Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies
IV.ii.272 (260,5) Fear not slander, censure rash] Perhaps, Fear not slander's censure rash.
IV.ii.275 (260,6) Consign to thee] Perhaps, Consign to this. And in the former stanza, for all follow this, we might read, all follow thee.
IV.ii.280 (260,7) Both. Quiet consummation have;/ And renowned be thy grave!] For the obsequies of Fidele, a song was written by my unhappy friend, Mr. William Collins of Chichester, a man of uncommon learning and abilities. I shall give it a place at the end in honour of his memory.
IV.ii.315 (262,1) Conspired with] The old copy reads thus,
—thouConspir'd with that irregulous divel, Cloten.I suppose it should be,
Conspir'd with th' irreligious devil, Cloten.IV.ii.346 (263,2) Last night the very gods shew'd me a vision] [W: warey] Of this meaning I know not any example, nor do I see any need of alteration. It was no common dream, but sent from the very gods, or the gods themselves.
IV.ii.363 (264,3)
who was he,That, otherwise than noble nature did,Hath alter'd that good figure?]Here are many words upon a very slight debate. The sense is not much cleared by either critic [Theobald and Warburton]. The question is asked, not about a body, but a picture, which is not very apt to grow shorter or longer. To do a picture, and a picture is well done, are standing phrases; the question therefore is, Who has altered this picture, so as to make it otherwise than nature did it.
IV.ii.389 (266,5) these poor pickaxes] Meaning her fingers.
IV.iii (266,1) Cymbeline's palace] This scene is omitted against all authority by Sir T. HANMER. It is indeed of no great use in the progress of the fable, yet it makes a regular preparation for the next act.
IV.iii.22 (267,3) our jealousy/Does yet depend] My suspicion is yet undetermined; if I do not condemn you, I likewise have not acquitted you. We now say, the cause is depending.
IV.iii.29 (267,4) Your preparation can affront no less/Than what you hear of] Your forces are able to face such an army as we hear the enemy will bring against us.
IV.iii.44 (268,6) to the note o' the king] I will so distinguish myself, the king shall remark my valour.
IV.iv.11 (269,1) a render/Where we have liv'd] An account of our place of abode. This dialogue is a just representation of the superfluous caution of an old man.
IV.iv.13 (269,2) That which we have done, whose answer would be death] The retaliation of the death of Cloten would be death, &c.
IV.iv.18 (269,3) their quarter'd fires] Their fires regularly disposed.
V.i (271,1) Enter Posthumus, with a bloody handkerchief] The bloody token of Imogen's death, which Pisanio in the foregoing act determined to send.
V.i.1-33 (271,2) Yea, bloody cloth, I'll keep thee] This is a soliloquy of nature, uttered when the effervescence of a mind agitated and perturbed spontaneously and inadvertently discharges itself in words. The speech, throughout all its tenor, if the last conceit be excepted, seems to issue warm from the heart. He first condemns his own violence; then tries to disburden himself, by imputing part of the crime to Pisanio; he next sooths his mind to an artificial and momentary tranquility, by trying to think that he has been only an instrument of the gods for the happiness of Imogen. He is now grown reasonable enough to determine, that having done so much evil he will do no more; that he will not fight against the country which he has already injured; but as life is not longer supportable, he will die in a just cause, and die with the obscurity of a man who does not think himself worthy to be remembered.
V.i.9 (271,3) to put on] Is to incite, to instigate.
V.i.14 (272,4) To second ills with ills, each elder worse] For this reading all the later editors have contentedly taken,
—each worse than other,without enquiries whence they have received it. Yet they know, or might know, that it has no authority. The original copy reads,
—each elder worse,The last deed is certainly not the oldest, but Shakespeare calls the deed of an elder man an elder deed.
