LINENOTES:Scene III.The Count's palace.] A Room of State in the Palace. Capell.Countess]old Lady Ff.[1]of her]F1 F2. om. F3 F4.esteem]estateWarburton conj. (withdrawn).[6]blaze]Warburton.bladeFf.[8]O'erbears ... burns]O'er-bear ... burnHanmer.[12, 13]But ... lady]Hanmer these lines atdid ... lady.[21]We are]We'rePope.[23]nature]matterHanmer.[24]we do]do weReed.[28]What ... spoke?]As two lines in Ff, endingdaughter ... spoke?[30, 31]Printedas prose in Ff. First as verse by Pope.[31]set]Rowe.setsFf.[32]I am]I'mPope.SceneIV.Pope.Enter Bertram.] Enter Count Bertram. Ff.[39]forward]foreheadAnon. conj.[44]Admiringly, my liege, at first]F3 F4.Admiringly my liege, at firstF1 F2.Admiringly, my liege. At firstRowe.Admiringly, my liege. Even at firstHanmer.Admiringly, my liege; at the first sightCapell.Admiringly. My liege, at firstCollier.[49]warp'd]warptF1 F2.wraptF3 F4.[50]Scorn'd]Scorch'dHanmer (Warburton).Scors'dBecket conj.[58, 59]Like ... offence,](Like ... To an offender)turns to sour repentanceHanmer.carried, ... sender]Theobald.carried ... sender,Ff.carried, ... sender, Rowe.[59]sour]soreCollier MS.[60]that's gone]that is goneRowe (ed. 2).Our]Our ownCapell.faults]thoughtsLong MS.[61]trivial]triviallF1 F2.triallF3.trialF4.[65, 66]Our ... afternoon]omitted in Collier MS.[65]own]oldCollier (Mason conj.).[66]shameful hate]shapeful hateF4.shame full lateW. G. C. (Fras. Mag.) conj.sleeps]sleptJohnson conj.[67, 68]forget her...fair Maudlin]forget ... MargaretAnon. conj.[71]Count.]Theobald. Continued to King in Ff.O dear]dearLloyd conj.[72]meet,]Rowe.meetF1 F2.meetF3 F4.in me]in oneLong MS.cesse] F1.ceasseF2.ceassF3.ceaseF4.[74]digested]F1 F4.disgestedF2 F3.[76][B. gives a ring.]Hanmer.[79]that e'er I]that ere IFf.that e'er sheRowe.time e'er sheHanmer.time, ere sheCollier (Collier MS.).that ... leave]leave that I took of herJervis conj.[85]Necessitied]F1 F2 F3.NecessitedF4.[90]I have]I'vePope.[91]life's]Rowe.livesFf.I am]I'mPope.[96]engaged]Rowe.ingag'dFf.ungag'dTheobald.in gageJackson conj.[101]Plutus]Rowe (ed. 2).Platus] Ff.[110]yourself]you selfeF2.[114]conjectural]connecturallF1.[115]would fain]should fainCapell (corrected in MS.).out.]out, F1 F2 F3.out; F4.[120][Guardsseize B.]Rowe.[122]tax]F3 F4.taxeF2.tazeF1.[127][Exit, guarded.]Rowe.[128]scenev.Pope.I am]I'mPope.thinkings]thinkingRowe.Enter....]Ff (after line 127). Enter the Astringer. Grant White.[129]I have]I'vePope.to blame]too blameFf.[131]hath]hadHeath conj.for four]some fourWarburton.[136]importing]importantBoswell (1821).[139]King, [reads]A letter. Ff. The King reads a letter. Rowe.[143]his]F1 F2.thisF3 F4.[144]you it best]your breast itHanmer.[145, 157]Capilet]Ff.CapuletRowe.[146]fair]faireF1.feareF2.fearF3 F4.and toll]a touleBecket conj.[146, 147]toll for this:I'll]toule for this. IleF1.toule him for this. IleF2 F3 F4.toll for him. For this, I'llTheobald,toll him: for this, I'llSteevens.toll: for this, I'llCollier (Mason conj.).towl him: for this, I'llGrant White.[147]this ... him]him ... thisAnon, conj.[150][Exeunt some Attendants.Capell. Exeunt Gentleman and some Attendants. Malone.[151]afeard]afraidRowe.[152]Re-enter B., guarded.]Capell. Enter Bertram. Ff (after line 150).