17. Having. Possession, property. Cf. T. N. iii. 4. 379: “My having is not much." See also A. Y. L. p. 178. The quibble in gave you some

ground is obvious.

19. Puppies. Referring to "his disgust at the swagger of Cloten and the sycophancy of the first lord, who plies the swaggerer with spaniel flattery and fawning" (Clarke).

25. A true election. A right choice. W. thinks there is an allusion to the Calvinistic doctrine of election.

27. Her beauty and her brain, etc. Johnson conjectured "beauty and brain;" but the meaning is simply that her beauty and wit are not equal.

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28. She's a good sign, etc. "She has a fair outside, a specious appearance, but no wit" (Edwards). Cf. Much Ado, iv. I. 34: She 's but the sign and semblance of her honour." Malone cites what Iachimo says of Imogen in i. 6. 15:

"All of her that is out of door, most rich!
If she be furnish'd with a mind so rare,
She is alone the Arabian bird."

SCENE III.-4. As offer'd mercy is. "As a pardon that has miscarried, or arrived too late to stay the execution of a prisoner" (J. H.). St. would read "deferr'd."

9. This. The folios have "his;" corrected by Theo. (the conjecture of Warb.). Coleridge suggests "the," and W." or." Hanmer reads

"mark me with his eye, or I," etc.

12. Of 's. See on i. 1. 4 above.

16. After-eye. Look after; used by S. only here. 17. Crack'd.

i. 1. 72:

Not a weaker word than broke, as S. uses it. Cf. Cor.

"Cracking ten thousand curbs

Of more strong link asunder than can ever

Appear in your impediment;"

and see our ed. p. 196.

18. The diminution of space. The diminution due to space, or dis

tance.

24. Vantage. Opportunity. Cf. ii. 3. 43 below.

29. Shes. Cf. i. 6. 39 below: "two such shes." See also A. Y. L. p. 170.

Gr. 224.

32. To encounter. To meet, or join with.

33. I am in heaven. My prayers will be rising to heaven.

35. Two charming words. Imogen does not tell us these words, but Warb. informs us that they were " Adieu, Posthumus!" that should be as a charm to preserve him from evil.

Charming =

36. The north. Cf. Oth. v. 2. 220: "No, I will speak as liberal as the north;" that is, as freely as the north wind blows.

us.

37. Our buds.

"Our buds of love," as Malone is kind enough to tell Warb. wanted to read "blowing" for growing; which drew forth this ponderous comment from Johnson: "A bud without any distinct idea, whether of flower or fruit, is a natural representation of any thing

incipient or immature; and the buds of flowers, if flowers are meant, grow to flowers, as the buds of fruits grow to fruits." Cf. R. and J. ii. "This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,

2. 121:

May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet."

SCENE IV. "It has been observed that the behaviour of the Spaniard and the Dutchman, who are stated to be present during this animated scene, is in humorous accordance with the apathy and taciturnity usually attributed to their countrymen. Neither the Don nor Mynheer utters a syllable. What was Imogen to them, or they to Imogen,' that they should speak of her?" (V.). W. remarks that “their mere presence has a dramatic value, as indicating the mixed company of travellers in which this scene takes place."

2. A crescent note. A growing reputation. For crescent, cf. Ham. i. 3. 11 and A. and C. ii. 1. 10; and for note (=distinction), i. 6. 22 below: "of the noblest note," etc. The 3d and 4th folios have "none" for note; and Pope (ed. 2) reads: "then but crescent, none expected him,"

etc.

4. Admiration. Wonder, astonishment; as in i. 6. 37 below.

8. Makes him. "In the sense in which we say, This will make or mar you" (Johnson).

14. Words him a great deal from the matter. "Makes the description of him very distant from the truth" (Johnson). For from= away from, see Rich. III. p. 233, or T. N. p. 130. Gr. 158.

18. Under her colours. "Under her banner; by her influence" (Johnson).

Are wonderfully to extend him. Tend greatly to increase his reputation. Cf. the use of extend in i. I. 25 above. Are is probably an instance of "confusion of proximity" (Gr. 412), as Malone explains it; but Steevens includes the preceding matter (in 12) and banishment in the subject. The Coll. MS. has "are wont.'

20. Without less. Changed by Rowe to "without more." W. conjectures" with less" or "without this," and Lloyd "without other." It is probably one of the peculiar "double negatives" of which so many examples are to be found in S. See Lear, p. 210 (note on You less know how, etc.), or A. Y. L. p. 156 (on No more do yours). Cf. Schmidt, p. 1420. 26. Knowing. Knowledge, experience; as in ii. 3. 95 below.

