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It is to be lamented, that such a writer should want a commentary; that his language should become obsolete, or his sentiments obscure. But it is vain to carry wishes beyond the condition of human things; that which must happen to all, has happened to Shakspeare, by accident and time; and more than has been suffered by any other writer since the use of types, has been suffered by him through his own negligence of fame, or perhaps by that superiority of mind, which despised its own performances, when it compared them with its powers, and judged those works unworthy to be preserved, which the criticks of following ages were to contend for the fame of restoring and explaining.

Among these candidates of inferior fame, I am now to stand the judgment of the publick; and wish that I could confidently produce my commentary as equal to the encouragement which I have had the honour of receiving. Every work of this kind is by its nature deficient, and I should feel little solicitude about the sentence, were it to be pronounced only by the skilful and the learned.

Of what has been performed in this revisal, an account is given by Mr. Steevens, who might have spoken both of his own diligence and sagacity, in terms of greater self-approbation, without deviating from modesty or truth.

JOHNSON.

A

GLOSSARY

EXPLAINING

THE OBSOLETE AND DIFFICULT WORDS

IN THE

PLAYS OF SHAKSPEARE.

When a word is not properly English, but borrowed from a foreign language, and not familiarised by use into our own; the original word in such foreign language is set down.

A.

To Aby, to suffer for, to pay dear for.

To Accite, to call, to summon or send for. Lat. Accire.

To Affeer, to confirm, to ascertain: a law-term used in courtleets, and signifying to confirm or fix by persons properly chosen the mulcts there imposed upon such as have committed faults arbitrarily punishable, and which have no express penalty annexed to them by any statute. Fr. Affeurer. To Affie, to affiance, to betroth; also, to confide.

To Affront, to front, or confront, or face.

An Aglet, the tag of a lace, or of the points formerly used as ornaments in dress, and which (for the greater finery) were often

cut in shape of little images. Fr. Aiguillette.

To Agnize, to acknowledge, to avow.
Agood, much, a great deal.

VOL. 1.

Lat. Agnoscere.

i

An Aiery, the nest of an hawk, and sometimes the brood of hawks belonging to a particular nest.

Alder, of all. Alder-Liefest, dearest of all.

An Ancient, an ensign, or standard-bearer.

Anthropophaginian, a man-eater. Gr. Ανθρωποφάγος.

An Antre, a cave or cavern. Fr. Antre. Lat. Antrum.

To Appeach, to impeach.

To Appeal, to accuse.

Approof, the same as proof.

An Argosie, a ship; from Argo, the ship of the Argonauts.

Aroint thee! avaunt! stand off! This word seems to come from

the Latin Dii averruncent!

Ascaunce, awry.

An Assinego, an ass-driver or ass-keeper. Ital. Asináio.

Até, the goddess of mischief.

Attaints, the same as Taints; stains, blemishes, any strokes or touches of infection either in a natural or moral sense. Fr. Atteintes.

To Attone, to appease, to reconcile; also, to be reconciled, to agree.

B.

Baccaláre, a self-conceited pretending spark. An Italian word. To Bait, a term in falconry, when the hawk spreads and claps

her wings.

Baldrick, a belt. Fr. Baudrier.

Bale, misfortune, sorrow.

Balk'd, floated: from the Italian verb Valicare.

Ban-dogs, dogs kept in bands, tied up.

To Bandy, to canvass, to dispute, to quarrel, most especially by

retorting angry and provoking words: a metaphor taken from

striking the balls at tennis, which is the primary sense of the word. Fr. Bander.

Barbason, the name of a devil or fiend.

Barbed, see Unbarbed.

Base, country-base, a sport used amongst country people called prison-base, in which some pursue to take others prisoners. And therefore "I bid the base" is by using the language of

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that sport to say, my business is to take prisoners."

Base Court, a back yard. Fr. Bassecour.

Basta, it sufficeth, it is enough. An Italian word.

Bated, abated, sunk.

A Batlet, a flat piece of wood, with which washerwomen beat coarse linen.

To Batten, to feed, to pasture.

Baven, brush wood, faggot wood.

Bawcock, a coaxing term: probably from the French Bas coque. Bearns, children.

Behests or Hests, commands.

A Bergomask-dance, a darce after the manner of the peasants of Bergomasco, a country in Italy, belonging to the Venetians. All the buffoons in Italy affect to imitate the ridiculous jargon of that people, and from thence it became a custom to mimick also their manner of dancing.

Beshrew! an imprecation, as "beshrew my heart!" ill betide my heart!

To Besmirch or Smirch, to besmear, to foul, to dirty.

Bestraught, mad, distracted.

To Beteem, to yield, to deliver. Spen.

A Bever, that part of the helmet which lets down over the face, with a grate of iron bars before the eyes. Span. Bavera,

To Bewray, to discover, to reveal.

Bezonian, a beggarly scoundrel. Ital. Bisognoso.

A Biggen, a cap or coif of linen like those worn by children with

a stay under the chin. Fr. Beguin.

A Bilberry, the fruit of a small shrub, of a blue colour.

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