[153]sir, sith wives are monsters]Dyce.sir, sir, wives are monstersF1.sir, wives are such monstersF2.sir, wives are so monstrousF3 F4.sir, since wives are monstersSteevens (Tyrwhitt conj.).sir, sin wives are monstersBecket conj.sir, for wives are monstersCollier (Egerton MS.).[154]them lordship]to themRowe (ed. 2).them worshipAnon. conj.[155]marry]wedPope.Enter Widow and Diana.]Enter Widdow, Diana, and Parolles. Ff. Re-enter Gentleman with Widow and Diana. Malone. Enter the Astringer with ... Grant White.[157]Capilet]CapuletsHeath conj.[163]hither]F2 F3 F4.hetherF1.count; do you]count; do you notHanmer.count; say, do youCapell.county, do youS. Walker conj.[168]that is]this isorthat wereSeymour conj.[170]myself]my fleshHanmer.[174]too]om. Hanmer, who reads lines 174, 175 as verse, endingcomes ... her.[To Bertram. Rowe.[179]Than for]Than e'erPope.Than soCollier MS.[181]them: fairer]Hanmer (Theobald conj.).them fairer: Ff.[182]Good]Now, goodHanmer.[192, 204]o']Rowe.a'Ff.[193]Count.]Coun. F1. Boun. F2. Old La. F3 F4.'tis it]Capell.'tis hitFf.'tis hisPope.is hitMalone conj.'tis fitHenley conj.[195]to the sequent]to 'th sequentF1 F2.to th' sequentF3 F4.to th' subsequentPope.[196]it]soHanmer.[202][Exit an Attendant.Dyce.him?]F2 F3 F4.him: F1.[205]Whose nature sickens but...truth.] Hanmer.Whose nature sickens: but...truth,Ff.Which nature sickens with: but to speak truth, Rowe.[210]for me]F1.of meF2 F3 F4.[214]infinite cunning]Singer (S. Walker conj.).insuite commingF1.insuit commingF2 F3.insuit comingF4.in suit comingHanmer.insuit cunningEasy conj.instant comityBubier conj.infinite ... grace]own suit joining with her mothers, scarceHeath conj.modern]modestLong MS.[216]any]anormyS.Walker conj.[218]have turn'd off]Ff.turn'd offRowe (ed. 2).[219]diet]edictJackson conj.[221]it]thisHanmer.[223, 224]Sir, ... finger]Metre as in Capell. As one line in Ff.Much like that same upon your finger, sir.Hanmer.[228]Dia.I have ... truth]omitted by Rowe.[Enter P.]Ff. Re-enter Attendant, with P. Dyce (after line 230).[229]Scene vi.Pope.[231]Ay]It isTheobald.[232]Tell me, sirrah]Now tell me, sirrahCapell.sirrah, but tell me true]but tell me true, sirrahHanmer.[236]gentleman]gentlemenF2.[241, 242]but how?King.How,] King.But how, how, Malone conj.[243]gentleman]Rowe.Gent.Ff.[246]knave.]knave, Ff.knave; Rowe.[252]But]What! Capell conj.[254]than that, he]F4.then thatheF1 F2.then that, heF3.loved her:]lov'd her,—Capell.[259]which]F1 F2.thatF3 F4.[261-263]Collier printsas three lines endingcanst ... fine ... aside.[266]nor I did not]F1 F2.nor did notF3 F4.nor did ITheobald.[270]gave it]gave'tS. Walker conj.[281]Jove]GodNicholson conj.[To Lafeu. Hanmer.][287]I am]I'mPope.old]om. Long MS.[Pointing to Laf. Rowe.[289][Exit Widow.]Pope.[298]Re-enter...]Capell. Enter Hellen and Widow. Ff.[307]And are]Rowe.And isFf.This is done]This now is doneHanmer.[315-317]Hanmer printsas three lines endinghandkerchief, ... with thee: ... ones.[315][To Parolles]Rowe.Good ... handkercher] as a verse in Ff.Now good.... Hanmer.handkercher]handkerchiefRowe.[316]I thank]'thankHanmer.[320][To Diana]Rowe.[323]Thou kept'st]Thou'st keptAnon. conj.kept'st]keptstF1.keeptstF2.keepestF3 F4.keep'stRowe (ed. 1).kep'stRowe (ed. 2).[324]or]andTheobald.[325]Resolvedly]F4.ResoldvedlyF1.Resoldv'dlyF2 F3.[327][Flourish.]Ff. Exeunt. Rowe.
