The 2nd folio added so, which is required both by sense and metre.
The 2nd folio reads 'as infinite,' which may be right, but 'infinite' seems to be made a substantive here.
Here again 'Verona,' the poet's word, has been altered by the editors. Pope, who is usually followed, read 'sir, in Milan,' and Mr. Dyce adopts the unheard-of term Milano of Collier's folio! We have no right to make such changes.
Perhaps the poet's word was By not 'For'; or there may be an omission of by after 'For.'
For 'his' Singer read is.
For 'anthem' Singer very plausibly read amen.
Rowe added kissed, which, though generally received, is not absolutely necessary.
Massinger, Very Woman, i. 1.
The context seems to require wind for 'weed,' and I have so given it.
Though in my edition I have made here an aposiopesis, I think it more probable that a line has been lost.
So Capell read also.
The folio has "And heir and niece." Theobald made the corrections.
As in v.1 we have
we should probably read here cave or caves for 'crews.'
'Abhorreth' is probably what the poet wrote.
This is mere nonsense; 'grievance' never had any meaning but that which it has at present. A line has evidently been lost; something like this:—"And sympathize with your affections." The corrector of Collier's folio, who first saw the loss, added—"And the most true affections that you bear," which seems wanting in ease and simplicity.
For the second 'not' we should read to. See on All's Well, v. 3. For 'leave,' see Index s. v.
This is the proper arrangement; that of the editions, my own included, is wrong.
So I should have given it in my Edition.
The sense might seem to require 'mine is high,' as Pope also saw; but her meaning may be, so is mine also. A high forehead was, however, a part of beauty. See Fletcher, Woman-hater, iii. 1.
Marston, Ant. and Mel. I. iv.
'Include' here evidently signifies conclude; and as there is no instance of its use in that sense, it might be better to read the latter word with Hanmer.
The usual confusion of then and there. We should read the latter. The contrary occurs in: "In summer where the ways are fair enough."—M. of Ven. v. 1.
A line is certainly lost. It may have been like this:—"Among the offspring of the teeming earth."
This, except the punctuation, is the reading of the folio; that of the 4to, 1598, is:
To which editors have given the preference, not a little, I think, moved by what seemed to them the metric regularity of the last line. I prefer the reading of the folio, and explain it thus:—Berowne had just been showing how he liked everything in its due time and season; and youth being the proper time for instituting a course of study, it was, he thought, as absurd for them who were full-grown men to set about it, as it would be for a man who wanted to unlock the gate of his court-yard to climb over the house to get to it. A couplet, however, may have been lost; for 'So you,' &c., joins but awkwardly with what precedes; but I believe the true solution of the difficulty is that the poet wrote 'For you,' &c. We have instances of the confusion of these words in Com. of Err. i. 1, 1 Hen. IV. i. 3, Macb. i. 2, Son. xliv. 5. I have so given it in my Edition. There seems to be much more humour in the reading of the folio, caused by the aposiopesis, than in that of the 4to, where 'the little gate' makes a difficulty; but the meaning may be, they were giving themselves a deal of labour for a very trifling result. I think the reading of the 4to may have arisen thus. In the transcript from which it was printed "That were to" may have been effaced or omitted, and then 'little' was added to complete the metre.
As it rimes with 'more,' we must, with 2nd folio, read swore.
The reading of Collier's folio, garrulity, would agree better with the context; but it is not a Shakespearian term.
Theobald's reading having has been generally, and I think rightly, adopted; but Mr. Dyce adheres to the text.
Capell read laughing for 'hearing,' which correction the next speech shows to be right.
Hanmer, who is generally followed, read 'sonneteer'; but it is doubtful if that term was then in use. In Hall's Satires we meet with sonnetist; he also has sonnet-wright; and in Marston's Fawne (iv.) and in the play of Lingua (ii. 2), we have sonnet-monger, which I have adopted, as we have 'fancy-monger' in As You Like It, iii. 2. Dr. Verplank, an American critic, proposed 'turnsonnets,' which Mr. Staunton has adopted.
I read 'In arts well-fitted'; so also Grant White. The 2nd folio has 'in the arts.'
The metre requires a syllable.
Perhaps something may have been lost. It might be ''tis no sin.'
'Several' is the very opposite of 'common.' "Truth lies open to all; it is no man's several."—Jonson, Discoveries. We should therefore, I think, for 'though' read for, which is proved by the following speeches. The printer might have taken for for tho', or have supposed that 'be' was the conjunctive mood.
The 4to reads 'point you'; but neither reading makes sense. We might read 'prompt you,' or 'tempt you.' I have adopted the former.
