Her. Never? Leon. Never, but once. Her. What? have I twice said well? when was't be fore? I pr'ythee, tell me : Cram us with praise, and make us Our praises are our wages: You may ride us, ་ What was my first? it has an elder sister, Or I mistake you: O, would her name were Grace: But once before I spoke to the purpose: When? Nay, let me have't; I long. Leon. Why, that was when Three crabbed months had sour'd themselves to death, And clap thyself my love *; then did'st thou utter, Her. It is Grace, indeed. Why, lo you now, I have spoke to the purpose twice: The one for ever earn'd a royal husband; The other, for some while a friend. Leon. [Giving her hand to POLIXENES. Too hot, too hot: [Aside. To mingle friendship far, is mingling bloods. I have tremor cordis on me: - my heart dances; This entertainment May a free face put on; derive a liberty And clap thyself my love ;] She opened her hand, to clap the palm of it into his, as people do when they confirm a bargain. Hence the phrase-to clap up a bargain, i. e. make one with no other ceremony than the junction of hands. As now they are; and making practis'd smiles, - As in a looking glass; and then to sigh, as 'twere My bosom likes not, nor my brows. - Mamillius, Mam. Leon. Ay, my good lord. I'fecks "? Why, that's my bawcock." What, has smutch'd thy nose? They say, it's a copy out of mine. Come, captain, Are all call'd, neat. Still virginalling [Observing POLIXENES and HERMIONE. Upon his palm? - How now, you wanton calf, Art thou my calf? Mam. Yes, if you will, my lord. Leon. Thou want'st a rough pash, and the shoots that I have9, To be full like me: - yet, they say we are That will say any thing: But were they false 5 The mort o'the deer ;] A lesson upon the horn at the death of the deer. 6 I fecks?] A supposed corruption of-in faith. Our present vulgar pronounce it-fegs. 7 Why, that's my bawcock.] Perhaps from beau and coq. It is still said in vulgar language that such a one is a jolly cock, a cock of the game. 8 Still virginalling -] Still playing with her fingers, as a girl playing on the virginals. A virginal is a very small kind of spinnet. Queen Elizabeth's virginal-book is yet in being, and many of the lessons in it have proved so difficult, as to baffle our most expert players on the harpsichord. STEEVENS. 9 Thou want'st a rough pash, and the shoots that I have,] I have lately learned that pash in Scotland signifies a head. The meaning, therefore, I suppose, is this: You tell me, (says Leontes to his son,) that you are like me; that you are my calf. I am the horned bull: thou wantest the rough head and the horns of that animal, completely to resemble your father. MALONE. As o'er-died blacks', as wind, as waters; false And fellow'st nothing: Then, 'tis very credent, And hardening of my brows. Pol. Her. He something seems unsettled. What means Sicilia ? How, my lord? You look, What cheer? how is't with you, best brother? Her. As if you held a brow of much distraction: Are you mov'd, my lord? Leon. No, in good earnest, How sometimes nature will betray its folly, 1 As o'er-died blacks,] Sir T. Hanmer understands blacks died too much, and therefore rotten. JOHNSON. 2 No bourn-] Bourn is boundary. 3 welkin eye:] Blue eye; an eye of the same colour with the welkin, or sky. + my collop!] So, in The First Part of King Henry VI. "God knows, thou art a collop of my flesh." 5 Affection! thy intention stabs the center:] Affection means here imagination, or perhaps more accurately "the disposition of the mind when strongly affected or possessed by a particular idea." 6 credent,] i. e. credible. VOL. III. E E In my green velvet coat; my dagger muzzled, How like, methought, I then was to this kernel, Mam. No, my lord, I'll fight. Leon. You will? why, happy man be his dole9!. Are you so fond of your young prince, as we Do seem to be of ours? Pol. Leon. my So stands this squire Offic'd with me: We two will walk, my lord, - And leave you to your graver steps. Hermione, Next to thyself, and my young rover, he's 7 This squash,] A squash is a pea-pod, in that state when the young peas begin to swell in it. 8 Will you take eggs for money?] The meaning of this is, will you put up affronts? The French have a proverbial saying, A qui vendez vouz coquilles? i. e. whom do you design to affront? Mamillius's answer plainly proves it. Mam. No, my Lord, I'll fight. SMITH. 9 happy man be his dole!] May his dole or share in life be to be a happy man. The expression is proverbial. Dole was the term for the allowance of provision given to the poor, in great families. The alms immemorially given to the poor by the Archbishops of Canterbury, is still called the dole. See The History of Lambeth Palace, p. 31, in Bibl. Top. Brit. NICHOLS. 1 Apparent-] That is, heir apparent, or the next claimant. Her. If would seek us, We are your's i'the garden: Shall's attend there? you Leon. To your own bents dispose you: you'll be found, Be you beneath the sky: :-→ I am angling now, [Aside. Observing POLIXENES and HERMIONE. How she holds up the neb2, the bill to him! And arms her with the boldness of a wife To her allowing husband3! Gone already ; Inch-thick, knee-deep, o'er head and ears a fork'd one.* Will hiss me to my grave; contempt and clamour Or I am much deceiv'd, cuckolds ere now; And many a man there is, even at this present, Where 'tis predominant; and 'tis powerful, think it, 2 the neb,] The word is commonly pronounced and written: nib. It signifies here the mouth. 3 To her allowing husband!] Allowing in old language is approv ing. MALONE. 4 a fork'd one. That is, a horned one; a cuckold. |