nifies, into wrinkles,' an affertion unfupported by any other proof than a quotation out of the Merchant of Venice which is nothing to his purpose, and teaches us only, that mirth and laughter will bring on wrinkles as well as age, I am inclined to think Mr. Theobald's conjecture, in jeers, bids fairest for being the true reading.

P. 272. Do not you know my Lady's foot by th' Squier. From the French word, efquierre, a rule, or fquare. The fenfe is nearly the fame as that of the proverbial expreffion in our own language, He hath got the length of her foot; that is, he hath humoured her fo long that he can perfuade her to what he pleases.

P. 274. A bare throw at novum.

I fuppofe it should be, A fair throw at novem,' as it carried fomething more than half that number.

P. 280. I have feen the day of right through the little bole of difcretion.

The common reading was, I have feen the days of wrong. But this Mr. Warburton tells us hath no meaning. Why fo? I fuppofe the poet meant, I have been duly confidering the wrong I have received to day, as a difcreet man ought, who doth nothing but upon mature deliberation; and my determination now is, that I will right myfelf like a foldier. Mr. Warburton's conjecture, as he himself interprets it, flatly contradicts this laft refolution. The man who profeffes prudently to referve himfelf for the juftice he hopes will one day be done him by others, can never in the fame breath declare, that he will right himfelf like a foldier.

P. 281.

P. 281. And often, at its very loofe, decides

That, which long process could not arbitrate.

At its very loofe, means, as I apprehend, at its getting loose, or parting.

P. 283. If this, cr more than this, I would deny, To fetter up thefe powers of mine with reft. This too is an emendation of Mr. Warburton's, which he himself interprets, If I would not do more than this to gain my wonted repofe;' but in plain English fignifies, If I would not do more than this in order to fall asleep. The common reading,

To fatter up these powers of mine with rest,

gives us a much better fenfe; If I would not do even more than this in the flattering expectation of obtaining ease at laft by your favourable allowance of my paffion.

P. 286. Do paint the meadows much-bedight. Though Mr. Warburton is pleased to call that part of the common reading,

Do paint the meadows with delight,

which differs from his own conjecture, a fenfelefs expletive,' the reader will readily fee that it is done only to put off his own wares the better. The meaning is evidently, Do give the meadows a florid and delightful afpect. Thus the image is improved by fuggefting the effect it hath on the human mind. This is more than can be faid of Mr. Warburton's trivial unmeaning epithet. See the Canons of Criticism, p. 19.

P. 287.

P. 287. While greafy Jone doth keel the pot. The monthly Magazines have taught us, that the verb, keel, is a northern word, and fignifies to cool ; and that the meaning of the who'e line is, While the greafy houfe-maid doth by the help of her ladie cool the pot, and prevent the broth from boiling ever, which he is preparing for the fupper of the labourers at their return from the field.

As you like it.

P. 291. As I remember, Adam, it was upon this, my father bequeathed me by will, but a poor thousand

crowns.

The old reading was, it was upon this fashion bequeathed me by will,' which plainly indicates, that fomething neceffary to compleat and support the conftruction had been accidentally omitted. Now from the near resemblance between fashion and father, it feems extremely probable that this laft word was the word omitted, which led in confequence to the omiffion also of the poffeffive, my. I fuppofe therefore that our poet wrote, As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion; my father bequeathed me,' &c. Mr. Warburton's correction leaves the conftruction ftill lame and imperfect. It was upon 'this,'-Upon what? Why, upon fomething that had been talked of before the play begins, and of which the reader is left entirely ignorant. This, I think, falls very little short of the whisper of the Ufher and the Phyfician to the Kings of Brentford, and of Prince Prettyman's refolution in his fleep.

P. 292. Stys me bere at home.

The rules of just criticism condemn all alteration,

where

where the authentick reading affords a good fenfe, and the emendation is founded merely in the pretext of greater elegance, or ftronger expreffion. I am therefore for retaining the ancient reading, Stays me here at home. It is no reafon for intruding a word whereever we can find place for it, that the poet had ufed it once before; though I am sensible that a great part of modern criticifm refts on no better a foundation.

P. 294. Albeit, I confefs your coming before me is nearer to his revenue.

6

For the reafon mentioned in the preceding note, we ought to re-establish the ancient reading, nearer to his reverence.

P. 296. For the new Duke's daughter her coufin. The interpolation of the word, new, without authority from any of the editions, is quite unneceffary, and could proceed only from an itch of emendation. The words which follow, her coufin, fufficiently dif tinguish the perfon intended.

P. 300. One, that old Frederick your father loves. It appears from the latter end of this play, p. 384, that Frederick was the father of Celia, not of Rofalind, as Mr. Theobald hath rightly obferved. It fhould be added too that thefe words are addreffed to Celia, in answer to a question fhe had just asked. 'Tis with great propriety therefore, and very justly, that the fame gentleman hath transferred the reply from Rofalind to Celia.

P. 301. Rof. With bills on their necks.

Clo. Be it known unto all men by thefe prefents.

Mr. Warburton first divided this fpeech between

Rofa

Rofalind and the Clown; the preceding editions give the whole to Rofalind; and rightly, for it contains only a very poor pun on what Le Beu had just faid, That the young men were men of excellent prefence.' The impropriety of Mr. Warburton's divifion and explication of this paffage is fufficiently fhewn in the Canons of Criticism, p. 78.

P. 302. But is there any elfe longs to fet this broken mufick in his fides?

The old reading was, to fee this broken mufick,' which Mr. Warburton tells us is a ftupid error, for that the pleasantry of the repartee must confift in the allufion to the compofing in mufick; from whence it neceffarily follows that the poet wrote, "to fet this broken mufick." I must own myself dull enough not to comprehend the pleafantry of this allufion, nor can I form any image of a man whose ribs have been broken in wrestling, compofing, or fetting mufick in his fides. Poffibly the poet might have written, get this broken mufick in his fides.'

P. 303. If you saw your felf with our eyes, or knew your felf with our judgment.

A very modest propofal truly, that Orlando, who must have been taught by experience the measure of his own fkill and ftrength, fhould rather refer himfelf to the judgment upon the first view of two ladies to whom he was till that moment a perfect franger. The common reading was, 'If you faw your felf with your own eyes, or knew your felf with your judgment.' The fenfe of which feems to be, If you would give credit to the faithful report of your own eyes, and to the cool dictates of your judgment, rather than fuffer yourself to be feduced by the buld spirits of your youth. What is there abfurd in this? But the ufual train of Mr. Warburton's