And observation strange, my meaner ministers O, it is monstrous! monstrous! Methought, the billows spoke, and told me of it; The winds did sing it to me; and the thunder, That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounc'd The name of Prosper; it did bass my trespass.2 Good life, however, in Twelfth Night, seems to be used for innocent jollity, as we now say a bon vivant: "Would you (says the Clown) have a love song, or a song of good life?" Sir Toby answers, "A love song, a love song;"" Ay, ay, (replies Sir Andrew,) I care not for good life." It is plain, from the characcer of the last speaker, that he was meant to mistake the sense n which good life is used by the Clown. It may, therefore, in the present instance, mean, honest alacrity, or cheerfulness. Life seems to be used in the chorus to the fifth act of K. Henry 7. with some meaning like that wanted to explain the approbaion of Prospero: “Which cannot in their huge and proper life The same phrase occurs yet more appositely in Chapman's ranslation of Homer's Hymn to Apollo : "And these are acted with such exquisite life, To do any thing with good life, is still a provincial expression n the west of England, and signifies, to do it with the full bent end energy of mind:-" And observation strange," is with such miute attention to the orders given, as to excite admiration. Henley. 1 Their several kinds have done:] i. e. have discharged the seeral functions, allotted to their different natures. Thus, in Anony and Cleopatra, Act V. sc. ii. the Clown says-" You must hink this, look you, that the worm will do his kind." Steevens. 2 - bass my trespass.] The deep pipe told it me in a rough ass sound. Johnson. So, in Spenser's Fairy Queen, B. II. c. 12: Therefore my son i' the ooze is seek him deeper, than e'er And with him there lie mudde Gom. All three of them are d Dhe poison given to work a New 'gins to bite the spirits :That are of suppler joints, f And hinder them from what May now provoke them to. Adr. Again, in Davis's Microcosmos, And with him there lie mud 4 Like poison given, &c.] "Nor sense to ec From Milan, did supplant good Prospero; He vanishes in thunder: then, to soft musick, enter the Pro. [Aside.] Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou In what thou hadst to say: so, with good life, 9 To mock and to mowe, seem to have had a meaning somewhat similar; i. e. to insult, by making mouths, or wry faces. Steevens. 9- with good life,] With good life may mean, with exact presentation of their several characters, with observation strange of their particular and distinct parts. So we say, he acted to the life. Johnson. Thus in the 6th Canto of the Barons' Wars, by Drayton: Again, in our author's King Henry VIII. Act I. sc. i: 66 "Would by a good discourser lose some life, 1 Good life, however, in Twelfth Night, seems to be used for innocent jollity, as we now say a bon vivant: "Would you (says the Clown) have a love song, or a song of good life?" Sir Toby answers, "A love song, a love song;"-" Ay, ay, (replies Sir Andrew,) I care not for good life." It is plain, from the character of the last speaker, that he was meant to mistake the sense in which good life is used by the Clown. It may, therefore, in the present instance, mean, honest alacrity, or cheerfulness. Life seems to be used in the chorus to the fifth act of K. Henry V. with some meaning like that wanted to explain the approbation of Prospero: "Which cannot in their huge and proper life "Be here presented." The same phrase occurs yet more appositely in Chapman's translation of Homer's Hymn to Apollo: 66 66 And these are acted with such exquisite life, That one would say, Now the Ionian strains "Are turn'd immortals." Steevens. To do any thing with good life, is still a provincial expression in the west of England, and signifies, to do it with the full bent and energy of mind:---" And observation strange," is with such minute attention to the orders given, as to excite admiration. Henley. 1 Their several kinds have done:] i. e. have discharged the several functions, allotted to their different natures. Thus, in Antony and Cleopatra, Act V. sc. ii. the Clown says" You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind." Steevens. i' the ooze is bedded; and ons o'er. f them are desperate; their great guilt, 4 to work a great time after, the spirits:-I do beseech you ler joints, follow them swiftly, from what this ecstacy5 Le them to. Microcosmos, 1605, p. 32: ng bullets made his soul rejoice ke, that the hearing most alures; e canons bas'd it with their voice, ed as ravisht with an heavenly noise." Reed. there lie mudded. on of a verse, I cannot help regarding the words but, as playhouse interpolations. as evidently one of the last works of Shakspeare; e natural to suppose, the metre of it must have regular. Dr. Farmer concurs with me in this eevens. given, &c.] The natives of Africa have been supsessed of the secret, how to temper poisons with to operate till several years after they were adneir drugs were then as certain in their effect, as preparation. So, in the celebrated libel called monwealth: "I heard him once myselfe in pubford, and that in presence of my lord of Leicester, oyson might be so tempered and given, as it should sently, and yet should kill the party afterwards at uld be appointed." Steevens. ecstacy-] Ecstacy meant not anciently, as at prepleasure, but alienation of mind. So, in Hamlet, : as not inelegantly styled it dreaming with our eyes open. Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, and MIRANDA. Pro. If I have too austerely punish'd you, Your compensation makes amends; for I 2 Have given you here a thread of mine own life, " For as a subtle spider closely sitting " In center of her web that spreadeth round, The following quotation, however, should seem to place the meaning beyond all dispute. In Acolastus, a comedy, 1540, is this passage: one of worldly shame's children, of his countenance, and THREDE of his body." Steevens. Again, in Tancred and Gismund, a tragedy, 1592, Tancred, speaking of his intention to kill his daughter, says: "Against all law of kinde, to shred in twaine "The golden threede that doth us both maintain." Malone. strangely stood the test:] Strangely is used by way of commendation, merveilleusement, to a wonder the same is the 7 Iratify this my rich gift. O Fe Pro. Then, as my gift, and for quiet days, fair issue, a ie. in the last scene of th - with good life, "And observation str fodio. Rowe first read-gif as my gift, and th A similar thought occurs in I send him "The greatness he ho -her virgin knot -] Prince of Tyre, 1609: "Untide I still my 1 No sweet aspersion sense of sprinkl and detraction. Steevens sprinkling. At *When I shall thinh Or nisl |