P. 194. (133) "Whose youth, like wanton boys through bonfires, Seward printed "Whose freaks of youth," &c.—Some word has probably dropt out here; but the construction of the passage is such as our early writers frequently employ: the poet wrote "youth. . . . HAVE" on account of the intervening "boys :" see note 100. ... i.e. stop, hold there.-Mason, not being aware how common this expression is, would read "Hold, there." Weber marked this scene "An Apartment in the Palace." See note 147. The old eds. have "some Attendants, T. Tucke: Curtis." See note 117. P. 202. (140) The old eds. have no point between "well" and "pencill'd.”—Seward printed "Which Time shall shew well pencill'd."-The editors of 1778, "Which sometime shew well-pencill'd ;" and so Mr. Knight.-The punctuation which I give (with Weber) was proposed by Mason, who observes, "The meaning is, She shall see deeds of honour actually performed, which shew well, even when represented in painting." I may add that Heath (Ms. Notes) had anticipated Mason in this punctuation. "Which sometime show well, pencill'd :" P. 202. (141) "the price and garland To crown the questant's title." The old eds. instead of "questant's" have "Questions ;" with which Mr. Collier (note on The Merry Wives of Windsor, act iii. sc. 4,-Shakespeare, vol. i. p. 222, sec. ed.) compares the error of the folio Shakespeare 1632, where in All's well that ends well, act ii. sc. 1, the misprint "question" for " questant” occurs. When Mr. Collier (ibid.) says that here “price” should be “prize,” he forgot that "price" is common in the sense of reward. P. 203. (143) "Omit a ward, or forfeit an offence," "Mr. Sympson would read' defence;' but ward' and' defence' is the same thing. Offence' is the reverse toward,' as weapons of offence and defence. To forfeit an offence, therefore, is to miss the opportunity of striking some advantageous blow, that might give the victory." SEWARD. P. 203. (144) "What is the chance?" These words are followed in the old eds. by "Enter Servant :" but it is plain that Emilia was not left unattended; see the speech of Theseus in p. 202. Was omitted by Seward; and so the editors of 1778. "The word' else' should not be struck out, as it is frequently introduced in these plays [of Beaumont and Fletcher] in the same manner. It is quite in the style of the authors." Can the circumstance be accidental? I think not." Walker's Crit. Exam. &c. vol. iii. p. 346. P. 206. (147) "The same part of the forest," &c. Weber marked this scene "An open Place in the City with a Scaffold," in spite of what Theseus presently says (p. 209); "In this place first you fought; even very here I sunder'd you." too the speech of Theseus, p. 177; "You shall both to your country," &c. Seward gave, with Theobald, "unwarp'd;" and so the editors of 1778.-Mr. Knight prints "unwappen'd." The correction of Seward, who compares the following passage at p. 210; 'He kept him tweene his legges, on his hind hoofes on end he stands ;' [the folio of 1679 putting a (before the hemistich to connect it immediately with what precedes ;] from which it should seem that the first part of the second line was omitted by the compositor, being illegible in the manuscript. The sense is, however, perfect as it stands." WEber. |