A syllable is wanting, and a, the reading of the 2nd folio, is feeble. We have "such deep sin"(Rich. II. i. 1); "deep grief" (Ham. iv. 5); and many similar expressions. The omission of an adjective is not unusual. (See on M. N. D. v. 1.)
By reading Of for 'Or' we gain both in sense and energy. The proof-sheets of my Edition have given me instances of this confusion of or and of.
Act V.
Sc. 1.
By reading morn we should get a rime.
Both 4tos and folios read "signify I pray you."
The reading of the 2nd folio, patterns, the one usually followed, is decidedly wrong. In Spanish patena is a medal worn by country-women about the neck.
I think we should read this in the plural, as no particular poet was regarded as the author of this mythe.
In reading "ho!" for the how of the original editions, I had been anticipated by Malone.
By punctuating thus, we need not read, with Steevens, 'to me.'
It might be better, with Pope, to read retain. (See on Two Gent. v. 4, ad fin.)
The usual confusion of where and when.
A waggish allusion to a story told by Poggio, Ariosto, Rabelais, La Fontaine, and Prior. Our poet probably got it from Rabelais, with whom he was familiar.
AS YOU LIKE IT.
Act I.
Sc. 1.
The 2nd folio reads 'a poor thousand,' but the metre is in favour of the original reading, and we meet "What poor an instrument" (Ant. and Cleop. v. 2). It is really surprising to see with what pertinacity editors reject the necessary word He, first supplied by Blackstone.
Warburton read stys, as in Temp. i. 2, which is certainly more forcible; but Orlando could not be said to be 'sty'd,' like Caliban.
Hanmer added old to 'Duke,' which, however, is not necessary.
Sc. 2.
Ros. should probably be Cel. (so also Theobald), and the second 'enough' be rejected.
The princess here plays on the similarity of sound between spot and sport, pronounced with the r nearly effaced.
Hanmer properly read men.
Celia had desired Le Beau to call him; Orlando, seeing two princesses, says 'them'; so the corrections of the critics are needless.
Warburton ingeniously, but perhaps needlessly, read our for 'your.'
Hanmer read 'here exceeded.'
For 'taller' Pope read shorter, Malone smaller, which is the usual reading, as Rosalind was 'the taller.' I feel, however, almost certain that the poet wrote 'less taller,' and have so printed it. We have, "Against the envy of less happier lands" (Rich. II. ii. 1), and no one would object to more taller.
Sc. 3.
The 'No,' it will be seen, was transferred to the beginning of the next speech, where it was not wanted; while both sense and metre require it here.
Rowe properly read 'father's child.' Sense, taste, and delicacy, alike commend this simple and natural transposition. Some editors, however, think otherwise.
For 'safest' Collier's folio reads fastest; we might also read, with Singer, swiftest, like "swiftest expedition" (Two Gent. iii. 1); "in all swift haste" (Tr. and Cr. i. 1). But it is not necessary to alter the text; for safe is, sure, certain, a sense which it retains in the Midland counties. "To take the safest occasion by the front" (Oth. iii. 2).
Such was the structure of the time. "My thoughts and I am for this other element" (Jonson, Cynthia's Revels, i. 1). It was the same in French:
Racine, Bajazet, iv. 1.
Act II.
Sc. 1.
As the Duke proceeds to show that he did feel this difference, the text cannot be right. Critics, therefore, for 'not' read but, as these words were frequently confounded by the printers. But then a question arises, was 'the season's difference' any part of 'the penalty of Adam.' In Scripture that penalty was "in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread;" and this was the very penalty that the Duke and his friends did not feel; for we have just been told of them (i. 1) that "they fleet away the time carelessly, as they did in the Golden World." Further, it does not appear that any writer anterior to Milton made the Ovidian change of seasons a part of Adam's penalty. The text may therefore be right, and a line, something like this, have been lost,
Upton, most properly, made this the conclusion of the Duke's speech. (See on W. T. v. 1)
Pope's change of 'into' to in has been generally followed, but without the slightest reason, by the decasyllabists. I am almost ashamed to say that I have joined them from pure inadvertence.
The 2nd folio supplied the.
