1309. Nescio quid peccatum portet hæc purgatio.-Terence, Heaut. iv. 1, 12. (I know not what offence this apology imports.) My lord, there needs no such apology. (R. III. iii. 7.) Shall this speech be spoke for our excuse, Or shall we on without apology (Rom. Jul. i. 3.) 1310. Cui sectæ diversæ quæ sibj quæque præstantiam vendicent, secundas tribuit (sic) melior singulis. (That to which all other sects agree in assigning the second place [each putting itself first] should be best-Col. of G. and E. i.; Sped. vii. 78.) Were I anything but what I am, I would wish me only he. (Cor. i. 1.) It were like the ablest man should have the most second votes. (Ib.) Fame, at the which he aims, . . . cannot better be held, nor more attained, than by a place below the first. (Ib. 263-270.) 1311. Secta academiæ, quam Epicurus et Stoicus sibi tantum post posuit. (The sect of the academy, which the Epicurean and the Stoic placed so far below himself.) Our court shall be a little Academe, &c. 1312. Neutrality. (L. L. L. i. 1; and iv. 3, 300, 301, 349.) Who can be wise, amazed, temperate and furious, loyal and neutral, in a moment? (Macb. ii. 3.) Because my power is weak and all ill left; . I do remain as neuter. (R. II. ii. 3.) So as a painted tyrant Pyrrhus stood, Folio 1226. 1313. Cujus exuperantia vel excellentia melior ejus et genus melius. (Corrected thus in the Colours of Good and Evil, ii. :-Cujus excellentia vel exuperantia melior id toto genere melius. (That which is best when in perfection is best altogether.) She hath all courtly parts more exquisite She did make defect perfection. (Ant, Cl. ii. 2.) You, O you, Stood challenger on mount of all the age For her perfections. (Ham. iv. 7.) 1314. Bourgeon de Mars enfant de Paris.-(Conclusion of the proverb, 'Si un eschape il en vaut dix.') Indeed the instant action . . . Lives so in hope, as in an early spring We see the appearing buds; which to prove fruit That frosts will bite them. (2 Hen. IV. i. 3; ib. l. 63, 64; John ii. 2, 173; R. III. iii. 1, 79, 94; Ham. i. 4, 39-42; L. L. L. i. 1, 100-107.) 1315. Whear they take. 1316. Some things of lyttell value but in excellencye. Some more indifferent and after one sort. The nature of some kinds is to be more equal but more indifferent. . . . Excellencies go by chance, but kinds go by a more certain nature. (Col. G. and E. ii.) Hect. Brother, she is not worth what she doth cost, Tro. What is ought, but as 'tis valued ? Hect. But value dwells not in particular will: It holds his estimate and dignity As well wherein 'tis precious of itself As in the prizer. the will dotes that is attributive To what infectiously itself affects Without some image of the affected merit. (Tr. Cr. ii. 2.) Nature, what things there are Most abject in regard and dear in use! The earth that's Nature's mother is her tomb; Many for many virtues excellent, None but for some and yet all different. (Rom. Jul. ii. 3.) 1317. In quo periculo suis erratur melius eo in quo erratur minore cum periculo. (The case) in which a man errs with danger to those belonging to him is better than that in which he errs at less risk.) (We'll) drink carouses to the next day's fate, (Ant. Cl. iv. 8; ib. v. 2, 140; Tr. Cr. iii. 3, 1-12, &c.) 1318. Quod rem integram servat melius eo a quo receptus non est potestem enim potestas autem bonum. (In the Colours of Good and Evil, iv., Spedding, vii. 80, the corrupt Latin of the sentence above is corrected and rendered as follows:-Quod rem integram servat bonum, quod sine receptu est malum. Nam se recipere non posse impotentiæ genus est, potentia autem bonum. (The course which keeps the matter in a man's power is good; that which keeps him without retreat is bad; for to have no means of retreating is to be in a sort powerless, and power is a good thing.) King. Let's think further of this: Weigh what convenience both of time and means And that our drift look through our bad performance, If this should blast in proof. (Ham. iv. 7.) (See how Iachimo reserves a means of retreat in his apology to Imogen for adventuring 'to try her taking of a false report,' Cymb. i. 7, 156-179.) 1319. The tale of the frogges that were wyshed by one in a dearth to repayre to the bottome of a well, but if water fail theare how shall we get up agayne? (See Col. G. and E. iv.; ante, 1318.) 1320. Quod polychrestum est melius quam quod ad unum refertur ob incertos casus humanos. (That which is of many uses is better than that which is applied to one [use] only, because of the uncertainty of human accidents.) How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world. (Ham. i. 2.) Draw thy honest sword, which thou has worn Most useful for thy country. Or thy precedent services are all . Do it at once, But accidents unpurposed. (Ant. Cl. iv. 13.) 1321. Cujus contrarium privatio malum, bonum; cujus bonum malum. (That of which the privation is the opposite evil is a good; that of which the privation is the opposite good is an evil.) Honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have; but in their stead Curses, not loud, but deep; mouth honour, breath, I that denied thee gold, Will give my heart. (Jul. Cæs. iv. 3.) Reputation, reputation, reputation! O! I have lost my reputation. I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. (Oth. ii. 3; Ant. Cl. iii. 9, 1-6; Tim. Ath. iv. 3, 23-44.) 1322. In quo non est satietas neque nimium melius eo in quo satietas est. (That in which there is no satiety nor excess is better than that in which there is satiety.) The cloyed will, that satiate yet unsatisfied desire. (Cymb. i. 5.) We shall live long and loving; no surfeit seek us. (Tw. N. Kins. ii. 2.) There should be . . . to give satiety fresh appetite, loveliness in favour, sympathy in years. . . . For want of these required conveniences, her delicate tenderness will find itself abused, begin to heave the gorge, disrelish, and abhor the Moor. (Oth. ii. 3.) Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale Her infinite variety: other women cloy The appetites they feed; but she makes hungry The cloyed will, that satiate yet unsatisfied desire. (Cymb. i. 7.) 1323. In quo vix erratur melius eo in quo error proclivis. (That in which it is difficult to err is better than that in which error is easy.) I have . . . honoured your great judgment in the election. Ah our poor sex! this fault in us I find, The error of our eye directs our mind. What error leads must err. (Tr. Cr. v. 2.) He is as prone to mischief as ready to perform it. Is't frailty that thus errs? It is so. (Oth. iv. (H. VIII. i. 1.) 3.) 1324. Finis melior ijs quæ ad finem. (The end is better than [the course, means] to the end.) La fin couronne les œuvres. (2 II. VI. v. 2.) More are men's ends marked than their lives before; The setting sun, and music at the close, As the last taste of sweets is sweetest last, Writ in remembrance more than things long past. (R. II. ii. 1.) A' made a finer end and went away an it had been any christom child. (Hen. V. ii. 3.) The fine's the crown; Whate'er the course, the end is the renown. (All's W. iv. 4.) The end crowns all, and that old arbitrator Time |