VOL. I.

INTRODUCTION TO "THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA."

P. 1. "— a work very popular in Spain towards the end of the seventeenth century.” Read: sixteenth century."

P. 52.

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST.

"Why should I joy in any abortive birth? At Christmas I no more desire a rose, Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows: But like of each thing that in season grows.” "Shows "here is a manifest misprint. I would read:-"- a snow on May's new-fangled wreath."

P. 53, note (a). Add, after "very small game" :-But Steevens was evidently unconscious of its being a proverbial expression. It occurs in Whetstone's "Promos and Cassandra," Part I. Act III. Sc. 6:

"A holie hood makes not a Frier devoute He will playe at small game, or he sitte out." Ibid. note (b). "Mr. Collier's old annotator proposes garrulity;"-Read: Mr. Collier's annotator proposes garrulity, which he borrowed no doubt from Theobald, who in 1729, suggested it to Warburton. See Nichols's Illustrations, Vol. II. p. 317.

P. 64, note (b). Add:-Belly-doublet is in fact nonsense. The doublets were made some without stuffing-thin bellied and some bombasted out:-"Certain I am, there never was any kind of apparel ever invented, that could more disproportion the body of man, than these doublets with great bellies hanging down, and stuffed," &c. &c.STUBBES.

Ibid. note (c). Add:-Mr. Collier's annotator reads, "By my pain of observation," a reading first suggested by Theobald in 1729. Nichols's Illustrations, Vol. II. p. 320. P. 67." This senior-junior (4) giant-dwarf." Dele (4). P. 80. "— prisons up,”-Read: with the old editions: poisons up, and, in corroboration, see Act V. Sc. 2:"If this, or more than this, I would deny,

To flatter up these powers of mine with rest, The sudden hand of death close up mine eye:" And, stronger still, the following from King John, Act IV. Sc. 3:

"Those eyes that grace the day, now shine on him, He her Endymion, she his silver moon, The tongue that's able to rock Heaven asleep, And make the music of the spheres stand still." P. 83, note (c). and Mr. Dyce says nothing can be more evident than that Skakespeare so wrote," &c. Read: and Mr. Dyce says, "Nothing can be more evident than that Shakespeare wrote," &c. P. 84, note (e). In this note, strike out the clause, "Hence the equivoque, which was sometimes in allusion to snuff for the nose, and sometimes to the snuff of a candle." P. 85. "And shape his service wholly to my behests; And make him proud to make me proud that jests!"

I would now read, hests, with Mr. Sidney Walker, instead of behests.

Ibid. "Arm'd in arguments ;-Read: "Armed in arguments; &c."

Ibid. note (e). It meant I now suspect, deeply in love, applied to a love-sick person. In this sense it occurs in the excellent old comedy of "Roister Doister," Act I. Sc. 2.

P. 91. "Above this world: adding thereto, morever." Read: 66 moreover."

COMEDY OF ERRORS.

P. 120, note (a). See also note (b) Vol. III. p. 62. P. 121, note (f). But to carry out this metaphor, serious hours, should be several hours. The integrity of the allusion is destroyed by serious. I suspect, however, the corruption lies in the word common.

P. 124, note (b). So also in Ben Jonson, "Sejanus," Act V. Sc. 4:"Cut down,

Drusus, that upright elm; wither'd his vine."

P. 129. "Sing, syren,"-Read: "Sing, siren."

P. 136. "With his mace." It ought to have been mentioned that the sergeants carried a staff or small mace in their hands. See "The Example," by Shirley, Act III. Sc. 1.

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.

P. 227, note (d). Another instance may be added from Taylor, the Water Poet's, "Anagrams and Sonnets," fol. 1630:

"He that's a mizer all the yeere beside

Will revell now, and for no cost will spare,
A poxe hang sorrow, let the world go slide,
Let's eate and drinke, and cast away all care."

P. 228, note (a). Add:-By "Brach Merriman,-the poor cur is emboss'd," &c. is meant, Couple Merriman with a female hound,-the poor cur is, &c. So in the next line, "and couple Clowder with the deep-mouth'd brach." P. 229, note (a). "Sinclo to this line. Sinclo," &c. Read: "Sinklo to this line. Sinklo," &c.