V.i.15 (272,5) And make them dread it, to the doers' thrift] [T: dreaded, to] This emendation ia followed by HANMER. Dr. WARBURTON reads, I know not whether by the printer's negligence,
And make them dread, to the doers' thrift.There seems to be no very satisfactory sense yet offered. I read, but with hesitation,
And make them deeded, to the doers' thrift.The word deeded I know not indeed where to find; but Shakespeare has, in another sense undeeded, in Macbeth:
"—my sword"I sheath again undeeded."—I will try again, and read thus,
—others you permitTo second ills with ills, each other worse,And make them trade it, to the doers' thrift.Trade and thrift correspond. Our author plays with trade, as it signifies a lucrative vocation, or a frequent practice. So Isabella says,
"Thy sins, not accidental, but a trade."V.i.16 (273,9) Do your best wills,/And make me blest to obey!] So the copies. It was more in the manner of our author to have written,
—Do your blest wills,And make me blest t' obey.—V.iii.41 (276,3) A rout, confusion thick] [W: confusion-thick] I do not see what great addition is made to fine diction by this compound. Is it not as natural to enforce the principal event in a story by repetition, as to enlarge the principal figure in a figure?
V.iii.51 (276,4) bugs] Terrors.
V.iii.53 (277,5) Nay, do not wonder at it] [T: do but] There is no need of alteration. Posthumus first bids him not wonder, then tells him in another mode of reproach, that wonder is all that he was made for.
V.iii.79 (278,8) great the answer be] Answer, as once in this play before, is retaliation.
V.iii.87 (278,9) That gave the affront with them] That is, that turned their faces to the enemy.
V.iv.1 (279,1) You shall not now be stolen, you have locks upon you;/So, graze, as you find pasture] This wit of the gaoler alludes to the custom of putting a lock on a horse's leg, when he is turned to pasture.
V.iv.27 (280,3) If you will take this audit, take this life,/And cancel those cold bonds] This equivocal use of bonds is another instance of our author's infelicity in pathetic speeches.
V.iv.45 (281,5) That from me my Posthumus ript] The old copy reads,
That from me was Posthumus ript.Perhaps we should read,
That from my womb Posthumus ript,Came crying 'mongst his foes.V.iv.146 (284,7)
'Tis still a dream; or else such stuff, as madmenTongue, and brain not: either both or nothing:Or senseless speaking, or a speaking suchAs sense cannot untie. Be what it is,The action of my life is like it]The meaning, which is too thin to be easily caught, I take to be this: This is a dream or madness, or both—or nothing—but whether it be a speech without consciousness, as in a dream, or a speech unintelligible, as in madness, be it as it is, it is like my course of life. We might perhaps read,
Whether both, or nothing—V.iv,164 (285,8) sorry that you have paid too much, and sorry that you are paid too much] Tavern bills, says the gaoler, are the sadness of parting, as the procuring of mirth—you depart reeling with too much drink; sorry that you have paid too much, and—what? sorry that you are paid too much. Where is the opposition? I read, And merry that you are paid so much. I take the second paid to be paid, for appaid, filled, satiated.
V.iv.171 (286,9) debtor and creditor] For an accounting book.
V.iv.188 (286,1) jump the after-enquiry] That is, venture at it without thought. So Macbeth,
"We'd jump the life to come." (see 1765, VII, 382, 7)V.v.9 (288,1) one that promis'd nought/But beggary and poor looks] To promise nothing but poor looks, may be, to give no promise of courageous behaviour.
V.v.88 (291,2) So feat] So ready; so dextrous in waiting.
V.v.93 (291,3) His favour is familiar to me] I am acquainted with his countenance.
V.v.120 (292,4) One sand another/Not more resembles. That sweet rosy lad] [W: resembles, than be th' sweet] There was no great difficulty in the line, which, when properly pointed, needs no alteration.
V.v.203 (296,8) averring notes/Of chamber-hanging, pictures] Such marks of the chamber and pictures, as averred or confirmed my report.
V.v.220 (297,9) the temple/Of virtue was she; yea, and she herself] That is, She was not only the temple of virtue, but virtue herself.
V.v.233 (297,1) these staggers] This wild and delirious perturbation. Staggers is the horse's apoplexy.
V.v.262 (298,2) Think, that you are upon a rock; and now/Throw me again] In this speech, or in the answer, there is little meaning. I suppose, she would say, Consider such another act as equally fatal to me with precipitation from a rock, and now let me see whether you will repeat it.
