making We Fools of Nature Every Body must immediately fee is not English. I muft not, however, diffemble, that there are a few Paffages more in our Poet, where I have obferv'd the Nominative of Pronouns is used, tho' Grammar requires the Accufative. As, (1.) CORIOLANUS, pag. 202. And to poor WE Thine Enmity's most capital. But here it is a Fault as well as in HAMLET, and ought likewise to be corrected, And to poor US. There is another of this Sort which I have obferv'd too, in the Duke's Speech to Angelo in the fecond Scene of MEASURE for MEASURE, pag. 322. (2.) Thy felf and thy Belongings Are not thine own so proper, as to wafte Thy Self upon thy Virtues; THEY on Thee. It is requifite, to make it true English, to read, THEM on Thee. i. e. As, either, to waste thy self on thy Virtues, or thy Virtues on thy felf. So again, in ANTHONY and CLEOPATRA, pag. 380. So fawcy with the Hand of SHE here, (what's her Name, Grammar requires that it fhould be, So fawcy with the Hand of HER here. And fo again in MACBETH, (where Roffe is defcribing the Miseries of Scotland from the Cruelty of that Tyrant ;) pag. 581. For fo the fecond Folio Edition, and fome of the common Modern Editions read it; but Mr. POPE, in his Edition, has rightly cor corrected it for WHOM. It may be alledged from these Instances, and fome few more that might be gather'd, that this was a Liberty which SHAKESPEARE purpofely gave himself, and that therefore it is not an Error of the Copies. Be this, as it will; if Grammar and the Idiom of the Tongue be directly against it, we have fufficient Warrant to make him now, at least, speak true English. BUT to proceed to my Remarks upon the next Line of this Paffage, So horridly to Shake our Difpofition &c. I fufpect, in the Word horridly, a literal Deviation to have been made from the Poet by his Copyifts: and I'll give my Reasons presently for this Sufpicion. But, firft, it will be proper to fubjoin my Correction of the Paffage, and the Pointing of it, which is manifeftly faulty. For, why is there a Note of Interrogation at hideous, to divide the Verb from the Second Accufative Cafe which is govern'd by it, when the Question evidently goes on to the very Clofe of the Sentence? I think, it ought to be pointed, and reftor'd thus; What may this mean? That Thou dead Corfe again in compleat Steel So HORRIBLY to Shake our Difpofition The Change of horridly into horribly is very trivial as to the Literal Part; and therefore, I hope, the Reafon for the Change will be fomething more confiderable. 'Tis true, horrid and horrible must be confefs'd to bear in themfelves the fame Force and Signification: as horridum and horribile were wont to do among the Latines. But horrid, in the most common Acceptation and Use, seems to fignify rather hideous, uncouth, ugly, enormous, than terrible or frightful: and it is generally fo applied by our Author. I remember a Paffage in his King LEAR, where it, 334 Proofs of horrible instead of horrid. particularly, ftands for ugly. It is in a Speech by the Duke of Albany, reproaching his Wife Goneril with her unnatural Behaviour. LEAR, pag. 77. See thy felf, Devil; Proper Deformity feems not in the Fiend So horrid as in Woman. I cannot, however, deny, but that our Poet fometimes employs the Word horrid in the Senfe of frightful, terrible: But every obferving Reader of his Works must be aware that he does it fparingly, and, ten times for every once, feems fond to use horrible and terrible. It is obvious, that he prefers both these Terms, as more fonorous and emphatical than horrid; and the Proof that he does fo, is, (which laid the Foundation of my Conjecture here,) that he almost constantly chufes them, even where I fhall fubthe Numbers of his Verse naturally require horrid. join a few Inftances of both for Confirmation; to which I could have amafs'd twenty times as many; but these are enough, at least, to excuse me, tho' I should be deceived in Judgment, from the Cenfure of being too hypercritical in my Obfervation. (1.) TEMPEST, pag. 73. Where but ev'n now with strange and feveral Noifes Of roaring, Shrieking, howling, jingling Chains, And more Diversity of Sounds, all horrible, We were awak'd. (2.) LEAR, pag. 41. And with this horrible Object, from low Farms, (3.) That thro' the Window-barn bore at Men's Eyes, Are not within the Leafe of Pity writ, Set 'em down horrible Traytors. (7.) ANTHONY Hence, horrible Villain! or I'll spurn thine Eyes (8.) MACBETH, pag. 561. Hence, horrible Shadow! Unreal Mock'ry, hence! Proofs of terrible instead of horrid. (9.) HAMLET, pag. 367. What if it tempt you tow'rd the Flood, my Lord? That beetles o'er his Bafe into the Sea, And there affume fome other horrible Form, &c. (10.) And OTHELLO, pag 561. Defd. What is your Pleasure? (4.) And again, pag. 555. But let both Worlds disjoint, and all Things fuffer, In the Affliction of these terrible Dreams, &c. |