To make thy riches pleasant. What's yet in this, Of palsied eld; and when thou art old, and rich, Thou hast neither beat, &c.] The drift of this period is to prove, that neither youth nor age can be said to be really enjoyed, which, in poetical language, is,-We have neither youth nor age. But how is this made out? That age is not enjoyed, he proves by recapitulating the infirmities of it, which deprive that period of life of all sense of pleasure. To prove that youth is not enjoyed, he uses these words: - for all thy blessed youth Becomes as aged, and doth beg the alms Of palsied eld; Out of which, he that can deduce the conclusion, has a better knack at logic than I have. I suppose the poet wrote, -For pall'd, thy blazed youth Becomes assuaged; and doth beg the alms Of palsied elf; i. e. when thy youthful appetite becomes palled, as it will be in the very enjoyment, the blaze of youth is at once assuaged, and thou immediately contractest the infirmities of old age; as particularly the palsy and other nervous disorders, consequent on the inordinate use of sensual pleasures. This is to the purpose; and proves youth is not enjoyed, by shewing the short duration of it. Warburton. Here again I think Dr. Warburton totally mistaken. Shakspeare declares that man has neither youth nor age; for in youth, which is the happiest time, or which might be the happiest, he commonly wants means to obtain what he could enjoy; he is dependent on palsied eld; must beg alms from the coffers of hoary avarice; and being very niggardly supplied, becomes as aged, looks, like an old man, on happiness which is beyond his reach. And, when he is old, and rich, when he has wealth enough for the purchase of all that formerly excited his desires, he has no longer the powers of enjoyment; bas neither heat, affection, limb, nor beauty, To make his riches pleasant. I have explained this passage according to the present reading, which may stand without much inconvenience; yet I am willing to persuade my reader, because I have almost persuaded myself, that our author wrote, -for all thy blasted youth Becomes as aged Johnson. The sentiment contained in these lines, which Dr. Johnson has explained with his usual precision, occurs again in the forged letter that Edmund delivers to his father, as written by Edgar; K. Lear, Act I, sc. ii: " This policy, and reverence of age, makes the world bitter to the best of our times; keeps our fortunes from us till our oldness cannot relish them." The words above, printed in Italicks, support, I think, the reading of the old copy,-" blessed youth," and shew that any emendation is unnecessary. Malone. That bears the name of life? Yet in this life Lie hid more thousand deaths: yet death we fear, That makes these odds all even. Claud. I humbly thank you. To sue to live, I find, I seek to die; And, seeking death, find life: Let it come on. Enter ISABELLA. Isab. What, ho! Peace here; grace and good com pany! Prov. Who's there? come in: the wish deserves Duke. Dear sir, ere long I'll visit you again. Isab. My business is a word or two with Claudio. Prov. And very welcome. Look, signior, here 's your sister. beat, affection, limb, nor beauty,] But how does beauty make riches pleasant? We should read bounty, which completes the sense, and is this; thou hast neither the pleasure of enjoying riches thyself, for thou wantest vigour; nor of seeing it enjoyed by others, for thou wantest bounty. Where the making the want of bounty as inseparable from old age as the want of bealth, is extremely satirical, though not altogether just. Warburton. I am inclined to believe, that neither man nor woman will have much difficulty to tell how beauty makes riches pleasant. Surely this emendation, though it is elegant and ingenious, is not such as that an opportunity of inserting it should be purchased by declaring ignorance of what every one knows, by confessing insensibility of what every one feels. Johnson. Byheat" and "affection" the poet meant to express appetite, and by "limb" and "beauty" strength. Edwards. 1 reads: more thousand deaths:] For this Sir T. Hanmer a thousand deaths: The meaning is, not only a thousand deaths, but a thousand deaths besides what have been mentioned. Johnson. 2 To sue to live, I find, I seek to die ; And, seeking death, find life:] Had the Friar, in reconciling Claudio to death, urged to him the certainty of happiness hèreafter, this speech would have been introduced with more propriety; but the Friar says nothing of that subject, and argues more like a philosopher, than a Christian divine. M. Mason. Mr. M. Mason seems to forget that no actual Friar was the speaker, but the Duke, who might reasonably be supposed to have more of the philosopher than the divine in his composition Steevens As many as you please. Duke. Provost, a word with you. Prov. Duke. Bring them to speak, where I may be conceal'd, Yet hear them.3 Claud. [Excunt DUKE and Prov. Now, sister, what's the comfort? Isab. Why, as all comforts are; most good in deed:* Lord Angelo, having affairs to heaven, Intends you for his swift embassador, Where you shall be an everlasting