V.v.308 (300,3) By tasting of our wrath] [W: hasting] There is no need of change; the consequence is taken for the whole action; by tasting is by forcing us to make thee taste.
V.v.334 (301,5) Your pleasure was my near offence, my punishment,/ Itself, and all my treason] I think this passage may better be read thus,
Your pleasure was my dear offence, my punishmentItself was all my treason; that I suffer'd,Was all the harm I did.—The offence which cost me so dear was only your caprice. My sufferings have been all my crime.
V.v.352 (302,6)
Thou weep'st, and speak'st.The service that you three have done is moreUnlike than this thou tell'st]"Thy tears give testimony to the sincerity of thy relation; and I have the less reason to be incredulous, because the actions which you have done within my knowledge are more incredible than the story which you relate." The king reasons very justly.
V.v.378 (303,7) When ye were so, indeed] The folio gives,
When we were so, indeed.If this be right, we must read,
Imo. I, you brothers.Arv. When we were so, indeed.V.v.382 (303,8) fierce abridgment] Fierce, is vehement, rapid.
V.v.459 (306,1) My peace we will begin] I think it better to read,
By peace we will begin.—(307) General Observation. This play has many just sentiments, some natural dialogues, and some pleasing scenes, but they are obtained at the expence of much incongruity. To remark the folly of the fiction, the absurdity of the conduct, the confusion of the names, and manners of different times, and the impossibility of the events in any system of life, were to waste criticism upon unresisting imbecility, upon faults too evident for detection, and too gross for aggravation.
KING LEAR
I.i.4 (311,2) in the division of the kingdom] There is something of obscurity or inaccuracy in this preparatory scene. The king has already divided his kingdom, and yet when he enters he examines his daughters, to discover in what proportions he should divide it. Perhaps Kent and Gloucester only were privy to his design, which he still kept in his own hands, to be changed or performed as subsequent reasons should determine him.
I.i.37 (313,7) express our darker purpose] [Darker, for more secret; not for indirect, oblique. WARBURTON.] This word may admit a further explication. We shall express our darker purpose: that is, we have already made known in some measure our design of parting the kingdom; we will now discover what has not been told before, the reasons by which we shall regulate the partition. This interpretation will justify or palliate the exordial dialogue.
I.i.39 (313,8) and 'tis our fast intent] [This is an interpolation of Mr. Lewis Theobald, for want of knowing the meaning of the old reading in the quarto of 1608, and first folio of 1623; where we find it,
—and 'tis our first intent.WARBURTON.]
Fast is the reading of the first folio, and, I think, the true reading.
I.i.44 (314,9) We have this hour a constant will] constant will seems a confirmation of fast intent.
I.i.62 (314,2) Beyond all manner of so much I love you] Beyond all assignable quantity. I love you beyond limits, and cannot say it is so much, for how much soever I should name, it would yet be more.
I.i.73 (315,4)
I find, she names my very deed of love,Only she comes too short; that I profess]That seems to stand without relation, but is referred to find, the first conjunction being inaccurately suppressed. I find that she names my deed, I find that I profess, &c.
I.i.76 (315,5) Which the most precious square of sense possesses] [Warburton explained "square" as the "four nobler senses"] This is acute; but perhaps square means only compass, comprehension.
I.i.80 (315,6) More pond'rous than my tongue] [W: their tongue] I think the present reading right.
I.i.84 (316,8) Now our joy] Here the true reading is picked out of two copies. Butter's quarto reads,
—But now our joy,Although the last, not least in our dear love,What can you say to win a third, &c.The folio,
—Now our joy,Although our last, and least; to whose young loveThe vines of France, and milk of Burgundy,Strive to be int'ress'd. What can you say?I.i.138 (318,5) The sway, revenue, execution of the rest] [W: of th' hest] I do not see any great difficulty in the words, execution of the rest, which are in both the old copies. The execution of the rest is, I suppose, all the other business. Dr. Warburton's own explanation of his amendment confutes it; if hest be a regal comnand, they were, by the grant of Lear, to have rather the hest than the execution.