LINENOTES:
Scene III.The Count's palace.] A Room of State in the Palace. Capell.
Countess]old Lady Ff.
[1]of her]F1 F2. om. F3 F4.
esteem]estateWarburton conj. (withdrawn).
[6]blaze]Warburton.bladeFf.
[8]O'erbears ... burns]O'er-bear ... burnHanmer.
[12, 13]But ... lady]Hanmer these lines atdid ... lady.
[21]We are]We'rePope.
[23]nature]matterHanmer.
[24]we do]do weReed.
[28]What ... spoke?]As two lines in Ff, endingdaughter ... spoke?
[30, 31]Printedas prose in Ff. First as verse by Pope.
[31]set]Rowe.setsFf.
[32]I am]I'mPope.
SceneIV.Pope.
Enter Bertram.] Enter Count Bertram. Ff.
[39]forward]foreheadAnon. conj.
[44]Admiringly, my liege, at first]F3 F4.Admiringly my liege, at firstF1 F2.Admiringly, my liege. At firstRowe.Admiringly, my liege. Even at firstHanmer.Admiringly, my liege; at the first sightCapell.Admiringly. My liege, at firstCollier.
[49]warp'd]warptF1 F2.wraptF3 F4.
[50]Scorn'd]Scorch'dHanmer (Warburton).Scors'dBecket conj.
[58, 59]Like ... offence,](Like ... To an offender)turns to sour repentanceHanmer.
carried, ... sender]Theobald.carried ... sender,Ff.carried, ... sender, Rowe.
[59]sour]soreCollier MS.
[60]that's gone]that is goneRowe (ed. 2).
Our]Our ownCapell.
faults]thoughtsLong MS.
[61]trivial]triviallF1 F2.triallF3.trialF4.
[65, 66]Our ... afternoon]omitted in Collier MS.
[65]own]oldCollier (Mason conj.).
[66]shameful hate]shapeful hateF4.shame full lateW. G. C. (Fras. Mag.) conj.
sleeps]sleptJohnson conj.
[67, 68]forget her...fair Maudlin]forget ... MargaretAnon. conj.
[71]Count.]Theobald. Continued to King in Ff.O dear]dearLloyd conj.
[72]meet,]Rowe.meetF1 F2.meetF3 F4.
in me]in oneLong MS.cesse] F1.ceasseF2.ceassF3.ceaseF4.
[74]digested]F1 F4.disgestedF2 F3.
[76][B. gives a ring.]Hanmer.
[79]that e'er I]that ere IFf.that e'er sheRowe.time e'er sheHanmer.time, ere sheCollier (Collier MS.).
that ... leave]leave that I took of herJervis conj.
[85]Necessitied]F1 F2 F3.NecessitedF4.
[90]I have]I'vePope.
[91]life's]Rowe.livesFf.
I am]I'mPope.
[96]engaged]Rowe.ingag'dFf.ungag'dTheobald.in gageJackson conj.
[101]Plutus]Rowe (ed. 2).Platus] Ff.
[110]yourself]you selfeF2.
[114]conjectural]connecturallF1.
[115]would fain]should fainCapell (corrected in MS.).
out.]out, F1 F2 F3.out; F4.
[120][Guardsseize B.]Rowe.
[122]tax]F3 F4.taxeF2.tazeF1.
[127][Exit, guarded.]Rowe.
[128]scenev.Pope.
I am]I'mPope.
thinkings]thinkingRowe.
