Therefore, let our proportions for these wars
Be foon collected, and all things thought upon,
That may with reasonable fwiftnefs add

More feathers to our wings; for, God before,
We'll chide this Dauphin at his father's door.
Therefore let every man now tafk his thought,
That this fair action may on foot be brought. [Exeunt.

Chorus.

ACT II. SCENE I.

Enter CHORU S.

OW all the youth of England are on

•Now fire, 2

2 In this place, in all the editions hitherto, is inferted the chorus which I have poftponed. That chorus manifeftly is intended to advertise the fpectators of the change of the fcene to Southamp ton, and therefore ought to be placed juft before that change, and not here, where the fcene is ftill continued in London.

POPE. Now all the Youth of England] I have replaced this Chorus here, by the Authority of the Old Folio's; and ended the first A, as the Poet certainly intended. Mr. Pope remov'd it, becaufe (fays he) This Chorus manifeftly is intended to advertise the Spectators of the Change of the Scene to Southampton; and therefore ought to be placed just before that Change, and not here. 'Tis true, the Spectators are to be informed, that, when they next fee the King, they are to fuppofe him at Southampton. But this does not imply any Neceffity of this Cha

And

rus being contiguous to that
Change. On the contrary, the
very concluding Lines vouch ab-
folutely against it.

But, till the King come forth,
and not till then,
Unto Southampton do we shift
our Scene.

For how abfurd is fuch a Notice,
if the Scene is to change, fo foon
as ever the Chorus quits the
Stage? Befides, unless this Che-
rus be prefixed to the Scene be-
twixt Nim, Bardolph, &c. We
fhall draw the Poet into another
Abfurdity. Piftol, Nim, and Bar-
dolph are in this Scene talking of
going to the Wars in France:
but the King had but juft, at his
quitting the Stage, declar'd his
Refolutions of commencing this
War: And without the Interval
of an A, betwixt that Scene
and the Comic Characters en-
tring, how could they with any
Probability be informed of this
intended Expedition?

THEOBALD.
I think

And filken dalliance in the wardrobe lies;
Now thrive the armourers, and honour's thought
Reigns folely in the breast of every man;
They fell the pafture now, to buy the horse;
Following the mirror of all Chriftian Kings,
With winged heels, as English Mercuries.
3 For now fits expectation in the air,
And hides a fword from hilts unto the point
With Crowns imperial, Crowns, and Coronets
Promis'd to Harry and his followers.
The French, advis'd by good intelligence
Of this moft dreadful preparation,

Shake in their fear; and with pale policy
Seek to divert the Englife purposes.

O England! model to thy inward greatness,
Like little body with a mighty heart;

What might'ft thou do, that honour would thee do,
Were all thy children kind and natural !

But fee, thy fault France hath in thee found out;
A neft of hollow bofoms, which he fills

With treach'rous crowns; and three corrupted men,
One, Richard Earl of Cambridge, and the fecond,
Henry Lord Scroop of Masham, and the third,
Sir Thomas Grey Knight of Northumberland,
Have for the gilt of France (O guilt, indeed!)
Confirm'd confpiracy with fearful France,

And bides a favord from bilis unto the point

With Crowns imperial, &c.] The imagery is wonderfully fine, and the thought exquifite. Ex

I think Mr. Pope miftaken in tranfpofing this Chorus, and Mr. Theobald in concluding the act with it. The chorus evidently introduces that which follows, not comments on that which pre-pectation futting in the air defigns cedes, and therefore rather be the height of their ambition; gins than ends the Act, and fo and the Sword hid from the hilt I have printed it. Dr. Warbur- to the point with Crowns and Coton follows Mr. Pope. ronets, that all fentiments of 3 For now fits expectation in danger were loft in the thoughts

the air,

of glory.

WARBURTON.