P. 233. 1-wis, it is not half way to her heart. Dele the hyphen.

P. 239. "My mind presumes, for his own good, and yours." Mr. Collier's annotator, adopting a suggestion of Theobald's, (see Nichols's Illustrations, Vol. II. p. 334,) reads, - for his own good, and ours.'

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P. 246. "In cypress chests my arras, counterpoints," &c. --Read: arras counterpoints," &c. P. 264. "What! up and down, carv'd like an apple tart?" Read: "What up and down, carv'd like an apple tart!"

P. 266, note (c). I am now partly of opinion that expect" here means, attend, pay attention, and that the passage should be pointed thus,-"I cannot tell. Expect they are busied," &c. The word occurs with this sense apparently in Jonson's Masque of "Time Vindicated."

"Hark! it is Love begins to Time. Expect. [Music]." P. 272, note (a). Perhaps, after all, the old text is right, but the two words have been inadvertently made into one: "therefore, sir, as surance," i.e. as proof,

P. 273.

"We three are married, but you two are sped." Of sped, in this place, the commentators can make no sense. It perhaps means promised. See "A Proper Sonet, Intituled, Maid will you Marrie," in "the Gorgeous Gallery of Gallant Inventions," part ii. p. 48:--

"Why then you will not wed me ?-
No sure, Sir, I have sped me."

The lover then goes on in answer to say,
"It is a woman's honestie

To keep her promise faithfully."

KING JOHN.

P. 293, note (a). I now think the original text is possibly correct, and that the thought running through the passage and which sufficiently explains it, is, that there is peculiar hardship in Arthur suffering, not only for the sins of the grandmother, (which might be regarded as the common lot-" the canon of the law,") but by the instrumentality of the person whose sins were thus punished; the grandmother being the agent inflicting retribution on her grandson for her own guilt.

"I have but this to say,-
That he's not only plagued for her sin,
But God hath made her sin and her the plague
On this removed issue: plagued for her

And with [or by] her plague-her sin his injury
Her injury-the beadle to her sin.

All [is] punished in the person of this child,
And all for her; a plague upon her."

P. 302, note (a). I am not at present so satisfied of the propriety of Mr. Dyce's ingenious emendation uptrimmed as I was formerly. In old times it was a custom for the bride at her wedding to wear her hair unbraided, and hanging loose over her shoulders. May not Constance by " a new untrimmed bride," refer to this custom? Peacham in describing the marriage of the princess Elizabeth with the Palsgrave says that "the bride came into the chapell with a coronet of pearle on her head, and her haire dischevelled and hanging down over her shoulders." Compare, too, "Tancred and Gismunda," Act V. Sc. 1.:

"So let thy tresses flaring in the wind
Untrimmed hang about thy bared neck."

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P. 303, note (b). Against the thing thou swear'st," query, "swearest by"?

P. 318, note (a). "Whose confidential parley." Rather whose secret dispatch. There is an instance of private used substantively in Ben Jonson's "Every Man in his Humour," Act IV. Sc. 5. "I will tell you, sir, by the way of private, and under seal."

P. 319. "Thou'rt damn'd as black-" It should have been remarked that Shakespeare had here probably in his mind the old religious plays of Coventry, some of which in his boyhood he might have seen, wherein the damned souls had their faces blackened.

In Sharp's Dissertation on these performances, the writer speaking of "White and Black Souls," observes:"Of these characters the number was uniformly three of each, but sometimes they are denominated savyd' and 'dampnyd Sowles,' instead of white and black." And in the same work we meet with,

Ibid. note (c). Add the following example from Florio's "Worlde of Wordes." Ruffare, to rifle, to skamble."

P. 321, note (c). Johnson is right. Florio after explaining Foragio to mean fodder, &c., says it had anciently the sense of Fuora, which is out, abroad, forth, &c.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.

P. 358. In some of the early copies of this edition, a part of Bottom's speech runs, Ladies, fair ladies, I

would wish you, I would request you, I would entreat you not to fear," &c. Read: "Ladies, or fair ladies, I would, wish you, or I would request you, or, I would entreat you, not to fear," &c.

P. 359. For "Exit," after "thou art translated: "Read: Exeunt Snout and Quince.

P. 363, note (a). "The critical remedy applied, afforded." Dele applied.

Subsequent consideration induces me to believe that the emendation of Mr. Collier's annotator, mentioned in the above note, is uncalled for.