30. Story. Cf. V. and A. 1013: "and stories His victories ;" and R. of L. 106: "He stories to her ears her husband's fame." S. uses the verb only three times.

32. Have known together. Have been acquainted. Cf. A. and C. ii. 6. 86: "You and I have known, sir." Pope thought it necessary to read "been known."

34. Which I will be ever to pay, etc. Malone misquotes A. W. iii. 7. 16: "Which I will overpay [" ever pay," he gives it] and pay again." 36. Atone. Make at one, reconcile; as in Rich. II. i. 1. 202: cannot atone you,” etc. See our ed. p. 156. For other meanings of atone, see A. Y. L. p. 199.

'Since we

37. Mortal. Deadly; as in iii. 4. 18, v. 3. 51, v.

5. 50, 235 below.

38. Importance. Import, matter, subject. Malone and Steevens make it=importunity; as in T. N. v. 1. 371 and K. John, ii. 1. 7. 41. Go even. Agree, act in accordance. It is used without with (=agree, coincide) in T. N. v. 1. 246: "Were you a woman as the rest goes even," etc.

43. Offend not. The not is omitted in the folios; inserted by Rowe. The Coll. MS. has "not offend" (cf. Gr. 305).

46. Such ... that. Cf. W. T. i. 2. 263 :

"these, my lord,

Are such allow'd infirmities that honesty
Is never free of."

See also i. 6. 129, etc., below. Gr. 279.
47. Confounded. Destroyed; as often.
sion in iii. 1. 64 and iv. 2. 93 below.

51. Which may without contradiction, etc.

be publicly told" (Johnson).

See Macb. p. 189. Cf. confu

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Which, undoubtedly, may

54. Upon warrant of bloody affirmation. That is, pledging himself to seal the truth of it with his blood. S. uses affirmation nowhere else. 55. Constant-qualified. Faithful. The folios have "Constant, Quali

fied."

56. Attemptable. Liable to be attempted, or seduced; the only instance of the word in S.

63. Though I profess myself her adorer, not her friend. This may be =though I profess to be only her disinterested admirer, not her personal friend. Johnson explained it thus: "Though I have not the common obligations of a lover to his mistress, and regard her not with the fondness of a friend, but with the reverence of an adorer." Mason suggested transposing adorer and friend. Steevens took friend to be lover (as in A. and C. iii. 12. 22, etc.), and Schmidt gives the same explanation. W. reads "adorer and her friend;" making friend="accepted lover." Clarke takes not her friend to be="not merely her friend," and though= "inasmuch as, since." St. says: "Posthumus, we apprehend, does not mean, I avow myself, not simply her admirer, but her worshipper; but, stung by the scornful tone of lachimo's remark, he answers,-Provoked as I was in France, I would abate her nothing, though the declaration of my opinion proclaimed me her idolater rather than her lover."

69. Could not but.

The folios omit but, which Malone supplied.

77. If there were, etc. The folios have "or if," etc. If it were not for the or immediately preceding, which probably led to the accidental repetition of the word, we might take "or if" to be="either if," as J. H. does.

89. To convince. As to overcome. For the ellipsis of as, see Gr. 281; and for convince, cf. Macb. i. 7. 64:

"his two chamberlains

Will I with wine and wassail so convince

That memory, the warder of the brain,
Shall be a fume," etc.

90. Nothing. For the adverbial use, see on i. 1. 86 above.

93. Leave. p. 211.

97. Go back. back?"

Leave off, desist. Cf. ii. 2. 4 below. See also Rich. II.

Give way. Cf. A. and C. v. 2. 155:

98. To friend. For my friend, to befriend me. know that we shall have him well to friend," etc. on A paragon to their queen. Gr. 189.

Cf. 7. C. iii. 1. 143: “I
See Temp. p. 124, note

100. Moiety. Here-half, but often used for other fractions. See Ham.

p. 174.
IOI. Something.

103. Herein too.

66 to for too. W.

See on i. 1. 86 above.

The reading of the 3d folio. The earlier folios have reads "herein-to," and "hereunto" is an anonymous conjecture noted in the Camb. ed.

105. A great deal abused. Much deceived. Cf. Much Ado, v. 2. 100: "Hero hath been falsely accused, the prince and Claudio mightily abused," etc. See also iii. 4. 102, 120 below.

115. Approbation. Proving, establishing. Cf. Hen. V. i. 2. 19 :

"For God doth know how many, now in health,

Shall drop their blood in approbation

Of what your reverence shall incite us to!"

