"Severals and generals are of grace extract,"

"Severals and generals of grace exact,"

in that very speech. In both of these changes the only effect is to impoverish the expression, and make it tame and common. But, besides and beyond this, the text, as it stands in the original, affords a reasonable, consistent, and pertinent meaning; and it therefore must not be disturbed even in favor of something better, granting that there is any one who can better it. Otherwise we may all of us go to work at improving Shakespeare's poetry wherever we think it well to do so and a very pretty piece of business we should make of it.

The reading of the quarto of 1609, which was transferred to Mr. Collier's folio,

"Love's thrice repured nectar,"

is doubtless the poet's word. "Thrice reputed nectar,' has but a shadow of a very poor sense. It was the trebly

purified, the very nectareous essence of love, which was to be "too fine, too subtle potent" for the senses of Troilus.

"Pan. Go to, a bargain made: seal it, seal it: I'll be the witness.Here I hold your hand; here, my cousin's. If ever you prove false one to another, since I have taken such pains to bring you together, let all pitiful goers-between be called to the world's end after my name, call them all— Pandars; let all constant men be Troiluses, all false women Cressidas, and all brokers-between Pandars! say, amen."

If Troilus and Cressida proved false "one to another" we can see why "all false women" should be called Cressidas; but why should "all constant men" be called Troiluses? Pandarus knew nothing of what was to be the issue of the love affair; he but supposed a case of mutual falsehood. Evidently, "constant" should be inconstant.

ACT III. SCENE 3.

"Ach. For speculation turns not to itself Till it hath travail'd, and is married there

Where it may see itself."

Married" is palpably a misprint for mirrored: a discovery which we owe to Mr. Collier's folio. The author of the articles on that volume in Blackwood's Magazine, thinks that 'mirror' was not used as a verb in Shakespeare's time, and finds that 'to mirror' does not occur even in Johnson's Dictionary. But this is no ground for deciding that such a bold writer as Shakespeare did not use it; while it is the best reason for believing that a compositor who had never seen the word 'mirrored' should suppose it to be married.'

ACT IV. SCENE 4.

"Tro. The Grecian youths are full of qualitie, Their loving well compos'd with gifts of nature Flowing and swelling ore with Arts and exercise."

Thus corruptly this passage stands in the original folio. It is usually printed thus:

"The Grecian youths are full of quality.

They're loving, well composed, with gifts of nature flowing,
And swelling o'er with arts and exercise."

But I suggest the following reading, as having the merits of a greater conformity to Shakespeare's style and a less deviation from the original text.

"The Grecian youths are full of quality.

They're loving, well compos'd with gifts of nature,
Flowing and swelling o'er with arts and exercise."11

Some of the editors interpret "scale," "to disperse ;' but granting the word that meaning, what sense does it afford in the place it holds? Menenius tells the people that it may be that they have heard his story; but, since it serves his purpose, he will venture to use it, old as it is. Can there be the least doubt that Theobald was right in changing one letter, and reading,

Lead their successes as we wish our own;

That both our powers, with smiling fronts encountering,
May give you thankful sacrifice!"

This invocative prayer to the gods is nonsense as it now stands; but the very obvious correction proposed by Warburton and supported by Mr. Dyce, removes all difficulty. Read,

Lead their successes," &c.

"Ye Roman gods,

ACT II. SCENE 1.

"Men. I am known to be a humorous patrician, and one that loves a cup of hot wine with not a drop of allaying Tyber in't; said to be something imperfect in favouring the first complaint."

Mr. Collier's folio suggests, with reason, that we should read "without a drop of allaying Tiber," and, "the thirst complaint." Common sense will not set the latter word aside because Mr. Singer has discovered that "thirst' was sometimes provincially pronounced and spelt first and furst." Shakespeare does not make Menenius talk like a West of England ploughboy. In the same Scene, the suggestion of empiric physic, for "empirickqutique" of the original, in the speech of Menenius, is one which will be gladly received from the folio. "Teach" of the old copy is also, without a doubt, misprinted for touch, in the following passage :

"Sic. This, as you say, suggested

At some time when his soaring insolence
Shall touch the people," &c.

SCENE 3.

In the generally received text, Coriolanus, as he stands in the Forum to ask the voices of the citizens for the consulship, disgusted with the task, exclaims :