before him, he were as good go a mile on his errand. DUKE. That we were all, as some would seem to be, From our faults, as faults from seeming, free *! 4 That we were all, as some would seem to be, Free from our faults, as faults from SEEMING, free!] i. e. as faults are destitute of all comeliness or seeming. The first of these lines refers to the deputy's sanctified hypocrisy; the second to the Clown's beastly occupation But the latter part is thus ill expressed for the sake of the rhyme. WARBURton. Sir Thomas Hanmer reads: "Free from all faults, as from faults seeming free." In the interpretation of Dr. Warburton, the sense is trifling, and the expression harsh. To wish that men were as free from faults, as faults are free from comeliness, [instead of void of comeliness,] is a very poor conceit. I once thought it should be read: "O that all were, as all would seem to be, "Free from all faults, or from false seeming free." So, in this play : "O place, O power-how dost thou "Wrench awe from fools, and tie the wiser souls But now I believe that a less alteration will serve the turn: 'That men were really good, or that their faults were known,' that men were free from faults, or faults from hypocrisy. So Isabella calls Angelo's hypocrisy, seeming, seeming. JOHNSON. I think we should read with Sir T. Hanmer: "Free from all faults, as from faults seeming free." i. e. 'I wish we were all as good as we appear to be;' a sentiment very naturally prompted by his reflection on the behaviour of Angelo. Sir T. Hanmer has only transposed a word to produce a convenient sense. STEEVENS. Hanmer is right with respect to the meaning of this passage, but I think his transposition unnecessary. The words, as they stand, will express the same sense, if pointed thus: "Free from all faults, as, faults from, seeming free." Nor is this construction more harsh than that of many other sentences in the play, which, of all those which Shakspeare has left us, is the most defective in that respect. M. MASON. The original copy has not Free at the beginning of the line. It was added unnecessarily by the editor of the second folio, who did not perceive that our, like many words of the same kind, Enter LUCIO. ELB. His neck will come to your waist, a cord, sir. CLO. I spy comfort; I cry, bail: Here's a gentle man, and a friend of mine. LUCIO. How now, noble Pompey? What, at the heels of Cæsar? Art thou led in triumph? What, is there none of Pygmalion's images, newly made woman, to be had now, for putting the hand in was used by Shakspeare as a dissyllable. The reading,—from all faults, which all the modern editors have adopted, (I think, improperly,) was first introduced in the fourth folio. Dr. Johnson's conjectural reading, or, appears to me very probable. The compositor might have caught the word as from the preceding line. If as be right, Dr. Warburton's interpretation is, perhaps, the true one. Would we were all as free from faults, as faults are free from, or destitute of comeliness, or seeming. This line is rendered harsh and obscure by the word free being dragged from its proper place for the sake of the rhyme. MALONE. Till I meet with some decisive instance of the pronoun-our, used as a dissyllable, I read with the second folio, which I cannot suspect of capricious alterations. STEEVENS. 5 His neck will come to your waist, a cord, sir.] That is, his neck will be tied, like your waist, with a rope. The friars of the Franciscan order, perhaps of all others, wear a hempen cord for a girdle. Thus Buchanan : Fac gemant suis Variata terga funibus. JOHNSON. 6- Pygmalion's images, newly made woman,] By "Pygmalion's images, newly made woman," I believe Shakspeare meant no more than-Have you no women now to recommend to your customers, as fresh and untouched as Pygmalion's statue was, at the moment when it became flesh and blood? The passage may, however, contain some allusion to a pamphlet printed in 1598, called The Metamorphosis of Pygmalion's Image, and certain Satires. I have never seen it, but it is mentioned by Ames, p. 568; and whatever its subject might be, we learn from an order signed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London, that this book was commanded to be burnt. The order is inserted at the end of the second volume of the entries belonging to the Stationers' Company. STEEVENS. If Marston's Metamorphosis of Pygmalion's Image be alluded to, the pocket and extracting it clutch'd? What reply? Ha? What say'st thou to this tune, matter, and method? Is't not drown'd i' the last rain? Ha? What say'st thou, trot? Is the world as it was, I believe it must be in the argument." The maide (by the power of Venus) was metamorphosed into a living woman." FARMER. There may, however, be an allusion to a passage in Lyly's Woman in the Moone, 1597. The inhabitants of Utopia petition Nature for females, that they may, like other beings, propagate their species. Nature grants their request; and " they draw the curtins from before Nature's shop, where stands an image clad, and some unclad, and they bring forth the cloathed image," &c. STEEVENS. Perhaps the meaning is,-Is there no courtezan, who being newly made woman, i. e. lately debauched, still retains the appearance of chastity, and looks as cold as a statue, to be had, &c. The following passage in Blurt Master Constable, a Comedy, by Middleton, 1602, seems to authorize this interpretation: "Laz. Are all these women? 