Enter....]Ff (after line 127). Enter the Astringer. Grant White.
[129]I have]I'vePope.
to blame]too blameFf.
[131]hath]hadHeath conj.
for four]some fourWarburton.
[136]importing]importantBoswell (1821).
[139]King, [reads]A letter. Ff. The King reads a letter. Rowe.
[143]his]F1 F2.thisF3 F4.
[144]you it best]your breast itHanmer.
[145, 157]Capilet]Ff.CapuletRowe.
[146]fair]faireF1.feareF2.fearF3 F4.
and toll]a touleBecket conj.
[146, 147]toll for this:I'll]toule for this. IleF1.toule him for this. IleF2 F3 F4.toll for him. For this, I'llTheobald,toll him: for this, I'llSteevens.toll: for this, I'llCollier (Mason conj.).towl him: for this, I'llGrant White.
[147]this ... him]him ... thisAnon, conj.
[150][Exeunt some Attendants.Capell. Exeunt Gentleman and some Attendants. Malone.
[151]afeard]afraidRowe.
[152]Re-enter B., guarded.]Capell. Enter Bertram. Ff (after line 150).
[153]sir, sith wives are monsters]
Dyce.sir, sir, wives are monstersF1.sir, wives are such monstersF2.sir, wives are so monstrousF3 F4.sir, since wives are monstersSteevens (Tyrwhitt conj.).sir, sin wives are monstersBecket conj.sir, for wives are monstersCollier (Egerton MS.).
[154]them lordship]to themRowe (ed. 2).them worshipAnon. conj.
[155]marry]wedPope.
Enter Widow and Diana.]
Enter Widdow, Diana, and Parolles. Ff. Re-enter Gentleman with Widow and Diana. Malone. Enter the Astringer with ... Grant White.
[157]Capilet]CapuletsHeath conj.
[163]hither]F2 F3 F4.hetherF1.
count; do you]count; do you notHanmer.count; say, do youCapell.county, do youS. Walker conj.
[168]that is]this isorthat wereSeymour conj.
[170]myself]my fleshHanmer.
[174]too]om. Hanmer, who reads lines 174, 175 as verse, endingcomes ... her.
[To Bertram. Rowe.
[179]Than for]Than e'erPope.Than soCollier MS.
[181]them: fairer]Hanmer (Theobald conj.).them fairer: Ff.
[182]Good]Now, goodHanmer.
[192, 204]o']Rowe.a'Ff.
[193]Count.]Coun. F1. Boun. F2. Old La. F3 F4.
'tis it]Capell.'tis hitFf.'tis hisPope.is hitMalone conj.'tis fitHenley conj.
[195]to the sequent]to 'th sequentF1 F2.to th' sequentF3 F4.to th' subsequentPope.
[196]it]soHanmer.
[202][Exit an Attendant.Dyce.
him?]F2 F3 F4.him: F1.
[205]Whose nature sickens but...truth.] Hanmer.Whose nature sickens: but...truth,Ff.Which nature sickens with: but to speak truth, Rowe.
[210]for me]F1.of meF2 F3 F4.
[214]infinite cunning]Singer (S. Walker conj.).insuite commingF1.insuit commingF2 F3.insuit comingF4.in suit comingHanmer.insuit cunningEasy conj.instant comityBubier conj.
infinite ... grace]own suit joining with her mothers, scarceHeath conj.
modern]modestLong MS.
[216]any]anormyS.Walker conj.
[218]have turn'd off]Ff.turn'd offRowe (ed. 2).
[219]diet]edictJackson conj.
[221]it]thisHanmer.
[223, 224]Sir, ... finger]Metre as in Capell. As one line in Ff.Much like that same upon your finger, sir.Hanmer.
[228]Dia.I have ... truth]omitted by Rowe.
[Enter P.]Ff. Re-enter Attendant, with P. Dyce (after line 230).
[229]Scene vi.Pope.
[231]Ay]It isTheobald.
[232]Tell me, sirrah]Now tell me, sirrahCapell.
sirrah, but tell me true]but tell me true, sirrahHanmer.
[236]gentleman]gentlemenF2.