And

+ And by their hands this 5 grace of Kings must die, If hell and treafon hold their promises,

Ere he take fhip for France; and in Southampton.
Linger your patience on, and well digeft
Th' abuse of distance, while we force a play,
The fum is paid, the traitors are agreed,
The King is fet from London, and the scene
Is now transported, gentles, to Southampton :
There is the play-house now, there muft you fit;
And thence to France fhall we convey you safe,
And bring you back, charming the narrow feas
To give you gentle pafs; for if we may,

4 And by their hands this grace of Kings must die,

If hell and treason hold their
promifes,

Ere he take fhip for France;
and in Southampton.
Linger your patience on, and
well digeft

Th' abufe of diftance, while we
force a play.

The fum is paid, the traitors are agreed,

The King is fet from London,
and the Scene

Is now transported, gentles, to
Southampton:

There is the play-bouse now.]
I fuppofe every one that reads
thefe lines looks about for a
meaning which he cannot find.
There is no connection of fenfe
nor regularity of tranfition from
one thought to the other. It may
be fufpected that some lines are
loft, and in that cafe the fenfe
is irretrievable. I rather think
the meaning is obfcured by an
accidental tranfpofition, which I
would reform thus:

And by their hands this grace of
Kings must die,

If bell and treafon bold their
promifes.

The fum is paid, the traitors are agreed,

The King is fet from London,
and the Scene

Is now transported, gentles, to
Southampton

Ere be take ship for France.
And in Southampton
Linger your patience on, and
well digeft

Th' abuse of diftance, while we
force a play.

There is the play-boufe now. This alteration restores fenfe, and probably the true fenfe. The lines might be otherwise ranged, but this order pleases me beft.

5 this grace of Kings-] i. e. he who does greatest honour to the title. By the fame kind of phrafeology the ufurper in Hamlet is call'd the Vice of Kings, i. e. the opprobrium of WARBURTON.

them.

We'll

6 We'll not offend one ftomach with our play.
7 But, till the King come forth, and not till then,
Unto Southampton do we fhift our scene.

SCENE II.

Before Quickly's Houfe in Eaftcheap.

Enter Corporal Nim, and Lieutenant Bardolph. Bard. TELL met, Corporal Nim. 8

Nim. Good morrow, Lieutenant Bar

Bard. What, are Ancient Pistol and you friends yet? Nim. For my part, I care not. I fay little; but when time shall serve, there fhall be-[Smiles.]But that

fhall be as it may. I dare not fight, but I will wink and hold out mine iron; it is a fimple one; but what tho? it will toaft cheese, and it will endure cold as another man's fword will; and there's an end.

Bard. I will beftow a breakfast to make you friends, 2 and we'll be all three fworn brothers to France. Let it be fo, good corporal Nim.

Nim. Faith, I will live fo long as I may, that's the certain of it; and when I cannot live any longer, I will do as I may; that is my reft, that is the rendezvous

of it.

Bard. It is certain, corporal, that he is married to Nel Quickly, and certainly the did you wrong, for you were troth-plight to her.

Nim. I cannot tell, things must be as they may; men may fleep, and they may have their throats about them at that time; and fome fay, knives have edges. It must be as it may. Tho' 3 patience be a tir'd Mare, yet fhe will plod. There muit be conclufions. Well, I cannot tell,

Enter Pistol and Quickly.

Bard. Here comes ancient Piftol and his wife. Good corporal, be patient here. How now, mine hoft Pistol? Pift. Bafe tyke, call'ft thou me host?

Now by this hand, I swear, I fcorn the term:
Nor fhall my Nell keep lodgers.

Quick. No, by my troth, not long: for we cannot lodge and board a dozen or fourteen gentle women, that live honestly by the prick of their needles, but it will be thought we keep a bawdy-house straight. O welli

a And we'll all be worn brothers to France.] We should read, we'll all go fworn brothers to France, or we'll all be worn brothers in France.

3 Patience be a tir'd mare.]

The folio reads by corruption, tired name, from which Sir T. Hanmer, fagacioufly enough, derived tired Dame. Mr. Theobald retrieved from the quarto tired Mare, the true reading.

day