Imatges de pàgina
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P. 21.-324.-263.

Casca. Against the Capitol I met a lion,
Who glar'd upon me, and went surly by,
Without annoying me.

I say with Mr. Steevens glar'd is certainly the right word. Mr. Malone's phlegmatic note well deserv'd to be perstringed in the manner Mr. Steevens has done it in his second note on this passage in the edition of 1793.

Cas.

P. 25.-328.-269.

For now, this fearful night,

There is no stir, or walking in the streets;
And the complexion of the element,

Is favour'd, like the work we have in hand,
Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible.

I think we may read either is favour'd, or in

favours.

Bru.

P. 28.-331.-273.

But 'tis a common proof,
That lowliness is young ambition's ladder,
Whereto the climber-upward turns his face:
But when he once attains the utmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend.

Mr. M. Mason is right.

Brutus

P. 29.-332.-274.

opens the Letter, and reads.

Brutus, thou sleep'st; awake, and see thyself,
Shall Rome, &c. Speak, strike, redress!
Brutus, thou sleep'st; awake,-

The &c. is neither in Theobald's edition, in Johnson's and Steevens's of 1785, nor in Malone's, in all of which, after the word Rome, there is a break-which I think is right. There is no note to inform us why the &c. was inserted in the edition of 1793.

P. 36.-338.-284.

Bru. O, name him not; let us not break with him ;
For he will never follow any thing

That other men begin.

Cas.

Then leave him out.

Tacitus says of Laco that he was—

Consilii quamvis egregii, quod non ipse adferret, inimicus.

Por.

Hist. Lib. I. 26.

P. 42.-344.-292.

Am I yourself,

But, as it were, in sort, or limitation;

To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,

And talk to you sometimes.

I incline to think that we should read consort, with Theobald; the passages quoted do not appear to me to make against it.

P. 44.-346.-295.

Bru. Leave me with haste.

[Exit Portia.

Enter Lucius and Ligarius.

Lucius, who's that, knocks?

I think we should read, Lucius, who's that that

knocks?

P. 52.-352.-304.

Dec. Pardon me, Cæsar; for my dear, dear love
To your proceeding bids me tell you this;

And reason to my love is liable.

I doubt whether this is rightly explained by Dr. Johnson.

P. 55.-354.-308.

Enter Soothsayer.

I think with Mr. Tyrwhitt, that Artemidorus, and not the soothsayer, should enter here. Theobald has made this correction.

Cœs.

P. 58.-357.-313.

I must prevent thee, Cimber.
These couchings, and these lowly courtesies,
Might fire the blood of ordinary men ;

And turn pre-ordinance, and first decree,
Into the law of children.

I incline to think that Dr. Johnson's correction

is right.

P. 60.-359.-315.

Cas. So, in the world; 'Tis furnish'd well with men,
And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive;

Yet, in the number, I do know but one

That unassailable holds on his rank,
Unshak'd of motion.

I believe rank is right.

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How many ages hence,

Shall this our lofty scene be acted over,

In states unborn, and accents yet unknown?

States is certainly right, and is rightly explained by Mr. Steevens.

P. 64.-364.-321.

Ant. I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,
Who else must be let blood, who else is rank.

I agree with Mr. Steevens that Dr. Johnson's explanation of rank is the true one.

P. 68.-367.-327.

Ant. Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,-
Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue ;-
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
Domestick fury, and fierce civil strife,
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy.

I think limbs is right, and is rightly explained by Mr. Steevens.

P. 71.-370.-331.

Bru. Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for
my cause; and be silent, that you may hear, &c.

I heartily agree with Mr. Steevens.

P. 80.-377.-340.

Ant. For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,

To stir men's blood.

The reading of the second folio, wit, is certainly right; I am surprised that any one should doubt it, and still more astonished at the question at the end of Mr. Malone's note.

P. 91.-387.-355.

Bru. I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,

Than such a Roman.

Cas.

I'll not endure it.

Brutus, bay not me,

I think Mr. Steevens has clearly shown that bay is the right word.

P. 92.-388.-355.

I am a soldier, I,

Older in practice, abler than yourself

To make conditions.

. I doubt whether Dr. Johnson has rightly explained this expression. I rather think it means to make terms with the enemy.

P. 93.-389.-357.

Bru. By heaven, I had rather coin my heart,
And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash,
By any indirection.

Mr. Holt White is certainly right.

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And here my naked breast; within, a heart
Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold :
If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth.
Sir William Blackstone is right.

P. 110.-404.-378.

Cas. But, since the affairs of men rest still uncertain,
Let's reason with the worst that may befall.

If we do lose this battle, then is this
The very last time we shall speak together:
What are you then determined to do?
Bru. Even by the rule of that philosophy,
By which I did blame Cato for the death
Which he did give himself;—I know not how,
But I do find it cowardly and vile,

For fear of what might fall, so to prevent
The time of life :-arming myself with patience,
To stay the providence of some high powers,

That govern us below.

I believe Monk Mason and Ritson are right.

P. 116.-410.-387.

Bru. The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!
It is impossible, that ever Rome

Should breed thy fellow.

I agree with Mr. Steevens.

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