Sc. 3.
There is either a line lost after these, or we should read 'be in corners thrown,' as I have done. The omission of be was not infrequent.
The 'service' in the first line arose from that in the second (See Introd. p. 64). I read fashion; Collier's folio has favour.
Such is the reading of the folio—a convincing proof of how little the old printers are to be relied on. Editors, without exception, read seventeen.
Sc. 4.
'Weary' is Warburton's correction of merry of the folio.
For 'cannot' the 2nd folio has can, the usual reading. Yet I doubt if the change was needed.
Johnson read, as every man of sense would read, peas for 'cods.' I have just shown the origin of the change.
Sc. 5.
We still say turn a tune and a note. Pope, then, was wrong in reading tune for 'turn.' "When threadbare Martial turns his merry note" (Hall. Sat. vi. 1) was probably in the poet's mind.
Sc. 7.
Both sense and metre demand this addition of Theobald's, whom all editors follow. We have the very same omission in
Philaster, ii. 4.
where none of the editors have perceived the loss.
There is something wanting here; for in this play the speeches never begin thus with a short line. It is evident also that it is one kind of pride, that of dress, that is spoken of. I therefore read without hesitation 'pride of bravery,' and, three lines further on, wearer's for 'weary,' in which I had been anticipated by Singer.
This seems to be a third instance of effacement in a single page of the MS. I would add I marvel.
"And in his room not only to eat his fill, but be the lord of the feast." (Lodge, Rosalynde, p. 53.) "They covet not their neighbours' goods; but command all that is their neighbours' as their own." (MS., 1559, ap. Froude, Hist. of Eng. viii. 3.)
This is a proper addition of Pope's.
Act III.
Sc. 2.
Though it stands thus in the folio, metre and the usage of the time reject the s.
We might read 'fair face,' or, with Rowe, face for 'fair'; which last, however, is the same as fairness; so no change is needed.
The 3rd folio properly reads Winter.
Rowe read 'a desert'; Tyrwhitt 'silent be.' I rather prefer the latter; but it is against it that, excepting in one of the following and the six last lines, the first foot is always monosyllabic. I have therefore followed Rowe.
For 'Or' I read And. (See Note at end of Samson Agonistes in my Edition of Milton's Poems.)
The 2nd folio reads 'forth such; Capell read such for 'forth.' Perhaps the first is to be preferred; yet I find I have followed Capell in my Edition.
Surely the passage thus gains not only in metre, but in spirit.
Sc. 3.
There is apparently an aposiopesis here.
Both rime and metre require this addition; yet none of the critics has made it.
Sc. 4.
Singer, very unnecessarily and most tamely, reads notable for 'noble.' Printing from his edition, I have heedlessly followed him in mine.
Sc. 5.
It is quite impossible that this line in its present form could have come from the pen of the poet. He must have seen the absurdity of dying before living, and he could have had no motive for departing from the universal form "live and die," as in "I could live and die in the eyes of Troilus" (Tr. and Cr. i. 2). If we then transpose, and take 'by' in the sense of beside, near, in contact with (Index s. v.), we get excellent sense. 'Dies,' however, may be a printer's error for some other verb—sheds perhaps; and then 'by' may be taken in its ordinary sense. I had also, like Heath, conjectured 'daily lives.'
For 'capable' Singer's and Collier's folio read palpable; I have followed them.
For 'Nor' we might perhaps better read And. (See my note on Sam. Agon., 1692.) Still no change is needed.
The transposition in the first line removes all necessity for correction. Strange that the critics should not have thought of it! In my Edition the transposition is, "That you insult and all at once exult," which is wrong; but it is there corrected. By reading 'What!' the difficulty found here by critics is removed.
In the folio 'Carlot' is printed as a proper name, and it may be the Spanish Carloto. No such substantive as 'carlot' is known.
For 'she' we should, I think, read, as I have done, you.
The I was supplied in the 2nd folio.
Act IV.
Sc. 1.
The use of the word 'found' proves that Hanmer's reading coroners is right. In Twelfth Night (i. 5) the coroner is said to sit on a drowned man.