By 'dispos'd' here we are to understand—like dispos Fr.—cheerful, or rather gamesome; we have undisposed in Com. of Err. i. 2. It would seem, however, to be simply inclined with an ellipsis of the object.
I agree with the proposed reading of me for the second 'men.'
Tyrwhitt's most happy emendation 'in them all' gives in my opinion, the true reading.
Collier's folio, which Singer follows, reads making, which may be right, but is not necessary.
Costard's reply shows that marry, added by Collier's folio, had been omitted.
The same folio supplies free. Singer received both corrections.
'So' should be more, or rather moe; but it may be as the poet wrote it.
The original editions have 'This signior Junio's giant-dwarf,' which possibly may be right, there being an allusion to some poem or tale now lost. The text is the correction of Hanmer.
Rosaline was dark, so Collier's folio reads witty for 'whitely,' and the Cambridge editors wightly; yet the poet may have been merely oblivious.
The meaning of 'purpose' is not very clear; perhaps it should be purchase.
Both 4to and folio read 'see.' Rowe made the obvious correction.
It was the 4th folio that supplied it.
'Pin' is the correction of the 2nd folio; both the 4to and 1st folio have is in, as in preceding line, and possibly so the poet wrote it; for it makes a kind of sense, and he may have had his reasons for using it.
So I read, as the 4to has ath toother side, and the folio ath to the side. The usual reading is "on the one side;" but we are not to look for rigid consistency in Costard's language.
A line riming with this seems to be lost.
Misled by Singer, I gave in my Edition, set, the reading of Collier's folio, for 'see,' which may be right.
Rowe was right, I think, in supplying I have. Singer reads I will call; Collier's folio I call; he Cambridge editors call I.
The reading of the Cambridge editors is one soul.
The poet, I suspect, wrote Oh! not 'Of'; and so I have ventured to give it.
We might also read, with S. Walker, 'the heaven's; but I prefer what is in the text. A syllable was undoubtedly omitted.
For 'before repast' of the 4to, the folio has 'being repast' in a parenthesis; and it may possibly be right, the school-master, in his pedantic way, using 'repast' as a participle. The grace, then, would be after dinner.
Both 4to and folio read 'The night of dew,' and so most editions; but the context requires the transposition. The same is the case in the last line but one of this sonnet, where 4to and folio read 'dost thou.'
This is no rime; the poet must have written sobriety in the second line.
As 'hose' has just occurred, Theobald read slop, which both Singer and Dyce properly adopt. The usual reading is shape.
Both rime and metre demand pate in the second line (see Introd. p. 63). The whole dialogue, with this exception, is in rime.
Theobald, who is usually followed, reads "By earth she is but corporal; there you lie." I think, however, the text is right. In iii. 1 Berowne, styling Love a "great general," adds, "and I to be a corporal of his field!" so he may well apply that title to Dumain. See Index s. v.
Capell read lasting.
For 'gnat,' of which it is not very easy to see the meaning, Mr. Staunton would read quat, the conjecture of Mr. Becket, and surely not better. We also meet sot and knot, equally bad. In Pericles (ii. 3), however, princes wanting in liberality are compared to gnats.
Capell transposed 'by' and 'to'; which seems to be right. Yet 'to' may have been suggested for by, by the preceding line.
As something is evidently wanted, the 2nd folio read 'of strange,' and that is the usual reading; Theobald 'moon-like men.' I have read, as I find S. Walker had done,
The 'wood' of the first line is Rowe's certain correction of word.
It is most certain that 'school' cannot have been the poet's word. The usual reading is that of Warburton, scowl; but that substantive is not used by Shakespeare, and it gives but an indifferent sense. Theobald read stole, which also is not Shakespearian; I myself cloak, as the "cloak of night" occurs in R. and J. ii. 2, Rich. II. iii. 2. But the Cambridge editors seem to have hit on the exact word, suit written, as pronounced, shoot. In the Puritan (ii. 1), we have a play on suitor and archer, i.e. shooter; we retain this sound in sure and sugar. In Hamlet we have "suits of solemn black" and "suits of woe" (i. 2), and "suit of sables" (iii. 2) for mourning, and in Rom. and Jul. iii. 2,
Capell sagaciously saw that in this speech, from "For when would you" to "From whence doth spring," and from "For where is any" to "And in that vow," are passages which the poet had cancelled in the "corrected and augmented" play. The same occurs in Rich. III. v. 3, and on a much smaller scale, however, in Rom. and Jul. iii. 3, iv. 1.
There can be no doubt of this, the reading of Theobald—prisons for poisons.
As beauty is not taught, we should perhaps read wisdom. Perhaps, however, the error may be in 'Teaches.'