1.1.149 (319,6)
Think'st thou, that duty shall have dread to speak,When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound,When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom,And in thy best consideration checkThis hideous rashness: answer my life my judgment,Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least]I have given this passage according to the old folio, from which the modern editions have silently departed, for the sake of better numbers, with a degree of insincerity, which, if not sometimes detected and censured, must impair the credit of ancient books. One of the editors, and perhaps only one, knew how much mischief may be done by such clandestine alterations. The quarto agrees with the folio, except that for reserve thy state, it gives, reverse thy doom, and has stoops instead of falls to folly. The meaning of answer my life my judgment, is, Let my life be answerable for my judgment, or, I will stake my life on my opinion.—The reading which, without any right, has possessed all the modern copies is this;
—to plainness honourIs bound, when majesty to folly falls.Reserve thy state; with better judgment checkThis hideous rashness; with my life I answer,Thy youngest daughter, &c.I am inclined to think that reverse thy doom was Shakespeare's first reading, as more apposite to the present occasion, and that he changed it afterwards to reserve thy state, which conduces more to the progress of the action.
I.i.161 (320,9) The true blank of thine eye] The blank is the white or exact mark at which the arrow is shot. See better, says Kent, and keep me always in your view.
I.i.172 (320,1) strain'd pride] The oldest copy reads strayed pride; that is, pride exorbitant; pride passing due bounds.
I.i.174 (320,3) Which nor our nature, nor our place, can bear;/ Our potency made good] [T: (Which … bear) … made good] [Warburton defended "make"] Theobald only inserted the parenthesis; he found made good in the best copy of 1623. Dr. Warburton has very acutely explained and defended the reading that he has chosen, but I am not certain that he has chosen right. If we take the reading of the folio, our potency made good, the sense will be less profound indeed, but less intricate, and equally commodious. As thou hast come with unreasonable pride between the sentence which I had passed, and the power by which I shall execute it, take thy reward in another sentence which shall make good, shall establish, shall maintain, that power. If Dr. Warburton's explanation be chosen, and every reader will wish to choose it, we may better read,
Which nor our nature, nor our state can bear,Or potency make good.—Mr. Davies thinks, that our potency made good relates only to our place.—Which our nature cannot bear, nor our place, without departure from the potency of that place. This is easy and clear.—Lear, who is characterized as hot, heady, and violent, is, with very just observation of life, made to entangle himself with vows, upon any sudden provocation to vow revenge, and then to plead the obligation of a vow in defence of implacability.
I.i.181 (322,4) By Jupiter] Shakespeare makes his Lear too much a mythologist: he had Hecate and Apollo before.
I.i.190 (322,6) He'll shape his old course] He will follow his old maxims; he will continue to act upon the same principles.
I.i.201 (323,7) If aught within that little, seeming, substance] Seeming is beautiful.
I.i.209 (323,9) Election makes not up on such conditions] To make up signifies to complete, to conclude; as, they made up the bargain; but in this sense it has, I think, always the subject noun after it. To make up, in familiar language, is, neutrally, to come forward, to make advances, which, I think, is meant here.
I.i.221 (324,2)
Sure her offenceMust be of such unnatural degree,That monsters it: or your fore-vouch'd affectionFall into taint]The common books read,
—or your fore-vouch'd affectionFall'n into taint:—This line has no clear or strong sense, nor is this reading authorized by any copy, though it has crept into all the late editions. The early quarto reads,
—or you for vouch'd affectionsFall'n into taint.—The folio,
—or your fore-vouch'd affectionFall into taint.—Taint is used for corruption and for disgrace. If therefore we take the oldest reading it may be reformed thus:
—sure her offenceMust be of such unnatural degree,That monsters it; or you for vouch'd affectionFall into taint.Her offence must be prodigious, or you must fal1 into reproach for having vouched affection which you did not feel. If the reading of the folio be preferred, we may with a very slight change produce the same sense:
—sure her offenceMust be of such unnatural degree,That monsters it, or your fore-vouch'd affectionFalls into taint.—That is, falls into reproach or censure. But there is another possible sense. Or signifies before, and or ever is before ever; the meaning in the folio may therefore be, Sure her crime must be monstrous before your affection can be affected with hatred. Let the reader determine.—As I am not much a friend to conjectural emendation, I should prefer the latter sense, which requires no change of reading.