P. 365, note (b). "O me! what means my love?" I should now adhere to the old text,

"O, me! what news my love?"

Mr. Collier's attempt to substantiate his annotator's reading means by reference to a passage in Nash and Marlowe's Dido, Queen of Carthage," where he proposes the puerile change of "newly clad for "meanly clad," is a signal failure. The passage in the original stands thus:"Achates, thou shalt be so meanly clad,

As sea-born nymphs shall swarm about thy ships, And wanton mermaids court thee with sweet songs." And meanly is an obvious misprint for "mienly,” i. e. shapely.

P. 377. " For, by thy gracious, golden, glittering gleams.” For gleams, I would now read with the second folio, "streams."

MERCHANT OF VENICE.

P. 417, note (f). Add: which the said corrector borrowed from Theobald. (See Nichols's Illustrations, Vol. II. p. 308.) P. 419, note (a). "For intermission," after all may mean, for fear of interruption. So in "King Lear," Act II. Sc. 4:

"Delivered letters spite of intermission." P. 421. "How true a gentleman you send relief.” See note (d), p. 342, Vol. I.

P. 525. For "Or prisoner's ransom," Read: “Of, prisoner's ransom."

P. 531, note (b). Add: perhaps correctly; see “A Woman is a Weathercock," Act I. Sc. 2:

"But did that little old dried neat's tongue, that eel-skin get him?"

P. 534. "The likeness of a fat old man." We should read as in the quarto, "the likeness of an old fat man."

P. 540, note (e). Add: It meant to mix or mingle: thus, in Greene's "Quip for an Upstart Courtier: "-"You card your beer (if you see your guests beginning to get drunk), half small half strong." Again, in Hackluyt's Voyages, Vol. II. p. 489:-"They drinke milke, or warme blood, and for the most part card them both together.” P. 631, note (1). For "Asunctus," read "Asunetus."

MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.

P. 650, note (a). The emendation of " physician" for precisian is really Theobald's. (See Nichols's Illustrations, Vol. II. p. 274.)

P. 653, note (e). An antithesis was possibly intended between firmly and frailty. The meaning being,-"Who thinks himself so secure on what is a most brittle foundation."

P. 665, note (a). Add: The meaning being-I see what you would be if Fortune were as bountiful to you as Nature has been.

P. 18.

VOL. II.

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

"Where hope is coldest, and despair most fits." Mr. Collier assigns the emendation "fits" for shifts to a MS. correction in Lord Ellesmere's folio, 1623, but it is due to Theobald. (See Nichols's Illustrations, Vol. II. p. 343.) P. 23, note (a). For "Act V. Sc. 2," read "Act V. Sc. 5."

P. 40, note (a). I believe now the old text is correct; made, in the sense of being fortunate, is a very common expression, even at this day.

KING HENRY THE FIFTH.

P. 87, note (a). "Nook-shotten isle," means, in fact, an isle spawned in a corner. Shotten-herring is a herring that has spawned his roe. "Here comes Romeo without his roe."-" Romeo and Juliet," Act II. Sc. 4.

Ibid. note (f). So in the "Taming of the Shrew," Act I. Sc. 1:

"Tranio, I burn, I pine, I perish, Tranio,
If I achieve not this young modest girl."
Again in "The Malcontent," Act V. Sc. 4:-
"Slave take thy life:

Wert thou defenc'd, through blood and wounds
The sternest horror of a civil fight,
Would I atchieve thee."

P. 92. Prefix "Cho," to the first line.

P. 108. Prefix "Cho," to the first line.

PERICLES.

P. 183. "Her face the book of praiess," Read: "Her face the book of praises."

P. 187. "His seal'd commision," Read: "His seal'd commission."

P. 192. If it be a day fits you, scratch out of the calendar," &c. "Fits you," possibly means disorders you, puts you out of sorts, wrenches you. So in Sonnet CXIX,' "How have mine eyes out of their spheres been fitted," i.e. been started, wrenched.

P. 213, note (a). So in "Measure for Measure," Act IV. Sc. 2:"And indeed, his fact, till now in the government of lord Angelo, came not to an undoubtful proof."

TWELFTH NIGHT; OR, WHAT YOU WILL.