[241, 242]but how?King.How,] King.But how, how, Malone conj.
[243]gentleman]Rowe.Gent.Ff.
[246]knave.]knave, Ff.knave; Rowe.
[252]But]What! Capell conj.
[254]than that, he]F4.then thatheF1 F2.then that, heF3.
loved her:]lov'd her,—Capell.
[259]which]F1 F2.thatF3 F4.
[261-263]Collier printsas three lines endingcanst ... fine ... aside.
[266]nor I did not]F1 F2.nor did notF3 F4.nor did ITheobald.
[270]gave it]gave'tS. Walker conj.
[281]Jove]GodNicholson conj.
[To Lafeu. Hanmer.]
[287]I am]I'mPope.
old]om. Long MS.
[Pointing to Laf. Rowe.
[289][Exit Widow.]Pope.
[298]Re-enter...]Capell. Enter Hellen and Widow. Ff.
[307]And are]Rowe.And isFf.
This is done]This now is doneHanmer.
[315-317]Hanmer printsas three lines endinghandkerchief, ... with thee: ... ones.
[315][To Parolles]Rowe.
Good ... handkercher] as a verse in Ff.Now good.... Hanmer.
handkercher]handkerchiefRowe.
[316]I thank]'thankHanmer.
[320][To Diana]Rowe.
[323]Thou kept'st]Thou'st keptAnon. conj.
kept'st]keptstF1.keeptstF2.keepestF3 F4.keep'stRowe (ed. 1).kep'stRowe (ed. 2).
[324]or]andTheobald.
[325]Resolvedly]F4.ResoldvedlyF1.Resoldv'dlyF2 F3.
[327][Flourish.]Ff. Exeunt. Rowe.
King.The king's a beggar, now the play is done:All is well ended, if this suit be won,That you express content; which we will pay,Withstrifeto please you, dayexceedingday:5Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts;Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts.[Exeunt.
King.The king's a beggar, now the play is done:All is well ended, if this suit be won,That you express content; which we will pay,Withstrifeto please you, dayexceedingday:5Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts;Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts.[Exeunt.
King.The king's a beggar, now the play is done:All is well ended, if this suit be won,That you express content; which we will pay,Withstrifeto please you, dayexceedingday:5Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts;Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts.[Exeunt.
King.The king's a beggar, now the play is done:
All is well ended, if this suit be won,
That you express content; which we will pay,
Withstrifeto please you, dayexceedingday:
Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts;
Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts.
[Exeunt.
LINENOTES:Epilogue.]Rowe.Epiloguespoken by the King. Pope. Advancing. Capell.[4]strife]striftF1.exceeding]succeeding.See note (xviii).
LINENOTES:
Epilogue.]Rowe.Epiloguespoken by the King. Pope. Advancing. Capell.
[4]strife]striftF1.
exceeding]succeeding.See note (xviii).
Note I.
Dramatis Personæ.In the Folios Rousillon is spelt, almost without exception, 'Rossillion,' and Helena in the stage directions 'Hellen.' As the Clown's name occurs in the play we have introduced it among the 'Dramatis Personæ,' changing however the spelling from 'Lavatch' to 'Lavache.'
Violenta, whose name occurs in the stage direction at the beginning of Actiii.Sc. 5, is a mute personage, but as it is possible that Diana's first speech in that scene should be given to her, we have retained the name in the list.
Note II.
i.1. 153. It cannot be doubted that there is some omission here. The editors, except Steevens, who is satisfied with the text as it stands, substantially agree either with Hanmer's emendation or Malone's. Mr Grant White, however, thinks that in either case the transition would be too abrupt and that the passage omitted was longer and more important.
If it were not for the
'Pretty fond adoptious christendomsThat blinking Cupid gossips,'
'Pretty fond adoptious christendomsThat blinking Cupid gossips,'
'Pretty fond adoptious christendomsThat blinking Cupid gossips,'
'Pretty fond adoptious christendoms
That blinking Cupid gossips,'
we should be inclined to suppose that the whole passage was by another hand. Indeed all the foregoing dialogue between Helena and Parolles is a blot on the play. Mr Badham (Cambridge Essays, 1856, p. 256) would strike out the whole passage (105-152) from 'Ay, you have &c.' to 'Will you any thing with it?' as an interpolation.