I.i.243 (325,3) from the intire point] Intire, for right, true. WARB.] Rather, single, unmixed with other considerations.
I.i.264 (326,5) Thou losest here, better where to find] Here and where have the power of nouns. Thou losest this residence to find a better residence in another place.
I.i.282 (326,6) And well are worth the want that you have wanted] [This I take to be the poet's meaning, stript of the jingle which makes it dark: "You well deserve to meet with that want of love from your husband, which you have professed to want for our father." THEOBALD.] [W: have vaunted] I think the common reading very suitable to the manner of our author, and well enough explained by Theobald.
I.i.283 (327,7) plaited cunning] i.e. complicated, involved cunning. (1773)
I.ii.3 (328,2) Stand in the plague of custom] The word plague is in all the copies; I can scarcely think it right, nor can I yet reconcile myself to the emendation proposed, though I have nothing better to offer [Warburton had proposed plage].
I.ii.21 (330,7) Shall be the legitimate] [Hanmer: toe th'] Hanmer's emendation will appear very plausible to him that shall consult the original reading. Butter's quarto reads,
—Edmund the baseShall tooth' legitimate.—The folio,
—Edmund the baseShall to th' legitimate.—Hanmer, therefore, could hardly be charged with coining a word, though his explanation may be doubted. To toe him, is perhaps to kick him out, a phrase yet in vulgar use; or, to toe, may be literally to supplant. The word be has no authority.
I.ii.24 (331,1) subscrib'd his power!] To subscribe, is, to transfer by signing or subscribing a writing of testimony. We now use the term, He subscribed forty pounds to the new building.
I.ii.25 (331,2) Confin'd to exhibition!] Is allowance. The term is yet used in the universities.
I.ii.25 (331,3) All this done/Upon the gad!] So the old copies; the later editions read,
—All is goneUpon the gad!—which, besides that it is unauthorized, is less proper. To do upon the gad, is, to act by the sudden stimulation of caprice, as cattle run madding when they are stung by the gad fly.
I.ii.47 (332,4) taste of my virtue] Though taste may stand in this place, yet I believe we should read, assay or test of my virtue: they are both metallurgical terms, and properly joined. So in Hamlet,
Bring me to the test.I.ii.51 (323,6) idle and fond] Weak and foolish.
I.ii.95 (333,7) pretence] Pretence is design, purpose. So afterwards in this play,
Pretence and purpose of unkindness.I.ii.106 (333,8) wind me into him] I once thought it should be read, you into him; but, perhaps, it is a familiar phrase, like do me this.
I.ii.107 (333,9) I would unstate myself to be in a due resolution] [i.e. I will throw aside all consideration of my relation to him, that I may act as justice requires. WARBURTON.] Such is this learned man's explanation. I take the meaning to be rather this, Do you frame the business, who can act with less emotion; I would unstate myself; it would in me be a departure from the paternal character, to be in a due resolution, to be settled and composed on such an occasion. The words would and should are in old language often confounded.
I.ii.l09 (334,1) convey the business] [Convey, for introduce. WARB.] To convey is rather to carry through than to introduce; in this place it is to manage artfully: we say of a juggler, that he has a clean conveyance.
I.ii.112 (334,2) These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us: tho' the wisdom of nature can reason it thus and thus, yet nature finds itself scourg'd by the frequent effects] That is, though natural philosophy can give account of eclipses, yet we feel their consequences.
I.ii.156 (338,8) I promise you, the effects he writes of, succeed unhappily] The folio edition commonly differs from the first quarto, by augmentations or insertions, but in this place it varies by omission, and by the omission of something which naturally introduces the following dialogue. It is easy to remark, that in this speech, which ought, I think, to be inserted as it now is in the text, Edmund, with the common craft of fortune-tellers, mingles the past and future, and tells of the future only what he already foreknows by confederacy, or can attain by probable conjecture. (see 1765, VI, 27, 6)
I.ii.178 (339,1) that with the mischief of your person it would scarcely allay] This reading is in both copies; yet I believe the author gave it, that but with the mischief of your person it would scarce allay.