P. 233. (Introduction.) In speaking of the Manningham Diary, I erred in attributing to Mr. Collier any share in the discovery of this interesting MS. I have before me now unquestionable evidence that the credit of its detection, as well as of determining its authorship, is solely due to the Rev. Joseph Hunter.

"Ass, I doubt not."

P. 249. This feeble pun upon the words as and ass, was an old joke. It occurs in a rare tract called, "A Pil to purge Melancholy," supposed to have been printed about 1599:

"And for bidding me, come up asse into a higher roome."

P. 268, note (b). The literal meaning of "I am for all waters," was, undoubtedly, "I am ready for any drink." The cant term for potations, in Shakespeare's time, was waters; and to "breathe in your watering," "Henry IV."

Pt. I. Act II. Sc. 5, meant to take breath while drinking. See Taylor's (The Water Poet, "Drinke and welcome, or the famous history of the most part of Drinkes in use in Greate Britaine and Ireland; with an especial Declaration of the Potency, Vertue, and Operation of our English Ale: with a description of all sorts of Waters," &c.

HENRY THE SIXTH. PART I.

P. 288, note (c). Add: which he took from Theobald. See Nichols's Illustrations, Vol. II. p. 452.

P. 289, note (a). Add: which we owe, not to Mr. Collier's annotator, but to Theobald. See Nichols's Illustrations, Vol. II. p. 414.

P. 320, note (a). Lither indisputably signified lazy, sluggish. See North's Plutarch. (Life of Sertorius) "- he saw that Octavius was but a slow and lither man." See also Florio in voce "Badalone." And compare "Why then give way, dull clouds, to my quick curses.' "Richard the Third," Act I. Sc. 2.

P. 325, note (a). But yet see "Richard the Third," Act I. Sc. 3:

"O princely Buckingham, I'll kiss thy hand,
In sign of league and amity with thee."

HENRY THE SIXTH. PART II.

P. 362, note (a). So in "Julius Cæsar," Act I. Sc. 2:"Brutus had rather be a villager,

Than to repute himself a son of Rome
Under these hard conditions."

P. 575. "Abate the edge of traitors." Mr. Collier, upon the authority of his MS. annotator, changes "Abate" to Rebate, and lauds the "emendation" as indisputable. This, however, is only one of innumerable instances where the "old corrector," by the needless ejection of an ancient and appropriate word, betrays the modern character of his handy-work. "Abate here means, to blunt, to disedge. So Florio, in voce, "Spontare," "to abate the edge or point of any thing or weapon, to blunt, to unpoint." See also, "Love's Labour's Lost," Act I. Sc. 1:"That honour which shall bate his scythe's keen edge."

MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

P. 612, note (a). The following extract from Markham's "Hunger's Prevention, or the whole Arte of Fowling, &c." 1621, substantiates the explanation given in this note. "For a Fowle is so wonderfully fearefull of a man, that albeit a Hawke were turning over her to keepe her in awe, yet upon the least show of a man she will rise and trust to her winges and fortune."

P. 637. "Hark how the villain would close now." To the note (b) on the word "close," add: but most improperly; for "close" and not gloze, despite of all Mr. Collier can adduce in favour of the latter, is the genuine word. In proof of this take the following unanswerable quotations:

"It would become me better than to close
In terms of friendship with thine enemies."
Julius Cæsar, Act III. Sc. 1.
"This closing with him fits his lunacy."

Titus Andronicus, Act V. Sc. 2. "I will close with this country peasant very lovingly." WEBSTER'S Works, Dyce's ed. p. 281. "Thus cunningly she clos'd with him, and he conceaves her thoughts."-WARNER'S Albion's England.

P. 637, note (2). For "£6 13s. 4d.," read "£16 13s. 4d." and for "£33 6s. 8d.," read "£133 6s. 8d."

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KING HENRY THE EIGHTH.

P. 650. Things, that are known alike, &c. Mr. Collier claims for his " corrector the merit of reading here,"Things, that are known belike, &c. but the substitution was made first by Theobald. See Nichols's Illustrations, Vol. II. p. 459.

P. 654, note (a). "As first good company." We should, I think, read: "As feast, good company."

P. 693, note (a). The reading of culpable, for "capable," which Mr. Collier assigns to his annotator, was I find originally proposed by Theobald. See Nichols's Illustrations, Vol. II. p. 468.j

CYMBELINE.

