Fal.

P. 400.-395.-496.

ignorance itself is a plummet o'er me.

I do not think any alteration necessary; believing the passage to be rightly explained by Dr. Johnson.

When the foregoing note was written, I had not seen Mr. Henley's explanation, which perhaps is preferable to Dr. Johnson's.

[31]

MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

P. 4.-4.-179.

Since I am put to know that your own science
Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice
My strength can give you.

I would read not to know with Theobald.

P. 4.-4.-180.

Then no more remains,

But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able,
And let them work.

This passage is undoubtedly corrupt. As it stands here I can make nothing of it. I think it is highly probable that some words have dropt out, which it is impossible to recover: the sense of them seems to be well enough explained by Tyrwhitt.

P. 5.-6.-181.

The nature of our people,

Our city's institutions, and the terms
For common justice, you are pregnant in,
As art and practice hath enriched any
That we remember.

I think the word terms means here either (as Warburton explains it) bounds, limits; or else, conditions, prescribed rules. I can by no means admit Dr. Johnson's explanation. I would read Of common justice, with the modern editors, instead of For.

P. 9.-7.-186.
Hold therefore, Angelo.

I incline to believe that Mr. Steevens is right.

P. 10.-8.-188.

Duke. I'll privily away: I love the people,
But do not like to stage me to your eyes:
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause, and aves vehement;
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion,
That does affect it.

I cannot doubt but that Tyrwhitt and Malone are right (post. p. 49-64, and Malone's attempt to ascertain the chronological order of the plays) in supposing that this passage was intended as an apology for King James's ungracious demeanour. Vide the notes of Messrs. Tyrwhitt and Steevens in the edition of 1793, p. 257.

P. 16.-12.-194.

Clo. You have not heard of the proclamation, have you ?
Bawd. What proclamation, man?

Clo. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down.

I think with Tyrwhitt that we should read all houses of resort in the suburbs.

P. 17, 18.-13, 14.-196.

Claud. Thus can the demi-god, Authority,
Make us pay down for our offence by weight.-
The words of Heaven; on whom it will, it will;
On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just.

I incline to think Mr. Henley is right.

P. 19.-15.-198.

Clad. Thus stands it with me:-upon a true contract,
I got possession of Julietta's bed;

You know the lady.

The impropriety complained of is, I think, best removed by what is proposed by the Author of the Remarks, viz. by supposing that when Claudio stops to speak to Lucio, the Provost's officers depart with Julietta.

P. 20.-15.-199.

Claud. And the new deputy now for the duke,-
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness.

I think Malone is right.

Claud.

P. 21.-17.-201.

for in her youth

There is a prone and speechless dialect,
Such as moves men.

Prone is, I think, rightly explained by Malone.

Qui non prohibet, cum prohibere potest, jubet.

P. 28.-21.-209.

Isab. Sir, make me not your story.
Lucio.
It is true.

I am by no means satisfied that Mr. Malone's emendation (to which he has given a place in his text) is the true reading. I incline to think that Mr. Steevens's first explanation is the true

one.

P. 30.-23.-211.

Your brother and his lover have embrac'd:

As those that feed grow full; as blossoming time,
That from the seeding the bare fallow brings
To teeming foison; even so her plenteous womb
Expresseth his full tilth and husbandry.

I believe as is here used in the sense of like.

P. 31.-27.-218.

Eseal. Well, heaven forgive him! and forgive us all !
Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall:
Some run from brakes of vice, and answer none;
And some condemned for a fault alone.

Brakes of vice certainly means thickets of vice. All the learning about the Duke of Exeter's daughter might have been spared. For from I would read through, which reading seems to be countenanced by the passage cited from Henry the Eighth.

P. 46-36-234.

Enter LUCIO and ISABELLA.

[offering to retire.

Prov. Save your honour! Ang. Stay a little while. [to Isab.] You are welcome. •I think Malone and the Author of the Remarks are right.

P. 49.-38.-237.

And mercy then will breathe within your lips,
Like man new made.

Malone is right.

Ang.

P. 50.-39.-239.

and like a prophet,

Looks in a glass, that shows what future evils,
(Either now, or by reinissness new-conceiv'd,
And so in progress to be hatch'd and born,)
Are now to have no súccessive degrees,

But, where they live, to end.

I think this reading (which was before pro

posed by Mr. Tyrrwhitt) is right.

P. 51.-40.-240.

Merciful heaven!

Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt,

Split'st the unwedgeable and gnarled oak,

Than the soft myrtle ;-But man, proud man !
Dress'd, &c.

As a word is manifestly wanted, I would receive

: