39 -timeless cruel death ?] Timeless is untimely. 40 Decrepit miser!] Miser has here the Latin sense, wretched, pitiful. 41 obstacle!] i. e. so obstinate. 42 Alençon ! that notorious Machiavel!] Machiavel being mentioned somewhat before his time, this line is by some of the editors given to the players, and ejected from the text. JOHNSON. 43 --poison'd voice,] Mr. Pope read prison'd voice. 44 baleful enemies.] Baleful is sorrowful; I therefore rather imagine that we should read-baneful, hurtful, or mischievous. JOHNSON. Baleful had anciently the same meaning as baneful. It is an epithet very frequently bestowed on poisonous plants and reptiles. So, in Romeo and Juliet: "With baleful weeds, and precious-juiced flowers." STEEVENS, 4 If you do censure me— -] To censure is here to judge. If in judging me, as Dr. Johnson says, you consider the past frailties of your own youth. |