P. 712. After, "Pays dear for my offences," insert [Exit.

P. 719, note (b). For "number'd in the sense," Read: "cumber'd in the sense."

VOL. III.

KING LEAR.

P. 58, note (h). For, “misprint for 'but,'" Read: "misprint for 'not.

P. 69, note (d). I now believe "sovereignty," a misprint for "sovereignly."

P. 90, note (e). I should prefer, "Wantonizeth thou at trial Madam?"

P. 114. For, "se'st thou this object, Kent?" Read: "see'st thou this object, Kent?"

CORIOLANUS.

P. 136, note (a). "Take only the following examples, from plays which that gentleman must be familiar with." Read: "- must be acquainted with."

P. 146. For "scarfs and handkerchief," Read: "scarfs and handkerchiefs."

P. 156, note (b). See Shirley's "Bird in a Cage," for a similar obscure use of the word:

"Or for some woman's lenity accuse
That fair creation."

P. 161. After "my unbarbed," insert (ƒ).

P. 169. For, "think our fellows are asleep," Read: "I think our fellows are asleep."

WINTER'S TALE.

P. 209, note (a). After "Pliny," add: Natural History. P. 229, note (b). So in "Antony and Cleopatra," Act IV. Sc. 15: "-gentle, hear me."

P. 241, note (a). Add: Sometimes this state was called handling: thus in the "London Prodigal ;"-"Ay, but he is now in hucster's handling for (i.e. for fear of) running away."

P. 250. In the line "Would I were dead, but that," &c. Dele the first comma.

Note (a). In addition to the examples given in this note, the following from Florio's "World of Words " deserves to be quoted. "Poss'io morire, an oath much used, as we say, I would I were dead, I pray God I dye, may I dye."

happen; if the prince of the light of heaven, which now as a giant doth run his unwearied course should, as it were, through a languishing faintness begin to stand and to rest himself; if the moon should wander from her beaten way, the times and seasons of the year blend themselves by disorders and confused mixtures, the winds breathe out their last gasp," &c. &c.

HAMLET.

P. 335. For, "pray thee stay with us," Read: “I pray thee stay with us.'

P. 341, note (a). Add: So in Spenser's Faerie Queene, b. i. c. iii. s. 30:

"A dram of sweete is worth a pound of sowre."

P. 358, note (b). Another example of the phrase occurs in a letter from Thomas Wilkes to the Earl of Leicester, under the date 1586 (Egerton MS. 1694, British Museum):-"I am arrived here in such a time and sea of troubles;" and it is employed by Spenser in the Faerie Queene, b. vi. c. ix. s. 31:

"With storms of fortune and tempestuous fate, In seas of troubles, and of toylesome paine." P. 396, note (a). For ". no lory:" read ". no glory."

JULIUS CESAR.

P. 416, note (a). If the old text required further confirmation it would be supplied by the following couplet from Daniel's "Vanity of Fame :'

"Is this the walke of all your wide renowne,

This little point, this scarce discerned ile?"

P. 418, note (b). Compare likewise (which put this interpretation beyond doubt) the following lines of Sir Philip Sydney, quoted by Harington in his Ariosto (Orlando Furioso) :

"Not toying kynd, nor causlesly unkynd,

Not stirring thoughts, nor yet denying right:
Not spying faults, nor in plain errors blynd,
Never hard hand, nor ever rains to light."

P. 436, note (b). So also in the Faerie Queene, b. i. c. i., ii., s. 20.

"the thirsty land Dronke up his life."

МАСВЕТН.

P. 476. "Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair.” Query, upfix? That temptation whose horrid image fires my unstable hair, and shakes my seated heart.

P. 477. "The swiftest wing of recompence is slow,", &c. The substitution of wind for "wing" in this line, which Mr. Collier credits his "annotator" with, was first proposed by Pope.

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.

P. 543. For, "Enthron'd'n the market-place:"-Read: "Enthron'd the market-place."

P. 547. For, "and therefore have: "-Read: "and therefore have we."

P. 580. For, "My country's high pyramids my gibbet :”— Read: "My country's high pyramides my gibbet."

TITUS ANDRONICUS.

P. 609. For, "The snake ies rolled:"-Read: "The snake lies rolled."

OTHELLO.

After "First folio," insert: “your." For, "Oth. What? what" Read:

P. 675, note (*). P. 687, line 35. "Oth. What? what?"