Implore her, in my voice, that fhe make friends Such as moves men; befide, fhe hath profperous art, Lucio. I pray, the may: as well for the encouragement of the like, which elfe would stand under grievous impofition'; as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be forry fhould be thus foolishly loft at a game of tick-tack 2. I'll to her. Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio. Claud. Come, officer, away. SCENE A Monaftery. [Exeunt. VI. Enter Duke, and Friar Thomas. Duke. No; holy father; throw away that thought; Believe not that the dribbling dart of love 9 •prone and speechlefs dialet,] Prone, I believe, is ufed here for prompt, fignificant, expreffive (though fpeechlefs), as in our author's Rape of Lucrece it means ardent, bead-ftrong, rushing forward to its object: O that prone luft fhould ftain fo pure a bed!" MALONE. Prone, perhaps, may stand for bumble, as a prone pofture is a pofture of fupplication. So, in the Opportunity, by Shirley, 1640: "You have proftrate language." The fame thought occurs in the Winter's Tale: "The filence often of pure innocence << Perfuades, when speaking fails." Sir W. D'Avenant, in his alteration of the play, changes prone to feet. I mention fome of his variations, to thew that what appear difficulties to us were difficulties to him, who living nearer the time of Shakspeare, might be fuppofed to have understood his language more intimately. STEEVENS. 1-under grievous impofition;] I once thought it should be inquifition; but the prefent reading is probably right. The crime would be under grievous penalties impofed. JOHNSON. 2 loft at a game of tick-tack.] Tick-tack is a game at tables. "Jouer au tric-trac" is used in French, in a wanton fenfe. MALONE. VOL. II. Can Can pierce a cómplete bofom: why I defire thee More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends Fri. T. May your grace speak of it? Duke. My holy fir, none better knows than you (A man of ftricture, and firm abftinence) Duke. We have ftrict ftatutes, and moft biting laws, (The needful bits and curbs to head-ftrong steeds,) Which for these fourteen years we have let fleep 7; 3 Believe not that the dribbling dart of love Even Can pierce a complete bofom :] Think not that a breast completely armed can be pierced by the dart of love, that comes fluttering without force. JOHNSON. 4the life remov'd;] i. e. a life of retirement, a life removed from the bustle of the world. STEEVENS. So, in Hamlet: "It wafts you to a more removed ground."MALONE. 5- and witless bravery-] Bravery in old language often means, Splen-dour of drefs. And was fupplied by the fecond folio. MALONE. 6 Aman of stricture,] Stricture for fritnefs. JOHNSON. 7 We have strict ftatutes, and most biting laws, (The needful bits and curbs to bead-ftrong steeds,) Which for thefe fourteen years we have let fleep ;] The old copy reads-head-ftrong weeds, and let flip. Both the emendations were made by Mr. Theobald. The latter may derive fupport (as he has obferved) from a fubfequent line in this play: "The law hath not been dead, though it hath fept." So, alfo, from a paffage in Hamlet: How ftand I then, If flip be the true reading, (which, however, I do not believe,) the fenfe may Even like an o'er-grown lion in a cave, That goes not out to prey: Now, as fond fathers Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd: fo our decrees, And liberty plucks juftice by the nofe; The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart Fri. T. It refted in your grace To unloofe this tied-up juftice, when you pleas'd: Duke. I do fear, too dreadful : Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope, And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my father, Who may, in the ambush of my name, ftrike home, To do it flander': And to behold his fway, may be, which for thefe fourteen years we have fuffered to pass unnoticed, unobserved; for fo the fame phrafe is ufed in Twelfth Night: Let him let this matter flip, and I'll give him my horse, grey Capulet." Mr. Theobald altered fourteen to nineteen, to make the Duke's account correfpond with a fpeech of Claudio's in a former fcene, but without neceffity; for our author is often incorrect in the computation of time. MALONE. Theobald's correction is mifplaced. If any correction is really neceffary, it should have been made where Claudio, in a foregoing line, fays nineteen years. I am difpofed to take the Duke's words. WHALLEY. 8 Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd:] Becomes was added by Mr. Pope to restore fenfe to the paffage, fome fuch word having been left out. STEEVENS. 9 Sith] i. e. fince. STEEVENS. 1 To do it flander :] The original copy reads To do in flander. The emendation was Sir Thomas Hanmer's. In the preceding line the first folio appears to have-fight; which feems to be countenanced by the words ambush and ftrike. Sight was introduced by Mr. Pope. MALONE. I will, as 'twere a brother of your order, Vifit both prince and people: therefore, I pr'ythee, 2 Like a true friar. More reasons for this action, Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA. Ifab. And have you nuns no farther privileges ? Ifab. Yes, truly: I fpeak not as defiring more; Fran. It is a man's voice: Gentle Isabella, You may, I unfworn : may not; you are yet When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men, But in the presence of the prioress: Then, if you speak, you must not fhew your face; Or, if shew your face, you muft not speak. you He calls again; I pray you, anfwer him. [Exit FRAN. Ijab. Peace and profperity! Who is't that calls? Hanmer's emendation is fupported by a paffage in Henry IV. P. I: "Do me no flander, Douglafs, I dare fight." STEEVENS." 2- in perfon bear me] Me, which feems to have been accidentally omitted in the old copy, was inferted by Mr. Steevens. MALONE. So, in the Tempest: fome good inftruction give, "How I may bear me here." STEEVENS. 3 Stands at a guard] Stands on terms of defiance. JOHNSON. Ente Enter LUCIO. Lucia. Hail, virgin, if you be; as thofe cheek-rofes Proclaim you are no lefs! Can you fo ftead me, As bring me to the fight of Ifabella, A novice of this place, and the fair fifter To her unhappy brother Claudio? Ifab. Why her unhappy brother? let me afk; The rather, for I now muft make you know I am that Ifabella, and his fifter. Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you: Not to be weary with you, he's in prifon. Ifab. Woe me! For what? Lucio. For that, which, if myfelf might be his judge, He fhould receive his punishment in thanks: He hath got his friend with child. Ifab. Sir, mock me not:-your flory 5. Lucio. 'Tis true:-I would not .-Though 'tis my familiar fin With 4 For that, which, if myself might be bis judge,] Perhaps these words were tranfpofed at the prefs. The fenfe feems to require-That, for which, &c. MALONE. 5 Sir, make me not your flory.] Thus the old copy. I have no doubt that we ought to read (as I have printed,) Sir, mock me not :-your ftory. So, in Macbeth: "Thou com'ft to use thy tongue :-thy story quickly." In King Lear we have- Pray, do not mock me." I befeech you, Sir, (fays label) do not play upon my fears; referve this idle talk for fome other occafion;-proceed at once to your tale. Lucio's fubfequent words, ["'Tis true," i. e. you are right; I thank you for reminding me ;] which, as the text has been hitherto printed, had no meaning, are then pertinent and clear. Mr. Pope was fo fenfible of the impoffibility of reconciling them to what preceded in the old copy, that he fairly omitted them. What Ifabella fays afterwards, fully fupports this emendation: "You do blafpheme the good, in mocking me." I have obferved that almoft every paffage in our author, in which there is either a broken speech, or a fudden tranfition without a connecting particle, has been corrupted by the careleffness of either the tran4criber or compofitor. See a note on Love's Labour's Loft, Act II. Sc.i: "A man of fovereign, peerless, he's esteem'd." And another on Coriolanus, Act I. Scene iv : "You fhames of Rome! you herd ofBoils and plagues • I would not.] i, e. Be aflured, I would not mock you. So after C 3 wards : |