ACT III. Scene 1. Page 232. DUKE. Why Phaeton, (for thou art Merop's son) It is far more likely that Shakspeare found this at the end of the first book of Golding's Ovid's metamorphosis, than in the authorities referred to in Mr. Steevens's note. Sc. 1. p. 239. LAUN. There; and Saint Nicholas be thy speed. The true reason why this Saint was chosen to be the patron of Scholars may be gathered from the following story in his life composed in French verse by Maitre Wace, chaplain to Henry the Second, remaining in manuscript but never printed. It appears from a passage in Ordericus Vitalis, p. 598, that the metrical legends of Saints were sung by the Norman minstrels to the common people. "Treis clers aloent a escole, Nen frai mie longe parole; * A word defaced in the manuscript. Saint Nicolas par Deu le sout, Nes peut muscier einz lui mustra. Les ames mist el cors ariere. Por ceo qe as clers fist tiel honor Font li clerc feste a icel jor." That is "Three scholars were on their way to school, (I shall not make a long story of it) their host murdered them in the night, and hid their bodies; their . . . . he reserved. Saint Nicholas was informed of it by God Almighty, and according to his pleasure went to the place. He demanded the scholars of the host, who was not able to conceal them, and therefore showed them to him. Saint Nicholas by his prayers restored the souls to their bodies. Because he conferred such honour on scholars, they at this day cele brate a festival." It is remarkable that although the above story explains the common representation of the saint with three children in a tub, it is not to be found in that grand repertory of Monkish lies, The golden legend. It occurs however in an Italian life of Saint Nicholas printed in 1645, whence it is extracted into the Gentleman's magazine for 1777. p. 158. There is a note by Mr. Whalley on Saint Nicholas's clerks, as applied to highway. men, in King Henry the Fourth, part the first, vol. viii. p. 418, which, though erroneously conceived, would have been more properly introduced on the present occasion. Standing where it does, the worthy author is made responsible for having converted the parish clerks of London into a nest of thieves, which he certainly never intended. Those respectable persons finding that scholars, more usually termed clerks, had placed themselves under the patronage of Saint Nicholas, conceived that clerks of any kind might have the same right, and accordingly took this saint as their patron; much in the same way as the woolcombers did Saint Blaise, who was martyred with an instrument resembling a curry-comb, the nailmakers Saint Clou, and the booksellers Saint John Port-Latin. Sc. 2. p. 246. PRO. Especially against his very friend. Mr. Steevens explains very to be immediate. Is it not rather true, verus? Thus Massinger calls one of his plays A very woman. See likewise the beginning of the Nicene creed. HOST. ACT IV. Scene 2. Page 257. the musick likes you not. i. e. pleases, in which sense it is used by Chaucer. This is the genuine Saxon meaning of the word, however it might have been corrupted in early times from its Latin original licet. In the next speech Julietta plays upon the word. Sc. 2. p. 258. SIL. What is your will? PRO. That I may compass yours. SIL. You have your wish; my will is even this ;— On which Dr. Johnson observes "The word will is here ambiguous. He wishes to gain her will; she tells him, if he wants her will he has it." The learned critic seems to have mistaken the sense of the word compass, when he says it means to gain. If it did, his remark would be just. But to compass in this place signifies, to perform, accomplish, take measures for doing a thing. Thus in Twelfth night, Act 1. Sc. 2, "that were hard to compass," and in 1. Hen. VI. Act. v. Sc. 5. "You judge it impossible to compass wonders." Accordingly Sylvia proceeds to instruct Proteus how he may perform her will. Wish and will are here used, as in many other places, though inaccurately, as synonymous. If however Shak speare really designed to make Proteus say that he was desirous of gaining Sylvia's good will, she must be supposed, in her reply, purposely to mistake his meaning. Sc. 2. p. 260. SIL. But since your falshood shall become you well Dr. Johnson objects to the sense of this passage, and the other commentators offer conjectural interpretations; yet surely nothing is more clear than the sense, and even the grammar may be defended. It is simply "since your falshood shall adapt or render you fit to worship shadows." Become here answers to the Latin convenire, and is used according to its genuine Saxon meaning. Sc. 2. p. 260. HOST. By my hallidom, I was fast asleep. This Mr. Ritson explains, by my holy doom, |