66 Imp. No, no, they are half men, and half women. "Laz. You apprehend too fast. I mean by women, wives; for wives are no maids, nor are maids women.” Mulier in Latin had precisely the same meaning. MALONE. 7 What say'st thou to this tune, matter, and method? Is't not drown'd i' the last rain?] Lucio, a prating fop, meets his old friend going to prison, and pours out upon him his impertinent interrogatories, to which, when the poor fellow makes no answer, he adds, "What reply? ha? what say'st thou to this? tune, matter, and method,-is't not? drown'd i' the last rain? ha? what say'st thou, trot?" &c. It is a common phrase used in low raillery of a man crest-fallen and dejected, that "he looks like a drown'd puppy." Lucio therefore asks him, whether he was "drown'd i' the last rain," and therefore cannot speak. JOHNSON. He rather asks him whether his answer was not drown'd in the last rain, for Pompey returns no answer to any of his questions : or, perhaps, he means to compare Pompey's miserable appearance to a drown'd mouse. So, in King Henry VI. Part I. Act I. Sc. II. : 'Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice." STEEVENS. what say'st thou, TROT?] It should be read, I think, what say'st thou to't? the word trot being seldom, if ever, used to 8 66 a man. Old trot, or trat, signifies a decrepid old woman, or an old drab. In this sense it is used by Gawin Douglas, Virg. Æn. book iv.: "Out on the old trat, aged dame or wyffe." GREY. So, in Wily Beguiled, 1613:" Thou toothless old trot thou." man? Which is the way? Is it sad, and few words? Or how? The trick of it? DUKE. Still thus, and thus! still worse! LUCIO. How doth my dear morsel, thy mistress ? Procures she still? Ha? CLO. Troth, sir, she hath eaten up all her beef, and she is herself in the tub'. LUCIO. Why, 'tis good; it is the right of it; it must be so: Ever your fresh whore, and your powder'd bawd: An unshunn'd consequence: it must be so: Art going to prison, Pompey! CLO. Yes, faith, sir. LUCIO. Why 'tis not amiss, Pompey: Farewell: Go; say, I sent thee thither3. For debt, Pompey? Or how *? 4 ELB. For being a bawd, for being a bawd. Again, in The Wise Woman of Hogsden, 1638: "What can this witch, this wizard, or old trot." Trot, however, sometimes signifies a bawd. So, in Churchyard's Tragicall Discourse of a dolorous Gentlewoman, 1593: "Awaie old trots, that sets young flesh to sale." Pompey, it should be remembered, is of this profession. STEEVENS. Trot, or as it is now often pronounced, honest trout, is a familiar address to a man among the provincial vulgar. JOHNSON. 9 Which is the WAY?] What is the mode now? JOHNSON. I-in the TUB.] The method of cure for venereal complaints is grossly called the powdering tub. JOHNSON. 66 It was so called from the method of cure. See the notes on the tub-fast and the diet-" in Timon, Act IV. STEEVENS. An unshunn'd consequence :] An iniquitable consequence. MALONE. 2 3 - say, I sent thee thither.] Shakspeare seems here to allude to the words used by Gloster, in King Henry VI. Part III. Act V. Sc. VI. : 4 66 Down, down to hell; and say-I sent thee thither." REED. Go; say, I sent thee thither. For debt, Pompey? or how?] It should be pointed thus: " Go, say I sent thee thither for debt, Pompey; or how "-i. e. to hide the ignominy of thy case, say, I sent thee to prison for debt, or whatever other pretence thou fanciest better. The other humorously replies, For 66 LUCIO. Well, then imprison him: If imprisonment be the due of a bawd, why, 'tis his right: Bawd is he, doubtless, and of antiquity too; bawdborn. Farewell, good Pompey: Commend me to the prison, Pompey: You will turn good husband now, Pompey; you will keep the house *. CLO. I hope, sir, your good worship will be my bail. LUCIO. No, indeed, will I not, Pompey; it is not the wear 3. I will pray, Pompey, to increase your bondage: if you take it not patiently, why, your mettle is the more: Adieu, trusty Pompey.-Bless you, friar. DUKE. And you. Lucio. Does Bridget paint still, Pompey? Ha? ELB. Come your ways, sir; come. CLO. You will not bail me then, sir? LUCIO. Then, Pompey? nor now".-What news abroad, friar? What news? ELB. Come your ways, sir; come. being a bawd, for being a bawd," i. e. the true cause is the most honourable. This is in character. WARBURTON. I do not perceive any necessity for the alteration. Lucio first offers him the use of his name to hide the seeming ignominy of his case; and then very naturally desires to be informed of the true reason why he was ordered into confinement. STEEVENS. Warburton has taken some pains to amend this passage, which does not require it; and Lucio's subsequent reply to Elbow, shows that his amendment cannot be right. When Lucio advises Pompey to say he sent him to the prison, and in his next speech desires him to commend him to the prison, he speaks as one who had some interest there, and was well known to the keepers. M. MASON. 4 - You will turn good HUSBAND now, Pompey; you will KEEP the HOUSE.] Alluding to the etymology of the word husband. MALONE. 5 it is not the WEAR.] i. e. it is not the fashion. STEEVENS. Then, Pompey? nor now.] The meaning, I think, is: I will neither, bail thee then, nor now. So again, in this play: “More, nor less to others paying-." MALONE. |