Though this passage be very obscure, I doubt if it be corrupt. By 'voice' may be meant the assenting voice, the voices all sounding in unison, which induces repose over heaven. Compare the opening of Gray's Progress of Poesy. The original editions commit the usual error of putting 'make' for 'makes.'
The reading of Griffith and Collier's folio humanity is, I think, right. I have adopted it in my Edition.
The correction of Theobald for 'Alone, alone!' of the originals. The poet, however, does not use French words in this play, and I think we should read All on, all on! or rather Along, along! (See on Temp. v. 1.) "Along my lords! Well, Cromwell is half dead."—Thomas Cromwell, iv. 5.
As a word cannot love, Hanmer, for 'loves,' read moves, Heath joys, Mason leads. I read 'Love's' for 'love's' and god for 'word.'
The 2nd folio reads, and, I think, most properly, 'affectation.' It is much more likely that a syllable should have been omitted by the printer, than that Nathaniel, who in general speaks correctly, should blunder. We have the very same error in v. 2, where the rime leaves no doubt on the subject.
This is Theobald's correction of bene intelligo.'—Boone, boon for boon prescian, &c.; which has been universally received. The Cambridge editors, however, partly anticipated by Capell, read 'Bon, bon fort bon. Priscian! a little scratcht, twill serve.' Ingenious as this is, I still adhere to Theobald; for, as I have just observed, French does not occur in this play; and when those critics say that "Sir Nathaniel is not represented as an ignoramus who would be likely to say bone for bene," I may remind them that he adds, 'Videsne quis venit,' which is nearly as bad. The printer, in fact, had spoiled the humour by his bene, and Theobald restored it, as I think, most happily.
Malone read 'remember not' (see Ham. v. 2, M. N. D. iv. 1). Dyce quotes "Pray you remember your courtesy.... Nay, pray, be covered."—Every Man in his Humour, i. 1. But the negative may been omitted here also.
These additions, I find, were made by Capell also.
Here, again, the original reading is 'Alone!'
The old editions transpose 'cure' and 'care.' The correction was by Thirlby. The old reading is retained, I know not how, in my Edition.
The rime proves 'device' to be wrong. See Introd. p. 63. The 2nd folio read 'all to my behests.' I read, as S. Walker also had read, 'to my hests.'
'Portent' is a correction of pertaunt.
So the 2nd folio for 'wanton be.'
Perhaps it should be stuff'd, not 'stabb'd.' We have, however, "stabs the centre."—W. T. i. 2.
A line has evidently been lost here.
For 'feat' Collier's folio, and S. Walker, followed by Singer and Dyce, read suit, which I also have adopted.
Both 4to and folio read his for 'her.'
It should evidently be Boyet, as in my Edition.
The line riming with this is lost, as Malone also saw.
So also 2nd folio.
The editors omit 'mad,' as it is what they deem a superfluous syllable. We should perhaps omit 'thou' and retain 'mad.'
Fair is an addition of 2nd folio.
As the whole scene is in rime, there should be a couplet here. We might then for 'this' read more.
A line riming with this, before, or after, seems lost.
The whole difficulty of this place lies in the word 'dies,' which has two senses, now distinguished by the orthography, namely, die and dye, but which in Shakespeare's time were spelt indifferently. In this place editors have invariably taken it in the former sense; and as they regard 'contents dies' as a false concord—which, by the way, it is not—they print 'Die,' and then change 'that' to them, and alter the punctuation. The result, however, is anything but satisfactory. I, on the contrary—and I believe I have been the first to do so—take 'Dies' in its second sense of tinging, colouring, imbruing, making 'zeal' the subject and 'contents' the object, and regarding this last as being by metonymy—a figure Shakespeare uses so frequently—the persons contented, or to be contented, just as in Ant. and Cleop. i. 4. "The Discontents" are the discontented. All then becomes plain, and the passage is parallel to one in the speech of Theseus in M. N. D. v. 1. As to using 'Dyes' of mind, we may justify it by the employment of tinge and tincture in the same way in our ordinary language; and the following passages are very apposite:—
Cowley, The Complaint, 122.
"For dye a husband that has wit with an opinion that thou art honest, and see who dares wash the colour out." (Killigrew, Parson's Wedding, ii. 3.) "Ma ben di rado avviene che le parole affermative e sicure d'una persona autorevole in qualsivoglia genere non tingano dal loro colore la mente di chi le ascolta." (Manzoni, Prom. Sposi, ch. xx.) The 'zeal' in the last line may have been produced in the usual way by that in the preceding line, and the poet's word have been hue; but a change is not absolutely necessary.