"It is difficult to conceive the precise meaning of wit. It cannot have the common ancient signification of knowledge, for we cannot conceive the propriety of Rhetia's purposely intending, without knowledge of the circumstance, to become his own antick." G. 19. W. 128.-Ambition, wealth, ease! I renounce the devil That damns ye here on earth. For this strange stuff, read Ambition, wealth, ease, I renounce; the devil G. 19. W. 128.-Cuculus, that gull, is coming this way. "A gull, as Mr. Steevens remarks, is a bird remarkable for the poverty of its feathers." This is well thought on; especially as the gull here meant is represented, by the poet himself, as " fantastically dressed;" and is, in fact, loaded with superfluous finery. 66 G. 19. W. 131.-My nurse's husband was a maker of shittlecocks. Every one is acquainted with this instrument; but the precise allusion which is concealed here I have not been able to discover." Our sagacious editor is always too wise for his author. Here is nothing but a simple affirmation. Again: "My nurse was a woman-surgeon.” Probably," he says, "a midwife;" or, "possibly," (it is added, on second thought,) " a practitioner of physic:" in conclusion, however, he delivers over the reader to flat despair, and declares that he cannot possibly "explain it." All this while Mr. Weber does not see that he has corrupted the original both in the text and the note on it. He reads, "A she-surgeon, which is, in fact, a mere matter of colour," whereas the poet's words are," A she-surgeon; which is, in effect, a mere matcher of colours:" that is, as the context shows, a dealer in paints and cosmetics. G. 22. W. 132.-Thy brains are stuck with cork and feather Cuculus, this learned courtier, &c. &c. Read: Thy brains are stuck with cork and feather, Cuculus. This learned courtier, too, &c. The person meant is Pelias. G. 23. W. 132-Bring forth moon-calves! do! Read: Bring forth moon-calves, fop, do. G. 28. IV. 137. Read: to set you forth. to set me forth. G. 29. W. 138.-You speak ingeniously. "Ingenious was anciently used for ingenuous." Never was a more idle observation: the speaker means as she says, i. e. wittily. G. 31. W. 139.-Truth and honour. Read: Truth or honour. G. 32. W. 140. a headpiece of woodcock without brains in. "It was a vulgar idea (Mr. Weber says) that the woodcock possessed no brains. So in Webster's Duchess of Malfy,' You do give for a crest a woodcock's head, with the brains picked out.”” How did it escape Mr. Weber that he himself could possess no brains, on this condition? It seems quite extraordinary, that he should never, by any accident, see the purport of one of the numerous quotations which he conveys, page after page, from the Variorum Shakspeare. G. 32. W. 141.-Hucksters set thee on their gingerbread. G. 33. IV. 142.-" To toss the pike and to toss the bar are the same games." Certainly not. The former was a military exercise; the latter was merely a trial of strength. G. 38. W.146.-You charm me. "So in Cynthia's Revels, How now! charm your tongue.' Excellent! in Ford, the expression means, you constrain me to speak; and in Jonson, it is an injunction to be silent! But this is Mr. Weber's usual luck. G. 38. W. 146.-Confined to the castle, where he now lies. Why was this simple passage corrupted? G. 39. W. 147.-At Athens she lived in the habit of a young man. Till within these three months, or less, her sweet hearty father dying some year before, or more, she had notice of it, and with much joy* returned home, and as report voiced it, at Athens enjoyed her happiness. She was long an exile. For now, noble sir, if you, &c. Simple folly seems unequal to the production of such nonsense. Read: At Athens she lived in the habit of a young man; till within these three months or less (her sweetheart's father dying some year before or more) she had notice of it, and with much joy returned home; and, as report voiced it at Athens, enjoyed the happiness she was long an exile for. Now, noble sir, if, &c. Alas, for Ford! what can the modern reader hitherto have seen of him? G. 40. W. 147.-And learn to read me well. i. e. to counsel, to advise." This "ancient sense of the verb," as Mr. Weber phrases it, has nothing to do here: to " read me well," is, to understand, to comprehend me. G. 42. IV. 149.-What new Ouzle's this? It is scarcely possible to find more contradictory trash, * The death of" a sweet hearty father" may seem an odd motive for "much joy;" not to add, that hearty people, whether sweet or not, are commonly supposed to be alive. than Mr. Weber has contrived to rake together on this simple word, which, after all, is left unexplained. G. 42. W. 149.--What fortunes? Read: What fortune? G. 46. W. 152.—The danger of a fond neglect. i. e. foolish. Sa indeed Mr. Weber's index tells him; but it is not so here: it means the danger of neglecting such a fondness (love) as mine. The speaker is a princess. G. 47. IV. 153.-Draws the arras. Here, as was to be expected, we have a world of trite matter from the Variorum Shakspeare, without a single syllable to the purpose. Arras," we are told, "6 was fixed in wooden frames, and not moveable like a curtain." In few words, arras was used precisely as a curtain: it hung (on tenters or lines) from the rafters, or from some temporary stay, and was opened, held up, or drawn aside, as occasion required. This note is followed by another, in which filth and folly contend for the mastery. G. 49. IV. 156.-You are but whimsied, yet crotcheted, or so. Read: You are but whimsied yet; crotcheted or so. On this last word we are favoured with a note. "His head is full of crotchets, is explained by Cotgrave. 'Il à beaucoup de crinons en la teste.' G.50. W. 157.-Touch the stars. G. 50. W. 157.-Far in no felicity. G. 51. W. 158.-Go to him, go! G. 51. W. 158.-Not thought on. Read: Scarce thought on. G. 52. W.158.-Hal'd to the earth. "To hale was used in the same sense as to haul is in the present day. It is explained by Sherwood (Cotgrave) by the French verbs tirer, trainer.” O mercy! G. 53. W. 159. Read: thankfulness to your great merit, Which I dare promise for the present time. You cannot urge more from me. thankfulness to your great merit, Which I dare promise. For the present time, G. 54. IV. 160.-Thus I talk wisely, and to no purpose: wench, as it is not fit that thou shouldst be either fair or honest: so, &c. Read: Thus I talk wisely and to no purpose. "Wench! as it is not fit that thou shouldst be either fair or honest, so," &c. G.55. W. 161.—Wipe mine eyes, and blubber out my speech thus. Read: Wipe mine eyes, fold my arms, and blubber out my speech, as thus. G. 55. W. 162.-Have at thee at last of all: For the Princess Thamasta, she that is my mistress indeed, she is abominably proud. But I have, &c. Read: Have at thee, last of all, for the Princess Thamasta, she that is my mistress indeed. She is abominably proud; but I have, &c. G. 56. IV. 163.-I know how to represent a lady. Read: I know how to present a lady. Which is a very different thing. |