Note III.
i.3. 50. No one has been able to discover the origin of the names 'Charbon' and 'Poysam,' or to guess at any probable meaning forthem. Yet it is not likely that they should have been given at random. Is it possible that Shakespeare may have written 'Chairbonne' and 'Poisson,' alluding to the respective lenten fare of the Puritan and the Papist?
The same suggestion was made independently by Mr Easy (Notes and Queries, 3rd S.iv.106) after the present note was in the printers' hands (Ibid. p. 203).
Note IV.
i.3. 106. We have not inserted Theobald's admirable emendation in the text, because it is probable that something more has been omitted, perhaps a whole line of the MS.
Becket would transpose the sentences and read thus:
'... level. This she delivered ... exclaim in.—Queen of Virgins! that ... afterward. This I held....'
We take this opportunity of saying that many of Becket's proposed changes are so sweeping that we found it impossible to record them in the compass of a foot-note, and at the same time so improbable, that we did not think it worth while to record them separately at the end.
Note V.
i.3. 118. We have followed the Folios in placing Helena's entry after line 118, rather than after 126, as most recent editors have done. The Countess may be supposed to be observing Helena earnestly as she enters with slow step and downcast eyes. Her words have thus more force and point.
Note VI.
ii.1. 1, 2. The editors have for the most part followed Hanmer's correction 'lord ... lord' for 'lords ... lords,' the reading of the Folios, on the ground that there is no reason why the lords who are taking leave should be divided into two sections. But from the stage direction 'divers young Lords,' it is clear that there are more than two. Mr Staunton thinks that the king first addresses himself to the young lords in general, and then turns to the two who are spokesmen in the scene and bids them share in the advice just given to their companions.
We rather incline to think that the young lords are divided into two sections according as they intended to take service with the 'Florentines' or the 'Senoys.' The king had said,i.2. 13-15:
Yet, for our gentlemen that mean to seeThe Tuscan service, freely have they leaveTo stand on either part.
Yet, for our gentlemen that mean to seeThe Tuscan service, freely have they leaveTo stand on either part.
Yet, for our gentlemen that mean to seeThe Tuscan service, freely have they leaveTo stand on either part.
Yet, for our gentlemen that mean to see
The Tuscan service, freely have they leave
To stand on either part.
Throughout this scene the two speakers whom Rowe and all subsequent editors have called 'First' and 'Second Lord' are called in the Folios 'Lord G.' and 'Lord E.' In all likelihood, as Capell has suggested, the parts were originally played by two actors whose names began respectively with G and E; and, in fact, in the list of 'Principall Actors' prefixed to the first Folio we find the names 'Gilburne,' 'Goughe' and 'Ecclestone.' The same actors doubtless took the parts of the two gentlemen who bring the letter to Helena in the 2nd scene of Actiii., and who in the stage directions of the Folio are termed 'Fren. G.' and 'Fren. E.' Mr Collier indeed interprets these words to mean 'French Envoy' and 'French Gentleman,' but they are spoken of as 'two gentlemen' in the stage direction at line 41, and one was as much an 'envoy' as the other. This interpretation moreover leaves the 'G.' and 'E.' of the former scene and of subsequent scenes quite unexplained. Some have supposed the 'two gentlemen' ofiii.1, to be the same as the 'two lords' ofii.1, and as far as the action of the Drama is concerned, there is no reason why they should not be, but when the two lords reappear iniii.6 they are introduced thus; 'Enter Count Rossillion and the Frenchmen, as at first:' which seems to prove that the two gentlemen were different persons though played by the same actors. In this latter scene the two lords are called Cap. G. and Cap. E. according to their rank in the Florentine service. The confusion of speakers in the dialogue at the close of this scene will be remedied if we suppose the Folio to have printedCap. G.by mistake forCap. E.in line 97 andCap. E.forCap. G.in lines 99, 105. 'Lord E.' appears again iniv.1, and 'Cap. G.' and 'Cap. E.' iniv.3.