This seems to mean occasioned, caused by her husband. Or we may read, with Hanmer, accusation. I find I have done so, but doubt if I was justified in so doing.
Both sense and metre seem to demand this addition.
Sc. 3.
Editors, myself included, follow 2nd folio, and omit 'did.' I think we are wrong.
I think we should read 'a god.'
The necessary insertion was made in the 2nd folio.
There may have been, as Malone thought, a line lost here; but I rather think it is an aposiopesis.
Act V.
Sc. 2.
Rowe supplied Her.
As 'observance' is the word in the riming line, Collier's folio and Malone read obedience; Heath perseverance; Harness and Singer, whom I find I have followed, endurance.
I quite agree with those who read, with Rowe, Who and to.
Sc. 3.
Theobald read untimeable, as the reply is "we kept time;" but, as time and tune were synonymous, there seems to be no need of change.
Sc. 4.
To give sense here, I read 'their hope' and 'their fear,' and for 'know' hope. In the change of 'they' to their I find I had been anticipated by Heath. The thought is the same as in "In these feared hopes." (Cymb. ii. 4). The printer having made 'they hope,' in order to get some sense, changed the following 'hope' to know, no unusual practice. Yet Mr. Dyce says, "I believe that the line now stands as Shakespeare wrote it." Coleridge thus expresses the same thought:
Editors read her for 'his' in both lines. The first change, made in the 3rd folio, is necessary; the second, made by Malone, not so.
For 'him' editors very properly, following Rowe, read them; in MS. probably 'em.
Epilogue.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Act I.
Sc. 1.
For 'it' we should probably read her, or rather on.
The 'were' was probably suggested by the preceding ''twere.'
Sc. 2.
The metre requires 'should be.'
Sc. 3.
Act II.
Sc. 1.
It should be Balt. here and in the next two speeches.
Collier's folio reads needlessly 'then, Hero.'
For 'though,' which can hardly be right, the usual reading is the, the correction of Johnson, which is very good; the words were easily confounded, especially when though was written tho'.
We should expect him; but 'me' may have been the poet's word. For the first 'at' we might perhaps read as.
There must certainly be an error either in 'left' or in 'before.' For the latter we might read after; for the former perhaps lent or about. I think the true reading is lent, in which I had been anticipated by Collier's folio. Lend was constantly used in the sense of give. "I can lend you letters to divers officers," etc. (Jonson, Every Man out, etc. iii. 1.) It is not quite out of use yet.
For 'County,' which occurs nowhere else in the play, I read Count, which also suits the metre.
Sc. 2.
The poet no doubt wrote 'Claudio' here; but from what precedes it certainly should have been Borachio. These slips were not at all unusual with him.
Sc. 3.
The originals read 'kid-fox'; but his hiding had just been mentioned, and the name of the game probably alluded to was Hide Fox. Warburton made the correction.
Something seems evidently wanting for the sense.
Theobald's correction; the old copies have nothing.
Perhaps for the sake of metre yonder should be added.
I agree with Collier's folio and Singer in reading cries for 'curses,' which was suggested by 'prays.'
It would perhaps be better to read 'disprove it.'
Collier's folio reads 'not choke'; but it is dubious.
Act III.
Sc. 1.
Pope read 'into.'
There has probably been an omission of in before 'her.'
The proper word is nor, as Capell also saw.
Sc. 2.
Both folio and 4to read 'cannot' for 'can,' Pope's correction.
This is only in 4to, 1600. We should probably read, as Mason also did, 'all doublet.'
For 'fool' we should perhaps read food.
That is, like everybody else. Theobald read heels for face, quoting,
(Fletcher, Wild-goose Chase, i. 3)
while Mason proposed feet. But Singer says, referring to Winter's Tale, iv. 3, that the meaning is, she shall be buried in her lover's arms; and I think there is a waggish allusion to nuptial joys.
Act IV.
Sc. 1.
For 'thee' we should, I think, read thy or this, as they were pronounced alike, and for 'seem' seem'd, for the same reason.' (See Introd. p. 52.) Pope also read thy, and Hanmer seem'd.
I would read in; for 'but,' suggested by 'But,' makes nonsense. I have, however, made no change in my Edition.