by giving some all, and "others none; and this (says he) I make my quarrel

or grievance that honours are unequally distri"buted;" the constant birth of male-contents, and source of civil commotions.

WARBURTON.

In the first folio the second line is omitted, yet that reading, unintelligible as it is, has been followed by Sir T. Hanmer. How difficultly sense can be drawn from the best reading the explication of Dr. Warburton may show. I believe there is an error in the first line, which perhaps may be rectified thus, My quarrel general, the common-wealth,

To brother born an household cruelty,

I make my quarrel in particular.

That is, my general cause of discontent is public mis

management; my particular cause a domestic injury done to my natural brother, who had been beheaded by the king's order.

JOHNSON.

I cannot agree with Dr. Johnson that the second line has any relation to the beheading of the lord Scroop. It must be confessed, indeed, that to have complained of this murder would have been very natural in the archbishop; but I am convinced, by the answer of Westmoreland and the retort of Mowbray, that he did not do it.

West.

it not belongs to you.

Mowb. Why not to him in part, and to us all? Surely if Scroop made the death of a brother the cause of his quarrel, it was the height of insolence in an opponent to say it was not his concern, and the. height of folly in a friend to say it concerned him in part, with the rest of the nation. I do not know that the critics will be satisfied with my emendation, but as I have pleased myself by the alteration of a single letter, I will, at least, run the risk of submitting it to their judgment.

My brother-general, the commonwealth,
(To brother born as household cruelty,)

I make my quarrel in particular.

That is, As an act of cruelty [or injustice] to one brother becomes cause of complaint [or quarrel] to another brother: so [cruelty or] injustice to the commonwealth at large, every member of which is, in a political sense, my brother, I take upon myself, as my particular (quarrel or] grievance.'

72 Of vanity and such picking grievances.] Picking means piddling, insignificant.

75 -in common sense,] I believe Shakspeare wrote common fence, i. e. drove by self-defence.

WARBURTON.

JOHNSON.

Common sense is the general sense of general danger. 74 -success of mischief-] for succession of mischiefs.

75 Exeunt.] It cannot but raise some indignation to find this horrible violation of faith passed over thus slightly by the poet, without any note of censure or detestation.

JOHNSON.

76 The heat is past—] i. e. the violence of resentment, the eagerness of revenge.

77-stand, my good lord, in your good report.] We must either read, pray let me stand, or, by a construction somewhat harsh, understand it thus: Give me leave to go-and-stand. To stand in a report, referred to the reporter, is to persist; and Falstaff did not ask the prince to persist in his present opinion.

JOHNSON.

78 a man cannot make him laugh;-] Falstaff speaks here like a veteran in life. The young prince did not love him, and he despaired to gain his affection, for he could not make him laugh. Men only become friends by community of pleasures. He who cannot be softened into gaiety cannot easily be melted into kindness.

JOHNSON.

79-forgetive-]From forge; inventive, imaginative.

I have him already tempering between my finger and thumb.] A very pleasant allusion to the old use of sealing with soft wax.

WARBURTON.

81 As humorous as winter-] That is, changeable as the weather of a winter's day. Dryden says of Almanzor, that he is humorous as wind.

JOHNSON.

82 As flaws congealed in the spring of day.] Alluding to the opinion of some philosophers, that the vapours being congealed in the air by cold (which is most intense towards the morning) and being afterwards rarified and let loose by the warmth of the sun, occasion those sudden and impetuous gusts of wind which are called flaws.

WARBURTON.

So Ben Jonson, in the Case is alter'd, 1609,

"Still wrack'd with winds more foul and con

trary

"Than any northern gust, or southern flaw."

STEEVENS.

83-the mure-] The mure, is, the wall. French,

mur.

34 Unfather'd heirs-] That is, Equivocal births; animals that had no animal progenitors; productions not brought forth according to the stated laws of generation.

JOHNSON.

85 -rigol-] Rigol means a circle. It is still used about Exeter.

86 Thou hast seal'd up my expectation:] Thou hast confirmed my opinion of thee.

87-shall double gild his treble guilt;] Evidently the nonsense of some foolish player: for we must

make a difference between what Shakspeare might be supposed to have written off hand, and what he had corrected. These scenes are of the latter kind; therefore such lines by no means to be esteemed his. But except Mr. Pope (who judiciously threw out this line) not one of Shakspeare's editors seem ever to have had so reasonable and necessary a rule in their heads, when they set upon correcting this author.

WARBURTON.

I know not why this commentator should speak with so much confidence what he cannot know, or determine so positively what so capricious a writer as our poet might either deliberately or wantonly produce. This line is indeed such as disgraces a few that precede and follow it, but it suits well enough with the daggers hid in thought, and whetted on the flinty hearts; and the answer which the prince makes, and which is applauded for wisdom, is not of a strain much higher than this ejected line. JOHNSON.

88-med cine potable-] There has long prevailed an opinion that a solution of gold has great medicinal virtues, and that incorruptibility of gold might be communicated to the body impregnated with it. Some have pretended to make potable gold among other frauds practised on credulity. 89-wounding supposed peace-] Supposed for undermined.

JOHNSON.

90 And all thy friends which thou must make thy friends,] Mr. Tyrwhitt suggests that we should read, And all my friends which thou must make THY