Note VII.
ii.1. 3. Johnson in his note to this passage says that all the latter copies have '... if both again,' and that Sir T. Hanmer reads 'if both gain all.' The statement as to Hanmer's reading was corrected in the 'Steevens and Johnson' of 1793, but that as to all the latter copies, though equally erroneous, was allowed to remain.
Note VIII.
ii.1. 23. In the absence of any guidance from the Folios we have thought it better to follow Pope, who makes the king leave the stage, than Capell, who supposes that he retires to a couch. Bertram and Parolles could hardly, consistently with the etiquette of a court, or indeed the rules of good manners (of which Shakespeare had aninstinctive knowledge), carry on a whispered conversation in the royal presence. The king we may suppose is carried out on a couch. When Bertram says, 'Stay: the king,' the ushers in attendance throw open the folding doors at the back of the stage, Bertram and Parolles retire close to one of the side doors, and while they are speaking together then the king is borne in upon his couch to the front of the stage. To say that the king retires to a couch, as Capell does, would imply that he was able to walk, but from what Lafeu says, lines 61, 62, it is clear that he could not even stand. We must therefore suppose that he is reclining on a couch throughout the whole scene. Thus, at his first appearance, his illness would be made evident to the spectators. After they have set the couch down, the attendants retire to the back of the stage so as to be out of ear-shot.
Note IX.
ii.1. 46. As printed in the Folios, the words 'what will ye do?' seem to be a taunt addressed, after the speaker's manner, to the young lords when their backs were turned and they were out of hearing.
Note X.
ii.1. 142. The correction made by Theobald is found also in a MS. note on the margin of the copy of the first Folio, which belongs to Lord Ellesmere, i.e. 'ffits' for 'shifts.' Theobald's emendation 'loneliness' for 'loveliness,'i.3. 162, is also found there.
Note XI.
ii.3. 282. In the margin of the third Folio belonging to the Capell collection an unknown hand has made the correction 'detested' for 'detected.'
Note XII.
ii.5. 36. Another reading proposed by an anonymous correspondent of Theobald's will be found in his Letters to Warburton, Nichols'Illustrations,ii. 346.
Note XIII.
iii.3. 3. Mr Grant White says that the Folio has merely 'Sir it'—'is' having dropped out. He appears to have quoted from the reprint of the first Folio, published in 1808. The copies to which we have access read 'Sir it is.'
Note XIV.
iii.7. 22. In this, as in so many other cases, Capell was the first to restore the true reading from F1. Steevens follows him, but as usual without acknowledgement. Sometimes as atv.3. 193, he passes his authority over in silence, sometimes as ati.2. 35, he sedulously attributes to some one else that which was undoubtedly Capell's by priority of publication. Ativ.3. 152 he assigns to an anonymous correspondent a reading which Hanmer had introduced. Steevens probably derived his knowledge of it from Capell, who had adopted it. Such unworthy practices go far to explain and justify the enmities of which Steevens was the object during his life-time.
Note XV.
iv.2. 25. The wordJove'shas here probably been substituted for the originalGod'sin obedience to the statute against profanity. Read'God's'and all is plain. 'How,' asks Diana, 'can you believe me if I swear by the purity and holiness of God to do an impure and unholy deed?'
Johnson said in his note that he could hardly distinguish whether the reading of the first Folio wereIove'sorLove's. Ritson, who was not ashamed lusco dicere 'lusce,' taunted him bitterly.
Note XVI.
iv.3. 55. Mr Singer says that the old copy (meaning the first Folio) misprintsselfeforitselfe. Mr Collier tells us that some copies of F1 haveitselfe. All the copies we know of read itselfe.
Note XVII.
v.2. 4. Warburton adopts Theobald's reading and copies in substance his note, but he has not claimed it in his copy of Theobald's edition. The conjecture was originally made in one of Theobald's letters to Warburton, Capell adopted the emendation, but afterwards repented.
Note XVIII.
Epilogue, 4. Mr Collier, in his second edition, quotes this substitution of 'succeeding' for 'exceeding,' but does not say by whom it was proposed.