The counterfeit prefentment of two brothers. The introduction of miniatures in this place appears to be a modern innovation. A print prefixed to Rowe's edition of Hamlet, publifhed in 1709, proves this. There, the two royal portraits are exhibited as half-lengths, hanging in the Queen's clofet; and either thus, or as whole lengths, they probably were exhibited from the time of the original performance of this tragedy to the death of Betterton. To halflengths, however, the fame objection lies, as to miniatures. MALONE. 6 Hyperion's curls;-] It is obfervable that Hyperion is used by Spenfer with the fame error in quantity. FARMER. I have never met with an earlier edition of Marston's Infatiate Countess than that in 1603. In this the following lines occur, which bear a close resemblance to Hamlet's defcription of his father: "A donative he hath of every god; "Apollo gave him locks, Jove his high front." STEEVENS. 7 Aftation like the herald Mercury, New-lighted on a heaven-kifling hill;] I think it not improbable that Shakspeare caught this image from Phaer's tranflation of Virgil, (Fourth Eneid,) a book that without doubt he had read: "And now approaching neere, the top he feeth and mighty lims “ Of Atlas, mountain tough, that heaven on boyft'rous boulders beares ; "There firft on ground with wings of might doth Mercury arrive, "Then down from thence right over feas himselfe doth headlong drive." In the margin are thefe words: "The defcription of Mercury's jour ney from beaven, along the mountain Atlas in Afrike, bigbeft on earth. MALONE. Station in this inftance does not mean the spot where any one is placed, but the aft of ftanding. So, in Antony and Cleopatra, Act III. fc. iii. Her motion and her ftation are as one." On turning to Theobald's first edition, I find that he had made the fame remark, and fupported it by the fame inftance. The obfervation is neceffary, for otherwife the compliment defigned to the attitude of the king, would be bestowed on the place where Mercury is reprefented as standing. STEEVENS. In the first scene of Timon of Athens, the poet, admiring a picture, introduces the fame image: How this grace Speaks his own ftanding !" MALONE. To To give the world affurance of a man: This was your husband.-Look you now, what follows: Nor fenfe to ecftafy was ne'er fo thrall'd, 8- like a mildew'd ear, Blafting bis wholefome brother.] This alludes to Pharaob's dream in the 41ft chapter of Genefis. STEEVENS. 9-batten- i. e. to grow fat. So, in Claudius Tiberius Nero, 1607. and for milk "I batten'd was with blood." Bat is an ancient word for increase. often used by Drayton in his Polyolbion. The hey-day in the blood-] This Pity fhe's a Whore, 1633: Hence the adjective batful, fo expreflion occurs in Ford's 'Tis "The bey-day of your luxury be fed Senfe, fure, you have, Elfe, could you not have motion:] Thefe words, and the following lines to the word difference, are found in the quarto, but not in the folio. Senfe is fometimes ufed by Shakspeare for fenfation or fenfual appetite; as motion is for the effect produced by the impulfe of nature. Such, think, is the fignification of these words here. So, in Measure for Measure: 66 fhe fpeaks, and 'tis "Such fenfe, that my fenfe breeds with it." Again, more appofitely in the fame play, where both the words occur: One who never feels "The wanton ftings and motions of the fenfe." So, in Braithwaite's Survey of Hiftories, 1614: These continent relations will reduce the ftraggling motions to a more fettled and retired harbour." Senfe has already been used in this fcene, for fenfation: "That it be proof and bulwark against fenfe." Dr. Warburton for merian substituted notion, i, e, intellect. MALONE. Τα To ferve in fuch a difference. What devil was't, O fhame! where is thy blush? Rebellious hell, And melt in her own fire: proclaim no fhame, And reafon panders will7. Queen. O Hamlet, fpeak no more: Thou turn'ft mine eyes into my very foul; 3-at boodman-blind?] This is, I fuppofe, the fame as blindman'sbaff. So, in Two lamentable Tragedies in One, the One a murder of Mafter Beech, &c. 1601; "Pick out men's eyes, and tell them that's the sport "Of bood-man blind." STEEVENS. 