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of their lives, such as Diogenes Laertius, Philostratus,, Eunapius, &c. as appears from its being introduced by one of their wise sayings. WARBURTON.,

A book called The Dictes and Sayings of the Philososophers, was printed by Caxton in 1477. It was translated out of French into English by Lord Rivers., From this performance, or some republication of it, Shakspere's knowledge of these philosophical trifles might be derived.

STEEVENS.

65. Is't possible, &c.] Shakspere by putting this. question into the mouth of Orlando, seems to have been aware of the impropriety which he had been guilty of by deserting his original. In Lodge's Nor.. vel, the elder brother is instrumental in saving Aliena from a band of ruffians, who "thought to steal her, away, and to give her to the king for a present, hopeing, because the king was a great leacher, by such a gift to purchase all their pardons." Without the intervention of this circumstance, the passion of Aliena, appears to be very hasty indeed. STEEVENS. 82. And you, fair sister.] Oliver speaks to Rosalind in the character she had assumed, of a woman courted by Orlando his brother. CHAMIER.

93. never any thing so sudden, but the fight of two rams.] So, in Laneham's Account of Queen Eliza-, beth's Entertainment at Kennelworth-Castle, 1575:"ootrageous in their racez az rams at their rut."

103.

STEEVENS.

-Clubs cannot part them.] It appears from many of our old dramas that, in our author's

Fij

time,

time, it was a common custom, on the breaking out of a fray, to call out " Clubs-Clubs,"-to part the combatants. So in Titus Andronicus:

"Clubs, Clubs; these lovers will not keep the peace." The preceding words-" they are in the very wrath of love," shew that our author had this in contemplation. MALONE. 131. -human as she is,] That is, not a phantom, but the real Rosalind, without any of the danger generally conceived to attend the rites of incantation. JOHNSON. 134.which I tender dearly, though I say I am a magician :] The plain meaning is, I have a high value for my life, though I pretend to be a magician; and therefore might he supposed able to elude death.

REED.

162. all trial, all observance ;] I suspect our author wrote-all obedience. It is highly probable that the compositor caught observance from the line above; and very unlikely that the same word should have been set down twice by Shakspere so near to each other. MALONE.

192. -a woman of the world.] To go to the world, is to be married. So, in Much Ado about Nothing: "Thus (says Beatrice) every one goes to the world, but I." STEEVENS.

We believe in this phrase there is an allusion to St. Luke's Gospel, xx. 34. "The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage."

MONTHLY REVIEW.

203. The stanzas of this song are in all the editions evidently transposed: as I have regulated them, that which in the former copies was the second stanza is, now the last.

The same transposition of these stanzas is made by Dr. Thirlby, in a copy containing some notes on the, margin, which I have perused by the favour of Sir Edward Walpole. JOHNSON. -the pretty rank time,] Thus the modern editors. The old copy

206.

reads:

In the spring time, the onely pretty rang time.

I think we should read:

In the spring time, the only pretty ring time, i. e. the aptest season for marriage; or, the word only, for the sake of equality of metre, may be omitted. STEEVENS.

232. As those that fear they hap, and know they fear. This strange nonsense should be read thus:

As those that fear their hap, and know their fear. i. e. As those that fear the issue of a thing when they know their fear to be well grounded. WARBURTON. The depravations of this line is evident, but I do not think the learned commentator's emendation very happy. I read thus:

As those that fear with hope, and hope with fear. Or thus, with less alteration:

As those that fear, they hope, and now they fear.

The author of the Revisal would read:

Fiij.

JOHNSON.

A's

As those that fear their hope, and know their fear.

Perhaps we might read :

STEEVENS.

As those that feign they hope, and know they fear.
BLACKSTONE.

I would read:

As those that fear, then hope; and know then fear, MUSGRAVE. I belive this line requires no other alteration than the addition of a semicolon.

As those that fear; they hope, and know they fear. HENLEY, 264. Here comes a pair of very strange beasts, &c.] Strange beasts are what we call odd animals.

JOHNSON.

272. trod a measure ;] See catch-word Alphabet. 283. -I desire you of the like.] See a note on the first scene of the third act of the Midsummer Night's Dream, where many examples of this phraseology are given. STEEVENS,

286. To swear, and to forswear; according as marriage binds and blood breaks :] A man by the marriage ceremony SWEARS that he will keep only to his wife, when therefore, to gratify his lust, he leaves her for another, BLOOD BREAKS his matrimonial obligation, and he is FORESWORN, HENLEY.

293. Dulcet diseases.] This I do not understand. For diseases it is easy to read discourses: but, perhaps, the fault may lie deeper.

JOHNSON.
Perhaps

Perhaps he calls a proverb a disease. Proverbial sayings may appear to him as the surfeiting diseases of conversations. They are often the plague of com

mentators.

Dr. Farmer would read-in such dulcet diseasesi. e. in the sweet uneasinesses of love, a time when people usually talk nonsense. STEEVENS.

297. As thus, sir. I did dislike the cut of a courtier's beard;] This folly is touched upon with high humour by Fletcher in his Queen of Corinth.

-Has he familiarly

"Dislik'd your yellow starch, or said your doublet "Was not exactly frenchified ?

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"Cry'd'iwas ill mounted? Has he given the lye "In circle, or oblique, or semicircle,

"Or direct parallel; you must challenge him."

WARBURTON.

318. O sir, we quarrel in print, by the book;] The poet has, in this scene, rallied the mode of former duelling, then so prevalent, with the highest humour and address: nor could he have treated it with á happier contempt than by making his clown so knowing in the forms and preliminaries of it. The particular book here alluded to is a very ridiculous treatise of one Vincentio Saviolo, entitled, Of honour and honourable quarrels, in quarto, printed by Wolf, 1594. The first part of the tract he entitles, A discourse most necessary for all gentlemen that have in regard their honours, touching the giving and receiving the lye

whereupon

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