understood, we find in the fecond folio, I pray you go home to dinner with me. And in Othello, not having fagacity enough to fee that apines was printed by a mere tranfpofition of the letters, for paines, งว Though I do hate him, as I do hell apines, inftead of correcting the word, he evaded the difficulty by omitting it, and exhibited the line in an imperfect ftate. The Duke of York, in the third part of King Henry VI. exclaims, "That face of his the hungry cannibals "Would not have touch'd, would not have ftain'd with Thefe lines being thus carelessly arranged in the firft folio: That face of his The hungry cannibals would not have touch'd, the editor of the fecond folio, leaving the first line imperfect as he found it, completed the last line by this abfurd interpolation: "Would not have ftain'd the roses juft with blood.” These are but a few of the numerous corruptions and interpolations found in that copy, from the editor's ignorance of Shakspeare's phraseology. II. Let us now examine how far he was acquainted with the metre of these plays. In The Winter's Tale, A& III. fc. ii. we find What wheels? racks ? fires? what flaying? boiling? Not knowing that fires was used as a diffyllable, he added the word burning at the end of the line: What wheels? racks? fires? what flaying? boiling? burning?" So again, in Julius Cæfar, A&t III. fc. ii. from the fame ignorance, the word all has been interpolated by this editor: And with the brands fire all the traitors' houses." inftead of the reading of the original and authentick copy, And with the brands fire the traitors' houses." Again, in Macbeth: I would, while it was fmiling in my face, As you have done to this." Not perceiving that fworn was used as a diffyllable, had I but fo fworn." he reads Charms our poet fometimes ufes as a word of two fyllables. Thus, in The Tempest, Act I. fc. ii. Curs'd be I, that did fo! All the charms," &c. instead of which this editor gives us, Curs'd be I, that I did fo! All the charms," &c. Hour is almost always ufed by Shakspeare as a diffyllable, but of this the editor of the fecond folio was ignorant; for instead of these lines in King Richard II. 66 ———— So fighs, and tears, and groans, Runs pofting on, &c. time he gives us 66 So fighs, and tears, and groans, Shew minutes, times, and hours: 0 but my time," &c. So again, in The Comedy of Errors: I'll meet you in that place, fome hour, fir, hence," inftead of the original reading, 19 I'll meet you in that place fome hour hence. Again, in The Winter's Tale, Act I. sc. ii. wifhing clocks more fwift? Hours, minutes? the noon, midnight? and all eyes," &c. 1 inftead of the original reading, Hours, minutes? noon, midnight? and all eyes," &c. • In Measure for Meafure we find thefe lines: 66-- Merciful heaven! &c. Thou rather, with thy fharp and fulphurous bolt, Split'ft the unwedgeable and gnarled oak, Than the foft mirtle;-But man, proud man, There can be no doubt that a word was omitted in the laft line; perhaps fome epithet to mirtle. But the editor of the fecond folio, reforting to his ufual expedient, abfurdly reads: ❝ Than the soft mirtle. O but man, proud man, So, in Titus Andronicus, A&t III. fc. ii. complaynet being corruptly printed inftead of complayner, Speechlefs complaynet, I will learn thy thoughts,this editor with equal abfurdity, reads: 66 Speechlefs complaint, O, I will learn thy thoughts." I have again and again had occafion to mention in the notes on thefe plays, that omiffion is of all the errors of the prefs that which most frequently happens. On collating the fourth edition of King Richard III. printed in 1612, with the fecond printed in 1598, I found no lefs than twenty-jix words omitted. Again, in All's well that ends well, Act II. fc. iii. "Which challenges itself as honours born, And is not like the fire. Honours thrive," &c. This editor, not knowing that fire was used as a diffyllable, reads: And is not like the fire. Honours beft thrive," &c. So, in King Henry VI. P. I. Rescued is Orleans from the English." Not knowing that English was used as a trifyllable, he has completed the line, which he fuppofed defective, according to his own fancy, and reads: ❝ Rescu'd is Orleans from the English wolves." The fame play furnishes us with various other proofs of his ignorance of our poet's metre. Thus, inftead of Orleans the baftard, Charles, Burgundy.-" he has printed (not knowing that Charles was used as a word of two fyllables,) Orleans the baftard, Charles, and Burgundy." So, instead of the original reading, Divineft creature, Aftræa's daughter,—" (Aftraa being used as a word of three fyllables,) ho has printed Divineft creature, bright Aftræa's daughter." Again, ibidem: Whereas the contrary bringeth blifs." Not knowing that contrary was used as a word of four fyllables, he reads: "Whereas the contrary bringeth forth blifs." So fure is used in the fame play, as a difsyllable: . Glofter, we'll meet: to thy coft, be sure.” but this editor, not aware of this, reads: Glofter, we'll meet; to thy dear coft, be sure." Again, in King Henry VI. P. II. And fo to arms, victorious father, arms being used as a disyllable. But the fecond And fo to arms, victorious noble father." Again, in Twelfth Night, A& I. fc. i. we find 66 when liver, brain, and heart, Thefe fovereign thrones, are all fupply'd, and fill'd. (Her fweet perfections,) with one self-king.' for which the editor, not knowing that perfections was used as a quadrifyllable, has substituted 66 when liver, brain, and heart, Thefe fovereign thrones, are all supply'd, and fill'd, (Her fweet perfections) with one self-fame king." Again, in King Henry VI. P. II. ❝ Prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king.” for which the editor of the fecond folio, not knowing Henry to be used as a trifyllable, gives us, But prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king." |