leiger: Therefore your best appointment3 make with speed; 3 Bring them to speak, where I may be conceal'd, Yet hear them.] The first copy, published by the players, gives the passage thus: Bring them to hear me speak, where I may be conceal'd. Perhaps we should read: Bring me to hear them speak, where I, &c. Steevens. The second folio authorizes the reading in the text. Tyrwhitt. The alterations made in that copy do not deserve the smallest credit. There are undoubted proofs that they were merely arbitrary; and in general they are also extremely injudicious. Malone. I am of a different opinion, in which I am joined by Dr. Farmer; and consequently prefer the reading of the second folio to my own attempt at emendation, though Mr. Malone has done me the honour to adopt it. Steevens. 4 as all comforts are; most good in deed:] If this reading be right, Isabella must mean that she brings something better than words of comfort, she brings an assurance of deeds. This is harsh and constrained, but I know not what better to offer. Sir Thomas Hanmer reads: in speed. Johnson. The old copy reads: Why, As all comforts are: most good, most good indeede. I believe the present reading, as explained by Dr. Johnson, is the true one. So, in Macbeth: "We're yet but young in deed." Steevens. I would point the lines thus: "Claud. Now, sister, what 's the comfort? "Isab. Why, as all comforts are, most good. Indeed Lord Angelo," &c. Indeed is the same as in truth, or truly, the common beginning of speeches in Shakspeare's age. See Charles the First's Trial. The King and Bradshaw seldom say any thing without this preface: "Truly, Sir." Blackstone. 5 an everlasting leiger; Therefore your best appointment-] Leiger is the same with resident. Appointment; preparation; act of fitting, or state of To-morrow you set on. Claud. Is there no remedy? Isab. None, but such a remedy, as, to save a head, To cleave a heart in twain. Claud. But is there any? Isab. Yes, brother, you may live; There is a devilish mercy in the judge, If you 'll implore it, that will free your life, But fetter you till death. Claud. Perpetual durance? Isab. Ay, just, perpetual durance; a restraint, Though all the world's vastidity you had, To a determin'd scope." Claud. But in what nature? Isab. In such a one as (you consenting to 't) Would bark your honours from that trunk your bear, And leave you naked. being fitted for any thing. So in old books, we have a knight well appointed; that is, well armed and mounted, or fitted at all points. Johnson. The word leiger is thus used in The Comedy of Look about You, 1600: "Madam, as leiger to solicit for your absent love." Again, in Leicester's Commonwealth," a special man of that hasty king, who was his Ledger, or Agent, in London," &c. Steevens. your best appointment-] The word appointment, on this occasion, should seem to comprehend confession, communion, and absolution. "Let him (says Escalus) be furnished with divines, and have all charitable preparation." The King in Hamlet, who was cut off prematurely, and without such preparation, is said to be dis-appointed. Appointment, however, may be more simply explained by the following passage in The Antipodes, 1638: -- your lodging "Is decently appointed." i. e. prepared, furnished. Steevens. 6 Though all the world's vastidity -] The old copy reads― Through all, &c. Corrected by Mr. Pope. Malone. 7 -a restraint To a determin'd scope.] A confinement of your mind to one painful idea; to ignominy, of which the remembrance can neither be suppressed nor escaped. Johnson. 8 Would bark your honour -] A metaphor from stripping trees of their bark. Douce. Claud. Let me know the point. Claud. Why give you me this shame? Think you I can a resolution fetch From flowery tenderness? If I must die, I will encounter darkness as a bride, And hug it in mine arms.1 Isab. There spake my brother; there my father's grave Did utter forth a voice! Yes, thou must die: Thou art too noble to conserve a life In base appliances. This outward-sainted deputy, Whose settled visage and deliberate word Nips youth i' the head, and follies doth enmew,2 the poor beetle, &c.] The reasoning is, that death is no more than every being must suffer, though the dread of it is peculiar to man; or perhaps, that we are inconsistent with ourselves, when we so much dread that which we carelessly inflict on other creatures, that feel the pain as acutely as we. Johnson. The meaning is-fear is the principal sensation in death, which has no pain; and the giant when he dies feels no greater pain than the beetle.-This passage, however, from its arrangement, is liable to an opposite construction, but which would totally destroy the illustration of the sentiment. Douce. 1 I will encounter darkness as a bride, And bug it in mine arms.] So, in the first part of Jeronimo, or The Spanish Tragedy, 1605: 66 -night "That yawning Beldam, with her jetty skin, Again, in Antony and Cleopatra: 2 66 I will be "A bridegroom in my death; and run into 't, "As to a lover's bed." Malone Steevens. -follies doth enmew,] Forces follies to lie in cover, without daring to show themselves. Johnson. |