Is not this the origin of our hob nob, or challenge to drink a glass of wine at dinner? M. MASONIS *P. 59, 1. 29. Meddle is here perhaps used in the same sense as the French mêlée. SEEEVEŃS.NO (K P. 60 1. 18. and fol. Shakspeare miglio have caught a hint for this scene from Ben Jonson's Silent woman, which was printed in 1609. The behaviour of Viola and Ague-cheek appears to have been formed on that of Sir John Daw, and Sir Amorous La Foole. STEEVENS. P. 60, l. 19. Virago cannot be properly used here, unless we suppose Sir Toby to mean, I nëever saw one that had so much the look of a wo man with the prowess of man. · JOHNSON. WoThe old copy reads firago. A virago always means sal female warrior, or, in low language, a escolds or turbulent woman. If Shakspeare (who knew Viola to be a woman, though Sir Toby did not) has made no blunder, Dr. Johnson has supplied the only obvious meaning of the word. Firago may however be a ludicrous term of 1Shakspeare's coinage. SVEEVENS. 3 Why may not the meaning be more simple, I have never seen the most furious woman so obstreperous and violent as he is?" MALONE. P1060, L. 21. The stuck is a corrupted abbrevia tion of the stoccata, an Italian term in fencing. STEEVENS, i. e. hits you, P. 60, 1. 22. he pays you does for you. Į STEEVENS. P. 61, l. 6. He is as horribly conceited of him; that is, he has as horrid an idea or conception of him MALONE. o Pa61 1.21. by the duello i.e. by the laws of the duello, which, in Shakspeare's time, weresacttled with the utmost nicety. STEEVENS. P. 62, firstl. Nay, if you be an undertaker, I am for you.] But why was an undertaker so offensive a character? I believe this is a touch upon the times, which may help to determine the date of this play. At the meeting of the parlia ment in 1614, there appears to have been a very general persuasion, or jealousy at least, that the King had been induced to call a parliament ats that Aime, by certain persons, who had undertaken, through their influence in the House of Cominous, to carry things according to his Majesty's wishes. These persons were immediately stigmatized with the invidious name of undertakers; sand the idea was so unpopular, that the King thonght it necessary, in two set speeches, to deny positively (how truly is another question) that there had been airy such undertaking. Parl. Hist. Vol. V. p. 277, Fandy 286. Sir Francis Bacon also (then Attorneygeneral) made an artful, apologetical speech in the House of Commons upon the same subject; when the houses. (according to the title of the speech) was in great heat, and much troubled about the undertakers. Bacon's Works, Vol. II. p. 236, 4to. edit. TYRWHITT. Undertakers were persons employed by the King's purveyors to take up provisions for the royal household, and were no doubt exceedingly odious But still, I think, the speaker intends a quibble; the simple meaning of the word being one who undertakes, or takes up the quarrel or business of another. RITSON. GLP: 63, 28. 291bnt the beauteous-evil Are empty trunks, o'erflourish'd by the devil.] In the time of Shakspeare, trunks, which are now deposited in lumber rooms, or other obscure pla. cess were parts of the furniture of apartments vin which company was received. I have seen more than one of these, as old as the time of our poet. They were richly ornamented on the tops and sides with scroll-work, emblematical devices, etc. and were elevated on feet. Shakspeare has the same expression in Measure for Measure. : STEEVENS. P. 63, 1. 34-36. That he believes himself: so do not I, etc.] This, I believe, means, I do not yet believe myself, when, from this accident, I gather hope of my brother's life, JOHNSON. P. 64, 1. 4. 5. I'my brother know Yet living in my glass; ] I suppose Viola means As often as I behold myself in my glass, I think I see my brother alive; i. e. I acknowledge that his resemblance survives in the reflection of my own figure STEEVENS. P. 65, L. 10. Vent my folly!] This affected word seems to have been in use in Shakspeare's time. In Melvil's Memoirs, p. 198, we have ,,My Lord Liudsay vented himself that he was one of the number," etc. REED. P. 65, 1. 12. I am afraid this great lubber the world will prove a cockney.] That is affectation and foppery will overspread the world. JOHNSON. P. 65, 1.13- a cockney.] So, in A Knight's Conjuring, by Decker: 'tis not their fault, but our mothers', our cockering mothers, who for their labour make us to be called, Cockneys, etc. STEEVENS. Greek, was as much as to say P. 65, L. 17. bawd or pander. acting in that office. A bawdy house was called Corinth, and the frequenters of it Corinthians, which words occur frequently in Shakspeare, especially in Timon of Athens, and Henry IV. Yet the Oxford editor alters it to Geck. WARBURTON. P. 65, 1. 21. 22. These wise men, that give fools money, get themselves a good report after fourteen years purchase.] This seems to carry a piece of satire upon monopolies, the crying griev ance of that time. The grants generally were for fourteen years; and the petitions being referred to a committee, it was suspected that money gained favourable reports from thence. WARBURTON. Perhaps fourteen years' purchase was in Shakspeare's time, the highest price for land. Lord Bacon's. Essay on Usury mentions sixteen years purchase.,, I will not give more than according to fifteen years purchase, said a dying usurer to a clergyman, who advised him to study for a purchase of the kingdom of heaven." TOLLET. Mr. Heath thinks the meaning is,,,-- purchase a good report [ or character] at a very extravagant price." MALONE. Dr. Warburton's conjecture that there is here a reference to monopolies, is, I believe, unfounded. Mr. Tollet and Mr. Heath are probably right. Sir Josiah Child, in his Discourse on Trade, says,,,certainly anno 1621, the current price of lands in England was twelve years purchase; and so I have been assured by many ancient men whom I have questioned particulary as to this matter; and I find it so by purchases made about that time by my own relations and acquaintance." Sir Thomas Culpepper, senior, who wrote in 1621, affirms,,,that land was then at twelve years pur chase." REED. P. 66, 125. Extent is, in law, a writ of execution, whereby goods are seized for the King. It is therefore taken here for violence in general. JOHNSON. 1 P.2 66, 1. 28. - botch'd up,] A coarse expres. sion for made up, as a bad tailor is called a botcher, and to botch is to make clumsily. JOHNSON. P. 66, 1. 31. He started one poor heart of mine in thee.] I know not whether here be not an ambiguity intended between heart and hart The sense however is easy enough. He that offends thee, attacks one of my hearts; or, as the ancients expressed it half my heart. JOHNSON. The sequivoque suggested by Dr. Johnsons was, I have no doubt, intended. Heart in our author's time was frequently written hart; and Shakspeare delights in playing on these words. MALONE. 5. P. 66, 1. 32, What relish is in this? —} How does this taste? What judgement am I to make of it? JOHNSON. P. 67, l. 12. dissemble myself guise myself. MALONE. 4 i. e. dis Shakspeare has here stumbled on a Latinism Thus Ovid, speaking of Achilles : ,,Veste virum longa dissimulatus erat. STEEVENS. P. 67, l. 14. I am not tall enough to become the function well;] This cannot be right. The word wanted should be part of the description of careful man. I should have no objection to pale. Tr ̧WHITT, read Nattall enough, perhaps. means not of sufficient height to overlook a pulpit. |