See our ed. p. 146.

117. Whom in constancy you think stands, etc. For the "confusion of construction," cf. Temp. iii. 3. 92: "Young Ferdinand whom they suppose is drown'd;" K. John, iv. 2. 165: "Of Arthur whom they say is kill'd to-night," etc. Gr. 410.

123. Wage. Wager, stake. Cf. Lear, p. 172.

125. Afraid. The folios have "a friend;" corrected by Theo. (the conjecture of Warb.). The Coll. MS. has "afeard." Clarke retains " a friend," as a sneering allusion to what Posthumus has said in 63 above, and takes the meaning to be: "You are a friend (or lover), not an adorer, and therein the wiser, since women are not worthy of adoration and worship, as immaculate beings." He considers that the use of religion favours this interpretation.

131. Undergo. Undertake, maintain. Cf. iii. 5. 109 below.

134. Between's. Changed by Pope to "between us." See on i. 1.4 above. 137. Lay. Wager; as in Oth. ii. 3. 330: "my fortunes against any lay worth naming," etc.

138. If I bring you, etc. "This is in accordance with Iachimo's designing manner. He affects to state the terms of the wager on both sides; but he, in fact, proposes them so that they shall suggest, either way, Posthumus's winning" (Clarke).

142. Fewel. Applied in the time of S. to any personal ornament of gold or precious stones; as here, and in M. of V. v. 1. 224, to a ring. In ii. 3. 139 below it means a bracelet. Cf. C. of E. p. 117.

143. Provided I have, etc. That is, provided you will commend (or introduce) me to her so that I may be readily received or entertained. Cf. 119 above. J. H. explains it thus: "Provided I shall receive commendation from you, in the event of my obtaining a more free reception." 145. Articles. A written agreement. Cf. 152 just below.

147. Your voyage upon her. "Your venture upon her " (W.). Cf. M. W. ii. 1. 189: "If he should intend this voyage towards my wife," etc. See also T. N. iii. 1. 86.

154. Starve.

Perish with cold; as in 2 Hen. VI. iii. 1. 343:

"I fear me you but warm the starved snake,

Who, cherish'd in your breasts, will sting your hearts."

See also Spenser, Shep. Kal. Feb.: "The rather Lambes bene starved with cold" (where rather earlier - born), etc. The 1st and 2d folios have "sterue," for which form see Cor. p. 233, or M. of V. p. 158. 158. Will not from it. Will not recede from it, will not "back out."

SCENE V.-I. Whiles.

Used by S. interchangeably with while, which Rowe substituted here. Gr. 137.

it.

2. Note. List; or perhaps "prescription, receipt," as Schmidt explains It has this latter sense in A. W. i. 3. 232.

5. Pleaseth. If it please. See 2 Hen. IV. p. 184. Gr. 361.

12. Learn'd. Taught; as often. See Rich. II. p. 203, or Gr. 291. Cf. Ps. xxv. 4, 8, cxix. 66 (Prayer-Book version).

18. Conclusions.

Experiments; as in A. and C. v. 2. 358:

"her physician tells me

She hath pursued conclusions infinite
Of easy ways to die," etc.

22. Act. Action. Cf. Oth. iii. 3. 328:

"Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons,
Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,
But with a little act upon the blood

Burn like the mines of sulphur."

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26. Content thee. Be at ease, do not trouble yourself. It is generally =compose yourself, keep your temper. See R. and J. p. 160. 32. Hark thee. Here thee is probably a corruption of thou. Gr. 212. 33. I do not like her, etc. Johnson criticises this soliloquy as very inartificial," merely "a long speech to tell himself what himself knows ;" but, as Clarke remarks, it is characteristic in "a reflective man, a student, one accustomed to ponder upon his experiments, and to render himself an account of the effects they will produce." It also serves the purpose of" informing the audience what is the nature of the drugs thus entrusted to the queen's power, and prepares for the incident of Imogen's return to life after having swallowed them."

43. Truer. Truer to myself, more honest.

47. Quench. "That is, grow cool" (Steevens).

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54. Shift his being. 'Change his abode " (Johnson).

56. Decay. Destroy. For the transitive use, cf. T. N. i. 5. 82: "infirmity, that decays the wise," etc.

58. That leans. "That inclines towards its fall" (Johnson).

64. Cordial. Reviving; as in iv. 2. 327 below.

68. What a chance thou changest on. "With what a fair prospect of mending your fortunes you now change your present service" (Steevens). Rowe has "chancest" for changest, and Theo. "change thou chancest." W. adopts the latter, which is very plausible.