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less, wicked, or bloody man; by Orlando, in its original signification, for a fellow of base extraction. JOHNSON.

The words old and

105. The old duke's daughter.] new, which seem necessary to the perspicuity of the dialogue, are inserted from Sir T. Hanmer's edition. JOHNSON.

The author of the Revisal is of opinion, that the words which follow her cousin, sufficiently distinguish the person intended. STEEVENS.

164. of all sorts] Sorts in this place means ranks and degrees of men. REMARKS.

200. -mock the good housewife Fortune from her wheel,] The wheel of Fortune is not the wheel of a housewife. Shakspere has confounded Fortune, whose wheel only figures uncertainty and vicissitude, with the destiny that spins the thread of life, though not indeed with a wheel. JOHNSON. Shakspere is very fond of this idea. He has the same in Antony and Cleopatra:

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"That the false housewife Fortune break her wheel.”

STEEVENS. 248. Clo. One that old Frederick, your father, loves.

Ros. My father's love is enough to honour him:] This reply to the Clown is in all the books placed to Rosalind; but Frederick was not her father, but Celia's I have therefore ventured to prefix the name THEOBALD.

of Celia.

254. -since the little wit that fools have, was silenc'd,] Shakspere probably alludes to the use of

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fools or jesters, who for some ages had been allowed in all courts an unbridled liberty of censure and mockery, and about this time began to be less tolerated.

JOHNSON. This is a pro

271. -laid on with a trowel,] verbial expression, which is generally used to signify a glaring falsehood. See Ray's Proverbs. STEEVENS. 274. You amaze me, ladies:] To amaze, here, is not to astonish or strike with wonder, but to perplex ; to confuse, so as to put out of the intended narrative. JOHNSON.

287. With bills on their necks-Be it known unto all men by these presents- -] With bills on their necks, should be the conclusion of Le Beau's speech. This expression is taken from Lodge, who furnished our author with his plot. "Ganimede on a day sitting with Aliena (the assumed names, as in the play) cast up her eye, and saw where Rosader came pacing towards them with his forest-bill on his necke.” FARMER.

306. is there any else longs to see this broken musick in his sides?] Rosalind hints at a whimsical similitude between the series of ribs gradually shortening, and some musical instruments, and therefore calls broken ribs, broken musick. JOHNSON.

324. -odds in the men:] Sir T. Hanmer. In the old editions, the man. JOHNSON.

340. -if you saw yourself with your eyes, or knew yourself with your judgment,] If you were not blinded and intoxicated, says the princess, with the spirit of enterprize, if you could use your own eyes to see, or your

own

own judgment to know yourself, the fear of your adventure would counsel you.

JOHNSON. 348. I beseech you, punish me not, &c.] I should wish to read, I beseech you, punish me not with your hard thoughts. Therein I confess myself much guilty to deny so fair and excellent ladies any thing.

JOHNSON.

414. -one out of suits with fortune;] This seems an allusion to cards, where he that has no more cards to play of any particular sort is out of suit. JOHNSON.

420. Is but a quintaine, a mere lifeless block.] The quintaine was a stake driven into a field, upon which were hung a shield and other trophies of war, at which they shot, darted, or rode, with a lance. When the shield and the trophies were all thrown down, the quintaine remained. Without this information how could the reader understand the allusion

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A humorous description of this amusement may be read in Laneham's Letter from "Killingwoorth Castle," with which, and other accounts of queen Elizabeth's Progresses, the publick will shortly be gratified by a gentleman, from whom it has already received a variety of favours.

434

HENLEY.

-the duke's condition,] The word condition means character, temper, disposition. So Anthonic, the merchant of Venice, is called by his friend the best conditioned man.

Bij

JOHNSON.

442.

.442.

-the shorter ;] The old copy readsSTEEVENS.

the taller. 470. -for my father's child:] Thus the modern editors, the old editions have it, for my child's father,

that is, as it is explained by Mr. Theobald, for my future husband. 490.

JOHNSON.

That is, by this Dear is used by

-by this kind of chase,] way of following the argument. Shakspere in a double sense for beloved, and for hurtful, hated, baleful. Both senses are authorised, and both drawn from etymology; but properly, beloved is dear, and hateful is dere. Rosalind uses dearly in the good, and Celia in the bad sense. JOHNSON.

494. Why should I not? doth he not deserve well?] Celia answers Rosalind (who had desired her "not to hate Orlando, for her sake,") as if she had said— "love him, for my sake:" to which the former replies, "Why should I not [i. e. love him]?"

MALONE. 542. And thou wilt show more bright, and seem more virtuous.] The meaning is, that when she was seen alone, she would be more noted. JOHNSON.

559.

Rosalind lacks then the love

Which teacheth thee that thou and I am one:] The poet certainly wrote-which teacheth me. For if Rosalind had learnt to think Celia one part of herself, she could not lack that love which Celia complains she does. WARBURTON.

Either reading may stand. The sense of the established text is not remote or obscure. Where would

be

7

be the absurdity of saying, You know not the law which

teaches you to do right?

581.

JOHNSON.

-curtle-axe, or cutlace, a broad sword.

JOHNSON.

584. I'll have a swashing, &c.] Sir T. Hanmer, for we'll have.

JOHNSON.

A swashing outside is an appearance of noisy, bullying valour. Swashing blow is used in Romeo and Juliet. STEEVENS.

ACT II.

Line
5.
IN former editions, Here feel we not the penalty.]
What was the penalty of Adam, hinted at by our poet?
The being sensible of the difference of the seasons.
The Duke says, the cold and effects of the winter
feelingly persuade him what he is. How does he not
then feel the penalty? Doubtless, the text must be
restored as I have corrected it: and 'tis obvious, in the
course of these notes, how often not and but, by mis-
take, have changed place in our author's former edi-
tions.
THEOBALD.

13. Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,

Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;]·

It was the current opinion in Shakspere's time, that in the head of an old toad was to be found a stone, or pearl, to which great virtues were ascribed. This

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