4 Eyes without feeling, &c.] This and the three following lines are omitted in the folio. STEEVENS. 5 Could not fo mope.] i. e. could not exhibit fuch marks of stupidity. The fame word is used in the Tempeft, Sc. ult. 6 "And were brought moping hither." STEEVENS. If thou canst mutine in a matron's bones,] So, in Othello & Hot, hot, and moift: this hand of yours requires "A fequefter from liberty, fafting and prayer, "For here's a young and fweating devil here, To mutine, for which the modern editors have fubftituted mutiny, was the ancient term, fignifying to rife in mutiny. So, in Knolles's Hiftory of the Turks, 1603: "The Janifaries became wonderfully difcontented, and began to mutine in diverse places of the citie." MALONE. 7 reafon panders will.] So the folio, I think rightly; but the reading of the quarto is defenfible: -reafon pardons will. JOHNSON. Panders was certainly Shakspeare's word. So, in Venus and Adonis: “When reason is the barud to luft's abuse.” MALONE. And there I fee fuch black and grained spots, Ham. Nay, but to live In the rank fweat of an enfeamed bed'; Stew'd in corruption; honeying, and making love Queen. O, fpeak to me no more; These words like daggers enter in mine ears; Ham. A murderer, and a villain : A flave, that is not twentieth part the tythe Queen. No more. Enter Ghoft. Ham. A king of fhreds and patches *: You heavenly guards!-What would your gracious figure? Ham. Do you not come your tardy fon to chide, 8 grained-] Dyed in grain. JOHNSON. 9 As will not leave their tint.] The quartos read: "As will leave there their tinct." STEEVENS. an enfeamed bed;] Thus the quarto, 1604, and the folio. A later quarto of no authority reads-incestuous bed. Enfeamed bed, as Dr. Johnfon has obferved, is greafy bed. Seam fignifies bogslard. MALONE. In the Book of Haukyng, &c. bl. 1. no date, we are told that "Esfayme of a hauke is the grece." STEEVENS. 2.- •vice of kings:] A low mimick of kings. The vice is the food of a farce; from whom the modern punch is defcended. JOHNSON. 3 That from a fhelf, &c.] This is faid not unmeaningly, but to shew, that the ufurper came not to the crown by any glorious villainy that carried danger with it, but by the low cowardly theft of a common pilferer. WARBURTON. A king of foreds and patches:] This is faid, pursuing the idea of the vice of kings. The vice was dreffed as a fool, in a coat of partycoloured patches. JOHNSON. 5-laps'd in time and paffion,- That, having suffered time to flip, and paffion to cool, lets go, &c. JOHNSON. The The important acting of your dread command? Ghoft. Do not forget: This vifitation Ham. How is it with you, lady? Ham. On him! on him!-Look you, how pale he glares! His form and caufe conjoin'd, preaching to ftones, Would make them capable .-Do not look upon me; 8 6 Conceit in weakest bodies ftrongest works;] Conceit for imagination. So, in the Rape of Lucreces "And the conceited painter was fo nice,-," See alfo Vol. VI. p. 536, n. 8. 7 MALONE. like life in excrements,] The hairs are excrementitious, that is, without life or fenfation; yet thofe very hairs, as if they had life, ftart up, &c. POPE. So, in Macbeth: "The time has been my fell of bair, Would at a difmal treatise rouse and ftir, "As life were in't." MALONE. 8 His form and caufe conjoin'd, preaching to flones, Would make them capable.] Capable here fignifies intelligent; ene dued with understanding. So, in King Richard III: O, 'tis a parlous boy, "Bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable." We yet ufe capacity in this fenfe. See Vol. VII. p. 122, n. 8. MALONE. |